Beware of Internet Myths and other thoughts...

Internet myths and other thoughts...

You know them, those emails that get passed around, with all good intention, to lift you up and feel good. I get them a lot and this past year I have been personally sharing Christ's passion and carrying a cross. At times it is difficult to remember that we need only give Him our troubles and He will gladly carry them for us. We are all human and even some of our Greatest Saints had doubts and times of trouble when they cried out, "Why me Lord?!"

It occurred to me as I was reading a recent email that has been passed around, for quite a while it seems, that the scripture quoted didn't sound right, so I looked it up, and was amazed that the Scripture noted and the words did not go together. Hmmmm

This is what I received:

This is the actual verse: Esther 4: 13(12When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, )he had this reply brought to her: “Do not imagine that you are safe in the king’s palace, you alone of all the Jews." Now the point of this was to show how Esther's faith in God brought her up from a lowly station to Queen, and allowed her to save the people of Israel from certain death. But the words indicated to be the quote by the font used, is not a complete Bible quote either, not even in any one the dozens of versions of the Bible that are on the Internet. The quote I found is actually from a website, "Godlikeproductions" and I'm not sure it was the actual original post as the person who posted it may have copied it, (and because I found so many with the exact beginning) but it began as a couple of prayers, and with a quote from Jeremiah, not Esther. The Bible verse comes from the NIV (New International Version) which is very close to the New American Bible that we Catholics use: For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.  This is from the letter that Jeremiah sent to the Elders of the remaining tribe of Israel in exile in Babylon. The Words in the quote were God's and this part was God addressing Jeremiah: oracle of the LORD. In other words instead of saying his name Jeremiah, God was addressing him by God's designation for him, Jeremiah was the Oracle of the Lord, the Speaker for/of the Lord. See, the "Internet" is just like the game "Gossip", where you start out with a sentence and by the time it makes it around the circle of friends, the sentence has changed. The same thing happens when folks copy and post bits and pieces of things they like from and email or post from a social network. So many people don't even bother to check to see if something is accurate before they forward it on to their friends and family. We MUST be vigilant in making sure that if we quote the Word of God, we get it right because not doing so can lead to more miss-information. Now here my friend was trying to lift me up, and the prayer was lovely in itself and when several people pray together, the words are lifted up to the Lord and He hears them, so I am blessed by the prayers that were lifted up for me, and I thank God daily for the wonderful friends that He has placed in my path, to bless me and for me to bless. Now here is a closing Psalm that my Pastor uses when beginning a meeting or bible/book study: Psalm 46:11 “Be still and know that I am God!     Father begins by asking us to be quiet and clear our thoughts, come to focus on now and leave those thoughts of work and worry and focus on being with God. After each statement we sit quietly for a couple moments.         “Be still and know that I am God!"         “Be still and know that I am"         “Be still and know"         “Be still"         “Be"    Try this the next time you read from the Bible, or Pray or meditate, and you will find it is a wonderful way to calm yourself and focus! Blessings!, The Catholic Lady ©

Dr. Scot Hahn's new CD set!

Did you know? Dr. Scott Hahn has a new 6 CD set? Building a Catholic Biblical Worldview 

In just six CDs, Dr. Scott Hahn empowers us to discover just why the Catholic view of reality is true for everybody, whether they realize it or not. Dr. Hahn demonstrates the vital importance of liturgy as a pillar of the Catholic worldview, and shows us how to debunk the "demythologizers" of modernist Biblical interpretation. Dr. Hahn shows us why the authority of Sacred Scripture is not superior to the Tradition, explores the important distinctions between Divine Law and Natural Law, illustrates how modern culture emerged from ancient cult, and so much more. Every serious student of Catholicism will greatly benefit from the crucial insights and profound conclusions contained in this philosophical tour de force from one of today's most popular theologians.

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Death penalty? Not for Christians

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Death penalty? Not for Christians

As I have written previously, in May I had the privilege to attend the 32^nd National Convocation of Jail and Prison Ministry. I’ve been busy with my college class work, and relearning things forgotten, and I have longed to get back to what I love, writing this Blog. The emotions have passed but the memories are there and I hope that I can convey the importance of jail and prison ministry and the call for the end of the death penalty.

One of the main topics, and the topic of the Keynote Speaker, Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking” a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille, is the Death Penalty vs. Life in Prison without Parole. Sr. Prejean delivered her Keynote address at the Holy Family Catholic Church of Orlando, and began with expressing how on the Crucifix image of Christ, “There are two arms on the cross and the Gospel of Jesus stretches us. On one arm is the perpetrator, some of whom have committed crimes so unspeakable, we can barely tell the terrible details of what they did to innocent victims. On the other arm are the victim’s families. And both sides are crying out for healing and justice,” said Sr. Prejean.

