Suffer the Children

But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.

Mathew 19:14 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Yesterday was a sad day in Detroit, Michigan and Chardon, Ohio. (Select the city to read the stories) Our youth, our children have become murderers. Nothing new you may be saying to yourself, and right you are, Children have been killing each other over silly things since Cain and Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

⁹ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. ¹¹ Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.

Genesis 4:2-12 (NIV)

Youth, from the start, have been envious of others; it seems to be a part of them. So no, murder is nothing new within society, but something has changed. I am not sure what, but something has.

Yesterday I was thinking about the senseless acts of both the Detroit youths and the Chardon, and I knew I needed to write about it today, to offer something, but what that something is I do not know. My mind goes from one thought to the next, one direction to the other, and it is hard for me to focus on one train of thought. I know this, I know that this has to stop, that we have to find a way to make the madness stop!

The responsibility falls on all of us, the Family, the Community, the Church, State and Nation. The violence is an epidemic a cancer eating away at our cities, our youth. Killing off the next generation of Doctors and scientist, politicians and fathers and mothers. We are aborting our responsibilities, all too often in the name of, of what?

We no longer “discipline” our youth, for fear of social services coming in and taking them. We are more concerned about their self-esteem them about their lives. Me, I say low self-esteem for a few hours is well worth the price of a lifetime. We no longer “force” youth to follow basic rules, in order to allow them to express themselves. I am sorry, they will have a lifetime to do that, in school rules are to be followed, and at home, rules are to be followed. This idea that the child and the parents are “best friends” is silly at best and destructive at worst. We are not “friends” to our children, we are parents, and we are caretakers and guardians of their little lives. We are to nurture and love them, but we are also to teach them and sometimes “punishment” is part of teaching.

In the real world, if I break a law, I must pay the fine, be it cash, time or whatever the price is, I am expected to pay it. Yet all too often, we teach our children that there is no punishment, there is no fine for the crime they commit.

I remember, years ago, when my boy came home from playing soccer at the local soccer club. This club charges $5 per person to play. He did not have the $5 to play, because I was at work and unable to give it to him. Nevertheless, when he returned home that day, he told me he played. I asked him how he paid, he said he didn’t, I assumed one of his friends paid, so I asked, who paid for you? No one he said… Therefore, me being the ever-smart one, asked, so how did you get in, and he being the ever not so bright at times said, we waited until the girl left the counter and walked in.

Yep, he walked in, without paying. Sure, it was only $5, at least that is what he said to me, no big deal, its only $5. Now I could have said, your right, they make enough money, and they should not charge you anyway. But what I said was, I don’t care if it was only one penny, what you did was wrong, it was stealing and you will pay it back, you will go and apologize and you will never, ever do it again. Because if you do, you will be one sorry young man. So we got in the car, drove back to the soccer place, I made him look the person in the eyes, tell them what he did, say he was sorry and offer his services to pay back the $5. He washed windows for about 45 minutes. Than we drove home. On the way home, I told him I was disappointed in him and that I loved him, we stopped for dinner and enjoyed our night. Now, he still did not think he did anything wrong, but a few days later he came back to me and said he understood and that he was truly sorry.

Yep, sometimes punishments have to be part of love and understanding. Yesterday my reaction to the Detroit mess was to bring the death penalty into Detroit, it was a knee jerk reaction, but I feel it may still have some merit. The problem, most of the violence is from youth, under 18. However, we need to do something, we need to fix this, and we need to fix it soon.

I do not have the answers, no one person does, God does, so I know we need to pray for the youth and pray for the cordage to do what is needed to be done. I also know that it is going to take all of us to fix this mess, all of us working together, putting aside our egos and city verse suburbs mentality. I know that I love the city of Detroit, but I also know that I am, for the first time in my life, getting a little scared to go to the city. The youths are running wild and they have no respect, none for themselves and even less for others. Life to them is expendable. Sad… However, expected…

We, as a nation, began to teach our youth that life is expendable. It started in 1979, and has grown. The land mark case of Roe v Wade, making abortion the law of the land, murder on demand. What do we expect, when Planned Parenthood goes into our schools and tells the youth, you do not want the “problem” you created, get rid of it, kill it, toss it out on to the streets, murder it. So life becomes worth nothing. Oh, and by the way, you want to do, do not let anyone tell you that you cannot, you just do it. We have allowed our youth to be taught that parents, the caretakers, guardians and we have no right to tell them, the youth, how to live, what to do, what is morally right and wrong. We have created a generation of individual morals, a generation that thinks they personally are more important that the person standing next to them. This flies in the face of what we know to be true.

²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mathew 20: 28 (NIV)

We know, as Christians, that we are to serve others, yet we have created a generation that sees it as, others are to serve them. The question is how do we get back to that, Jesus calls us to?

This Lent, use the time to pray for our youth, to ask God for guidance and grace and to protect our youth from the evil one.

God Bless & Happy Lent

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach (website is being updated, current web is just a template)

 

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• Massacre in Chardon, Ohio (ronskemp.wordpress.com)
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• 365 Day Bible Challenge (Day 3) (seattlegirl07.wordpress.com)
• Cain and Abel (fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com)
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What Fred Astaire can teach you about New Year Resolutions

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When working on your New Year Resolution this year, try this. Instead of just relying on your will power, try relying on your will power plus a little extra help. Be it from friends or family, support groups, ministers or other religious leaders. There is no shame in asking or seeking help, support and just a shoulder to lean on. From time to time we all just need some one to lean on…

But there are other tools you can use to help you along your way to a new and improved 2012 model. You can also try journaling, an excellent way to track your progress. Journals can be online like here at www.wordpress.com or they can be just a document on your computer, or… you can do it the old fashion way, paper and pencil…. I think they still sell them… For $2 you can get a pack of pencils and a journal at your local dollar store, and be on your way to a new you. I recommend both, the online journal to allow the world to be your support group and the paper/pencil way for your most personal thoughts and observations.

