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Showing posts from January, 2023

Forgive... Not Seven times but Seventy Seven times

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21  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22  It's very hard to forgive. Forgiveness is essential to our life here on earth. Jesus gave us the perfect example of forgiveness while he was on earth. Jesus loved us so much that he bore all our sins on the cross that goes before us. Every wrong we have done; every pain has become  A LOT LIGHTER because Jesus bore it before us. Jesus is asked by his own, disciples, how many times should they forgive. Because they know that they have to forgive, and they know they everyone does wrong, but how much is enough? We need to draw a line right? No. Jesus tells us that we shouldn't just forgive seven times. He told us to forgive 77 times. Or 77 X 7 times. Which is a higher perfect number. Jesus told us that we must forgive as many times as

A Personable God

 "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..."  Hebrews 5: 8-9 Sometimes I come across, and maybe we even believe that because Jesus is fully God, his death and resurrection were pretty easy and that it wasn't all that bad for him. But this sort of thinking doesn't acknowledge the fact that Jesus was entirely human as well, and that he indeed suffered.  Earlier in the passage from Hebrews it says that Jesus "offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death..." He experiences pains and suffering, heartbreaks and grief, joy and compassion, sadness and betrayal by his best friends.  Jesus knows what we are going through, what we bring him every day in prayer, and especially at every Mass, and it's because he has gone through it too.  Through his suffering, he showed us an app

Uncomfortable

Every week I gather with the students who are part of my Campus Ministry team. These are great opportunities for me to build connections with the teenagers, hear what they are going through, and help aid them on their faith journey. These are also critical moments for me to get their help with the religious activities within the school and be of service to them in anyways I can.  When I get together with the 30 students, I always start off with a prayer, of course. I never do off-the-cuff prayers. Instead each week I introduce them to a different prayer from our church's rich history. I have done prayers from St. Augustine, St. Francis,  St. Patrick, among others. Recently I led them to pray the "The Litany of Humility." If you have never prayed it, here it is:  O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved...Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being extolled ...Deliver me, Jesus. From th