Make A Happily Day

There are so many themes we can tackle in the movie Cinderella.  Today I’d like to focus on just three.  The first is Prince Charming.  I think all of us at one time or another have pictured ourselves married to Prince Charming.  Yet most of us wake up to regular lives and regular guys.  So what happened?  I think we came to the realization that perfect doesn’t exist this side of heaven.  But I bet you are married to someone who at one point was charming.  It may have been decades ago but something drew you to that person.  Things might be so bad that you have difficulty even imagining what drew you to him in the first place.  But for today...try to remember what it was.  Release him from the ideal of Prince Charming and allow him to be who he is.  You don’t need him to be your Prince Charming anyway.  Yours is waiting for you in heaven..white horse and all.

And to all the single readers out there. …. Take it from someone who knows, stop fretting and searching for what you have decided is ideal.  The guy you least expect might have a glass slipper in just your size.  Stop spinning your wheels and allow God to be your prince until an earthly one shows up. 

Speaking of the glass slipper, that brings me to our second topic.  The lengths women go to….. to make it fit.  What are we thinking?  Really?  Sometimes it is painfully clear that our foot is too small or too big to step into a situation, yet we proceed to just keep trying to make it fit.  Sometimes its better to just walk away or never become involved in the first place.  We need to learn to become more introspective and ask ourselves and God if we have any business doing the things we are doing, fighting the wars we are fighting on behalf of ourselves, our spouse,s our children or whatever we decide is our cause.  Should you really being doing what you are doing?  Or are you trying like mad to make something fit that just doesn’t?

Lastly, what is this thing called happily ever after?  Seriously?  I cannot sit here and tell you that if you find the right guy or the right job or the right kids or whatever that life will just be ducky everyday.  We both know that is simply not true.  I can tell you that if you make the best decisions you can and you do it with a heart that longs to be faithful to God, you will have more good days than bad.  When you do what you can to surround yourself with love and joy, you have more “happily” days.  When you concern yourself with others, you have more ups.  Those are things we can all do in some simple way.  Start today!  What is one thing you can do today to have a “happily” day?  Read a book, take a walk, play with your kids, cut your husband a break, call an old friend, book a vacation, take a bubble bath.  Oh right, I said one thing…well, pick one and do it.  Create your own happily day

But what about ever after?  We have been offered the best happily ever after there is with Jesus in heaven.  That’s the only one I know of…I hope to see you there.

Cinderella's Story

Cinderella Link


Click on the link above to see Cinderella's story.  Check back tomorrow to see what it has to do with the story of your life.

At The Movies.....Cinderella Week

Click on the Gracenotes link above for this week's podcast.  Let's go to the movies!

Ask Ellen: Why do Catholics pray to saints? Katie, ME

This is a confusing and frustrating question for many.  Thanks for asking.  I need to say right off the top….Catholics don’t pray TO anyone but God.  And yes, that includes Mary!  Let’s take God out of the equation…..I can’t believe I just said that!...and focus on the others hanging out in heaven.

An important and heady Catholic concept comes into play here…the Communion of Saints.  Let me try to break it down.  The Church is composed of three groups of people: those in heaven, those waiting to be called up (in Purgatory), and those of us down here still fighting the good fight.  The Church teaches that we are all very connected and that this connection doesn’t end in death.  That is what anyone who has lost a love one wants to believe so it would be hard to argue, right?

It is because of this connection that those of us still slugging through life look to those who did it right for help.  And that is all we are asking them to do.  They made it, they are before the Throne and just might hang out with Jesus from time to time.  We, as Catholics, ask them to put in a good word for us.

Think of it this way…you know someone who is a great teacher in a great school.  You want to teach there too.  You have a friend who works there and has earned the respect of the principal.  Wouldn’t you ask him/her to put in a good word for you?

The great news is, we Catholics, have a saint for any situation you find yourself in.  I doesn’t hurt to ask..so go ahead!  

A Hard Message

Today we look at Sunday’s Gospel from my buddy, John.  It can be found in John 6:51-58.  Take some time to read it now.  I will wait for you.

I like yesterday's passage and today's read together because it clearly paints the picture of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  He was the fulfillment of what the manna we read about yesterday pointed to.  We must remember that Jesus is speaking to a Jewish audience who knew their Scriptures.  They were very familiar with yesterday’s story about manna in the desert.  Everything that Jesus says and does here is to show them that he is the answer they have been waiting for.

However, His message isn’t an easy one to hear.  He uses the word flesh six times in this short passage.  He does not say symbol.  He uses the word for flesh.  This was offensive to most people who heard it.  It is believed that many followers walked away because of this very message.  Drinking blood would make a devout Jew swoon, yet Jesus tells them to drink His Blood. What strikes me is that Jesus didn’t run after them saying, “Wait, that word was too harsh,  I didn’t mean it literally.  Its symbolic.”  No, He didn’t.  He delivered a tough message and allowed them to walk away.

As Catholics, we believe in this flesh concept.  This passage is the reason that we believe the Eucharist isn’t just a symbol.  It is actually the Body of Christ.  This is what we celebrate on Sunday.  Why should we celebrate it?  Read on in the passage.

Jesus actually recalls yesterday’s reading and tells the people that when their ancestors ate manna they still died.  But when we eat His Body and drink His Blood we are given eternal life.  That, my friends, is a reason to celebrate.

I ask you to celebrate the gift you’ve been given this Sunday.  You have the opportunity to receive Manna, the Bread from Heaven.  You are able to do what Jesus commands when He said “eat my flesh and drink my blood.”  Eternal life is made available to you each time you receive the Eucharist.  I will celebrate with you, rejoicing in the fact that you haven’t walked away from a hard message, but have stayed to receive Jesus.

Manna With Your Name On It

I love the way the Church connects the Old and New Testaments for us.  It helps us see Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Old Testament and all it predicted.  On Sunday we find ourselves in the Book of Deuteronomy. (meaning the Second Law)  I like to think of the book as everything the people needed explained one more time.

Please take a few minutes to read Deut 8:2-3, 14b-16a

The first thing Moses tells the people is to remember how the Lord led them.  In Hebrew this does not simply mean think about for a while, get a warm and fuzzy feeling and move on.  It means think about it and act.  He is telling them to act like God remembers them.  Do you?

Moses tells them that although the Lord is in charge and is guiding them, He is allowing them to be tested to see if they prove faithful.  Is He doing the same to you?

We then read that God allowed the people to be hungry only to turn around and give them manna from heaven.  To me this shows that we need to feel need before we can be satisfied.  What is God withholding from you now?  Why do you think that is?  Could it be because He wants to give you something better, like Bread from heaven?

The lesson for the people is clear.  They need to move past their earthly need for bread and look to “every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.”  They need to learn to obey.  Do you?  It is important for us to remember as we celebrate the Solemnity of His Body and Blood on Sunday, that in this passage God ordains Bible study. We need to know God’s Word.  It is another way we can be fed….like manna in the desert.

The people are then told not to forget and it lists the many things God has done for them.  Too often we overlook the provisions God gives because we are fixated on what He has withheld.  The passage lists four things God did to provide for the people.  Your homework for tonight is to write a paragraph containing at least four things God has given you.  Tuck it away and read it each day.  In Hebrew you don’t simply remember, you act on it.  Act like God has done great things for you.  Act like you are grateful for what you do have.  He probably has some manna with your name on it.

A Sense Of Belonging

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6xIdDYiA9A
Today’s song is taken from Sunday’s second reading.  It can be found in 1 Cor 10:16-17.  We become one with each other as we share Jesus’ Body and Blood.  That should give us a sense of belonging not just to Christ but to one another.