He Did Not Die in Vain

ALLELUIA!

Jesus suffered through the horror of Good Friday, and died a tragic death on the cross for us. Can you imagine if that was the end of the story though? If it was, that would be kind of anti-climactic. I mean really? Jesus comes to save us all, spreads the good news, is persecuted, and then dies. Bam. That’s one way to end a story. 
But Jesus is a better story maker than that, and rose from the dead today demonstrating that He is greater than any evil the world could possibly inflict upon His human body. He rose from a terrible and gruesome death, showing us that good always wins. Light drives out darkness, and good triumphs over evil. Alleluia!

“How blessed is this day, when earth and heaven are joined and humankind is reconciled to God!
May the light of Jesus shine continually to drive away all darkness. 
May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find his light ever burning in our hearts—he who gives his light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.”

Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer





Have a wonderful day celebrating Jesus Resurrection and triumph over evil with your family and friends!!


Laura









We Are Spectators of The Cross

On this Good Friday, take time to think about the immeasurable sacrifice Jesus Christ made by giving his life for us on the cross.

He died for YOU.

Can you even wrap your mind around that? He loves each one of us so much that he would have suffered in the same way had there been just one person on earth, and this is the day we especially remember that on. Watch this video of Bishop Fulton Sheen speaking about how each of us is a spectator of the cross, and I encourage you to look up some of his other talks – he is an incredible speaker!

My Lord, 
your son has suffered so much, shed so much blood. 
I was born with so many faults 
and my nature is so full of weakness, 
and yet your son Jesus has died on the cross. 
For me. 
I know your grace has the power 
to cleanse me of my many sins 
and to make me more like your Son. 
Thank you for your goodness and love for me. 
I ask you, Father, to watch over me – always. Amen.

Will You Kneel to the Mandate?

Imagine that you’re walking down a city sidewalk. It’s sunny, and you can hear the cars whiz by. You’re on your lunch hour, and are heading down the street to get a hamburger. Yum! You’re happily thinking about what you’ll do this weekend when a random stranger stops you and says “Give me money. I don’t have enough to pay for my next pack of cigarettes, so you have to pay for it.” 
Now, you know that cigarettes can seriously affect someone’s health. For goodness sakes, it can cause lung cancer, and this dude is trying to make YOU pay for it. Not cool! You respond by saying “Using cigarettes is wrong, and it can seriously hurt you. This is my money. I do not want to pay for your cigarettes.” Now the dude gets mad, and tells you “The government says you have to support me. Your beliefs are irrelevant here, lady, so give me the money.”

Now that’s just absurd if you ask me. Living in the “land of the free” we should not be forced by anyone to support something we believe is wrong. 
Most Americans value this freedom, but that freedom is being tested by our government – the very people who should be fighting to protect it. You’ve probably heard about the HHS Mandate by now. If this goes into effect as planned, employers (including religious ones) would be forced to provide insurance plans that include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacent drugs. 
No matter if you believe those services are wrong (that’s a whole other post), we as Americans should realize that forcing people to support something they believe is wrong is 100% crazy. We should be appalled at the fact that our government is trying to force anything on us. Telling me I have to pay for some dudes cigarettes is crazy. Telling me I have to support contraception, sterilization, and abortifacent drugs is CRAZY

Forcing me to support anything is absolutely contrary to what our country was founded on, and what our Constitution says. In our Constitution, it says that

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

So, did the Constitution change recently, or who decided it’s okay to disregard it?

I have a sneaking suspicion this guy might have something to do with this…
The HHS mandate directly affects all Catholics by prohibiting the exercise of religious beliefs. That’s bad enough, as the Catholics make up around 20 – 30% of our population (don’t quote me on that one though, I didn’t find a reputable source for that number). But what’s important here is that this is not just a Catholic issue. This is not even a religious issue. This is an issue about our freedom. 
Our freedom is being attacked by none other than our President. Isn’t that horribly ironic? Yup, it’s ironic, and it’s disgusting. I am disgusted that this HHS mandate had gotten so far, but I know it will not last. Several groups have already taken up lawsuits against it. People are speaking out, and rightly so. 
What can you do to stop this attack on our freedom? Here’s what you can do: 

1. Educate yourself. Know what the HHS Mandate is all about so you can talk about it. 

2. Sign this petition to let the government know we will stand against this mandate.

3. Share this article, and let other people know that we need to stand up against this atrocity.

As Dan Burke recently said in an article“What the Obama administration needs to understand is that Catholics do not kneel to idols, we do not break rank before the hordes and we do not fear the consequences of an unjust law.”
So here’s what I have to say to Mr. Obama about this mandate: Bring it. We will never kneel to this mandate. We will never change our beliefs. And, we will do everything in our power to overturn this heinous attack on the freedom of ALL Americans. So yes, bring it.

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President,

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade this year, you said

“As we mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.”

Now, I already knew that you are the most pro-abortion president in the history of America, but do you realize how utterly ironic and absurd that statement is? You see, you allow Planned Parenthood, the biggest abortion chain in America, to receive millions of taxpayer dollars…from our government. You, as the president, openly support a woman’s “right” to choose to have an abortion.

How in the world can you say the “government should not intrude on private family matters” when YOU are clearly intruding on the matter of abortion? You don’t want to take funding away from Planned Parenthood. You’ve made sure peaceful pro-lifers do not have an easy time saving women and babies. You want to force insurance companies to provide birth control and abortion drugs. You weaken conscience rights of those in the medical field who don’t want to kill babies.

I realize that you have a very difficult job, Mr. President. Believe me, I don’t want to be president. But I would really appreciate if you protected the rights of all humans, not just the born ones you care about.Our country was founded on the belief that all men are created equal, and that we have an intrinsic right to life. When did that change?

You, Mr. President support abortion, and clearly have exercised that belief. So next time you talk about the government and abortion, please don’t tell me you think that “government should not intrude on private family matters” because you, my friend, intrude on private family matters all the time.

Have a wonderful day, and let me know when you start to back up what you say.

Sincerely,

An American Girl

Update 1/24: I submitted this letter to lettertobarackobama.com. You can view the letter and leave a reply at this link.

God’s Will

Oh, so true! I don’t think I have to say anything else, because these words speak for themselves. 
Though it might be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, I can assure you that trusting God and following His will is the best decision you will ever make. He wants what is best for us, and all we have to do is follow Him like little children: complete trust that He knows what is right. 
Now I’m going to give you a challenge: For the next day, trust God’s will in your life. When the pot boils over, the computer malfunctions, or the line too long, try to find God in every situation in the next day. Thank God for everything He sends your way, the good and bad, and trust His divine wisdom. 
Can you take the challenge?
Hint: You’re answer should be yes 😉 
Let me know how it goes, and please share your stories about how trusting in God’s will has changed your day!