1 Peter 3:18-22

Beloved:

Christ suffered for sins once,

the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,

that he might lead you to God.

Put to death in the flesh,

he was brought to life in the Spirit.

In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,

who had once been disobedient

while God patiently waited in the days of Noah

during the building of the ark,

in which a few persons, eight in all,

were saved through water.

This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.

It is not a removal of dirt from the body

but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

who has gone into heaven

and is at the right hand of God,

with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Lent = Love

This year, Lent was on Valentine's Day.  It is an appropriate day because we often think of Lent as a time of suffering and sacrifice, and we do not generally think of that as a type of love. But Lent is all about love. God wants us to be with Him for all eternity because we can sometimes be stubborn and want to do things our way, not God's. And like a parent, He looks after us and always wants the best. So, this Lent let us become the best child of God and return to Him with all the love we can.          

The Door of Faith

Faith is an absolute trust in a belief.  Faith in something is knowing that it is accurate and correct; it is unseen and not a tangible object that can be held. 

Faith lives and dwells in your soul. And occasionally, our souls question and doubt the presence of faith. Faith struggles at times to even exist.

Why do we struggle with something that we can't see or touch? 

The struggle is when evil sets up camp in our souls, building walls to keep the good out.  Faith co-exists with hope, and these two together form a powerful motivation for anyone who deals with everyday life. If faith and hope are absent from our hearts, despair, and sadness consume our souls, and evil fights to keep out what is good. 

To all, keep faith and hope alive.  Recognize that God's presence is always there at the door to your soul. You just have to open the door and welcome this great gift He gives us.

Photo - pixabay - 4651889     

Is Politics Interwoven into Every Aspect of Our Life?

For the most part, it is for the obviously elected officials who are supposed to represent us as the first initial influence in daily life. They make decisions like raising or lowering taxes, which affect your income, and many decisions are voted on without our direct input of yes or no. Note: we should all practice voicing our opinions to elected officials whether they are heard or not. 

So, how does politics play a part in the rest of our lives? At one time, many years ago, the above statement was the standard view of politics.  But it has become apparent when selecting something as simple as watching the evening news. Specific channels are politically biased, and all their content is focused on an agenda. Let's take it even lower.  What about going to the grocery store?  Do we buy certain products based on the company that produced them and their political views?  I would say the majority of people don't. On the other hand, I believe many people buy products based on social media influencers.

And lastly, is politics involved in sports? If you are unsure, take a moment to watch the Super Bowl half-time show.  And specifically look for political statements and other connotations of social justice. 

Politics are everywhere. And with this being an election year, expect as the closer it gets to November to get prepared to be overwhelmed with opinions, progressive and conservative actors and musicians endorsing candidates, and businesses influencing customers to vote for a particular candidate. And sad but true, religious endorsements for their candidate of choice.

The bottom line is that this election year, depending on who is elected President of the United States, will significantly influence your life, whether you like it or not.

photo- pixabay - chayka1270   

Snow Cardinals

 The Cardinals waiting for warmer weather.

The Business Divide

There was a day when you went to the grocery store or somewhere to buy a product and did not think about who made it.  You might have had some favorite brands but didn't know about the company outside of what they made.  And what I mean by that is what the principles of that company were.  Where was their product made? Where did they donate their money for a particular cause? What were their political views?

Today, our country is so divided that we can't agree on products, services, or even sports teams because of their views outside of what they produce.  This is important, but why can't businesses stay out of politics? I realize owners will have their views, but the point is to connect to all customers regardless of opinions on a particular cause. 

When companies draw the line and publicly announce where they stand. They have decided they only want to support and market to a particular group.  And that is fine with me.  I will not go into an establishment that does not want my dollars based on my political views.  I will support the businesses that share my views. 

Buy American!

Photo - pixabay - stevepb 

Texas

The Southern border of the United States has become one of the most talked about news stories in the past couple of weeks. The main reason is because Texas has proclaimed it shall defend its border as a State. They have not only assumed the responsibility but also have become the frontline against the invasion of illegals into the United States.  Over 25 State governors have announced they will support Texas, but the Federal Government has not and probably will not support this effort. 

