Pondering Tidbits of Truth - October 29, 2020

Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time.

  

 

 

Archbishop Joseph Raya

“Faith doesn’t mean you can’t panic. Mary and Joseph almost certainly panicked when they lost Jesus in the temple. What it means is that you keep on going even if you do panic. You just do whatever is right in front of you, and keep on going, in faith that it will all work out.”

 (From July-August 2020 issue of RESTORATION published by Madonna House)

 

 

Dan Burke

“No matter how [spiritual] consolation specifically surfaces within us, if it is authentic, it will always draw us to submit to the magisterium of the Church and to God’s will and ways. It is really no more complicated than that. The challenge is that if we are not well catechized – and most of us are not – we may not understand or even notice when we are led astray. By God’s grace we have a catechism that addresses all the most important topics of our faith. The more we know our faith, the better our practice of discernment will be.”

(From Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits)

 

Pope Benedict XVI

 “A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer. When no one listens to me anymore, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God. When there is no longer anyone to help me deal with a need or expectation that goes beyond the human capacity for hope, He can help me.”

 (From On Christian Hope)

 

Worth Revisiting - We Are Our Own Worse Enemies

Thank you Allison Gingras at Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at Theology Is A Verb  for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with you and your followers. 

We Are Own Worse Enemies

(Originally published on November 25, 2013)

 

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Far too many Catholics are not well-formed in the teachings of Christ's Church. Given this tragic reality, one would expect Catholic media to only publish the work of individuals and columnists who accurately set forth the tenets of the Catholic Church. 

Over the years, too many publications claiming to be "Catholic" have consistently demonstrated a preference for doing just the opposite.

A most recent example of this proclivity is a column that a local Diocesean newspaper published wherein its author wrote the following: “Putting an end to the killing of unborn babies is a priority for me, and it is a priority for the Catholic Church. But it is not the only priority. The concern of Christ and the Catholic Church for the suffering of the world is not limited to any one group of people – born or unborn…So we are not to rank, pro-life, social justice and peaces issues, we are to link them (my emphasis). It’s what the Catholic Church calls the “consistent ethic of life.”

Sounds nice but the problem with the columnist’s assertion is that he is simply flat out wrong.

Monday Musings - It's Here!!! Volume 5 of Pondering Tidbits of Truth!

You do not have to wait another minute! The long-promised Volume 5 of Pondering Tidbits of Truth is now available in paperback.

From the back cover: 

"There is so much noise in this world that we are not only having trouble hearing ourselves think, we rarely hear the voice of God. So many are the distractions and demands placed on our time, that we nary give God a thought. Many of us recognize this failure and long for a way to make time for Him. Countless others are unaware of the damage being done to their eternal souls by rarely if ever thinking of He Who created them.

What can we do about this? We must, all of us, make time for God every day. But where to begin? Right now, promise your Creator that you will give Him five minutes of your time every day."

How? Pick up your copy of Pondering Tidbits of Truth Volume 5 and begin each day reading and pondering one of its 100 quotations. Watch God work in your life. You can order your copy here.

Time Sensitive - Free Book - Pondering Tidbits of Truth - Volume 2 - Compiled and Edited by Michael Seagriff

Free Book Offer

FREE Copy of Pondering Tidbits of Truth – Volume 2

I will be publishing Volume 5 of my Pondering Tidbits of Truth series shortly. To celebrate that happy occasion and further promote this 5-book series. I will be offering a free Kindle version of Pondering Tidbits of Truth - Volume 2. Get your free copy by clicking this link on any of the three days listed below.

Volume 2 of Pondering Tidbits of Truths, like the other four books in this series, presents 100 potentially life-changing quotations for you to read and ponder, one morsel at a time, at your own pace and at a time of the day that  you  find  most  convenient – when you first begin the day, during your coffee or lunch break, while you are in the waiting room of your doctor, or before settling in for the night.  All five volumes are also excellent for group reflection and discussion.

Each of the books in this series is a simple but sure-fire tool to make certain you spend some time every day thinking about, and being in the presence of, the God who loves you and desires to spend eternity with you. It is an inspiring way to learn more about the Catholic Faith. (You can view a short book trailer on this series here.)

AS AN ADDED BONUS!!! - In addition to this free giveaway, the first 10 readers of Pondering Tidbits of Truth – Volume 2 who post a review on Amazon.com and send me a link to their review will receive a free, signed paperback copy of Volume 5! The ten lucky winners will be well on their way toward having the full 5 volume set!

GET YOUR FREE Copy of Pondering Tidbits of Truth – Volume 2!!!  - From Tuesday, August 20, 2019 through Thursday, August 22, 2019 only BY CLICKING HERE
 

There are 1440 minutes in each day. Give God just five of them. Slowly read and chew on one quotation at a time. Ponder the truths and challenges it contains. Ask God to let you know how He wants you to respond to what you are reading. Then do as He tells you!