Here is a list of things you should consider before you even start your resolution:

• Have you planned out how your going to accomplish it?
• Did you look at the pros & cons?
• Did you consider who this will affect?
• Have you make a series of smaller goals to help you gain your larger goal?
• Did you write your goal down somewhere? (This helps make it concrete)
• Have you prayed on it and asked for guidance?

Making a resolution to change your life for the better is not easy, remember you will have set backs, and that’s ok, when you do have a set back do as Fred Astaire recommends when he sang  “just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again”

Nothing comes easy that is good for you, and New Year Resolutions are not easy, for most of us. It takes work, practice and resolve. Look to others for support, but find the strength in yourself, it is there, we all have it, it’s just a matter of finding it.

Good luck and God Bless

Paul

www.guidedinsightlifecoach.com

A life Coach is a good way to get that little extra help you need to become the you that you know you are. To find out more visit www.guidedinsightlifecoach.com

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Why New Years Resolutions fail… And what you can do about it…

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.

~T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding

Good words to start the New Year with. It never fails to amaze me, all the work-up to the year’s end. Truly I don’t get it, new beginnings happen daily, they are in our hands, we choose when to start and when to stop. The New Year is not a magical time, nothing special or unique happens at the stroke of 12, except maybe this:

The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year’s Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you’re married to.

~P.J. O’Rourke

But in truth, going from December 31st to January 1st is no different from going from March to April, or Monday to Tuesday. Maybe this is why so many resolutions made on January first fail, we put too much hope and magic into the day. My resolutions are on going and at times ever-changing, I believe in constant change, creating anew continually. The process of change is not magic, you can’t order a new you off a late night TV commercial or schedule an operation to achieve the desired results. There is no magic outside of yourself and God. And we don’t call that magic, we call it faith and grace.

The resolution you made last year, you know the one where you wear going to drop that extra 30 pounds, or the one wear you were going to be a kinder nicer person. How’s that going for you? I am sure some have achieved their goal, but I would venture to guess that a large majority did not.

Sure it lasted a few days, maybe even a month or two, but soon enough it was forgotten about, became to hard or complicated, or it just wasn’t the right time, too much going on in life. Sure, I now the excuses, I used them and sometimes still do. The to much going on and not the right time are two of my favorites for not quitting smoking. But years ago I discovered something, no matter how many times or how sincere I was on New Years eve with my resolution, I always failed. No matter what.. It always seemed that the magic of the night did not translate into the magic of the year. But why?

Because reality sets in, the good feelings, induced by the night, the hoopla and drink seems to wear off by mid-day, and what’s left, LIFE.

So what can I do about it, how do we change this, we don’t, we can’t, so enjoy the night, enjoy the magic why it last, but know one thing, come January 2nd, life returns just like it was December 30th… The magic is gone and reality is back.

But you can make changes to your life, it is possible to create a new you, but there is no magic, only perseverance and hard work. Faith and the grace of God will take you through it.

Here is a short lift of things to help you on your journey:

1. Make your resolutions/goals achievable
2. Create a series of “small” goals that will lead to the “larger” goal
3. Celebrate each small goal achieved
4. Learn from each failed goal, and you will have them
5. Never give up
6. Pray for guidance and grace
7. Look for support from others
8. Read for inspiration and support
9. Keep a journal of your Journey
10. Seek Help when needed

And the number one thing never to forget:

You have the power to change, the choice is yours, no one else can do it for you, no doctor, no family member, no counselor. Yes, all of them can help you along your path, but in the end only you can change you…

God Bless

Paul

www.guidedinsightlifecoach.com

 

9/11: How it’s changed American and me…

With the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 upon us, I thought I would take the time to reflect a little on the event and how I have seen America change and how I have changed. First off, we all are 10 years older, maybe wiser, but that can be debated. It’s hard to imagine still that we, the United States of America, were attacked and the 3000 people lost their lives for no good or valid reason. That a few simple-minded religious fanatics decided that flying planes in to buildings, killing innocent people, was the best way to get their message across. Still seems like a made for TV movie or a bad summer teen flick where the hero would be some 17-year-old boy who discovered the plot when he was hacking into the governments secret computer system.

But it happened, it for better or worse it has changed the American land scape. We now have long lines at the airport where 70-year-old grandma’s along with 10-year-old children are searched the same as some Muslim extremist. To me, this is a case-in-point were profiling would be well worth our efforts. As far as I know no 90-year-old grandma nor any 10-year-old has blown up a building as of late, but I am sure we have seen this sort of activity from the Muslim extremist. We all profile people daily, and we should. When I travel to different parts of the world I am always on the look out for people who “just don’t look like they are up to any good” and I am always told by my friends who live their what to look out for. That sounds life profiling to me. Our teachers do it daily, or at least they should, they should be looking for the students that are more prone to cheat or steal. We have reports and findings on this almost daily in the news. Reports that tell us that a child that lives with only his or her mother is more likely to do bad in school and life. To be on the look out to help them and to better understand them. That is profiling… And we should do it, it can save a life, like the life of the teen whom we profiled to be at risk, or my life when I profile a potential terrorist based on there Muslim identity.

