Tag Archives: mercy

Opening to the Grace of Advent

08 Sunday Dec 2019

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Reflect on the law of the Most High, and let his commandments be your constant study. Then he will enlighten your mind, and make you wise as you desire. Sirach 6:37

Last week we kicked off the new liturgical year in the Church with the beginning of Advent. The Church gives us Advent as a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child into the world. It is a time for silent contemplation of all God has done for us in sending His Son to save us from our sins. This is a stark contrast to the world around us that is feverishly shopping for gifts, preparing for holiday get-togethers, and focusing on the busyness of the season.

In the Church, liturgical years are called “years of grace.” All of the liturgies and prayers of Church take us through Jesus’ life, passion, death and resurrection, as well as other key moments in salvation history. This year, the new liturgical year began on December 1st. To make the new liturgical year spiritually great, a true “year of grace,” we need to predispose ourselves to receiving God’s grace.

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A Light to the Nations

01 Sunday Dec 2019

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“Lord…mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.” Luke 22:29-32

Today marks the first Sunday in Advent and the start of a new liturgical year in the Church. While the world around us is feverishly shopping for gifts, preparing for holiday get-togethers, and focusing on the busyness of the season, the Church gives us Advent. This is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child into the world. It is a time to slow down and contemplate the meaning of God becoming man to save us from sin and death. This is a time when we should be conforming our lives more completely to Christ. We are His instruments in the world. Through our witness, others will come to know His love and mercy.

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A Love Letter from Jesus

27 Sunday Oct 2019

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In our ministry to married couples, we see the daily struggles couples face in their relationship and in their families. People are broken and hurting. They need hope and encouragement as they face these struggles. Jesus is the Divine Lover and Healer. He is the perfect spouse who will never stop loving you. Let Him into your heart so that He can heal you and make you whole.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20

I Thirst for You[1]

Attributed to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter.

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Competition in Marriage

29 Sunday Sep 2019

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shutterstock_winner loser.jpg

Are you a competitive person? Do you like to compete with your spouse? Here are some signs of competition in your marriage:

  1. You will do whatever it takes to win an argument.
  2. You always have to be right.
  3. You take winning a little too seriously, even in fun activities like board games.
  4. Everything becomes a contest.
  5. You gloat when you win.
  6. You are a sore loser.

Competition in marriage is deadly. In our coaching ministry, we encourage couples with weak conflict resolution skills to work together to brainstorm win-win solutions to their disagreements. When both spouses in a marriage feel that their needs and desires are being met, they work together to identify and implement a solution.

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Marriage: Imaging God’s Love

18 Sunday Aug 2019

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Seeing Jesus in Each Other

What is the point of marriage? To understand the point of marriage, we need to first understand the sacramentality of marriage. What is a Sacrament? It is a visible sign of an invisible reality, instituted by Christ as a source of grace. In the Sacrament of Matrimony, the visible sign is the couple themselves. What is the invisible reality of this sign? Jesus. The husband and wife have the mission of being Christ to each other, to their children, and to the whole world. You cannot have a loftier task!

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Husbands and Fathers: Your Task is to Image the Heavenly Father

04 Saturday May 2019

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Childhood of Christ, Gerrit van Honthorst, c. 1620

This past week, the Church celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker (May 1). Scripture says that Joseph was a “just man” (Mt 1:19). Although Scripture records no words of Joseph, from his actions we can discern that he was a compassionate, caring man. We know Joseph loved Jesus and Mary. When the angel came to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything and fled to a strange country with his young wife and baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Mt 2:13-15).

Upon returning from Egypt, Joseph settled his family in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple, we are told Joseph and Mary searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Lk 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son because over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” (Lk 4:22).

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Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness

28 Sunday Apr 2019

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Divine Mercy Mary JPII (2)

Today, on this the last day of the Octave of Easter, the readings for the Mass focus on the mercy of God. Pope John Paul II at the canonization of St. Faustina in 2000, declared that the “Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church will be called ‘Divine Mercy Sunday.’”[1] The feast is based on the private revelations of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, who recommended a particular devotion to the Divine Mercy.

In his homily on the first celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, St. John Paul II stressed that love is the foundation of mercy, both in God’s mercy to us, His creatures and in our relationships with others:

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It Was Worth It!

27 Saturday Oct 2018

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Are you suffering difficulties and strife in marriage, even separation and divorce? God can heal your broken relationship.

Rose and I (Dennis) were both widowed. Before the death of my first wife, Therese, I experienced God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness in healing after divorce.

By faith, in confidence, with perseverance and obedience to God, my marriage was saved from the pit of death. God is faithful. He never gives up on any of His children. Was the pain of my divorce worth it? Was standing eight years for the healing of my marriage worth it? Were the sorrow, pain and loneliness worth it? Was having my marriage restored only to have my wife die two short years later worth it? Yes, by the grace of God, it was worth it!

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Forgiveness and Healing in Marriage

20 Saturday Oct 2018

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JPII Forgiveness

In our marriage coaching, we frequently see unforgiveness as a major obstacle for couples in achieving the intimate and fulfilling relationships that they deeply desire. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger towards your spouse poisons the relationship. We have heard it said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. True healing can only take place when offenses are forgiven, and forgotten, never to be brought up again as a weapon against your spouse.

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Forgiveness: Setting Captives Free

25 Saturday Aug 2018

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Forgiveness Sets You Free

Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22

Are you holding unforgiveness in your heart towards your spouse or any other family member? Are you harboring bitterness and anger towards anyone? Jesus is quite clear that we are to be generous in our forgiveness of those who have offended us; forgiveness without limit.

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