St Paul rejoiced in jail...

“REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:4-7).

The above words were written by Saint Paul while he was in jail, where one would encounter much hatred, whipping, and starvation. I don’t think there is much more to say…

I don't have to imagine heaven, I can experience it everyday!

I remember when I first heard the song “I Can Only Imagine.” I fell in love with it. It was sung during a “praise and worship” session at a mission camp. But recently, when it popped into my head randomly, I realized that I don’t really have to just imagine what heaven will be like (which is the basis of the song). As a Catholic, I have the opportunity to receive a true taste of heaven everyday.

The Holy Mass is truly a taste of heaven—this I have said many times. If you look through the Book of Revelation, you will find this. But even looking at this song (which is posted below) you can find this to be true. “I can only imagine / When that day comes / And I find myself / Standing in the Son / I can only imagine / When all I will do / Is forever / Forever worship You / I can only imagine.” At Mass, we “stand in the Son”, worshiping in the true presence of Christ. How? The Eucharist. And the same goes for adoration.

“Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel / Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still / Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall / Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all.” At the Mass, out of reverence for the Word and Eucharist, we do all of those things. We stand. We kneel. And I don’t know about you, but I feel like dancing when Christ’s Body and Blood is elevated and then placed in my hands for me to receive, washing away my sins and transforming me into my Lord so that I may go in peace to preach and live out the Good News of Christ!

What a privilege we have been given in the Holy Mass. But even more so, what a privilege we have been given in the other six Sacraments. For example, at the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I feel as if I am in a different world because I am sitting in the presence of Christ (the Priest) confessing my sins to receive God’s sanctifying grace!

As a Catholic, I don’t have to imagine what heaven will be like. I CAN LIVE IT EVERY TIME I RECEIVE ONE OF THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS!!


I Can Only Imagine

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

US Bishops on Human Trafficking

ZE07091405 - 2007-09-14
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-20503?l=english

U.S. Bishops Call for End to Human Trafficking
Urge Congress to Reauthorize Victims Protection Act



WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 14, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The U.S. bishops urged congress to reauthorize legislation to combat human trafficking.

In a statement released Wednesday, Bishop Gerald Barnes of San Bernardino, California, chairman of the episcopal Committee on Migration, asked that the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), set to expire in October, be reauthorized.

"This legislation should be reauthorized, adequately funded, and aggressively implemented," said Bishop Barnes, while noting that "as many as 700,000 persons are trafficked globally each year, men, women, and children."

Human trafficking, the bishop added, is a "horrific crime against the basic human dignity and rights of the human person."

Bishop Barnes included in his statement a request for the federal government to place emphasis on the recovery and care of victims, particularly "child trafficking victims, who are most susceptible to the long-term horrors of this crime."

In his statement the 62-year-old prelate also asked that the general public, and Catholics specifically, work together to end human trafficking.

Bishop Barnes wrote: "We call attention to this tragic reality to raise awareness among Catholics and others of good will about its devastating impact on vulnerable persons.

"We urge Catholics to work together to identify survivors of human trafficking and to help rescue them from their bondage."

"In the end," the bishop stated, "we must work together -- church, state and community -- to eliminate the root causes and markets that permit traffickers to flourish; to make whole the survivors of this crime; and to ensure that one day soon trafficking in human persons vanishes from the face of the earth."



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