So that is one way that 9/11 has changed America,  and one that has caused lots of debates both for more security and less for profiling and not. The debate is healthy and good for America and we should continue it, it is how our government works best, when We the People are involved in the discussion.

I have also seen America become more united, directly after the attacks and then seen her become more divided as time went on. Creating a political hot potato out of the events out of 9/11. I have seen reasonably intelligent people blame the United States for the attacks and others declare it to be the work of the United States Government, all so President Bush can go to war… I have seen people who were for the war turn agents it for political gain and use 9/11 to create emotionally gain votes. But I have also seen heart-felt pain and longing on the face or true Americans who understand the devastation and lost.

9/11 has changed the face of American, it has torn at the fabric that makes this nation great. In some respects it has made her greater and in others it has not. Like most things in this world there is always two sides to every story, and 9/11 is no different.

As for me, it has created a pride for my nation that I have never known. I was always a flag waving proud American, but 9/11 has reminded me the America is the defender of freedoms throughout the world, that she is the light shinning on that hill and that America is the symbol of freedom and liberty that beckons to all who desire it. 9/11 has awaken in me my sense of duty to participate in the great experiment called America, to vote to be informed and to engage in debate. It has awaken in me a sense of urgency to learn and to grow. To watch and to read, to become an informed citizen of this great nation.

The terrorist failed in there attack’s on America, the 3000 did not die in vain, America will come back stronger and wiser because of 9/11 and the world will once again know her for what she is, a land of Liberty and Freedom. A land that is welcoming to all who wish to enter (legally)  and to all who need the protective arms of Lady Liberty. America has changed as have I, I am more resolved than ever before to defend all the America stands for, I have never been prouder to state “I am an American!” (unlike Mrs. Obama) and I will never apologize (like Mr. Obama) for Americas exceptionalism. I will continue to wave my flag and hold it high, I will continue to show my pride in America and I will always state “I am proud to be an American”.

This week I will travel to Germany (September 12) and I am sure the topic of 9/11 will arise, an I am sure I will be hit with anti-American rhetoric. And I am also sure that I will stand strong and proud as I defend her abroad. America is my home and my love, my nation is dear to me and I will defend her honor till death. Patrick Henry said it best when he said “Give me liberty or give me death”.

Sure America has her issues and her spotted past. Slavery is a black ark upon her soul, but she also has her silver linings and admirable attributes. America, like any other human endeavor, will  falter from time to time, but unlike any other republic ever conceived, America will, as it always has, correct her course through debate and discourse and the power of the vote. “We the people” has meaning and power in America, and as history has proven, We the People are not afraid to use it. No other nation in history has helped so many and ask for so little in return, no other nation in history wins the war, rebuilds the nation just to return her back to the people. America is a proud nation, a nation of Peoples who are willing to die for the ideals that define her. Our past is filled with patriots who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, they have spilled their blood upon the soil of not only this nation but the nations of the world, in the defense of an ideal, that all people are created equal and free. That liberty is worth the fight and that the gains will out number the losses. Yes it is true that loss of any life is not cause for celebration, but it is also true that sometimes the ideal is worth the fight. The principles that make up the American character are simple and true, the words are known by some, but sadly not by all, our founding Fathers sacrificed all they had to declare and defend these basic life principles.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, she is the shinning light upon the hill-top and a beacon for all who seek truth and liberty. America is all that she set out to be and will be, for we are a nation of people who believe in the ideals our founders established for us, we are a nation of freedom lovers and defenders of the truth. 9/11 has shown me this, besides all the political grandstanding and anti-American Americans. The true heart of America still beats and pumps the red, white and blue blood through our veins and the flag still flies high and proud.

On this tenth anniversary of 9/11 take the time to thank our military and first responders, hug your children and tell them you love them. Fly the flag with pride and remember the ones that lost their life in the cowardly attacks of that faithful day. Take the time to read-up on our nation, our founders and the first principles of this great nation. On this anniversary take the time to stop into a church or synagogue or mosque, give thanks to God for this great nation and ask for His guidance and grace. Spend a few moments in silence and solitude, and remember that day, lest we ever forget.

God Bless and may God shed His grace upon thee

Paul

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Forgiveness… Can you do it?

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The only survivor of white supremacist Mark Stroman’s bloody rampage after Sept 11, 2001 is asking that his attacker be spared the death penalty Wednesday for his crimes….

…I forgave Mark Stroman many years ago," he writes on his blog. "I believe he was ignorant, and not capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, otherwise he wouldn’t have done what he did." (You must read this)

How many of us could say this? How easy is it to forgive? Look around you, examine your own life, have you forgiven people who have hurt you, wronged you? Have you forgiven your parents that abused you or the priest that took advantage of you? Have you been able to let go and let God? Have you found the place in your heart were forgiveness lives? Or is it just a dark spot?

