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On July 26^th, Father Ed and myself attended the Reuben Studdard, Clay Aiken concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL. It was a wonderful evening, made all the more stellar because of the backstage passes acquired for Father and myself by Reuben’s uncle, Fred Williams. I have known Fred for better than 20 years, and for the past 17 years “Uncle Fred” has been our director at EWTN. We all had a blast as we regaled with music spanning four decades – from the 60’s through the 90’s. If the truth be known, Father Ed and I were both on our feet, “snapping our fingers and shuffling our feet” to the tunes. Enjoy this backstage pic of the three of us – Father, Reuben, and yours truly.

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Linda woke up Monday morning feeling a bit out of sorts. She felt anxious, like something bad was about to happen.  To tell the truth, she’d been feeling out of it for a few weeks. “Well, I’m not getting any younger,” she told herself.  “Work has been stressful, and I haven’t been getting much exercise lately.” She yawned again, struggling to wake up. “Why am I so tired?” she thought. The fatigue was really troubling. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been sleeping so poorly,” she told herself. “And I did have some indigestion last night.  Maybe I ate something that didn’t agree with me.” She grabbed a cup of coffee on her way out the door. “Too bad I don’t have time for breakfast – again. I guess I’ll run through the drive-through for a quick bite. And I’m running late again! Always running late – always running!  It’s no wonder my blood pressure was high the last time I went to the doctor.  Maybe I should schedule another appointment. She did say I should come back for a follow-up. Why bother?  She’ll probably just ask me how the diet is going, and I’ll have to confess I haven’t even tried to lose this weight. I’ll go in a few weeks – if I get a chance.” Does Linda’s story sound familiar?   Consider this ending. Linda stared at the ceiling, thanking God that she had made it in time.  She wasn’t planning on this visit, that’s for sure. She had rushed through her day, as she frequently did, trying to get everything in, and now this. For once she was glad she had a habit of rushing.  When she started having chest pains after work, she picked up the phone. It was a good thing she called 911 instead of “waiting it out.” Maybe that’s what got her to the emergency room in time.  Just in time to find out that she was having a heart attack. Women like Linda, women like YOU, are having heart attacks every day. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Read that line again.  The number one killer.  Consider the facts about heart disease in women.

• Heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of more than 450,000 American women each year.
• Heart attacks kill six times as many women as breast cancer. 
• Each year, 435,000 women in the United States have heart attacks, and almost half of them die.
• 42 percent of women who have heart attacks die within one year, compared to 24 percent of men.
• 31, 837 women die each year of congestive heart failure, representing 62.6 percent of all heart failure deaths.
• Three million women die from stroke each year. Stroke accounts for more deaths among women than men.
• Over the last 25 years, the death rate for heart disease in men has declined steadily (by more than 17 percent), while the death rate for women has declined by only 2.5 percent
• Recent studies continue to confirm that women who have heart attacks receive fewer of the recommended treatments, compared to men.
• More than 90 percent of primary care physicians don’t know that heart disease kills more women each year than men.

The statistics are frightening, but the good news is that women are not powerless. While some factors are out of our control (heredity, our ethnic background, aging, etc.) we can make lifestyle choices that lower our risk of suffering from heart disease. And while many of us are rushing around like the fictitious Linda in the anecdote above, we need to take the time to learn about heart disease risks, our personal health picture (the statistics we really should be concerned about!) and the unusual symptoms that some women experience when having a heart attack. Linda might sound like any of us on a Monday morning, but an educated observer might guess she was actually exhibiting heart attack symptoms. Unlike men, women don’t always experience the classic “movie heart attack” involving serious crushing chest pain. Rather, their symptoms often include only shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue, a cold sweat, dizziness, or a feeling of doom.  According to one study by the by the National Institutes of Health , some women (like our Linda) reported symptoms that actually began weeks before the actual heart attack including unusual fatigue (70 percent), sleep disturbances ( 48 percent), shortness of breath (42 percent), indigestion (39 percent) and anxiety (35 percent). Once she finds out she’s at risk for heart disease, what’s a woman to do?  Plenty.  Lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce your odds of dying from heart disease.  (In fact, experts say women are more likely than men to benefit from these changes.) Some suggestions: Exercise regularly.  30 minutes of brisk walking a day is a good start. Eat well.  Limit saturated and trans fats while adding monounsaturated fats to your diet. Eat fish at least twice a week.  Avoid processed and “fast” foods. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and watch your sodium intake. Manage stress.  It may sound easier said than done, but stress can do real damage to your health and well-being. Meditate every day. (Studies have shown praying the rosary lowers blood pressure!) Make sleep a priority, and ask for and accept help from others. Control high blood pressure.   It’s not called “The Silent Killer” for nothing. Have your blood pressure checked by a doctor at least once a year – you can have hypertension with no symptoms warning you of its presence. If prescribed medication, take it. Invest in a monitor to check your pressure at home. Lower your risks.  Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol. (Consume two drinks or less per day –preferably of red wine.) Follow the wisdom of the Catholic Church and do not use birth control pills.  (Combining oral contraceptives with smoking increases a woman’s risk of heart disease dramatically.) Build healthy relationships.  Take the time to nurture your relationships with God and neighbor.  Studies show that church-going people live longer and have better health. Volunteerism has also been shown to improve health – and individuals reporting several close friendships have less illness.   Don’t make excuses.  Women tend to delay getting medical care for heart attacks more so than men.  Know the facts.  Don’t argue that you don’t have time to see a doctor, or that family responsibilities prevent you from properly caring for yourself.  Take responsibility for your well-being, and your heart. Those who love and depend on you will thank you for it!  Doctors say the most important stats are the ones that make up your individual wellness profile. The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease recommends that women aim for the following:

