Catching Fire

Hey Ya'll!

Happy Sunday.

As I mentioned last week, Chuck graduated from College. Here are some pictures capturing the big day.

P-Diddy Don (aka Dad), Con-Artist, Chuck, Courtney

Chuck & Pop

G-Ma & Chuck

Chuck, Shaq, John Connor

If these beauties have left you wanting for some more, feel free to check out the whole GRADUATION ALBUM. Get excited.

CLERICUS CUP RECAP:

As I mentioned also last week, we won our Quarter-Final match against Sedes Sapientia and are going to the SEMI-FINALS!!!

Here is an ARTICLE recapping the game if you are interested.

Here are some pictures from the game:

Me calmly bringing the ref's attention to an oversight on the field. hhahahaha

MJ learned to stick his tongue out from me....

And my personal favorite....

Carrying "Dr. J" (Jeff Ervin of Portland, OR) after scoring the second goal of the game. I carried him about half the length of the field before the adrenaline wore off...it was an incredible GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALL!!!!!!

MOTHER THERESA:

I came across this quote earlier in the week and really liked it...thought I would share:

"Love one another"

'The less we have, the

more we give. Seems absurd,

but it's the logic of love.'...

True love causes pain.

Jesus, in order to give us the proof of his

love, died on the cross.

A mother, in order to give birth to her baby,

has to suffer.

If you really love one another, you will not

be able to avoid making sacrifices.

The poor do not need our condescending

attitude or our pity. They only need our love

and our tenderness.

To me, Jesus is the Life I want to live, the

Light I want to reflect, the Way to the Father,

the Love I want to express, the joy I want to

share, the Peace I want to sow around me.

Jesus is everything to me.

If faith is scarce, it is because there is too

much selfishness in the world, too much

egoism. Faith, in order to be authentic, has to

be generous and giving.

Love and faith go hand in hand...

God has created us so we do small things

with great love. I believe in that great love,

that comes, or should come from our heart,

should start at home: with my family, my

neighbors across the street, those right next

door. And this love should then reach

everyone.

Her words are timeless. They are simple, yet pierce to the heart...the reality at hand.

A couple thoughts on Mother's thoughts.

When John the Baptist was asked if he was the Messiah, he responded like this---

I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. (Mt 3:11)

Many have speculated about what exactly this "fire" is that John is talking about. Let's propose for a minute that this "fire" is the "great love" that Mother Theresa mentioned above. That GREAT LOVE that should come from our hearts and spread around the world.

Think about how a fire spreads. It must catch fire to that which is closest and then spread from there. If I am in Montgomery, AL and want to catch New York City on fire.....then I have to find a way for it to spread all the way up the East Coast.

Consider the image of the "Sacred Heart." Christians have had devotion to Christ's "Sacred Heart" since at least the 11th century. More recently (1670's) Christ reinvigorated this devotion to His Heart through several visions to a French nun named Mary Alacoque. Now, images like the ones below, can be found all over the world aiding people in prayer, mediation, and worship:

As you contemplate these images, consider Mother's words again...esp. this part:

God has created us so we do small things

with great love. I believe in that great love,

that comes, or should come from our heart,

should start at home: with my family, my

neighbors across the street, those right next

door. And this love should then reach

everyone.

The famous Litany to the Sacred Heart concludes like this:

"Jesus, gentle and humble of heart.

(R) Touch our hearts and make them like you own."

Kind of ties it all together doesn't it?

Jesus' heart is on FIRE with GREAT LOVE for us. Nothing can quench it. Nothing can dissuade it. It desires nothing less than to consume the whole world...refining it like fire-tried gold. Leaving only what is beautiful, costly, wonderful, and pure. Namely, the Purity of our hearts...the fullness of our Joy....the Completeness of our existence!

However, He desires to do this through us. He desires to spread his fire through us. Our hearts.

Are our hearts dry? Are they ready to be burned? Are they filled with oil?

We must really consider these questions before we can really pray,

"(Jesus) Touch our hearts and make them like your own."

Let's reflect upon this image this week...this reality. Let's seek each day, to become more "flammable." To be a vessel for that GREAT LOVE...that FIRE....the burns in Christ's Heart...longing to consume us and the WHOLE WORLD through US!

If we want to Love people in Africa, China, and Spain....we must Love our neighbor...or the Fire will never be able to get there.....

Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Have Mercy on Us!

NEXT WEEK'S GOSPEL:

John 20:19-23

(see how the FIRE of Christ------>PEACE)

On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,

for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood in their midst

and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,

and whose sins you retain are retained.”

SIGN OFF:

Have a great week ya'll.

Let's pray for one another.

Come Jesus,

Touch our hearts and make them like your own....

PEACE, JOY, and FIRE!