Forgiveness is not easy, yet it is something we all must learn to do. Jesus, on his cross, forgave:

And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. (Luke 23:34)

In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the importance of Christians forgiving or showing mercy towards others. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is perhaps the best known instance of such teaching and practice of forgiveness.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly spoke of forgiveness, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NIV) “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV) “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25 (NIV) “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.” Luke 6:27-29 (NIV) “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36 (NIV) “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 (NIV)

Elsewhere, it is said, "Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.’" Matthew 18:21-22 (NAS)

Jesus asked for God’s forgiveness of those who crucified him. "And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’" Luke 23: 34 (ESV)

In his time, Jesus created controversy among the Pharisees, when he told people their sins were forgiven. "The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’" Luke 5:21 (NIV) (Read this)

Pope John Paul II also forgave his would be killer (read this), But can we, me and you, forgive? I know I have a hard time with this concept, I hold grudges for a long long time… It is one of my many human traits that I must work on, daily. It is some thing I have prayed about, seek guidance for and something that I am aware of. It is, in a nut shell, something that is holding be back from being the creation that God wishes me to be. Forgiveness… We all say it, but do we all truly mean it, do we truly understand it. I know I don’t, but I also know that once a crack that nut, I will be in a much better place than I am now…

God Bless

Paul

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Lent 2011: Are you ready for it?

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With Lent here, it’s a good time to ask the question, “Are you ready for it?” or an even better question, “Do you understand it?”

Lent is a complex time in the Church year, we are depriving ourselves, we are reminded of our mortality yet we are to be preparing for the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, a time of celebration….

Talk about emotions running the gamete… The high and lows of life are all put into the 40 days of Lent… We as Catholic/Christians are called to use this time as a time of renewal, a time to prepare for the new life, the new life in Christ.

It’s a time of sacrifice, a time to offer up to God. But many look at it as a time to stop eating candy or drinking pop. Yes they are sacrifice for many, but is that all we need to do?

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(Source)

1. Take 30 minutes to pray, ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance, look over this activities list for the Season of Lent, and make a few practical Lenten resolutions. Be careful. If you try to do too much, you may not succeed in anything. If you need to get up early or stay up late to get the 30 minutes of quiet, do it. Turn off your phone and computer. Don’t put it off and don’t allow interruptions.
2. During the Season of Lent, Get up earlier than anyone else in your house and spend your first 15 minutes of the day thanking God for the gift of life and offering your day to Him.
3. Get to daily Mass.
4. If you can’t do Mass daily, go to Mass on Fridays in addition to Sunday and thank Him for laying his life down for you. Maybe you can go another time or two as well.
5. Spend at least 30 minutes in Eucharistic adoration at least one time during the week.
6. Recover the Catholic tradition of making frequent visits to the Blessed sacrament throughout the week, even if it is only for 5 minutes.
7. Get to confession at least once during the Season of Lent after making a good examination of conscience. If you are not sure why confession is important, get my CD “Who Needs Confession.”
8. In addition to the penance assigned by the priest, fulfill the conditions necessary for a plenary indulgence. You can learn about plenary indulgences from the official Handbook of Indulgences.
9. Make a decision to read at least some Scripture every day. Starting with Today’s!
10. Even if you can’t get to daily Mass during the Lenten Season, get a Daily Roman Missal or go visit the Crossroads Homepage for a link to the Daily Mass readings, and read these readings daily. During special seasons such as Lent, the Mass readings are thematically coordinated and make for a fantastic Bible study!
11. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours. You can buy a one volume edition or a full four volume edition. Or you can get it day by day online for free at www.universalis.com. Or you can subscribe to a monthly publication called the Magnificat that provides a few things from the liturgy of the hours together with the Mass readings of the day. The Magnificat is a great way to start learning the Liturgy of the Hours.
12. Get to know the Fathers of the Church and read selections from them along with Scripture. Short selections from the Fathers writing on Lenten themes can be downloaded for free from the Lenten Library of our website at www.crossroadsintiative.com
13. Make the Stations of the Cross each Friday of the Season of Lent either with a group or by yourself. If you have kids, bring them.
14. Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary often during Lent, especially on Friday and Wednesday. The glorious mysteries are especially appropriate on Sundays. Joyful and Luminous mysteries are great on other days.
15. Purchase the Scriptural Rosary, which supplies you with a scripture verse to recite between each Hail Mary. This makes it easier to meditate on the mysteries. Another resource to deepen your understanding of the Rosary is my CD set “How Mary and the Rosary can Change Your Life.”
16. If you’ve never done a family rosary, begin doing it. If starting with once a week, try Friday or Sunday. If it’s tough to start with a full five decades, try starting with one. Use the Scriptural Rosary and have a different person read each of the Scriptures between the Hail Mary’s. This gets everyone more involved.
17. Make it a habit to stop at least five times a day, raise your heart and mind to God, and say a short prayer such as “Jesus, I love you,” or “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” or “Lord, I offer it up for you.”
18. Pray each day for the intentions and health of the Holy Father.
19. Pray each day for your bishop and all the bishops of the Catholic Church.
20. Pray for your priests and deacons and for all priests and deacons.
21. Pray for the millions of Christians suffering under persecution in various Muslim and Communist countries around the world such as the Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Viet Nam, and North Korea.
22. Pray for Christian unity, that there would be one flock and one shepherd.
23. Pray for the evangelization of all those who have not yet heard and accepted the Good News about Jesus.
24. Pray for your enemies. In fact, think of the person who has most hurt you or who most annoys you and spend several minutes each day thanking God for that person and asking God to bless him or her.
25. Pray for an end to abortion on demand in the United States. Pray for pregnant women contemplating abortion.
26. Pray for a just peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Holy Land and elsewhere. Pray for our troops and for others in harm’s way.
27. Pray for an end to capital punishment. Pray for those on death row, and for the families of murder victims.
28. Find a form of fasting that is appropriate for you, given your age, state of health, and state of life. Some fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. Some fast from sweets or alcohol throughout Lent. Some fast on one or more days per week from breakfast all the way to dinner, spending lunch hour in prayer or at noon Mass. Some cut out all snacks between meals. The money saved from not buying various things should be given to an apostolate or ministry serving the physically or spiritually poor.
29. Prayer is like breathing – you have to do it continually. But sometimes you need to pause and take a very deep breath. That’s what a retreat is. Plan a retreat this Lent. It could be simply a half day, out in nature, or in a Church. Or it could be a full day. Or an overnight. You can certainly read lots of things during your retreat or listen to lots of talks. But try sticking to Scripture, the liturgy, and quiet as much as you can. During or at the end of the retreat, write down what the Holy Spirit seems to be saying.
30. Find a written biography of a Saint that particularly appeals to you, and read it during the Season of Lent.
31. Instead of secular videos for weekend entertainment, try some videos that will enrich your spiritual life. Suggestions: Jesus of Nazareth, by Franco Zeffirelli, The Scarlet and the Black, the Assisi Underground.
32. While driving, turn off the secular radio for awhile and use commute time to listen to some teaching on audiocassette or CD. Some great resources can be purchased through this site or from other Catholic apostolates and publishers that you can find on our links page.
33. Find a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or crisis pregnancy center, and volunteer some time there throughout Lent. Serve the people there with the understanding that in so doing, you are serving Jesus. Try to see Jesus in each person there.
34. Visit someone at a nursing home or in the hospital or sick at home. Again, love Jesus in and through the suffering person.
35. Is there a widow or divorced person living in your neighborhood? If so, invite that person to your home for dinner, coffee, etc.
36. View Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ during Lent on VHS or DVD, if you feel you can handle the violence. Get a copy of The Guide to the Passion to help you get the most out of the movie.
37. Invite folks to view The Passion of the Christ with you, especially people whose faith is rather nominal, or who do not practice their faith, or who do not profess Christian faith at all. Give them a copy of The Guide to the Passion.
38. Spend some focused time with your spouse, strengthening your marriage. Start praying together, or make praying together a more frequent occurrence.
39. Spend some focused time together with each of your children. Listen. Pray. Maybe even have fun.
40. When Easter comes, don’t drop the new practice you’ve begun during the Season Lent! Make a permanent feature of a deeper Christian life!