The border should be completely closed entirely. If someone wants to become a citizen of the United States, they should come here legally.  We must have our priorities in order and take care of U.S. citizens first.  And Texas is doing just that as it is making the people of Texas their first concern. 

All 50 States should back Texas because if not, the frontline will move to the next State and the next.  

Hold Strong Texas!! We support you!

 Photo - pixabay - Kjrstie 

The Holy One of God

 

 Mk 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum,

and on the Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.

The people were astonished at his teaching,

for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;

he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?

Have you come to destroy us?

I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"

Jesus rebuked him and said,

"Quiet! Come out of him!"

The unclean spirit convulsed him and, with a loud cry, came out of him.

All were amazed and asked one another,

"What is this?

A new teaching with authority.

He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

In today's Gospel reading at Mass, the unclean spirit acknowledges Jesus as the Holy One of God.  One would think during this time, the people would hear this and realize Jesus is truly the Son of God, but as we know, this is not enough, and they would need more proof. 

How often do we act as those did during that time by seeing and not believing?

And for as much as evil sometimes seems to rule, we should always know who the Son of God is, and no one is above Him. 

The Primaries

I saw this yesterday and thought how similar it looked. The signs are identical in color. The Sunday morning news shows are always political. It seems the Democrats are pushing the Republicans to vote for Haley. Why? Could it be because she is the weaker candidate? And if they can sway the conservative vote towards her, then Trump would not be the nominee for the Republican Party.  Once that happened, the Democrats would then focus their attack on Haley.  All of this to position Biden to be re-elected.  Trump is clearly the better candidate, and the liberals know how weak Biden is in policies and his capacity to articulate his thoughts. They know Biden cannot win a political debate with Trump. The primaries in the upcoming month are critical.  The Republicans running for President are dropping out of the race because they clearly cannot win against Trump. The majority of conservative voters in the United States want Trump to be the next President.

   

Act of Contrition

O My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and amend my life. 

Amen. 

2024 WEF

The World Economic Forum is having its annual meeting on what they believe is the most critical issues "they" think is best for us.

Forums happen all the time discussing various topics, and mostly, those topics never affect us. But what makes this concerning is the people at this conference. World politicians and corporate CEOs flying their jets to discuss climate change.

Here are a few highlights as they plan "our" future.

Topics taken from the World Economic Forum website https://www.weforum.org/

I've highlighted a few key points to show how world leaders are working to change our world.  

You decide.

• Nearly 3,000 leaders from government, business and civil society from more than 125 countries, including 350 heads of state and government, and ministers, participated in the meeting and connected across diverse viewpoints on key issues.
• Participants advanced new ideas and initiatives to increase resilience and security, revive economic growth, protect the climate and nature, balance innovation and guardrails for technology, and invest in jobs, skills and health.
•  “It is essential that we discard prejudice, bridge differences and work as one to tackle the trust deficit,” said Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China.
• Ajay S. Banga, President of the World Bank Group, emphasized the interconnectedness of crises; “We cannot think about eradicating poverty without caring about climate. We cannot think about eradicating poverty without thinking about healthcare. We cannot think about eradicating poverty without thinking about food insecurity and fragility.”
• French President Emmanuel Macron called for world leaders to “be realistic but be optimistic” about addressing the complex challenges of peace and security, jobs and decarbonization. “I truly believe that the decisions that can change things are within our hands,” he said.
• “We need to think of globalization not in the way it was done before, but differently. And we need to make sure that those who did not benefit during the first round benefit this time,” said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
• “As we build our economic policies, the question we have to ask is: ‘Will this make the life of the people I represent better?’” said Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada.
• “We know exactly what we ought to be doing to slow down and eventually reverse climate change and loss of biodiversity,” said Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and United Nations Messenger of Peace. “If only various countries lived up to promises they made about reducing emissions.”

This forum allows the rich and powerful to decide what is best for the world. Some of this might sound good, but when you realize these people ultimately want to control the world as a whole, meaning one world leader. It is the stepping stone for a world order of government.