• A total cholesterol reading of less than 200 mg/dl
• LDL (“bad” cholesterol) reading of less than 100 mg/dl
• HDL (“good” cholesterol) reading of 50 mg/dl or higher
• A triglyceride reading of less than 150 mg/dl
• A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg or lower
• A fasting glucose level below 100 mg/dl
• A body mass index of 25 or less
• A waist circumference of 35 inches or less

 Cathy Adamkiewicz is the author of Broken and Blessed: A Life Story, which documents the life and death of her infant daughter Celeste

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Dr. Fitzgibbons has been a regular guest of The Abundant Life and we are thrilled to have him back this week on our new daily television program, Women of Grace.   Married couples face many challenges together with raising children, managing a home and finances, and just day to day living.  In some cases, couples face additional challenges when one or both spouses have major emotional and character conflicts which limit their ability to give and receive love, resulting in marital unhappiness.  Dr. Fitzgibbons addresses some of these issues on each of this weeks program and gives practical advice on what may be done to resolve them.  You can watch each day on EWTN at 11:00 a.m. and the encore at 11:30 p.m. You can also check out his website on the Insitute for Marital Healing where you will find much valuable information.  They are offering a free webinar for those who may be or know someone struggling with pornography: The Healing of Pornography Conflicts Webinar Join us for a Webinar on June 26 - space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/242775347 This marital educational webinar will focus on the damaging impact of pornography upon Catholic marriages and families, the origins of this conflict and its healing. The recommended readings are:

• www.socialcostsofpornography.org
• www.maritalhealing.com/conflicts/selfgiving.php
• www.maritalhealing.com/conflicts/addictedspouse.php

 Title: The Healing of Pornography Conflicts Date:   Saturday, June 26, 2010 Time:   10:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000

Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

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We received the following letter from a friend in response to this week's program called the "Socialist Worldview and You" with Samuel Gregg.  She gave us persmission to post it anonymously.  The letter is very eye opening because it comes from the perspective of someone who fled a communist country to live in a "free" country.  She see's "the shadows" of communism growing in our country and hopes that if she shares her story, perhaps it will inspire us to do what we can to strengthen our faith in God and to pray even more fervantly against it.   "I recently read your note about communism and I thought I should share this with you... I’ll try to make it brief, which is almost impossible, but I think I have to share a little bit of what I lived, so we can all pray harder that this doesn’t come to America, land that I love so much (Having being born and lived in a communist country myself when I was a child). May Our Good Lord spare us from the horror of communism, although I already recognize its shadows in here. (I wouldn't want myself or my family to go through it a 2nd time)... The most important thing that I advice is that we need to learn to be strong in our faith.  My father was denied superior education because he said he believed in God; some of his friends were not that strong. When I was a little girl in grammar school, I and some others were ridiculed in front of the class for going to Church on Sundays, and even questioned like thieves or criminals and threatened by the school principal. My brother and I never participated in Communist school activities (which they had on Sundays, on purpose, and were mandatory), my parents didn't take us, they didn't fear communists at all and always made clear to my teachers that we were NOT to attend because we would go to Church on Sundays. It takes a lot of courage to do that. Now, they are trying to get a bit more open towards religious expression in Churches only because people are beginning to rebel after more than 50 years of repression and government has a tactic: let the steam of the valve come out a little to avoid explosion. (to avoid massive rebellion). I just hope that if those times come to me again, I can be as strong as my parents taught me, to put Christ first, no matter what the consequences. My mother witnessed, at the beginning of the revolution, how they shot to death someone for shouting: "Long live Christ the King". We don’t know yet, what it means to live in religious persecution, you either are with them or against them with consequences that can cause you prison and death. Those people who rely solely on Catholic schools to impart religious education on their children and do nothing at home, will not survive in their faith in a communist society; their children will simply be swept away by the culture because there are no religious or Catholic or any denomination schools in communism. All is Public education and homeschool is not allowed, only under certain conditions of illnesses. About food, intake per month, per family is controlled by the government; you can only purchase what you are allowed in a given month through a control card. Now, they are letting the common people buy some things at stores that are only designated for tourism, but they can only buy them if relatives send them money from foreign countries, the average Cuban salary of a professional (EX: doctor) is not even enough to eat. That’s how the people in that Communist Island has survived for so long and are not dead of famine on the streets. I don’t think that they’ll try to make it that obvious in here or any other part of the world. They’ll try to make people want it. This is what they call socialism of the 20th century. They’re trying to blend everybody together to the point of making it almost punishable to practice your own faith, just to avoid hurting others. They’re trying to make it “common sense” to be atheist. It’s the same concept, but with different ways of approaching it, but the bottom line is the same: Communist philosophy is Atheism; they teach children in school that God doesn’t exist. They taught it to me, but thanks to God for the parents He gave me... The "green" movement is nothing else but the same control by the government, same thing with a different road to approach it. You cannot buy this or that because it "hurts" the environment; instead of having the government control you and get rebellion as a result, they'll make you beg them to control you (making people want it), see it? Same thing, but with different approach. What I told you about my experiences is just very little, not even a 10% of all the evil that communism brings. So, I just shared this, to please ask you to request your friends, relatives, everyone you know to bend our knees even harder and pray for this, our beloved America and for us, so the Lord makes us strong to unite together against it. I’m sure you figured out that the country I’m talking about is: Cuba. Johnnette, I share this with you through private email, because even though I have lived in this free country for more than half my life, and I am proud to be an American Citizen and this is now my land, that I defend and pray for, but I still have engraved in my soul and in my mind the memory of repression and the fear of expressing these type of things. I know there are many communists in this country that will have no problem acting with retaliation. I also have many relatives in Cuba and others that live here and go often to visit them, and I wouldn’t want them to be punished. You can share it if you want in any way you desire, but please, don’t mention my name.  Thanks and God bless you." We know that Our Lady has given us her weapon of chioce, the Holy Rosary.  Let's use it!

