Urgent prayers are needed for those affected by the recent earthquakes including those in the path of the tsunami.  Today Chile had a 8.8 earthquake and over 20 aftershocks.  Earthquakes have also occurred in Argentina and off Japan.  Haiti is still reeling from its earthquake with lack of medical supplies and necessary items.  As we in the US have learned from Hurrican Katrina, the devastation is not fixed overnight.  Mission groups still travel to areas affected years ago to help with rebuilding.  Never forget those who are suffering.

First I would like to apologize for letting these pile up until today.  Thank you, Lord, for being there constantly and not letting things pile up!
We have snow up to our eyeballs!  Kids are home from school and everybody who doesn't have to be out is holed up inside.  We used part of today to go through closets and see what outgrown clothes we could donate.  Actually going through the whole house and seeing what can be given up or thrown out and doing a personal inventory, ridding oneself of outgrown ideas and burdensome thoughts isn't a bad idea either. 
Continue to pray for those affected by the Haitian earthquake and all those affected by the weather.

Today was a very stressful day at work.  But a good friend reminded me, because we believe in Our Lord we can be shaken but never shattered.  God is faithful and true.

During the Lenten season we usually give up something - like chocolate.  We refrain from eating meat on Fridays.  This idea of restraint is one we should really focus on.  Mindless eating ends in being overweight (I'm guilty)  How many other mindless things do we do in the course of our day.  If mindless eating makes us overweight (and think how society approves "comfort foods"), what does mindless tv watching, video game playing, texting or computer surfing do to us.  Think about giving up some of the "mindless" things you do.  You might be surprised what you can do with that time.  You might be surprised how you can grow with restraint.

St. Polycarb was a follower of St. John in the second century.  Imagine learning at the feet of one of the disciples!  He was bishop of Smyrna and was martyred when in his 80's by the Romans.  When given a chance to denounce his faith and acknowledge Caesar, he refused and was to be burned at the stake.  Prior to his burning he offered up a prayer praising God.  May we also when faced with adversity offer up a prayer praising God!

"And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:18-19 NKJ

Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent as they are seen as a reflection of Easter to come.  Try using the 40 days of Lent to pray for those who cannot speak for themselves.  Pray to stop abortion.  Go to 40daysforlife.com for more information.  "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will lead their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14

Northeast Ohio is the second most overcast area in the United States.  Both yesterday and today the sun has been shining and everything looks so bright and positive.  But then things always look bright and positive when you are living in the Light.  See John 8:12

It's Friday and it is Lent.  No meat.  No problem!  Tonight it was homemade vegetarian vegetable soup and egg salad sandwiches.  We look forward to this season to come up with different approaches to meals. It is also a season to examine approaches to living and taking inventory to see if we are walking in the way of Christ. 

The idea of giving up something for Lent is not supposed to be a burden.  It can represent sacrifice, something which we are not too good at.  We tend want things and want them now.  Waiting to get something or resume something can fill you with appreciation and teach you patience.  It requires discipline which again is something many of us are sorely lacking.  Think of it as a priviledge.  And it doesn't have to be just food -- it can be tv, video games, buying clothes that you don't need.  You cvan also give up your time by volunteering, visiting lonely people, making qulit squares for quilts for homeless people or newborn babies, - look around - on one trip into town, I found a place asking for toiletries for soldiers, requests for someone to sew glass cases for donation to 3rd world medical ministries and more.  The opportunities to give up your time are endless.

Today is Ash Wednesday - the beginning of the 40 days of Lent.  Let us use this time for penance, prayer, and self-examination.  The ashes remind us of humility and that "to dust we shall return".  But this should also be a time of joyful anticipation of what is to come.  Instead of thinking in terms of what you will 'give up,' think of what you can offer up and what you can give back.  Shalom, my friend.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent, a period of preparation and repentance prior to our Lord's resurrection on Easter.  It is not completely clear how this tradition came to be as it evolved over time.  It started with a fast on Good Friday which was extended to Saturday.  Then it continued to include longer intervals.  At first it referred to the 40 hours that Jesus was in the tomb.  As preparation for the season of Easter evolved it took on a reference to the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, also referencing the 40 years the children of Israel wandered in the desert after their exodus from Egypt.  Mentions of 40 days fasts are found in 4th century writings and a 5th century 3 week pre-Easter fast is also recorded.  And there are different ways of counting the 40 days ( like not including Sundays - try counting the days yourself)  Some Christian denominations do not observe the tradition of Lent, but as Catholics we use this season  as a time for self-examination and preparation for our Lord's victory over the grave.

Today we observe George Washington's birthday and remember both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Let us pray that our Lord guides our current president to follow in His ways.

Happy St. Valentine's Day.  Take some time to read I Corinthians chapter 13 with someone you care about.
In case you are wondering why St. Valentine doesn't appear on a liturgical calendar, it is primarily due to confusion as to who he was.  There are at least 7 Valentine's the day could be referring to - it was a fairly common name meaning "worthy."  One tradition refers to a priest in Rome who married Christian couples and aided those being persecuted by Emperor Claudius in Rome in the 3rd century.  Claudius actually liked this Valentine, but when the priest tried to convert him, Claudius had Valentine put to death.  In 496 Pope Gelasius marked Feb. 14th in honor of his martyrdom.  There is archeological evidence of a Valentine in the Roman catacombs.  Supposedly he wrote a letter to his jailer's daughter and signed it "your Valentine."  It gets difficult to distinguish legend from fact when there is so little recorded.

