Soul Saturday: Scripture Strategy

As I prepare for my service to our Church as commentator*** today, I continue to seek the Holy Spirit‘s guidance.

Lector✌ & Church ♫Singer♪ Prayers | ***Courtesy Straight from the ♥Heart♥ … A †Prayer† Companion (Rev. Fr. Ladra, Marío José, 2007)

Dr. Grassi, in Guts, Grace & Glory, approaches scripture like a linebacker* ~ so I’ll do the same, per these positions:

• Stance ~ “starts with the right foundation”

Our heart home was built on stone, which serves as a solid foundation for unwavering ♥love & faith✌ full of flowers + stores festive traditions every season!

So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!

~ Matthew 7:24-27

Book of Matthew, Chapter 7 | **Courtesy The Catholic Rainbow Study Bible: Good News Translation (2nd ed.) (Rainbow Studies, Inc., 2000)

• Alignment ~ line up with the right people

Double✌ E-Team: Evangelista EVIE y Educator Elaine ~ mi corazón♥ ~ at her house blessing

Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.

~ Proverbs 13:20

Cupcake Cheers: QT w/ Evie after I made a sweet treat run ~ looking forward to tonight’s dinner after we serve at Church for Vigil Mass

Do not be fooled. “Bad companions ruin good character.”

~ I Corinthians 15:33  

• Assignment ~ “study the playbook” (The Bible**) to “know the plays” {for the truth and our service as we proclaim GOD’s Word}

Christ’s message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.

~ Colossians 3:16  

The Tabernacle: The Blessed Sacrament

So Jesus said to those who believed him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

~ John 8:31-32

Spiritual Sources

• *Grassi, J. E. (2013). Guts grace and glory: A football devotional. New York, NY: Thomas Nelson. (p. 69)
• **Rainbow Studies, Inc. (2000). The Catholic Rainbow Study Bible: Good News Translation (2nd ed.). El Reno, OK: Rainbow Studies International.
• ***Rev. Fr. Ladra, Marío José. (2007). Straight from  the ♥Heart♥ … A †Prayer† Companion. (pp. 146-147).

Thirsty Thursday: Evangelist Catholic

The best Catholic💒 examples on Evangelism who I’ve observed have followed these guidelines on 📺EWTN…

Be more Sacramental🍷

• Confessional☝🏽️

Attend Mass💒 regularly

Be an Engaged Catholic✌🏽

Teach Sacramental instruction 📜

• Baptism classes👼
• Confirmation 🙏🏽
• Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist🍞

Catholics Come Home on EWTN

• 🏡 CatholicsComeHome.org
• 😇 GoodConfession.com

Thirsty Thursday: One with GOD

My Church celebrated our ☼milestone☼ anniversary of our ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel† last night!

During his homily, our Bishop told us of five ways to pray at the Blessed Sacrament:

1. Praise
2. Contrition
3. THANKSgiving
4. Petitions
5. Communion

The fifth type means to simply be with GOD. Our Bishop also reminded us that the Eucharist and Perpetual Adoration both our important, yet taking the Body and Blood of CHRIST is the top priority of our faith.

Reverence Reference

* Sis, Bishop M. (2015, July 1). Homily: Eucharistic Adoration Chapel Anniversary Mass. Holy Family Catholic Church.

Thirsty Thursday: GOD’s Will

*~* Happy New 2015 *~*

How does the †LORD† lead you in your life?

CHRISTmas Gift from María Elena: Gold †Cross† with Ruby Center from Assisi Jewels

Happy New 2015! ¡Prospero Año! Manigong Bagong Taon! 🎆🎇 Instead of toasting w/ 💧champagne💦 or 👄kissing💋 a person @ the stroke of 🌃midnight🌉 (like in the past, which didn’t last), @ 🏠home🏡 safe I stayed & 🙏prayed🌹 then had 💖Holy Hour⏰ when I 💤😴woke up😵😲 ~ for it’s GOD‘s will👏 that’ll lead👣 the way. Thanks to all who understand that I need time away @ peace✌️ to finish my PhD🎓 ~ unless it has to do w/Church💒 or work (🍎teaching🍏 * 📷photography👪 * 📇reporting📰) ~ so Dr. D, here I come, hear me roar🐯 & score🏀 #NY2015 🎋 #GODwilling ☝️ #PhD ✒️ #TeamDrD 📢 #DrD 📜 #DrDISPO 🏆 #DISPO 🌴 #DISPObustAFlow 🎤 #DISPOsAlwaysFly 👊 #YearOfFinishing 👟

Follow His path!!!

