“God does not fit in an occupied heart.”
— St. John of the Cross
//Catholic Company//
Morning Offering – An Occupied Heart
Dynamic Catholic – Bringing Hope Into the Heart of the Culture
It is my hope that you will partner with me to help bring this message of hope and inspiration to the world.
Meeting where they are in their everyday lives has not gotten easier in the past year, but we are embracing this challenge and stepping directly into the heart of our modern culture.
Who do you know that needs a little more hope, a little more inspiration, a little more God in their life? Be the difference that makes the difference.
Subscribe to Matthew’s Channel! https://www.youtube.com/c/MatthewKell…
Minute Meditation – Forgive and Begin to Live
Until we learn to forgive deeply and sincerely, we remain only on the threshold of real union with God, we remain essentially imprisoned and unfree. In the course of a lifetime, we gradually accumulate countless little resentments which, if allowed to grow, become big hates and seemingly insoluble differences. If, however, we do not allow these jealousies and hatreds to grow, but instead try always to purify our hearts, we enter into the mystery of love, the mystery of God. We have so much to forgive: life, maybe, certainly those who have hurt us and even ourselves (perhaps most of all, ourselves). Often we are hardest on ourselves and need to forgive ourselves for failing, for being less perfect than we would like to be. God forgives us much more readily than we forgive ourselves, and this inability to forgive ourselves is the cause of much of our pain and inability to grow. Forgive, then, and we will begin to live.
— from the book Song of the Sparrow: New Poems and Meditations by Murray Bodo, OFM
//Franciscan Media//
Morning Offering – We Must Pray Without Ceasing
“We must pray literally without ceasing— without ceasing—in every occurrence and employment of our lives . . . that prayer of the heart which is independent of place or situation, or which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.”
— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
//Catholic Company//
Does God Want to Hear Everything?
Should we really talk to God about everything?
There are a lot of different kinds of prayers (liturgical, litanies, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, etc.), but today Father hones in on mental prayer. Mental prayer—including lectio divina and Ignatian prayer—is about having a conversation with God and inviting him into your mind and your heart. But our minds are messy places, and our hearts are wounded. Should we really be talking to God about all of our thoughts, longings, and desires?
Haven’t Been to Confession in a While? A Couple Tips
Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: https://tinyurl.com/yhwfakge
Confession is a place of never ending mercy and forgiveness, and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.
Minute Meditation – Our Love for Our Children
We care for our children because we love them. We care for our children because in our love for them, we realize that they are unique, amazing creatures— even our identical twin daughters, who had different personalities right from the start. We care for our children because in the eyes of our love, they are beautiful, inside and out. We care for our children because in our love for them, we wonder at the people they are, and we hope for the people they are becoming. We care for our children even though they may break our heart—and in each breaking, our heart grows larger and more capable of care. Our love creates and preserves the best in them and the best in us.
— from the book Making Room: Soul-Deep Satisfaction through Simple Living
by Kyle Kramer
//Franciscan Media//
Daily Reflection – First in Our Hearts
Daily Reflection – Feelings are Visitors of the Heart
Morning Offering – The Best Armor We Have
“Prayer is the best armor we have, it is the key which opens the heart of God.”
— St. Padre Pio
//Catholic Company//