During the Last Supper Jesus said to His disciples,"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"  John 13:34-35 RSV  And they will know we are Christians by our love...

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday.  Lincoln is credited with ending slavery.  Jesus Christ died and rose again to save us all from the slavery of sin.

It is fitting that today shares a feast day and a day of prayer for the sick.  Lourdes is associated with many healings.  Our Saviour is the Great Healer - both of body and spirit.  Let us pray that He continue to heal and comfort those in pain and sickness.  Please read more about Our Lady of Lourdes and of the healings of Christ.  Thank you, Precious Saviour!  Continue to pray for those affected by the Haitian earthquake.  They will need our prayers for many months.

Not much is known about St. Scholastica.  She was the twin sister of St. Benedict who was the founder of Western monasticism and she herself founded a community of nuns.  One interesting event is noted, however.  She and her brother would meet once a year to discuss spiritual matters and pray.  The day was getting late and Scholastica asked Benedict to spend the night.  He had a made it a rule that no monk was to spend a night away from the monastery and declined.  They continued to pray and Scholastica, sensing this would be their last visit together, prayed fervently that he would stay.  A violent thunderstorm arose causing Benedict to revise his plans and stay until morning.  She died three days later.  Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Be careful not to use the word "impossible" as an excuse not to try.

Monday 2/8/10 was the feast day for two saints whose lives did not start out to appear destined for sainthood.  St. Jerome Emiliani lived around the beginning of the 16th century.  He started out as a soldier.  While imprisoned in a dungeon he converted to Christianity, escaped and hung his chains on a church wall as an offering.  He became a priest and devoted the rest of his life caring for the sick and orphans founding a hospital, orphanages, and a religious order.  He died from illness while caring for the sick.  St. Josephina Bakhita was born in Sudan in 1869.  She was kidnapped and sold into slavery where she experienced humiliations and suffering.  That is until she was bought by an Italian consul.  When he was forced to return to Italy, Bakhita went with him and went into service for the Michieli family.  She cared for their daughter and went with her to the Canossian Sisters when the parents had to look after interests out of the country.  There she discovered the God she felt she always knew existed and asked if she could stay and become a Sister.  She was given the name Josephina but many referred to her as Mother Moretta - our Black Mother.  You never know what turns life will take and what choices will lead you to His service.

Why is it that when people dye their hair and paint their faces and/or bodies with team colors, wear horns, foam cheese wedges, etc on their heads, yell and chant they are known as fans, but people who mention the Lord are fanatics or Jesus freaks?

St. Paul Miki was a Japanese Jesuit who was known for his eloguent preaching.  He was crucified along with 25 other Christians during religious persecution in Japan in the 1500's 
When you go to Mass this weekend don't pass up the opportunity to get your throat blessed! 
Remember to continue to pray for those affected by the Haitian earthquake and for those being affected by weather conditions throughout the world.

Unfortunately there are few records of St. Agatha and most of what we know comes from legend.  She is supposed to have been born to a wealthy family in Sicily in the 3rd century and chose to devote her life to Christ.  Enter a low born Roman official who wanted to marry her.  Since she would not, he had her arrested and, being the judge, sentenced her to live in a brothel thinking she would then succomb to his will.  She still refused and was sent to prison.  There she suffered unbearable tortures.  "My courage & my thought be so firmly founded upon the firm stone of Jesus Christ that for no pain it may not be changed..."  She died a martyr.

Did you hear on the news that a study showed that teaching abstinence alone significantly helped decrease sexual activity among middle school students?  Imagine that.  Wonder what would happen if that would also teach that life begins at conception and that an embryo is not just some tissue, but a living, growing child of God?  To quote the late A.W. Liley, M.D. "biologically at no stage of development can we subscribe to the view that the unborn child is a mere appendage of the mother.  Genetically, the mother and baby are separate individuals from conception."

Late again!  Wednesday was the feast day for two saints.  St. Blaise was thought to have been an Armenian Bishop martyred in the early 4th century.  Not much is known about him but accoring to legends he cared for and cured wild animals when he went to the wilderness to try to escape persecution.  He was discovered in a cave surrounded by injured animals and is considered to be the patron saint of wild animals.  He is also credited with healing a boy brought to him close to death with a fishbone stuck in his throat.  For this he is known as the patron saint of those with throat maladies.
Wednesday was also the feast day of St. Angar, a 9th century Benedictine monk and Archbishop of Hamburg credited with bringing Christianity to Denmark.

Today commemorates when Jesus was presented in the temple 40 days after His birth and when Mary went to fulfill the purification required after birth.  Let us say with Simeon "...for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ... a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to thy people Israel" Read Luke 2:22-39 for the full account.   Thank you, Lord, for sending Your Son.
Continue to pray for those affected by the Haitian earthquake.