Southern Snow

Most of the country has experienced some harsh weather in the last week. Depending on your area, you were stranded or functioning as you would typically do during this time of year, and with that said, I have defined the North and the South.  I live in a Southern city where winter storms are rare. We have some snow removal equipment, but unlike our neighbors to the north, snow removal in the South is not a high priority. 

Are there advantages to not having the streets clear of snow?

For a long time, the culture in the South has been easygoing.  We traditionally have always been the not-in-a-hurry region of the United States. But as more and more people find this way of life attractive, they move here, which is fine, but don't expect to live like you used to. 

The advantages to a winter storm as a Southerner would see it. Once the prediction of snow is in the forecast, the first and immediate priority is the rush to the grocery store. We must stock the essential items for survival. Items like bread, milk, and eggs, and the top items on the list to sustain life are snacks of all kinds. Next on the list of priorities, contact your employer to ensure the business is shut down during the disaster. Once the preparedness checklist is complete. We focus on the on the next agenda. What is on TV? What series will we binge-watch?

I say this with a bit of humor. But, Southerners have, for the most part, taken life in general slow and easy. If you move to the South, you might discover a new way of living as the Southerners do; you might like it.

Photo - pixabay - PublicDomainPictures

      

Eternity

Forever is forever.

Think about that for a moment.

When we say forever, it means never-ending. It goes on for eternity.  Now, apply it to your spiritual life. Do we pray and hope for life after death, to live forever? I think most live just for the day and the moment. Not thinking about how our thoughts, words, and deeds affect our forever life after we die. But most of the time, especially in our younger days, it seems like we will live forever. The actual reality is we start the dying process once we are born into this world. The time for us to prepare for our eternal life is now. God has given us the guidelines for us to follow through the Bible. For thousands of years, He has been telling generation after generation how to live forever in heaven with God. But do we listen? I would say most of the time, we don't hear Him. That's why praying and reading the Bible every day is vital. Any day, your time ticket will arrive for the journey to eternity, and that ticket is a one-way to either Heaven or Hell. 

Where do you want to spend your forever life?

Photo - pixabay - TheFunkypixel

An Adventurous Day

Is there ever an ordinary day?

As much as we might think there is no such thing as an ordinary day. I know we have our routines.  Monday through Friday, sit in traffic, go to work, come home, and go to bed; the whole routine starts the next day. We might even come to a point where we dread the next day.

The fact of the matter is that every day is extraordinary. When we look at each day as a new beginning, even if our life doesn't seem so. 

Here is a short story of a lesson learned from our cats. 

We have two cats, one orange cat named Rex and the other black cat named Jack. These two are completely opposite of each other in their personalities. Rex is the king cat. He is bigger and bolder in his personality. Jack, on the other hand, is laid-back and docile. The one thing they have in common is their routine. They go outside, looking for the next mouse to catch or the perfect spot to lie down to take that afternoon nap. And as evening falls, they wait patiently to come into the house for the evening meal and retire for the night until the next day.

Once the sun comes up, this is when the subtle difference between the two takes place. We will announce the call for the cats to go outside. And the first one at the door is Rex followed slowly by Jack. Our hand is on the doorknob, and Rex has his nose on the edge of the door, waiting impatiently for the door to open. The door is opened, and out goes Rex, looking for the next adventure, while Jack casually strolls out, looking like he would instead go back into the house but seems content with the sunshine and the possibility of the next nap.    

The lesson learned.

We all have to approach each day like Rex and know we will have those occasional days like Jack.  Every day is a new adventure. The uncertainty is always there, but it is a new day, and we must venture out and look for the good things in life. We are the product of our personalities, whether we are like Rex or Jack.

Look forward to your next adventurous day!

    

Goals

This is always a good time of the year to set goals. Although, most goals will not be completed.  So, why do we do it?  