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The ideal woman isn’t a glamour queen. She’s a faithful, loving, resourceful woman whose value is beyond measure.    Solomon’s ideal woman is not often found today, but my mom was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman. Somehow she managed to fill all the qualities of the woman Solomon described. Verses 10-12: “When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.”  She was always taking care of us kids. My dad never had any fears. He knew the home front was taken care of. Dinner was ready as soon as he walked in the door and we ate together as a family. Verses 13: “She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands.”  Mom was an avid seamstress and raising three girls put her talents to good use. I remember one hot summer night I was preparing to take a bath. I brought down my winter pajamas to wear. “Don’t you have anything else?  It’s too hot for those!”   She said. I didn’t have anything else, because like all kids my age, I was growing faster than mom’s production of new clothing. I didn’t think any more if it and went to take a bath. When I came out, mom said, “You’re too fast. I didn’t finish.”  She held up a nearly finished green gingham nightie, perfect for sleeping on hot summer nights, that she sewed for me while I was in the tub! Verses 14-16: “Like merchant ships, she secures her provisions from afar. She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household.  She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”  Mom provided food for our family through her resourcefulness. We had a large garden every summer that produced most of the vegetables we ate all year. During the summer mom would send all four of us kids with buckets to scour the countryside for the fruit that grew wild there. We would come home with loads of black raspberries, elderberries, pears, apples and plums, which were then canned, frozen or turned into jams or pies. Thanks to mom no matter how tight things may have gotten financially, a food shortage was never a problem. Verses 17-19: “She is girt about with strength, and sturdy are her arms. She enjoys the success of her dealings; at night her lamp is undimmed. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.”  Mom was always busy. Her lamp literally did not go out some nights and she would often be found at her sewing machine making something for one of us girls or in the kitchen baking cookies or cupcakes for class parties at school. Verse 20: “She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.”  Even though we could easily have been considered poor when we were young, there was always enough for others who were in need. If we brought home a friend unexpectedly, there was always enough food to go around. I don’t know how she did it. I often wondered if she had come into possession of the widow’s jar of oil, the one that never ran out.  Verses 21-22: “She fears not the snow for her household; all her charges are doubly clothed. She makes her own coverlets; fine linen and purple are her clothing.”  Mom is literally described here in these two verses. Not only was she busy sewing dresses that us girls needed for school and church, she made quilts for all our beds and many of them had our favorite colors, or scraps leftover from the dresses she’d sewn for us. Verse 23: “Her husband is prominent at the city gates as he sits with the elders of the land.”  My father was a well-respected man at church and his place of business. A man cannot be respected very much if everyone knows that his wife is less than respectable herself. Verse 24: “She makes garments and sells them, and stocks the merchants with belts.”  My parents operated a business out of our home. The bulk of the work fell to my mom.  She made Civil War clothes for people who were involved in Historical societies and re-enacting. On some occasions she even supplied them with sword sashes!  Verse 25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.” Mom was a picture of strength and dignity. She was a strong woman with high morals who always stood up for what was right. Verse 26: “She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel.”  Faithful instruction is the job of every mother. I’m sure we can all remember words of wisdom spoken to us by our moms. Verse 27: “She watches the conduct of her household, and eats not her food in idleness.”  Idle would never be a word used to describe my mom. Even if she wanted to go out and enjoy the sunshine after being cooped up inside at her sewing machine all day, she would stockpile handwork and take it outside with her. The only thing that remotely showed any idleness was the afternoon walk she would take to stretch her legs. This was time she often spent in prayer. Verse 28: “Her children rise up and praise her; her husband, too, extols her:”  She has earned her due. All of her children respect her and her memory. We are all adults now and we do “arise and call her blessed.” We give her credit for who we are today.  Verse 29: “‘Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all.’”  There are many women who work hard and take care of their families. It’s harder nowadays with so many single moms raising their kids, but there are some women who just stand head and shoulders above the rest. Verse 31: “Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”   Outward beauty is not something I think of when I think of my mother, she was much too busy doing for others to worry about herself.  Her insides, however, were beyond compare! She feared the Lord and was faithful to Him.  Verse 31: “Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.”  Although I am sure she has received all the rewards God has to offer, I can’t be sure of what they are.  She is in Heaven now and the rewards she has received there are beyond my comprehension. Mom has given me something to live up to.  If I end up being half the woman she was, I’ll be successful in life. Even though she’s gone, she has left me memories from which I am still learning and trying desperately to pass on to my daughters. Do you know a woman who fits Solomon’s description?  Get to know her well if you don’t already. Learn from her. She has much to offer. Ruth O’Neil is a widely published author and homeschooling mother of three.