Christ loves us all and is calling all of us to him, asking us to repent.

The putting to death of a human cannot, in anyway, heal the victims and their families; only forgiveness can heal a persons heart. The father of a murder victim, who’s murderer Sr. Prejean was counseling, taught her that. He first had to experience his own transformation from anger and rage, to forgiveness, in order to save himself from the bitterness and hatred that was consuming him and robbing him of any future happiness. Sr. Prejean went on to say later that “He was the first victims family member who taught me forgiveness is not first and foremost to relieve the (perpetrator’s) burden of guilt; it is what you do for yourself so you are not overtaken by hate. It is God’s grace to save your life.”

When Jesus was teaching, Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22^* Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” (or seventy times seven, depending on the translation.)

Sermon on the Mount

The Holy Catholic Church has taught from the beginning:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Roman 12:17-19

Blessed Pope John Paul II, wrote an Encyclical, on the belief that all life is sacred, from conception to natural death. EVANGELIUM VITAE, or Gospel of Life, a document available for all to read, I’ve included, for you, the link to the Holy See website file. The encyclical discuss’ every aspect of life from conception to death, including but not limited to unnatural conception, and euthanasia. For purposes of this blog post, I wish to point out a few portions, but I do recommend that if you have the opportunity, to read the entire document. I’m sure you will find it as enlightening as I have. Bookmark the link so you can return to it later, you will find the entire website is a wonderful place to explore the Vatican.

The encyclical is numbered for ease in locating portions and in number 7, it talks about the first murder, Adam and Eve’s son, Cain kills his brother Abel.  In Genesis chapter 4, Cain and Abel bring portions of their labor to the Lord God as burnt offerings. When the Lord God show’s he favored Abel, Cain became envious and lured his brother out to fields where he had tended the ground, and struck Abel, spilling his blood on the ground.

Cain leadng Abel to his Death, Tissot.

                            

God questions Cain asking him where his brother is and when he denies any knowledge, even asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (I used to wonder where that line came from, having forgotten.) The Lord rebukes him, tells him he will never plant and grow in the soil again, and banishes him to the land of Nod, east of Eden, where he will wander all his life. He could have struck him dead! Why, if God can be merciful to a murderer, can’t we do the same? Every life is sacred.

The Encyclical continues in #8, As Saint Ambrose writes: "Once the crime is admitted at the very inception of this sinful act of parricide, then the divine law of God's mercy should be immediately extended. If punishment were forthwith inflicted on the accused, then men in the exercise of justice would in no way observe patience and moderation, but would straightaway condemn the defendant to punishment. ...God drove Cain out of his presence and sent him into exile far away from his native land, so that he passed from a life of human kindness to one which was more akin to the rude existence of a wild beast. God, who preferred the correction rather than the death of a sinner, did not desire that a homicide be punished by the exaction of another act of homicide".

God had continued to have mercy on Cain and put a mark on him that would warn others not to kill him. Ours is not to kill, but to punish and rehabilitate, even if that means keeping them away from people for their own protection and that of the public. We must not, as followers of Christ, condone the death of a human being, no matter how heinous they may be. The official response of the Roman Catholic church upon the news of Osama bin Laden’s death: “Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”*Fr. F. Lombardi, Exec. Dir. Of the Vatican Press Office, May 2, 2011.

                                   

Stained Glass Window

It is a reality that in these days, it is difficult to find the grace to forgive someone accused and convicted of a horrible crime, and many will say “Kill him for what he did!” I’ve heard this sentiment within my own family. It rips my heart every time I hear it, and I remind them of what Christ did for us. People who felt as passionately about the Law of God, who believed with their whole beings, that Jesus deserved death, death on a cross, for what they believed was blasphemy against God. Knowing that He died on that cross, for our failings, our lack of faith, our sins, us, who had not been born yet, yes even those who sinned yesterday and killed an innocent person, Jesus has already forgiven them! He calls them and us, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. “Romans 12:2

 We have but to follow his example and pray that they will accept his forgiveness and be changed! They have a chance, until the moment of their death, to find the Lord and we should rejoice when they do! Jesus loves sinners!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving me, a poor sinner, not worthy of your gift, that I might have eternal life with You in Heaven, and grant me the Grace to extend that love to everyone I meet. Amen,

Blessings!

