Love thy Enemy

I try to be nice and like everyone, I really do try. Sometimes I get annoyed with people and there are people who I have not had good experiences with. You know those people who are mean and they bring out the worst in you. Seriously there are people who I just cannot be in the same room with. For some reason it seems like I have run into several of these "enemies" this week. So how can I love my enemy? 

For the people who just annoy you or rub you the wrong way, you have to try to see Christ in each of them. Just try to see the good in them. It can be hard, but just trying to see things from their perspective helps. Pray for understanding and compassion. Don't sweat the small stuff. Most people are not trying to be mean to you, they are just not really thinking. Yeah it is a little selfish, but I know there are times when I have been selfish. I try to forgive. Ultimately just treat people the way you want to be treated. 

Now there are people who do go out of their way to hurt you. With this kind of person the best thing you can do is just be polite and avoid them when possible. You don't have to make a big deal about it or snub them. Really just treat them like a stranger. You don't have to be overly friendly or even friendly at all, just be polite. These are the people you need to pray for and pray for the wisdom to know what the right thing to do is and the courage to do it. 

Live Like You Were Dying

So I have been very busy lately. About two weeks ago my 11 year old cousin was having some pain in her abdomen. She went to the ER around 6 in the evening by 11 she learned she had cancer. She had her kidney and a very large tumor removed and now she is facing 8 month of chemo and radiation. I spent most of the last two weeks with her and her family, helping out and babysitting.

I feel like my life is a Boy Meets World episode sometimes. You know how on that show the book they are reading that week in English just happens to correspond to the drama of their lives? The gospel readings for the last few weeks has been like that for me.

This last gospel reading was about how we don't know when the end comes and so we should always be ready. Now to me this kind of related to that song "Live Like You Were Dying." My cousin went from being a normal, happy 11 year old to having her whole like change. Life is so short and so fragile that I don't want to waste my time doing nothing. I want to live and I want to help people and I want to be happy. It comes down to where do you want to be when Jesus comes back. Do you want to be in a bad relationship? Do you want to be a bully? Do you want to be unhappy? Or do you want to be ready and happy to run into Jesus' arms? I choose to live the gospel, love my neighbor as myself, and live a life that I am not afraid to show The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Single Catholic

I look around and I am surrounded by couples. I love seeing my friends happy and in love. I love getting to know some of the wonderful guys they have chosen. That being said I am relationship challenged. I am kind of a shy person and I really relate better to women. I have not had many relationships. I am secretly terrified that I won't be able to find a guy that shares my beliefs. Not only that, but the pressure to have sex at my age (21) is ginormous. Then when you do meet a guy do you bring up religion on the first date? What about that sex thing? What are his expectations? Where am I even going to meet this guy? In my head I think I know what I want and need in a man, but really I have no clue. Maybe I just think about it too much and psych myself out. Anyway, I found this prayer and I thought I would share it. 


I do not know what to ask you.
You alone know my real needs,
and you love me more
than I even know how to love.
Enable me to discern my true needs
which are hidden from me.
I ask for neither cross nor consolation;
I wait in patience for you.
My heart is open to you. 
For your great mercy's sake,
come to me and help me.
Put your mark on me and heal me,
cast me down and raise me up.
Silently I adore your holy will
and your inscrutable ways.
I offer myself in sacrifice to you
and put all my trust in you.
I desire only to do your will.
Teach me how to pray
and pray in me, yourself.

--Vasily Drosdov Philaret, c. 1780 - 1867

Answers

 I meant to blog on Sunday, then I mean to write yesterday and well you know how it goes. So now on to my story:

Months ago I made up these note cards with quotes. I wanted a little inspiration. I meant to put them up around my bedroom and around the bathroom so I would see them as I was getting ready. Long story short, the cards never got put up. They just sat in a stack on a shelf. Yesterday the stack got knocked over. I just pick them up and put the stack back on the shelf. The note card on top said "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Where did I hear that recently?

Wasn't that the Gospel this week?

Sometimes I feel lost, like I can't hear what God is trying to tell me. Other times, like now, I feel like God is smacking me in the face with the answers to my prayers. I haven't been very happy recently. I have just been going through some tough times. I have been asking God for help, for answers, for .... anything. What better way to make myself happy that to make others happy?

This is how I know the God is amazing and omniscient. He knows our prayers before we even ask and he put the answers in out life. I see this happening in my life and my friends' lives all the time. It is crazy awesome how having faith is ... just ... so... everything. I can't even explain how happy and special I feel when I can hear God. I mean I know he is always around, but to be actually talking to Him and have Him talk back. Just WOW!

The Beginning

Hi. This blog is for me to share my thoughts, knowledge and prayers. I love the Trinity, but sometimes I am so busy and caught up in my own life and plans that I forget to give the three blessed persons time. I am not perfect (far from it). You should not live your life by my words. Why write a blog people shouldn't follow? Because this is for me. I need the Trinity to be important in my life. Having a blog devoted to God is my daily devotion. 

Dear Trinity,

Help me to keep you near my thought and in my actions. Help me make this blog worthy of you. Make sure that I am only speaking the truth. Help me to be happy and disciplined in devoting my time to you. Just help me be a good person and don't let me ... well ... just help me do a good job. 

Love you guys, Amen.