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In this next section of our reflection on the Eucharist we will look at how to cultivate a living faith and deeper desire for the Eucharist. A living faith keeps the fire of our desire burning for Jesus. This type of faith is engendered through a consistent prayer life, a temperate lifestyle, charitable actions, and an attitude of gratitude for the blessings God bestows on us each day. Another way to practice a living faith, especially in reference to the Eucharist, is by making a proper thanksgiving after receiving our Lord. As true appreciation for God’s gracious generosity wells up within us so does a holy desire to remain united to him. I find that the use of good spiritual books and regular spiritual direction are also keys to maintaining a living faith.  Those of you who regularly watch or listen to our programs are familiar with some of my favorites but in case you are not they are:  In Conversations with God by St. Josemaria Escriva, Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D. and True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort.  It is difficult to express how much my faith has grown through these beautiful resources and I happily recommend them to you. The final characteristic of a fervent communion is ardent desire. This desire is demonstrated by a consistent longing to be united to Jesus all of the time. A conscious anticipation for Eucharist, accompanied by a frequent turning of the heart and mind to God, becomes the daily rhythm of the soul imbued with ardent desire. This holy response to the Eucharistic presence is the preeminent grace of the Sacrament. And, it is a defining feature of all the great saints throughout the ages. No contact with Jesus is greater than receiving him in the Eucharist. However, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another way in which we can be spiritually nourished by the Eucharistic presence. Whether the Sacred Species is exposed in the monstrance or reposed in the tabernacle, coming before our Lord is efficacious and spiritually beneficial. Pope John Paul II, a man of deep prayer and Eucharistic adoration, has encouraged Catholics everywhere to seek the rich spiritual benefits available through Eucharistic worship.  He writes:  “Indeed, since the Eucharistic mystery was instituted out of love, and makes Christ sacramentally present, it is worthy of thanksgiving and worship … The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet him in adoration and contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease” (Apostolic Letter on the Mystery and Worship of the Holy Eucharist, # 3). Time spent before the Eucharistic presence should be a time of prayer. As with any prayer time, we must first recollect ourselves, aware of what we intend to do (pray) and of whose Presence we are in. Next, we engage in the prayer itself. We may find it helpful to structure our adoration time by dividing it into four equal parts, spending several minutes each on adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication (petition). These four parts form the acronym ACTS, and have constituted a suggested structure of prayer for centuries. However, as we grow more comfortable in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, our time in prayer should give over to contemplation.  A time of simply gazing into the face of the One whom we love. Sitting quietly before the Radiant Splendor of Jesus Christ, allowing the rays of His love to penetrate into all areas of our heart, can do much to nourish and strengthen our life of faith. Jesus desires that each of us becomes a temple in which He dwells. As we gaze on the Lord’s glory with unveiled faces, we are transformed into the very image of our Lord (see 2 Cor 3:18). Then, filled with his life, we can carry his blessings to the world. Another way to place ourselves consistently in the Lord’s Eucharistic presence is through the frequent offering of spiritual communions.  This can be done by your own personalized version or by one of the many beautiful prayers composed by one of the Saints or the Church for this purpose.  One of my favorites is the Anima Christi: Soul of Christ, sanctify me Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from Christ's side, wash me Passion of Christ, strengthen me O good Jesus, hear me Within Thy wounds hide me Suffer me not to be separated from Thee From the malicious enemy defend me In the hour of my death call me And bid me come unto Thee That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels Forever and ever Amen Let us come to each encounter of the Eucharistic presence of our Lord with hearts opened wide, ready to receive every spiritual blessing in the heavens (Eph. 1: 3). And, vivified by him who brings us spiritual life, may we be beacons of light leading others to know Christ who is King of all.   Faith in Action:

• Find a good Catholic spiritual resource which will help you to develop a living faith.  Look for the Nahil Obstat and Impramatur to ensure that they are authentically Catholic.
• Spend an hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament this week.
• Make a commitment to offer Spiritual Communions on a regular basis.