The Catholic Lady©

They get what they deserve...

They get what they deserve...

Recently, I was privileged to attend the 32^nd Annual Convocation of Jail and Prison Ministry, in Orlando, Florida. It brought new ideas to light about the lives of the incarcerated. Over the three days of the convocation sponsored by the Society of Saint Vincent DePaul, I learned first hand from the volunteers, the families, the clergy and the formerly incarcerated.

I learned about the lack of rehabilitation, the lousy food, forced labor, loneliness, desperation and the permanent scars of incarceration. I found often times because of the way our laws are written, people can be labeled for a major crime when in fact they simply made a mistake in judgment at the wrong time and at the wrong place.

St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church, Queens, NY

Our pastor at my church has been involved in prison ministry for many years and his interest is beginning to influence the members of our parish. My natural curiosity has led me to find out more about it, as one of the things Jesus asked us to do is to visit those in prison. Jesus was teaching the parables of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents, and then he began to talk about his second coming. In Matthew 25: 35-46 we read:

Jesus is teaching: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’

 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Many people have no problem feeding the poor. Many people have no problem caring for the sick. Many people give clothing and money for the poor to clothe and house them. But why is it so hard to visit those in prison?

This is one of the things Jesus taught to the multitudes, it was one of the things the Apostles and Paul taught in Hebrews 13: 3  Paul wrote: 

Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body.

The Apostles were imprisoned many times, and many were convicted and killed. On one occasion Peter was in prison, Acts 12:5 : Peter thus was being kept in prison, but prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on his behalf.

Not all people in prison are despicable. Not all are murderers and pedophiles and rapists. Would it be easier if they were all thieves? Or frauds? Or prostitutes? Would you be able to visit them and offer them comfort and prayer or bring them communion?

          One of the first stories I heard was of a man whose father was a serial killer. Travis S. Vining was a victim as a child and as an adult, by a murderer who used his own son, and threatened him to keep him quiet when he thought his son may turn him in to the authorities. The child of a murderer, who buried memories to allow himself to live in a fantasy of normalcy. A man, who lived in pain, suffered bodily, because of suppressed memories and feelings, all because his father was a sociopathic serial killer. Travis’ discovery of faith and the Divine Mercy gave him strength and courage to reach out for help. He learned to forgive his father despite his continued fear of him, and began a ministry for the forgotten victims of major crimes, the families of the criminal, who suffer from unforgiveness, that website is: www.Victorythroughpeace.com. 

          We sometimes forget that the family of the victim is not the only family that needs comfort. The prisoners themselves often are tortured with guilt and we should be able to forgive them and have compassion for them. At the very least, we should pray for their immortal souls and for healing of their minds and hearts.The convocation was three days and there were multiple topics of which I cannot include in just one post, so I will concentrate on for aspect at a time. Today, I want to conclude with this suggestion: Pray for the imprisoned. No matter what their crimes, prayer can bring them peace and healing. Of course, not all people can be healed, and not all will repent their crimes, much like Travis’s father who sits on death row in Florida today. But our duty is to serve our Lord Jesus by following His instructions and His example of how to live for Him and with Him. 

 

         Now, before you rush out and head for the nearest jail, let me warn you that you should first seek guidance from someone in the ministry. The jail personnel will be watching you for professionalism and grace under fire. The prisoners will be watching you to see if you are what you claim to be and a miss-step in the jail can make you lose credibility with prisoners and the prison staff. Be prepared, study, and go with someone experienced.

Onward Christian Soldiers! 

Blessings,  

The Catholic Lady©

Love Sunday

Love Sunday

Last Sunday, April 28th, the fifth Sunday of Easter, is what we sometimes call "Love Sunday". Why, do you ask? Because that is the Sunday the Liturgy readings are on our Greatest Commandment, to love one another. 

Some call it the Eleventh Commandment; some call it the Greatest Commandment, Gospel Reading: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

 When Judas had left them, Jesus said,

“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once.

My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. 

I give you a new commandment: love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.

This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Some might argue that Jesus didn't give a new commandment because of other talks in the Gospels like Matthew 22:36-40 where the scribes were testing his knowledge of the Law.

36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all

your soul, and with all your mind.

38 This is the greatest and the first commandment.

39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

The two commandments were from two different parts of the Law. The first was given at Mt. Sinai to Moses on the stones, Exodus 20:2-3 and the second is recorded in Leviticus 19:18, 34, as Moses' teachings and explanations of the Ten Commandments. Some say that because it was recorded to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" in Leviticus it was part of the original Ten Commandments. But look at what Jesus said in the Gospel of John a bit closer and perhaps you will see a difference.