---

God Bless and Happy Lent

Paul

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Free Speech and a Teacher

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In the news this past week is a story about a teacher who’s blog has hit a nerve… She used her personal blog to criticize her students and fellow teachers, she never named names, didn’t say what school she worked at and didn’t give her own name. Yet the school saw fit to suspend her… Is this fair? Is this taking away her free speech rights. I for one think she has all the right in the world to say what she pleases, as long as she don’t use names, what harm. And besides, she is correct, the student body of most high school students are as she states, the youth of today is lazy they do expect you to do everything for them and they expect everything to be handed to them.

This is not a “local” thing, this is a national epidemic, one that needs to be confronted, and soon!

I have two teen age boys living with me, and all to often I hear the words “They just expect to much” or “This is no fair”… Well life ain’t fair and life expects even more… We have created a generation of lazy youth, a youth that expects the world to bow down to there every needs, a youth that expects there teachers to pass them just because a youth that expects there first job to be a CEO position and a youth who expect everyone to just accept then as they are. They don’t need to change, they don’t need to follow the rules, hell they don’t even need to respect.

So I say blog to your hearts content, and if it upsets some, so be it, if feelings get hurt, get over it and if a parent or child finds offence to it, than get off your lazy butt and do something about it, fit it, change, grow up and move on.

I have worked with youth for over 20 years, and I can attest to the fact that many, not all, but many youth are as she states and many parents, once again not all, but many are the reason why. They don’t want to parent, they want to be friends. Well my friends, being a parent is not being a friend. You did not have a child to make your new best friend, at least I hope not, you had a child, I hope, to show your love to your spouse and to praise God.

But sadly many do not, many have children to fulfill any emptiness, to give them someone who will love them. It is a selfish reason to have a child, and the results are the youth of today. Now before everyone gets mad at me, and sends me nasty replies, I know that many, if not most parents are good loving parents and most children are good and loving children. But, as it works out,  it is always the minority that gets noticed, that speak the loudest and get the attention of everyone around them.

The funny thing is, the reason why they act out, in most cases, is to get the attention, well she gave it to them, and now they are pissed.. To bad! Get over it! Grow up!

As I tell my teens, The world is not here to serve you, sometimes life sucks and sometimes things happen, that’s just the way life is. And the sooner you learn this the sooner you will be able to live in the real world. But modern society does not agree with this, the liberal mind set at schools teaches our youth that you should not have to work hard, that everything is given to you and that life should be fair. For any readers of this blog, you know I think that is a bunch of crap! Our youth need to learn that sometimes, fair or unfair, life keeps coming at you. That sometimes homework gets in the way of your plans to have fun, that sometimes a teacher may expect more from you than you want to give and that sometimes you just got to do what you don’t like to do.