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Dear Friends,

It’s hard to believe that we are already entering into the second week of the Easter Season.  It is my deepest hope that you and your loved ones were able to fully experience Holy Week and the glory of Easter. 

As we make our pilgrimage towards Pentecost together, I thought it would be fitting that we take time to reflect more deeply on the great gift of the Lord to us on Holy Thursday, His Eucharistic presence.  For the next couple of blogs, I will be providing a reflection on how we can enhance our experience of the Eucharist.  In these times of great challenge for the Church, we go to the source and summit of our faith and spirituality, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, who will strengthen and refresh us.   

The Eucharist: Nourishment for Our Souls

“What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life. Communion…preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace received at Baptism. This growth in Christian life needs the nourishment of Eucharistic Communion …” (No. 1392).

As the passage from the Catechism suggests, the spiritual life, like the body, languishes and dies without proper nourishment. The Eucharist is its nutritional source. Through Eucharist, charity is strengthened, venial sins are wiped away, we are preserved from mortal sin, we are united to the Mystical Body of Christ, we are helped to commit to the poor and to seek unity among all Christians (Catechism, § 1394-1398). Simply stated, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, active within us, becomes a transforming agent for ourselves and for others. If we are to make progress in the spiritual life and become a catalyst of Christ’s love in the world, we must be nourished by the Eucharistic presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  However, simply receiving Communion is not enough. While Eucharist is replete with spiritual blessings, its effectiveness in our lives depends upon the disposition or holy desire we bring to the Sacrament. If our disposition is weak and our fervency shallow, though we receive all of Jesus in the Eucharist, its effect on our spirit is limited. Only by coming to the Sacrament with fervency and expectant faith, do we experience the full measure of grace offered to us through the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. According to Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, the great Thomistic scholar, a fervent communion is marked by four characteristics: humility, respect for the Eucharist, a living faith, and an ardent desire to receive Jesus (The Three Ages of the Interior Life). Though acquiring the virtue of humility is often the work of a lifetime, it can be encouraged by a prayerful consideration of who Jesus Christ is and who we are. By cords of love our Lord draws us to himself. It is his mercy, not our worthiness, which gives us the great privilege of receiving him in Eucharist. If we are to grow in the virtue of humility we must spend time in prayer. It is in prayer that God communicates Himself to us, corrects our misunderstandings, purifies our hearts and minds, strengthens our holy desires, brings us to self-knowledge, and reveals our motivations. We will never attain to holiness if we do not spend time in mental prayer. While we can pray anywhere and in any circumstance, spending time before the Blessed Sacrament is a most fruitful way to pray. In front of the One whose own Body and Blood bought for us our salvation, we are humbled indeed. Here we can offer to God all of our struggles, trials, hopes and dreams, as we seek to be fashioned after the heart of His Son. Our time of prayer must become the hallmark of our lives. Respect for the Eucharist is the second characteristic of a fervent communion. Our physical demeanor in the presence of the Lord reveals the attitude of our hearts. Our body language, style of dress, tone of voice all help or hinder the spiritual benefits we receive in Holy Communion. We must seek to develop an abiding respect for the Eucharistic presence of Jesus Christ and everything about us must reflect it. Genuflecting, kneeling with erect posture, bowing before receiving Eucharist all help us to remain focused on the One who gives himself to us. It may be fruitful for a deepening of your worship experience to make a special field trip to participate in a Holy Mass celebrated by one of the other valid rites of Holy Mother Church.  Some examples are the Tridentine Rite Mass, the Maronite Rite, the Ruthenian Rite, and the Melkite Rite.  The physical signs of reverence given to the Eucharist which are displayed under these forms of worship can be excellent holy reminders to help us elevate our own experience of the Liturgy.  Stay tuned for Part II where I will discuss how to cultivate living faith and ardent desire... Faith in Action:

• The next time you are preparing yourself to received Jesus in Holy Communion, ask Our Lady to help you to receive him with greater humility and awe.  A simple prayer like, “Dear Mother, please assist me in this moment of communion with your son Jesus to receive him into my soul with greater humility, receptivity, gratitude and love.”
• Take time to reflect on your past and present attitude towards Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and your belief in the Real Presence.  Has yours been an attitude of respect and reverence or disregard and disrespect? For those times when you haven’t shown Jesus the reverence He deserves, ask forgiveness and for those times when you have shown Him great love, give thanks.
• Consider making a field trip to a Catholic parish which offers the liturgy under one of the other accepted rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

