tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post922493079387668658..comments2024-02-09T02:48:13.776-06:00Comments on Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse: John 15:12-17 Live Just Like MeFr. Alfonsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02557206560119402976noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-60750776691855323962012-05-13T02:11:05.456-05:002012-05-13T02:11:05.456-05:00This is kind of unrelated but I'd like to ment...This is kind of unrelated but I'd like to mention it. I'm 15 and not too long ago I felt sort of bummed about a lot of things in my life. Reading these meditations and Mass before school a few times really helped (along with awesome family of course!!). So thank you for sharing your thoughts. You can turn people's days around! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-899070502445828292012-05-12T18:49:04.933-05:002012-05-12T18:49:04.933-05:00I agree. I should've added that those who live...I agree. I should've added that those who live these secular lives tend to be higher maintenance about the contentment. They "need" to travel, eat out, go out with others, acquire products, high salaries, friendly work environments... things that can all go away in an instance. Pleasures that dissolve after a time. Day after day, they keep it going though, and I watch on sometimes, wondering if they can keep it up till death. And after death? I'm not sure what becomes of them. The prospect is frightful, but they don't want to think about it. I suppose that what it means to have a lighter burden with Christ. A life of pursuing material goods and passing ideologies seems rather stressful and absurd at a point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-20065309807305022972012-05-12T10:12:44.205-05:002012-05-12T10:12:44.205-05:00Dear Anonymous, are you describing a hypothetical ...Dear Anonymous, are you describing a hypothetical person? I ask because you describe the "perfect" person: kind and loving and devoid of misery and emptiness. Are there any moments when they are not? I ask, because not only do you know their outer most attitudes, you also know their inner most feelings(devoid of misery or emptiness). I personally don't know anyone like that or that well in my life. And I know a lot of people in my life. We all worry a little. We all bite our tongue occasionally. We all worry about tomorrow, our health, our family, our children, our future. I can't imagine not living a life like that or anyone above it all.<br />The point made is what is the safest and surest way to live your life in peace: with Jesus Christ. What is the best way to survive a tornado? Be vigilant and be prepared. I think the best way is The Way who marked out a course of action and path for us.Fr. Alfonsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02557206560119402976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-78368704099868871872012-05-12T08:58:25.169-05:002012-05-12T08:58:25.169-05:00I can appreciate some of your examples given of me...I can appreciate some of your examples given of men and women turning away from God and into a miserable life of sin, but I sometimes wonder if we can safely make the assumption that people always feel this way. While I cherish my faith and have a hard time imagining a life without God and His church, I seem to see so many people who live their lives completely devoid of God. They have successful careers, happy relationships, and act nicely, even loving, towards others. No misery or emptiness to be found. Sometimes I'll entertain the idea that they may be hiding something and suffer some kind evil brought about by sin, but I feel that such speculation is a petty form of envy. From everything I can see, they seem fine and good, and I'm the weirdo that needs the sacraments, the literature, and the prayers. Like David who finds himself besieged and humiliated by godless enemies, I stubbornly cling to God, my rock and refuge; they live breezily, needing nothing to cling to at all. <br /><br />Will the consequences of a godless life occur at some point in the future? Is there anything I can do besides try to encourage them to go to church and explain why it's important to worship God and be loving to others? Pray for them?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-47610903110541326282012-05-11T18:30:04.536-05:002012-05-11T18:30:04.536-05:00This made me think of my extended 'Christian&#...This made me think of my extended 'Christian' family's attitudes toward our 20 something children living with their boyfriends/girlfriends.<br /><br />My Baptist mother in law just accepts that it is the way it is these days. She has never said one thing against it to anyone. All of my sister in-law's kids live with or did live with their girlfriend/boyfriend before they got married. They all bought houses before they got married and 'played house'. They all act like it is normal, that living together is the step before getting married, or instead of getting married. There is no shame or guilt in any of them.<br /><br />My 20 something daughter who knows the faith inside and out, moved in with her boyfriend and I cried for months and months. I was devastated and ashamed.<br /><br />When we were with our family and I shared how I felt, they all looked at me like I had three heads.<br /> <br />My mother in law was giving all the grandkids $100 each for Christmas and I suggested she give my daughter's boyfriend $50 and tell him that when they get married he'll get $100. I was sorta kidding but I was trying to get my point across. And you would think that I wanted to take him out and shoot him by the reaction I got from them.<br /><br />There justification is that she is 'happy' and that's all that matters.<br /><br />Give me a freaking break. This family grew up Catholic by the way. My family and my husband's dad are the only ones that go to church any more. But they know what's right and what's wrong and they reinforce and support wrong behavior.<br /><br />It is hard to be the one who is talked about and criticized and judged. But I will not give in and I will not be quiet about what is right and wrong, so that makes me the weird 'out-law' in the family.<br /><br />And yes I do pray for every single one of them every single day! I have to admit that sometimes I resent it, but I do it any way.<br /><br />Sometimes it is hard being a Christian, but I have to remember that this is the persecution that we take for Jesus. And it's not like getting stoned, or torn apart by wild animals or being cooked or ripped apart in any other way. <br /><br />I can be very hard speaking up and standing up for righteous behavior especially from those we love.<br /><br />I am not tooting my own horn. It is VERY hard for me to speak up and I didn't for years. I guess the Holy Spirit has gotten ahold of me and HE can make ME feel guilty when I don't do what I know I should.<br /><br />We can't just sit around our Catholic/Christian friends and family and talk about what's wrong with the world and wait for others to step up. <br /><br />Tomorrow is voting day, how many people reading this is going to vote? Yes it's not the 'big' race but these guys are the ones that grow up and end up in the White House.<br /><br />Let's do all we can. Hey I didn't vote for 40 years so I'm not judging anyone.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11163879664929603251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-12561049859521805982012-05-10T20:48:11.260-05:002012-05-10T20:48:11.260-05:00Don't you feel mental anguish from reading and...Don't you feel mental anguish from reading and listening to so much media propaganda? Don't you get depressed, anxious, and angry filling your mind with so much anti-Christian stuff? I read your post this evening and feel completely overwhelmed! The negativity is horrific yet it is so true. How can our Lord allow all of this filth, wretchedness and misery all around us? The solution seems so simple: Imitate Christ. Follow the Ten Commandments. Love one another. Yet, it seems so much more complicated. Will prayer help? Will conversion help? Will becoming less of a sinner help? Of course, all these actions can help. However, what is the long term solution? My first instinct is to stay away from the trash. Immerse myself in prayer, scripture, the Catechism, the rosary, and the Holy Eucharist! Isolate myself from all of the negative secular culture. I feel like hiding from it all! I think about how we should pick up and read the bible more than an article from DaMN! I ponder turning off the cable and not watching the evening news. I decide if it's best stay off the Internet and not read the political buzz. It's really an unending amount of devil-induced negativity. It's rotting society. I'm frightened what things will be like in 10, 20, 30, 40 years from now! Will God become completely banned? Will the Mass Media take its place? <br /><br />In terms of our children, I think there should be a balance between family and friends with Christ at the center of everything! Our youth need strong family and friend mentors. We need to turn to good Christian people instead of the negative Media usurpers.<br /><br />God Bless,<br /><br />-J.Jennifer B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15338737502809429613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-11878421806812984642012-05-10T20:32:03.277-05:002012-05-10T20:32:03.277-05:00I hate to say this, but this is a great meditation...I hate to say this, but this is a great meditation! ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com