This teacher has all the rights in the world to air-out her dirty laundry, she has all the rights to say what she pleases, it is her first amendment right. The founding fathers made sure they protected this basic right, but the left, the liberals, only protect it if it fits there agenda.  And for obvious reasons, her blog does not. It shows the short-comings of the educational system, the failure of parents and society, and a generation for what it is. I say she should be promoted, made the principal and given more power. Maybe her approach of calling out the issues, showing the problem for what it is will shock the students and parents and fellow teachers into action. Now I am not saying all students, parents and teachers are in need of the shock, but many are.

Her is an article from USA Today….

_____________________________________________________________________

Pa. teacher strikes nerve with ‘lazy whiners’ blog (source)

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A high school English teacher in suburban Philadelphia who was suspended for a profanity-laced blog in which she called her young charges "disengaged, lazy whiners" is driving a debate by daring to ask: Why are today’s students unmotivated — and what’s wrong with calling them out?

By Matt Rourke, AP

High school teacher Natalie Munroe was suspended from her job over profanity-laced posts on her blog.

EnlargeClose

By Matt Rourke, AP

High school teacher Natalie Munroe was suspended from her job over profanity-laced posts on her blog.

As she fights to keep her job at Central Bucks East High School, 30-year-old Natalie Munroe says she had no interest in becoming any sort of educational icon. The blog has been taken down, but its contents can still be found easily online.

Her comments and her suspension by the middle-class school district have clearly touched a nerve, with scores of online commenters applauding her for taking a tough love approach or excoriating her for verbal abuse. Media attention has rained down, and backers have started a Facebook group.

"My students are out of control," Munroe, who has taught 10th, 11th and 12th grades, wrote in one post. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire, and are just generally annoying."

And in another post, Munroe — who is more than eight months pregnant — quotes from the musical "Bye Bye Birdie": "Kids! They are disobedient, disrespectful oafs. Noisy, crazy, sloppy, lazy LOAFERS."

She also listed some comments she wished she could post on student evaluations, including: "I hear the trash company is hiring"; "I called out sick a couple of days just to avoid your son"; and "Just as bad as his sibling. Don’t you know how to raise kids?"

Munroe did not use her full name or identify her students or school in the blog, which she started in August 2009 for friends and family. Last week, she said, students brought it to the attention of the school, which suspended her with pay.

"They get angry when you ask them to think or be creative," Munroe said of her students in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. "The students are not being held accountable."

Munroe pointed out that she also said positive things, but she acknowledges that she did write some things out of frustration — and of a feeling that many kids today are being given a free pass at school and at home.

"Parents are more trying to be their kids’ friends and less trying to be their parent," Munroe said, also noting students’ lack of patience. "They want everything right now. They want it yesterday."

One of Munroe’s former students, who now attends McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., said he was torn by his former teacher’s comments. Jeff Shoolbraid said that he thought much of what Munroe said was true and that she had a right to voice her opinion, but felt her comments were out of line for a teacher.

"Whatever influenced her to say what she did is evidence as to why she simply should not teach," Shoolbraid wrote in an e-mail to the AP. "I just thought it was completely inappropriate."

He continued: "As far as motivated high school students, she’s completely correct. High school kids don’t want to do anything. … It’s a teacher’s job, however, to give students the motivation to learn."

A spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association declined to comment Tuesday because he said the group may represent Munroe. Messages left for the Central Bucks School District superintendent were not returned.

Sandi Jacobs, vice president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, said school districts are navigating uncharted territory when it comes to teachers’ online behavior. Often, districts want teachers to have more contact with students and their families, yet give little guidance on how teachers should behave online even as students are more plugged in than they’ve ever been.

"This is really murky stuff," she said. "When you have a teacher using their blog to berate their students, maybe that’s a little less murky. But the larger issue is, I think, districts are totally unprepared to deal with this."

Munroe has hired an attorney, who said that she had the right to post her thoughts on the blog and that it’s a free speech issue. The attorney, Steven Rovner, said the district has led Munroe to believe that she will eventually lose her job.

"She could have been any person, any teacher in America writing about their lives," he said, pointing out that Munroe blogged about 85 times and that only about 15 to 20 of the posts involved her being a teacher. "It’s honest and raw and a little edgy depending on your taste. … She has a deep frustration for the educational system in America."

Rovner said that he would consider legal action if indeed Munroe loses her job.

"She did it as carefully as she could," he said about her blog. "It’s so general that it applies to the problems in school districts and schools across the country."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

__________________________________________________________________________

God Bless

Paul

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We are called too knowledge

This past weekend I spent my time reading and listing to Catholic radio. Of course I cleaned the house, did my wash and other such tasks, but I spent a lot of time sitting and reading. It was nice, I have not had a lot of time to do that, or should I say I have not made time to do that.

I love to read, as anyone who knows me would know. I read all kinds of stuff, I read books for just pure entertainment, books on the Catholic faith, political (conservative) books and byes even some books on spirituality. I read Catholic and Political magazines and newspapers and a few journals. I just love to read! I even read on line sometimes. I always have a book in my car, for emergency reading and I have downloaded some eBooks on to my laptop, so I always have something to read. But truth be told, I don’t like to read online, I prefer to print it off, ya I know not very green of me… But I like to hold it, to feel the paper when I read. It’s just the way it is.