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The following post is an excerpt from the March/April 2010 issue of Canticle Magazine. Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus … One of them,named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” Luke 24: 13, 18 For many years I have made a funny assumption. Every time I read or heard the Biblical story of the resurrected Jesus appearing to Cleopas and his friend while traveling to Emmaus, I have assumed that the traveling companion was another man - probably another disciple, maybe one of the 72 mentioned in Luke’s Gospel. Recently, however, a few ideas and suggestions have come my way, prompting me to reconsider. Meet Mary of Clopas Not too long ago, while researching the various women named Mary in the Bible, I came to know and appreciate Mary, the wife of Clopas. While this Mary, frequently referred to as “Mary of Clopas” is not a well known Mary of the Bible, like Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, or Mary, the mother of Jesus, her actions in the Bible are significant. For instance, she was certainly one of the women at Christ’s crucifixion. It is also very likely that she was one of the Galilean women who followed and ministered to Jesus. She probably attended Jesus’ burial, and was likely one of the first to see Him resurrected. An official saint, listed in the Roman Martyrology (her feast day is April 24), Saint Mary of Clopas seems to have a variety of titles within the Bible. She is referred to as Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Mt. 27:56), the other Mary (Matthew 27: 61), Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses (Mark 15: 40), Mary the mother of Joses (Mk 15: 47), and Mary the mother of James (Mark 16: 1 and Luke 24: 10). In my research I learned that many consider Clopas to be a different spelling of Cleopas, and that Mary of Clopas was very possibly the wife of Cleopas, the man who was traveling to Emmaus. Even though the Gospel writer John used the spelling “Clopas,” Luke’s spelling of “Cleopas” could reasonably be referring to the same name/family. Later, during a homily at church, while my pastor was discussing this Emmaus passage, he suggested how Cleopas’s traveling companion could have very possibly been his wife, Mary. This homily prompted me to go home and check my Bible. Sure enough, it is never stated whether Cleopas’s traveling companion was male or female. This leaves wide open the possibility of his friend being his wife, who was plausibly Mary of Clopas. A Husband and Wife? Recently, a Byzantine Rite priest sent me a delightful card with a beautiful icon on the front portraying Cleopas (also an official saint whose feast day is September 25) traveling to Emmaus … with a woman! The description on the back of the card explained that the woman depicted in the icon was Mary of Clopas … likely the wife of Cleopas. The explanation brought forth (as my pastor had just a few weeks prior) the possibility that she – Saint Mary of Clopas - was Cleopas’s traveling companion on the way to Emmaus. These three events melded in my mind and I found that even the possibility of a “Mr. and Mrs. Cl[e]opas” traveling together on that first Easter Sunday to be fascinating. A husband and wife team, meeting up with a resurrected Christ during a seven mile walk offers plenty to think about. How they did not recognize Him at first, but clearly felt a sense of goodness by being in his presence, for when it was time to part, they asked him to stay. How when the pair dined with Jesus their eyes and hearts suddenly understood who their passer-by was - whereupon Jesus suddenly vanished. Cleopas, along with his companion - his wife? - then felt compelled to return to Jerusalem to share with others the extraordinary experience. A Few Sons Also? As a brief aside, some linguists consider Clopas/Cleopas to be a Greek transliteration for the Aramaic of Alphaeus. If so, this possible married couple might be the parents of James the son of Alphaeus, also known as James the Less/Younger, one of the Twelve Apostles. Also, Matthew 15: 33 gives credence to Mary of Clopas as being the mother of a Simon as well, the Simon who is believed to be St. Simon of Jerusalem, the second bishop of Jerusalem. Curiously, St. Simon of Jerusalem is recorded by many to have been the son of Cleopas. Hmmm. Things to Contemplate We cannot know with certainty whether or not these people were indeed immediate family members. However, we can contemplate the possibility and hopefully grow as Catholics. Perhaps the prospect can prompt married couples to ponder how they would react if they happened to meet up with, but not immediately recognize, Christ. If they had a meal with the Son of God, realized who he was and then saw him vanish … what would they do? For now, we will have to wait until we get to heaven to know for sure who was with Cleopas, whether or not Mary of Clopas was his wife and James the Younger and Simon their sons. In the meantime, we can reflect upon their stories and let our hearts ponder the inevitable meeting we will all eventually have with Christ … whether on earth or in heaven. Theresa Doyle-Nelson is a freelance writer from Pipe Creek, TX and the author of “Saints of the Bible” available at Our Sunday Visitor. Order your subscription to Canticle Magazine today!