 

You can do this! You should do this!  You need to do this!

This is what a recent reviewer had to say about Volume 1. His comments would apply to any of the five books in this series:

“…I usually try to find some good spiritual reading before bedtime - either something very inspirational, or else something very informative about spirituality, a relationship with God, or about the Church. This book was quite different - I could not quite make it out. I ended up reading it through a number of times, trying to size it up, and found eventually, in the midst of snow-shoveling or some other mundane task, that quotes from the saints from the book would pop out to me. It dawned on me then what this book was - none other than a primer, an exercise manual in saintliness! As one would read a book to improve one's tennis game, or knowledge of a foreign language, or relationship skills, Vol I offers us a clear path to holiness! Ordinary goodness / kindness / spirituality will only go so far - to approach sanctity, we must go EVEN FURTHER, and Vol. 1 gives us 100 examples from the testimonies of the saints, as to how far we are called to go, on the path of love, for God and His people. WWTSD? 'What Would The Saints Do,' indeed, in thought, word, and action!”- Armand Di Scenna

Don’t miss out on your free copy! Please share this post with your readers, friends, family and fellow bloggers. Tell them to get their free copy as well! 

Get your free copy from Tuesday August 20, 2019 through Thursday August 22, 2019 only BY CLICKING HERE

Monday Musings – Don’t Tickle My Ears – Tell Me The Truth

After reading a recent syndicated column in my Diocesan newspaper, I could not remain silent. The columnist, Father Ron Rolheiser, a well-known Catholic priest and theologian, criticized a brother priest who had had the courage to preach the Truth.

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Some background first. 

For decades, observers have decried the absence of quality catechesis within the Catholic Church – this despite the universal recognition that many Catholics do not know or fully understand their Faith.

Several respected polls have concluded that as many as seventy-five per cent of those professing to be Catholic do not attend Sunday Mass on any regular basis, if at all. The number of non-attendees may be even greater than this reported percentage.

The salvation of its members’ souls is the Church’s primary mission. Yet rarely is the necessity of attending and participating in Sunday Mass ever addressed. When was the last time you heard a homily on the eternal consequences to those who intentionally ignore this obligation? Not too frequently I would suspect.

When priests have the courage to do so, they are often criticized. Such was the reaction of Father Rolheiser to the homily he heard.

Worth Revisiting - Homilies - When Were You Last Challenged To Change the Way You Live?

Thank you Allison Gingras and Elizabeth Riordan for your weekly invitation to re-post our favorite articles on Worth Revisiting.

Go here now (and every Wednesday) and let an interesting group of Catholic bloggers nourish you in your Faith journey.

During the rest of each week. visit Allison at  Reconciled To You and Elizabeth at Theology Is A Verb.  You will be pleased with what they share.

Here are my thoughts this week:

Homilies - When Were You Last Challenged To Change the Way You Live? 

(Originally posted on February 16, 2015)

The best homilies are those which challenge us to look objectively at our relationship with God and how we live out our faith. We need to be reminded of the great chasm that often exists between what we profess to believe and how we actually live our lives. We must be encouraged to seek God's grace and forgiveness if we are ever to bridge that gap.

How can that be done? Father Suarez has some unambiguous suggestions:

Why Do We Refuse to Listen? Why Do We Mutilate Essential Truth?

"Worth Revisiting" Wednesday - We Are Our Own Worse Enemy

Thank you, Allison Gingras and Elizabeth Riordan, for inviting an ever-expanding group of Catholic bloggers to re-post their favorite articles on “Worth Revisiting” Wednesdays.

Do yourself a favor- go there now (and every Wednesday) and let these authors bless and challenge you in Faith journey.

During the rest of each week. visit Allison at  Reconciled To You and Elizabeth at Theology Is A Verb. 

Here is what I am sharing this week:

We Are Our Own Worse Enemy

(Originally posted November 25, 2013)

Far too many Catholics are not well-formed in the teachings of Christ's Church. Given this tragic reality, one would expect Catholic media to only publish the work of individuals and columnists who accurately set forth the tenets of the Catholic Church. 

Over the years, too many publications claiming to be "Catholic" have consistently demonstrated a preference for doing just the opposite.

An example of this proclivity is a column that a local Diocesean newspaper published wherein its author wrote the following: 

“Putting an end to the killing of unborn babies is a priority for me, and it is a priority for the Catholic Church. But it is not the only priority. The concern of Christ and the Catholic Church for the suffering of the world is not limited to any one group of people – born or unborn…So we are not to rank, pro-life, social justice and peaces issues, we are to link them (my emphasis). It’s what the Catholic Church calls the “consistent ethic of life.”

Sounds nice but the problem with the columnist’s assertion is that he is simply flat out wrong.