It has not always been like this for me, at one time I hated to read. I school I hated it, it wasn’t until I graduated High School that I actually read a complete book. the book was the classic by J.D. Salinger’s “The catcher in the rye”. I read it because of my other passion, The Beatles. I am a huge Beatles fan, and the murderer of John Lennon, Mark David Chatman, stated that this was the book he read that made him kill Lennon. So I have to read it. And read it I did, I have read that book well over 100 times, I love it, and J.D. Salinger is one of my favorite authors, along with Steven King.  Bit I have never reread a Steven King book, but I have reread all of J.D. Salinger’s books.. I love his style..

I didn’t read in school not because I couldn’t, I didn’t read because there was nothing that interested me that they offered. I had a 12th grade comprehension level in the 3rd grade, so it was not an issue of ability, but rather an issue of desire.  I had a very difficult time trying to get my teachers and others to understand this, so I spent years in “special reading” classes. But that is for different blog…

The point of this blog, knowledge.

I read not only for enjoyment but also to grow my mind, soul and heart. I hind that reading, like no other activity, allows me to do this. It is a time of peace and quiet a time for me to dissolve into myself and a time for the voices of the authors to speak to me. I look at each and everything I read as an opportunity to learn, to grow. Truth be told, I look at everything in life as an opportunity to learn and grow. My mom use to always say that I was to “preachy”  that I try to turn everything in to a lesson. Well I do and I know it, but I find life to be a very good classroom. But my personal reading is my privet classroom. I learn just as much from Steven King as I do from Bishop Fulton Sheen.

Sure Bishop Sheen is dealing with my soul and faith and King normally is dealing with things of the supernatural, but in truth there is more in common that one may think.  It is Kings character development and the underlining psychology of his characters that teach, and often times his stories do also. Fulton Sheens style is more poetic than Kings therefore it flows like honey as you read it and Kings style is, well more, modern in language (nice way to say the words and images used would not be appropriate for young children). Bishop Sheen would also not be appropriate for young children, not for the imagery or words used, but for the depth of the words used. But both would be good for teens that are mature and have an ability to think outside of themselves and the box.

But enough on the comparison of Sheen and King, back to the main point. Knowledge…

As Catholics we as called to proclaim the Gospels (the Good News) to all the corners of the earth, to all the nations. As baptized Catholics we are baptized as priest, profit and king. We are give an office with in the faith. But how can we all be priest, profit and king, and what does that mean?

Priest:

We are called to be priest, not ordained priest like Father at the parish, but non-the-less a priest. so what is a priest, well in the old testament a priest was the one who offered up the sacrifice for the people of God. In the modern world the priest also offer up the sacrifice for Gods people, they offer up the bread and wine. They offer up our sins in the confessionals for forgiveness of our sins. So how are we priest? We cannot offer up the Bread and Wine nor can we hear confessions and offer forgiveness. So what, if anything, can we do as priest. Well we can still offer up a sacrifice, our suffering  We can offer up our work, our abilities and our service.

Profit:

We are called to be profits, but if we think about what a profit is or who was a profit it can sound very intimidating. Elijah was a profit as was Moses and Aaron. The Old Testament is filled with them, and each of them did basically the same thing, they proclaimed Gods message to others. That is the call of baptism, that is what the Lord has called you to in His name. But not all of us are called to Moses or Aaron or any of the other profits. Some are, but most of us are not. In the modern world I would say there have been a few who have been called as a Moses or Elijah, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and Fr. John Recardo, to name just a few. But most of us are to be the profits of the back ground, no less important, just not as visible as the others. So how do we become the profit that God has called us to? We proclaim the Good New, we share our faith and we practice our faith. I am doing it with this blog, I do it with my company, STATIC Solutions, and I do it by offering my time to others. My name may never be known to others, and that’s ok, Mother Teresa said “Our job is not be become famous, but to become Holy” (may not be a direct quote, but almost).

King:

I think this is the hardest one to understand, how can we all be kings? All priest, sure you can have more than one, all profits, yep, several are better than a few. But all kings? This, in the material world, would never work out. So what is it that God is baptizing us into, what is kingship? If we look at the kings of the Old Testament we think of King David, the ruler of the Israelites. He was charged with protecting the people, providin
g justice and watching over them. If we look at kingship in the New Testament we see only one example, Jesus the Christ. Jesus spoke of his Kingdom often, and He spoke of how a King should act. But Jesus also showed us how a King should act. This is the Kingship we are called to. We are to protect what has been placed into our trust, children,pets,wife,husband,elderly,unborn,etc.. The list is endless. We are called to shepherd them and to provide for them. Think about it, If I fulfill my Kingship, I would make sure that all my Brothers and Sisters in Christ are provided for. If you fulfilled your Kingship, you too would also make sure that all your Brothers and Sisters in Christ are provided for, including me. If we all did this, all our needs would be met, and the Kingdom here on earth would be heavenly, not Heaven itself, but darn close.

So are you ready to fulfill your calling as priest, profit and king? Most likely your all reading this thinking I am nuts. Well most people who know me would agree, but that’s a different point.

Now that you know what you are called to, now you have to build up your toolbox with the tools you need to perform each office you are called to. This is were reading comes in to play…. See how I tied all that in…..

Your reading tool box should have, with out a doubt the following:

• Catholic Study Bible (one to use, not to display)
• Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
• Any book by Bishop Fulton Sheen (I would recommend “The Life of Christ”)

I would also recommend the following:

• Link to Catholic On Line (www.catholic.org) A news website
• Link to Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com) Full of great information and a place to find answers concerning the faith.
• Link to New Advent (www.newadvent.com) Contains the CCC and Bible and Catholic Encyclopedia and Church Fathers.
• Link to my blog (www.staticyouth.wordpress.com) just because it mine…. and sometimes fun to read.
• Listen to Catholic Radio, many offer online web-radio
• Watch Catholic TV, Both EWTN and CatholicTV offer online web access to programming live.