Speaking of Wills …

HBD to my buddy *Will* this weekend!

Thirsty Thursday: CHRISTmas Presence

‘Tis the Season of Giving

Ms. Easygoing EVIE shared the story about Advent & the candles’ significance with our Catechism class!

 Therefore, †CHRISTmas† is about giving to others, as a gesture of ♥LOVE♥ of †GOD†’s people ~ as if we were doing this for †JESUS† Himself.

Our R.E. student, Delightful DANIELLA, generously gave us this beautiful gift! We our blessed with our little angels!

 This is our way of celebrating the coming of †CHRIST† the King.

Bishop MIKE sent me this prayer card a few years ago …

… that I read to our sweet students, who were reminded of the Reason for the Season.

Immaculate Mary at my EP friends’ Blessed Sacrament Church

 And let’s not forget MARY, the Queen Mother of †GOD†!

Our Lady of Perpetual Help ~ Continuing to celebrate Advent and CHRISTmas with this Novena to prepare for JESUS’ Birth!

 †GOD† bless you all with * ✌PEACE✌ * ♥LOVE♥ * ☼JOY☼

Thirsty Thursday: Adoration Way

First and foremost, for me, ☼everyday☼, †The Prayer Way† starts with ♥Adoration♥   

San Antonio, TX (February 2013)

As a matter of fact, I spend every Thursday morning (my only day off from work out of the week) in my holy hour of obligation at our ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel†, and any other time when I can make a point to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

Our Lady of the Lake University (where I’m earning my Ph.D.) ~ San Antonio, TX (March 2014)

Each and every one of my prayers begin with praise, because †GOD† deserves our glory, as we give our ♥LOVE♥ for Him.

San Antonio, TX (April 2014)

How about you join me in devoting even just one hour out of the week to ♥Adoration♥ ~ simply to ♥LOVE♥ our †LORD†? If you have an Adoration Chapel with the Blessed Sacrament, I encourage you to commit to one hour of one day out of the week on a regular basis. Even if you don’t have one, keep adoring Him anywhere and everywhere ~ as I promise you: worship works wonders for your soul.

* “My soul magnifies the †LORD†, and my spirit rejoices in †GOD† my savior” ~ Luke 1:46-47

On THANKSgiving and the Thirsty Thursdays ahead, I’ll continue The Prayer Way series with the other ways that we †pray†, as follows …

• ♣THANKSgiving♣ 
• Contrition
• Supplication  

Sources

• Fr. Oscar J. Lukefahr, C. M. “From the Spiritual Director.” The Association of the Miraculous Medal, Vol. 47, No. 3: Fall Bulletin (2014).*
• Jesus Our Life Activity Book, Faith and Life Series, 3rd ed. (Book 2). Chapter 9, Lesson 2, (p. 34)**; “Kinds of Prayer,” Chapter 15, Lesson 3 (p. 59)***. Ignatius Press, San Francisco. Catholics United for the Faith, Steubenville, Ohio. (2014).

†GOD† bless YOU ALL this ♣THANKSgiving♣ and always!!!

Faithful Friday: GOD’s Peace

Go to Church for comfort & strength💪.

That’s what my dad👨 advised me, in particular when I was devastated that his mother/my paternal grandmother, Mama Eufemia👵, my last surviving grandparent, was dying.

Hence, I heeded his suggestion and went to Church💒, not just for Mass🙏, but also Adoration💖.

My neighborhood Church at the time was Queen of Peace👑, which I visited this morning.

It’s not all about you☝️.

When my mom👩 told me this, I felt offended at first, but she’s absolutely right. As a matter of fact, when GOD spoke to me before the Blessed Sacrament today, He reminded me of my parents’ remarks: to live for the LORD, not for myself. Peace! ✌️