Jesus washes the feet of Peter

Jesus says to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another"!

How did Jesus love his disciple's? He called them to him; He humbled Himself to them as a servant; He died in total disgrace for them, (and us). He showed them to have compassion for children, women, cripples, lepers, sinners and prisoners. He taught them the real meaning of God's commandments, not the bogged down, great weight it had become for the Israelites.

It begs you to ask the question, how great is true love for another human?

To love a complete stranger may sound like Bazarro World, but that is what the "world" wants us to believe. As members of Christ's Mystical Body on earth, we are part of Him and He is part of us, and as He loved, we should love. 

We, let's use caps here, WE, must have compassion for children, women, cripples, prisoners, sinners and the sick and infirm. We must feed the five thousand, with the Word which was made Flesh. The fishes and loaves are now our alms and service, to be given to nourish our brothers and sisters in need. It doesn't have to be with just money and food; it can be with a visit to the hospitalized, the incarcerated, and the infirm left in nursing homes by their children. It can be with a Blog, or social network, a Bible study in your home or church, a CD talk that you pass on to someone because it may give them hope or inspiration.

Join the Club today

There are as many ways to love our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, as there are ways to make a sandwich, literally thousands of ways. Jesus just wants us to LOVE!

Can you love others as yourself? Do you need love? Do you crave meaning in your life?

Christ is calling you; we are calling you, to come to Jesus. If you need help finding answers to these and other questions, feel free to email or message me and I'll point you to someone close to you. Or pull out that smart phone and tell it to find the nearest Catholic Church. We'll leave the light on for you.

Blessings and Love,

The Catholic Lady©

Prayer is hard...

Prayer is hard...

My prayer life is very uneven to say the least. I can't always follow my own advice and pray daily.
It takes a lot of effort and forming a new habit in order to set aside time to pray each day.

My family Bible in my Prayer Closet

I must say that my biggest problem is myself. I find it hard to form habits of any kind, from brushing my teeth, (no my teeth aren't green and I still have 98% of them) to writing a bi-weekly blog.
Not that that is a bad thing, I also have never smoked cigarettes, don't have addictions to alcohol or drugs, never been arrested, never passed out from too much partying, and I don't steal. Well, I have been known to open my purse and find pens that I have no idea where they came from, but hey, isn't that why they put advertisements on them? (You can smile here! You know you have the same problem now and again. )

But then on the other side of the coin that is me, the habits I have formed are what I believe are important ones, like faith in God. That has been part of my life since I can remember, although we did have some rocky times in my early life. The other good habits are faithfulness and loyalty to my husband, my family, my friends, and to my job.

One habit that I used to keep, at least until I lost my job in the secular world, was getting up everyday Monday through Friday, and going to work! I loved working. That's where my second family was located. Most people do not realize that you spend more time with the people you work with than your own family most of the time. So these people become a second family, with the weird Aunt Sally, the boring cousin that never stops talking, your brother that is a little too loud, or the sister that is a little too jealous. There's the flirt, the gossiper, the romeo, the grandmother, the rich matron (boss), the procrastinator, the idea thief, the showoff, and the introvert, and let's not forget, the lunch thief. Once I even worked with a schizophrenic that believed the men in black were stalking her and playing tricks on her! 

I miss my routine and sometimes have trouble organizing my day because there are so many things at home that interest me. They constantly pull me away from one thing to another until finally it's dinner time and the husband comes home. Have you experienced something like that before?

Now I want to return to school, to college, albeit online, it is scary! Middle aged woman who hasn't set foot on a school in thirty years, shiver!  How do I squeeze more time into this day that I have filled with so many chores? How do I still find time to pray, to work, to Blog and evangelize, to study?
God will provide! Yes, He will be there with me and help me work it all out, and if it be his will, I'll get the funds to pay for it. Getting the "A's" is up to me, I can't bother Him over grades, and nuisance things like that, because that's why he gave us the ability to think and reason and free will. If I flunk, it's on me.

Back to prayer!

Everyone's schedule is different, their circumstances, their family size and ages, so some people can set aside time in the morning, for fifteen minutes to say their prayers of Thanksgiving and ask for protection during the day. Some may have time before work to get up a little earlier and go to Mass before starting work. Some squeeze in time at Noon or during their lunch period to spend some quiet time with the Lord. Some can stop at the Adoration chapel on the way home and share their day with the Lord and decompress before arriving home to family. There are lots of ways to include prayer in your daily life, you just have to study yourself, your current habits, your schedule and find a way. Then the most important, just do it! They say it takes at least two weeks to form a new habit, so just stick to it and you'll get there eventually!