I would also recommend that you attend local bible studies or if your parish offers a RCIA for Catholics class, take it,or see if you can attend your local RCIA class. But make sure that the teachings are true to the Catholic Church and not some nutty DRE or Deacon’s personal wishes of what they think the Catholic Church should be. You need to do your homework first.

The same is true for the bible you choose, make sure it is a good catholic bible. There are several around.

As part of your toolbox you should also add a journal, journaling is an important part of your growth. Journaling offers you the ability to place on paper what is in you. If you can not articulate it well, the writing process will help you with this. I use this blog as my journal. So start blogging, or just use a note book or journal. There are several good places to start blogging, I have several feeds I use.

• WordPress (www.wordpress.com)
• 4Makrs (www.4marks.com)

There are a few more I feed to, but the two above are good places to start. The 4Marks is a Catholic social networking site that offers blog posting. WordPress is an open blogging site, so anyone can post blogs. This is my main blog posting site.

So now that you got the tools, or at least a list of tools and you now understand your calling, the one you received at your Baptism, your ready to go right? Most likely not.

Knowing what to read and were to find the information does not make you ready. One more thing we all must do first…

PRAY

We must pray prior to engaging others, be it face to face or through your blog. Prayer is you knocking on Gods front door, asking God to inspire you and to fortify you. To send the Holy Spirit you you to help you fulfill your calling as priest, profit and king. Pray with a sincere heart and a silent mouth, allow God to speak. Pray often for guidance.

God Bless

Paul

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Forgiveness

Yesterday I was able to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes, debating my faith. I love to challenge people, be challenged and to talk my Catholic Faith, with anyone willing to listen. Yesterdays debate was lively yet no harsh words or bad feelings followed.

This friend was not my normal debate partner, normally when I talk about one of my debates it is with a friend of mine named Theresa, who is herself a Catholic, but this time I was having the debate with an old friend of mine, who is not Catholic he is a born again Christian. To tell the truth he was, when I first meet him, a Lutheran than he converted to Judaism and now a born again… I don’t add this to belittle him but to lay the groundwork. I think it is important that we understand where he is coming from.

I should also add that at one time this person was like a brother to me and was considered part of our family, but as sometimes happens our friendship fell in to disrepair, and for the last year or so, after a 11 year time period of not talking to each other, we have been trying to piece back some sort of friendship. And to tell the truth the hold up has been me, I am unable to truly let it all go, to forgive him and to look past what happened and look forward to what once again could be. So in a way this debate was a huge step for me, I had to call him and keep my feelings in check, and truth be told, it was not that hard to do, so that is a good thing.

The debate was over the Catholic teaching that Peter is the rock, meaning that he (Peter) is the first Pope and all other Popes come from him. It actually start out as a different question, but that was the majority of the debate. We talked about “Bible alone”  “Once Saved always saved” and a few others tossed in for good measure. So we covered the basics, all we needed to add in was Mary…

The debate was fun and as I said not one harsh word was spoken, but to me what really mattered was the fact that I was able to enjoy the conversation with out any bad feelings. That I was able to remember how it use to be with remembering why we stopped being friends. (A little back ground is needed here for clarification, when my father passed away my friend failed to attend the services, not because he was sick or out of town, but because he did not have the strength to stand up for himself to his wife (he now has a new wife) as I stated before he was considered family not only by me, but also by my mother and father). So to me it was a great step towards forgiveness, he has offered his sincere apologies to me, and I have yet been able to full except them.

This is one of my main issues, I love to hold grudges… Well not really love to hold the, but It seems I am unable to let them go, it takes me a very, very, very, very long time. So yesterday was a major set for me, who knows I may be able to let this one go…

I knew I was going to blog about this conversation, but in truth I did not know the direction I wanted to take it in. At first I figured I would just use it as a starting point to teach what the Catholic faith teaches about the Popes, you know give the biblical proofs and all that, but as you can see that didn’t happen. That was my intent when I started typing, I was just going to give the back ground and than launch in to the teachings… But some how God has changed my mind… Now this blog is more about my inability to let go than it is about the Pope. And to me that is just perfect!

I have often prayed for counsel in my grudge holding abilities, I would venture that I would win any contest when it comes to holding grudges, the heaver they are the more I hold on to them. But we all know that is not very biblical or Christ like, yet I find it hard to move past them.  I have asked for the prayers of St. Francis and Mother Mary I have looked to Father Solans Casey and others for guidance. I have read books and studied theology yet am unable to do it.

My sin is my pride and I know this, yet anyone who reads my blogs also know that I understand the power of EGO and it’s evil ways, yet I sill succumb to it. Like a little child tempted by the cookie jar, I to will get caught with my hand in the Jar of Temptation.

So yesterdays conversation gave me hope. Hope that I can overcome this hurtle that I can forgive my friend. The power of forgiveness is overpowering… It is truly the grace of God, yet I seem to never be able to find that grace, I know God has offered it to me, I just choose not to accept it, and for that I am a sinner…. And I am sorry, I need to learn humility and forgiveness….

So please pray for me my brothers and sisters that I may, by the grace of God, forgive my friend.

 

Paul