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The following post is an excerpt from the March/April 2010 issue of Canticle Magazine. One Lent, I discovered a Stations of the Cross from Mary’s viewpoint. Athough heartbreaking, I found them to be strangely comforting. Ever since, I’ve always felt that the Stations of the Cross is a devotion that speaks in a special way to women. My prayer for you is that this “Way of the Cross for Women” may speak to your heart and lead you closer to our Lord! The First Station: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Death Jesus has blood dripping in His eyes. His garments are a mockery and His disciples reduced to a tattered band. And now He is sentenced to death. My hopes seem just as shattered. I’m longing...for a child, a husband, a companion. I find myself alone, feeling the pronouncement of death over my head after being beaten with the scourge of longing, wanting, desire. Where is my hope? Why can’t I experience the joy of motherhood? Must I remain single so long? Won’t anyone – my family, my friends, my fellow church members - come visit me during my long, lonely days? I look to Jesus and see a comrade. Jesus, help me as I face my loneliness. The Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross Jesus took up His Cross. Under its heaviness, He must have thought of me. I feel the weight of my vocation on my shoulders, whether it’s marriage or motherhood, single life or religious life. I don’t always think of the daily challenges as opportunities for grace. Can I tell Him about my cross? Can I pick it up and accompany Him? He shows me how to use the crosses of my vocation as a gateway to grow closer to His Father. Jesus, guide me as I struggle to carry my cross. The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time How did He get back up? How did He start walking again? The addictions in my life crush me with their weight. It might be as simple as an addiction to computer time, or it may be a struggle with a substance. Though others might laugh if they knew of my struggle, I feel its heaviness on me. I’m blindsided by the fall. Some of my addictions seem trivial, but they pile up, unnoticed, unattended. They all lead me away from God, taking my eyes away from Him. When my addictions seem too much, let me remember Jesus on the ground beneath the Cross, after the first of three falls. Jesus, pull me back up when I’ve fallen to addiction. The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother I gaze at loved ones who suffer from illness, and I think of Jesus and Mary meeting. I pray, but cannot make the pain go away. I have to let go of what I want and even of what others want and accept what God wants. Maybe the health issues are my own, and I long, as Jesus must have, to protect those I love from the pain, heartache, and burden. Jesus, let me feel Your gaze as I bear the Cross of poor health. The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Carry the Cross The soldiers forced Simon to help carry the Cross. Jesus didn’t argue; He accepted help at the height of His Passion. I’ve turned down offers of help. I insist that I can do it by myself. How might I accept help in the midst of my busy life? In what ways can I allow someone else to serve Jesus as they help me with my Cross? Do I need to ask for help? Jesus, show me how to accept help with my Cross, just as You accepted help from Simon. The Sixth Station: Veronica Offers Her Veil to Jesus Jesus was filthy and pathetic as He staggered, not even able to carry His own Cross. Veronica offered a part of herself so that Jesus might have some comfort. Who are the people I have the hardest time reaching out to? Who do I have trouble picturing as Jesus? Which of those can I offer my “veil” to? Jesus, show me where I can serve You and how I can wash the face of the weary. The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time Abuse can be like Jesus’ second fall. Maybe it’s a loved one’s substance abuse or perhaps I’ve been abused myself. Just like Jesus, I’m crushed under the pain. Jesus feels my humiliation and knows the drained hopelessness hanging over me. Holding His hand, I can get back up. Walking with Him, I can bear the weight of abuse and give it to Him. Jesus, carry me when the abuses are too heavy to bear. The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women Jesus paused to acknowledge and comfort the mourners. Jesus will comfort me if I let Him. When my “things done” list falls short, let me remember that guilt is not a virtue. When I’m staggering under a load that’s too heavy, let me feel relief at unloading it. When I am tempted to compare myself with others, let me pause to take Jesus’ hand. Jesus, protect me from the snares of guilt and comfort me as I struggle with day-to-day life. The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time He can barely move after the third fall. Was Jesus tempted to give up? It must have felt easier to just stay on the ground. Somehow, He found the strength to get back up. I fall under the weight of the busy-ness in my life. There’s so much I’m supposed to do. I think I should be able to do it all. I find myself lying there, longing to give up. Show me, Jesus, what’s essential, and guide me in simplifying my life. The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped Jesus did not ask “Why?” Jesus did not shy away from suffering. He embraced it so that when He embraces me, I know just how well He understands. Injustice is sometimes so all encompassing that I don’t think I can handle it. Sometimes my suffering is too much and my whole body slumps, weary. It is then that I most need Jesus, stripped and facing His Cross. Jesus, embrace me and teach me to bear injustice and suffering. The Eleventh Station: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross Everything else fades in the face of this new pain, and then the symphony of agony resumes. I add to Jesus’ pain with my unkind words. I feel that I have to tell it as I see it, not considering how much hurt I’ll inflict. Would I be more patient if I were more loving? Would I be more loving if I were more patient? Jesus, as I gaze at the nails in Your hands and feet, help me remember the sharp edge of my words and impatience. The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross For Jesus, the hardest part is over. But for me, death is so hard. Maybe it is a child, a parent, a spouse, a friend, a family member – they have died and left me here. What can I do? Where can I turn? Mary understands this feeling well. She gazes at me, remembering how it was to stand at the foot of the Cross. She points to the pain and holds me. In her clasp, I feel stronger arms, His arms. Jesus, hold me in my grief. The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross They placed Him in Mary’s arms, the boy she birthed and nursed, the man she followed, the Son she loved. I have the gift and responsibility of femininity in my domestic church, whether it houses children or adults, friends or family, colleagues or strangers. For the road of pain in my spiritual and physical motherhood, there will also be the miracle of life all around me. Jesus, as I struggle with my motherhood, guide me to the comfort of Your mother. The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb As Mary bathed and arranged Jesus, were memories of His life surrounding her? I have held loved ones, saying goodbye long after they’re gone. I’ve left the tomb but carried the pain with me. Mary left her Son with a faith I need to emulate. She never stopped trusting, even when hope seemed gone. God’s grace works through the pain in the valley of my suffering. Mary holds my hand and leads me, with surefire accuracy, straight to her Son. Jesus, help me not to bury my hopes as I face the suffering of life.  Sarah Reinhard explores faith, family, and farm life at http://snoringscholar.com/.  