The Bible has many, many passages regarding prayer, and the Psalms is a great way to get started.
Jesus' teaching on prayer is one we should all know, in Matthew 6:9-15

9   “This is how you are to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10    your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

11    Give us today our daily bread;

12    and forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors;

13    and do not subject us to the final test,

but deliver us from the evil one.

14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

In Luke there is slight differences because Luke was written in a different language than Matthew so when they were translated, they come out slightly different. The thing to remember is that it still means the same thing.  

Luke 11: 1-4

1   He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”^*

2  He said to them, “When you pray, say:

     Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

3   Give us each day our daily bread

4    and forgive us our sins

      for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,

      and do not subject us to the final test.”

By tradition, in the USA at least, when we recite the Lords Prayer, we say it the way it translated a century or two ago: 

Our Father who Art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come. 

Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us, 

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

You can say this prayer while driving to work, or washing dishes, doing laundry, taking out the garbage, or walking the dog. Add a "Hail Mary", (no, not the football pass), and a "Glory Be".
Look how easy is that? We can start out small and work up to doing a Divine Mercy prayer daily, then a Decade of the Rosary with your prayer intentions for all those Email and Facebook prayer requests.
Then add another decade every so many days until you've made it to a full Rosary! Whoo Hoo! We're prayer warriors!

I have a small package or envelope of prayers I try to say daily for various Saints and Angels, with different intentions related to them. I also keep a small prayerbook in my purse, (there are wallet sized ones as well) for those times when my own words are not enough, or for the Litany's and Novena's that I may want to say or participate in while at church. That is a nice thing about Catholic Traditions, the prayers that were written by the Saints are so beautiful. Sometimes the prayer can say so much that you wanted to say but couldn't thing of, and in a way that can be soothing to our hearts. Prayers are not just for God, they are for us, to help us sort out the menagerie of thoughts and emotions that are tooling about in our mind and soul. They allow me to focus my petitions and my mind on God the Father and on our Lord Jesus.

Another way I add prayer time is in the car. I listen to Lighthouse Catholic Media CD's while I'm driving and I get a bible study on the road. It has cut down on my road rage tremendously, I never get upset in traffic anymore, I don't worry about the jerk that just cut me off, I just relax and enjoy the ride.

One of their recently released talks on prayer was given by

Sister Mary Gabriel, Novice Director for the Sisters of Life, spoke to college students about the transforming power of prayer at the Seek 2013 conference presented by FOCUS. Drawing on personal experience and her lively faith, Sister encourages all of us to rededicate ourselves to growing in relationship with Christ through a life of joyful prayer.

This talk was featured in the April 2013 edition of Truth be Told. Sign up today to receive incredible talks like this straight to your inbox every month!

                          For a sample of the talk, click here.


Be inspired, find new ways to pray through out your day. Your prayers will be heard and they will be answered, although not necessarily the way you think. 

Blessings!,
The Catholic Lady©

I'm now on FaceBook, GloriaTV, BlogTalk Radio and Twitter!

Hi folks!

Just to keep you informed and to expand my reader base, you can find me on

Twitter@catholicladytal

Facebook.com/the-catholic-lady-talks

GloriaTV.com/thecatholiclady

Blog Talk Radio- The Catholic Lady Talks X Live

The Radio show is still in the experimental stage but I'll send schedule times via twitter and facebook!

All for the Glory of God!

Blessings!

Annunciation: Why did Mary say Yes? Part 2

Annunciation: Why did Mary say Yes? Part 2

The Proverbs 31 woman has been a Godly example of our roles as spouses to our husbands. I have read this chapter so many times in my life when I thought that I was not being the woman I thought I was supposed to be, or when I was married to my first husband, when he told me I was not a good wife or mother, (he was bi-polar and would assail me with denigrating comments every few months) I'd turn to the Proverbs and pray for guidance. Here it is, with commentary that I included in my talk. This is to help you see how this is truly for all ages, not just Ancient Jerusalem.

These words are from the mother of King Lemuel who was giving him advice and admonition for his behavior and spending time with women. Proverbs 31:10-31

10 Who can find a woman of worth?  Far beyond jewels is her value.

 A good wife is worth her weight in Gold.