Most of us consider the New Year a fresh start, a chance to dust off the previous year and start new.  But to take it a step further, it is a sense of hope. When we have set goals, they are either completed or not, but hope is ongoing. If you happen to miss the mark, the next step would be to try again, even if it's next year. It is a constant process. At the same time, goals seem to be a pass-or-fail event.

Be hopeful going into the New Year. 

12 Days of Christmas

Here are some articles from the web to describe the true meaning of the 12 days of Christmas.

The 12 days of Christmas in Christian tradition signifies the time between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the three wise men, also known as the Magi. It starts on December 25, which is celebrated as Christmas Day, and lasts until January 6, which is the Epiphany, also referred to as Three Kings' Day.

             12 Days of Christmas Carol - Lyrics Meaning and History (christianity.com)

            Twelve Days of Christmas - Wikipedia

Merry Christmas!

Days Away

Soon, it will be Christmas day🎶 as the song goes. 

Every year, we prepare for this one day. Shopping for gifts and planning parties. But many things are missing every year. 

Going to church, lighting an Advent wreath, family prayer and spending quality time with friends and relatives. It is a time when we recognize God the Father sending His Son to us to give us the salvation that we will all be reunited in heaven. 

In the next few days, slow down, pause from the season's rush, and thank the Father for sending His Son to us. 

98.6% of Americans Agree

 

In a recent survey of Americans, they believe __________

This is where you fill in the blank.  The news media controls what you think based on surveys. However, they do not emphasize only 100 people of probably like-minded individuals of the same political party with a +/- degree of error.  

Is this a fair assessment of how the American people think?

As of 2021, there were 331 million people in the United States.

100 people surveyed do not determine the general opinions of millions of Americans. 

We often see surveys telling us we are either in the majority or minority, but this is not the reality.  Decisions are being made at a corporate and government level to manipulate what you should believe, and that propaganda is destroying America.  

Wake up, America. Think for yourself. Do not let someone else tell you how to think or what you should believe.

Photo - pixabay - Mohamed_hassan

       

The Light of Christmas

December is the darkest month of the year. The days are shorter, and the dark hours take over the night.  Waiting for the dawn of morning, we feel the renewal of a new hope.  

Every year, my wife and I have an advent wreath.  There are many symbols and rituals around the lighting of the candles.  Four candles represent the weeks leading up to Christmas day and the lighting of the fifth candle for the Birth of Jesus Christ.

"The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas."  What is Advent? | USCCB   

Waiting for the light of Christ gives us hope just as we wait for the dawn of a new day. And beyond Advent and Christmas, this hope will continue throughout the year as we are in constant preparation for the second coming of Christ. 

What is preparation?

We must have our souls ready. We are both body and soul and when Christ comes again, He will be here to judge the depths of our souls to determine our worthiness to meet the Father in Heaven. 

In the next few weeks, take the time to reflect in prayer and prepare for Christ's coming.

Photo - pixabay - fincayra0204  

My 2 Cents Worth

It has been a long time since I posted something about all the world's current wars.  Mainly Ukraine and Israel.  About a year ago, I gave my opinion about the war in Ukraine primarily because of my opinions about the tactics and strategies. But with the two current wars, much of the politics goes deeper than the general public hears. I don't have any inside information on this. It's just my opinion. 

Ukraine, the bottom line here, it's about the equipment, supplies, and money.  Once this war started, it seemed everyone was on board with supporting their efforts, but now the bottomless pit of draining the American dollars into the war efforts does not have an endpoint. It's time to stop the funding of this war. It is mainly because it is exhausting not only dollars from our economy but is now depleting our military supplies, making us more vulnerable.

Israel, the United States, has always been in support of this small country in the Middle East. It ties with the Judo-Christian values of America as the main focus, plus it's an excellent ally to have in that region. The countries surrounding Israel are not allies with the United States.  American involvement should be limited.  Israel was attacked, and it is their war.  They seem to be advancing and have the military strength to finish. 

The United States needs to stay out of any significant conflicts.  Our economy is in a shambles.  The politicians in Washington are fighting among themselves.  The citizens have been divided politically, and morality does not exist. 

God help us all.