NE Alberta, Canada Picture by Allain Cote
Our blog is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Monday is one of my favorite days. Mondays, we sit down at a blank screen and start typing, with no idea where we’re going. I believe most writers begin with an outline of what they will write about. We don’t, we just start typing, and I am continually amazed by how it comes out.
We edit the rest of the week; still fun, but not as much fun as Mondays.
Today is also unique because it is the first day of Lent, and I pray you all know how much I enjoy lent.
Enjoy is strange since we are asked to give something up for forty days. As Americans, we are used to accumulating but not giving up.
The above Gospel reading is also one of my favorites.
I didn’t understand fully until today.
In our blogs, we have constantly talked about a new life in the “Spirit World,” which is entirely different from the “world.”
When I give to others, tell no one.
What?
How will YOU know I’m generous?
How will I be set apart in society as one who cares?
How could I live without the praise I would get for what I did?
And on top of that, when I pray, I have to go into a room, close the door and tell no one what I a doing.
How will YOU determine I am holy?
And, of course, the last is the hardest.
I have to clean myself up, present a happy face, and mask the fact that I am giving something up, and you will never know or appreciate the sacrifice I am making.
The above is all rubbish and fails to meet MY needs to be recognized by YOU for how great and holy a person I am!
The kicker is, And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Where is the Father?
In the “Spirit World.”
And this is precisely where we want to be.
By helping others, we are the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His Love and compassion to others in need.
By praying in your room with the door closed, you are growing in your relationship with your Father, threw your Brother, growing in the Holy Spirit.
God is asking for an intimate relationship.
C.S. Lewis said it is Jesus who brings us to prayer, gives us the prayer, and brings that prayer to His, our, Father.
By washing our faces and reflecting Joy, our words, we are a bright light in a very dark world.
I just finished reading the book What’s so Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey. Philip Yancey stated that there were about one million Chinese Christians when the Missionaries were thrown out of China. When they were allowed back, it was thought the number would be smaller.
No, when the missionaries returned, they found over thirty-five million Christians in China.
The question on the table is;
Are we looking for instant gratification, or do we want eternal Joy?
If it is instant gratification, then you have received your reward.
If you want to join Team Jesus, throw satan out of your life by praying, “Get behind me, satan,” or “Come Holy Spirit.” And fight your way back into the Love, Joy, and Peace of the Holy Spirit.
Sidebar:
The Super Bowl is over, and my favorite ad was put on by a private group headed by the owners of Hobby Lobby, showing children and a childs love.
Two scenes moved me;
A black baby ran towards a white baby, who was also running towards the black baby, and they couldn’t wait to embrace each other.
The second was the picture of a boy standing on his kneeling brother’s back so he could reach the urinal.
The second was very powerful because it clearly showed what we should be willing to do to help our neighbor.
As we have said, I now believe we are in a Revival.
Dallis Jenkins, the producer of The Chosen, and the people sponsoring the JESUS ads are coming out and proclaiming Jesus in ways I have not seen in my eighty-two years.
I just learned today that Harrison Butkner, the kicker of the Kansas City Chiefs, is using his newfound fame to thank God for his Harrison’s success and to speak out against abortion and give all the glory of his success to God.
I am reading the book On This Day 365, amazing and inspiring stories about Saints, Martyrs, & Heroes by Robert J. Morgan, which tells a story of a saint, martyr, or someone of importance that day.
Written by a Protestant, and it is fascinating.
February 12, and God is working in my life for this blog.
The Catholic Church in the Middle Ages sold the right to be a Bishop, Pope, yes Pope, to the highest bidder.
German King Henry III confronted the current Pope, Gregory IV, who resigned when He realized His sin. I give him credit.
Three Popes later, Pope Leo IX, on February 12, 1049, was elected Pope and started the changes needed to correct the error that had slipped into The Catholic Church.
Why are we briefly relating this?
As you all know, the Catholic Church has been hit with scandals of money being miss spent and the Pedophile issue.
My heart goes out to all, the priests and religious who work in the vineyard of God, doing an essential job, who were affected by the actions of a few.
Change is happening!
Change from within, but also from the laity who, as mentioned at the top of the Sidebar, felt a change had to occur within all the Christian Churches.
I believe an old Chinese saying, “May we live in interesting times, ” is very true today.
Remember, we are in a fight, and satan never quits.
Use lent to strengthen your armor against satan, so you can live filled with the Love, Joy, and Peace of the Holy Spirit in the “Spirit World.”
Note about your pictures:
The Holy Spirit put in my mind to take the 2022 blogs and put them into a book entitled God Thoughts 2022. As I reread the blogs, I also enjoyed them.
Now don’t get the wrong idea.
I type, and the Holy Spirit gives me the words, which is why I clearly state at the top of the blog that The Holy Spirit inspires our blog.
I know my skills, and writing a weekly blog alone, as I reported earlier, would be impossible.
Since we started using your pictures, I need your permission to put these pictures in our book.
From this point on, I will assume your permission for the pictures you send now, and I will assume your consent for the pictures I currently have unless you tell me otherwise.
If you don’t want your picture printed, send an email or comment in the comment section of A Catholic Moment, and I will take out your picture and put in another picture by Gail.
Picture:
This picture is a small trail from NE Alberta, Canada. I was riding my dirt bike on an absolutely gorgeous September 27. I won’t forget the sights, smells, and feel of that ride I won’t forget as God’s gift to me. I’m 62, still riding in the bush by myself. Crazy eh?
Picture by Allain Cote
Please keep Snapping!
Remember, if you want to submit a picture, no people, please, because we have to get permission from that person to use their photograph; in the comments section at the bottom of our blog, tell me you want to submit a picture, and I will send you my email address in our reply on Thursday.
By sending your picture, you consent to reprint that picture in our next book God Thoughts 2023.