11 Her husband trusts her judgment; he does not lack income.

 Her husband trusts her with his finances, she does not spend un-wisely so as to put him in debt with credit cards.

12 She brings him profit, not loss, all the days of her life.

 She helps him become financially sound, building savings, living good but not above your means.

13 She seeks out wool and flax and weaves with skillful hands.

She looks for ways to make money, using her skills.

14 Like a merchant fleet, she secures her provisions from afar.

 She invests money in the market, 401K, bonds, etc.

15 She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household, a portion to her maidservants.

 She gets up early and takes care of the family, feeding them and getting them off to school and work.

16 She picks out a field and acquires it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

 She uses the money she earns to purchase investments, land or business.

17 She girds herself with strength; she exerts her arms with vigor.

 She takes care of herself, she is strong in mind and body, she works out, or if a stay home mom, she works hard keeping up the household.

18 She enjoys the profit from her dealings; her lamp is never extinguished at night.

She enjoys the profit of her work and doesn't stop at 5PM. She multi-tasks.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.

She doesn't waste time on television, she sews, or knits, or works on her home business, or balances the checkbook, or pays the bills.

20 She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.

She volunteers at the food bank or church, she gives alms, helping those in need.

21 She is not concerned for her household when it snows— all her charges are doubly clothed.

 She doesn't have to worry about her family during hard times or winter, she makes sure everyone has warm clothing and whatever they need to keep them safe.

22 She makes her own coverlets; fine linen and purple are her clothing.

She makes her own bed, decorates her home, and she is dressed in finery from her own hands.

23 Her husband is prominent at the city gates as he sits with the elders of the land.

 She is a force of good and makes her husband proud, making him look good to the community.

24 She makes garments and sells them, and stocks the merchants with belts.

She sells her wares to shops, the work of her hands, clothing or jewelry, or Tupperware.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs at the days to come.

Strength and dignity shine from her, people see her wisdom, she doesn't worry about the future.

26 She opens her mouth in wisdom; kindly instruction is on her tongue.

 She gives good advice, and is kind, never rude in her instruction.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

 She makes sure that her children and husband make good decisions and is never lazy or self absorbed.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, too, praises her:

 Her children love her and never speak ill of her, her husband knows he's a lucky man and let's her know he loves and trusts her and tells her:

29 “Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all.”

You are the best thing that ever happened to me, no other woman could replace you.

30 Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

 Charming smiles are deceptive, and beauty doesn't last, a woman of God is to be praised.

31 Acclaim her for the work of her hands, and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.
Tell everyone what a treasure you have, and her works will bring praise from the community.

Whew! Tough one , huh? I read these verses and I can see myself, and know where I need improvement. I also read these verses and see women of worth around me, in my family and in my church.

Do you think Mary was intimidated by these words? I don't think so. For Mary was chosen by God before she was born. He knew she had a kind heart, he knew she would be the best mother for his child. She was all of this and more, I'm sure, to Joseph and Jesus as he grew up. 

Mary was about fourteen when the Angel Gabriel came to her, so young by our standards, but so mature by the standards of her day. Back then, girls were taught what it was to be a good wife and mother from the time they could walk, everyday, helping the mother with her chores, laundry, shopping, cooking, going to temple. 

Mary must have been a very devout young woman who have heard the stories of the Angels of God, the seraphim's, (burning ones), the angels that came to Abraham and Isaiah, so was she prepared when this bright shining being came to her to tell her she would bear a child for God?   

Mary was simply doing what she knew was needed of her. In her beautiful prayer, the Magnificat, Luke 1: 46-56, she says "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord”

Mary knew the scriptures and the prophesies of the Christ. She understood what was being asked of her, and she did not turn away from God. 

The Visitation-by Champaigne

How many of us have heard the call from God in our hearts and have turned away? How often have we heard and wanted to do something but found some excuse as to why it was impossible? How many of us are afraid to answer the call? We all have a gift or a talent that the Lord gave us, and wants us to use for His Glory. Some of us are called to speak, like me, to proclaim God’s word, and to Evangelize. For many years, I kept telling myself, I’m too busy, I have to care for my husband and family. Some of us are called to sing for the Lord, but are afraid or shy. Some are called to feed the hungry at a homeless shelter, others to care for the sick, still others to bring the Eucharist to the sick. Some are called to be missionaries, or religious.

What is God asking of you? Think today about your gifts, and listen closely to your heart and the call of the Lord, and maybe, just maybe, we can all say “Yes” to God!  

Blessings!,

The Catholic Lady ©