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Hello friends.  It’s been a few weeks since my last blog entry at the beginning of February.  Since then, I’ve had the wonderful blessing of speaking to the friends of Catholic Radio station KEXS in Overland Park, Kansas and visiting EWTN to discuss some upcoming changes.  We have already shared some with you including our new programming lineup and there are some I will save to announce later.  The Holy Spirit seems to be moving our ministry in some very exciting new directions and I ask that you will pray for us to be docile to His promptings as we discern and move forward. This week marks the 31^st birthday of my deceased son, Simon.  It is a bittersweet time for me and my daughters.  Although, in many ways the pain of loss has lessened, there are still many moments in which my heart aches very deeply for both Simon and my husband Anthony.  It is during these celebratory times that the pain is felt more acutely. As a mother, I can’t help but to think of Our Lady, on the day when Simeon announced to her that her own heart would be pierced by a sword and she recognized the sacrifice that she would be called to make with her son.  For Mary, this was another fiat in which she fully cooperated with the grace of the Holy Spirit and with docility, interiorly replied “let it be done unto me according your word.” If God Loves Us, Why Does He Let Us Suffer? But for us, the times of suffering and travail can be a time of questioning and doubt.  If God loves us, why does He let us suffer? This is an age-old question, one that is asked by countless numbers of people in every generation. It is one which we will explore deeply in my newest Women of Grace Study Series entitled “Mending the Wounds of the Heart.”  But as we continue on our Lenten journey and as I reflect on the pains of loss, I thought it might be helpful to provide a short teaching for those who may also be experiencing some kind of suffering this Lenten season. Firstly, it important to remember what St. Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “We know that in every thing God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”  It was the fall of Adam and Even which brought sin and suffering into the world but here St. Paul tells us that suffering will be the instrument for man's greatest hope. Just this news alone is crushing to the serpent in the garden. What He thought HE'D use to foil God's plan for man - sin and suffering - God will use as the VERY means through which His love with triumph in the world. God will permit His Son to take upon Himself the sin of the world with all of its consequences including suffering, and nail it to the tree with Him. He will overcome sin and death, suffering and travail, selfishness and perversity! We also hear in Isaiah 23: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed." Really hear these words "By his stripes we are healed." Jesus bore all of your affliction, all of your sorrow, all of your suffering. But not just to make it through, but to experience joy even in the midst of your grief, your sadness, you suffering. Love Wins The Day So, what happens here?  Love wins the day. And what is the expression of that love? Suffering is the means that expresses it. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son that everyone who believed in Him might not perish but have life everlasting." By investing divine life into the void of evil, God makes suffering a suitable instrument out of which He can work the greatest good - the salvation of mankind. Thus, God gives suffering a new purpose, a new value, a supernatural dimension through which great good can be worked in the world. It is our baptism in Christ Jesus that makes this possible. Through our baptism we are incorporated into the paschal mystery. And what is the paschal mystery? It is the passion, death, and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our baptismal grace is our entrance into this mystery of salvation and all the wonders it contains -- including the capacity of our sufferings to be united to those of Christ and be used by Him for great good. Every suffering then, holds the promise of transformation if we will but unite it to the passion of Christ. And herein lies the secret that all the great saints knew, a secret revealed to them in the depths of their own sufferings, pains, torments, and trials: that in the midst of the greatest difficulty, the greatest injustice, the greatest travail, we can suffer with Christ in His passion and work with Him to bring salvation to souls - our soul and the souls of others. Now do we see the great gift given to us in every contradiction and trial. Now do we see the pearl of great price hidden in the horrid and ugly. Now do we see the shimmering grace veiled by the painful and sorrowful? I have personally suffered great losses in my life.  But in every case, I have seen the magnificent glory that can be ours when we seek to discover the joy that sometimes comes packaged in the dark garments of suffering. However, we must be receptive. We must be open. We must be willing to mine that treasury of grace waiting for us in the suffering. One of the greatest treasures is our own purification.  In Zechariah13:9 we read: "I will bring one third through fire, and I will purify them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested. They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them. I will say, 'they are my people," and they will say, "The Lord is my God." God wants to purify us of all that holds us back from him, all that hinders our progress on the way to sanctification and holiness. He wants to remove the alloy of our lives that we might be that fire tried gold, made resilient in him and through him. Shining and gleaming with his glory. And one of the ways this takes place is by embracing the sufferings and trials we experience and permitting God to work in them and through them for our betterment and purification. We are all going to suffer. The broken and fallen world in which we live assures us of that. But how we suffer, what we do with the suffering, that is what makes the difference. The great saints used their sufferings as a means of purgation and purification. Not waiting for the fires of purgatory to have their affect, they embraced the crosses entrusted to them and cooperated with grace to work out that process in this life. That is why the great saints rejoiced in suffering and regarded the greatest cross to be no cross at all. Is it possible for us to adopt this vision of our own sufferings and trials? Could it be that God is permitting the wound of heart to remain so that we can come to this recognition and see the great gift that lies underneath this wrapping of travail? Can we, seek to acquire this supernatural vision?

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