God for some reason is a distant object for many people. I feel that the reason is that people spend their time focusing on their jobs, careers, daily life, and how to have fun. In other words, either surviving the daily trials of living; or simply enjoying life to the maximum. God then has no room at all in their lives.
I go to Mass twice a week, and especially on Sundays I observe how people react to the sermon. Many appear to go on "brain pause," meaning, they hold the brain from listening to anything the priest is saying until the sermon is over. Others just stare into space, or other parts of the church.
Most priest at my church give a good sermon, and the Pastor is a lively individual with plenty of anecdotes thrown in for entertainment. It isn't all dry and tried material that he speaks of. Here's my point, I don't go to church to sleep, but to listen and to learn. Many of my articles that I write on Ezine Articles are inspired from the sermons that I listen to.
My objective is to learn, and just last week the priest at the Spanish Mass mentioned something very interesting. He said that while in the Seminary to become a priest he read on St. Gregory from Nyssa. He was a Greek saint who said "Get to become friends with God." I thought about those words since then, and I felt that I should bring it up on my blog.
Perhaps we place God too far in the far distant space in the Universe, and we forget that He is here with us now. Jesus was very explicit about it, while he walked this Earth. God is with us, but maybe we should make an effort to make friends with Him.
I thought it was a great idea by St. Gregory, and it's just what many of us need to do. I walked away that day from Mass thinking about making friends with God, and I will admit that I am making that effort right now as I write these notes.
God bless, and should you need for me to pray for you, please don't hesitate. I will also make available for you a vial of holy water. Please contact me on my email below, and do read my articles on Ezine Articles on this page, especially the latest one on "How to Handle Bad Situations and Turn Your Life Around."
Tony McCleary
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http://www.prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Do you feel that a curse follows you?
My oldest sister is 82 years old and has been bed-ridden for the last three years. She has confided in another sister of mine that she feels that she's cursed. Two of her sons are buried near each other, both victims of drug abuse. One died at the age of 21 and the other at 52.
Who do you think she blames for the curse? God, of course! She is not alone. Many people point directly to God for all of their troubles. What most people don't understand or don't wish to is to accept full responsibility for their trials and tribulations caused mostly by decisions made at one time or another.
Just go back to Job in the Bible and read the part where he says, "That which I feared the most came to pass." People suffer from "imaginary curses" not because they are cursed, but because they have fears—fears of pending disasters. And the sad thing about this very negative feeling is that it feeds on itself constantly until it manifests itself, or you stop it.
First of all let me clarify for you, "No one is cursed by God." God is the God of love. We curse ourselves by allowing our fears to take control of us. We curse ourselves by associating with evil and mean people. Bad things come to us by the way that we think and perceive things. In other words we either attract to us bad things, just as well as we can bring to our lives good things. It's truly our choice.
You ask, "Then what can I do to avoid this "perceived curse that seems to follow me"?
You pray, but make your prayers of gratitude! Thank God for all that he has done for you, and not what you're going through. The minute that you pray in gratitude, that which was a "curse" will no longer exist. It will stop bothering you, following you and making your life miserable.
Prayers of gratitude bring blessedness, rest, peace of mind, and clear mindedness to the supplicant. I believe that this will bring you a better life than to live in torture and torment.
God bless you, and should you wish for me to pray for your needs, or require a small vial of holy water, I will send it to you anywhere in the world.
Tony McCleary
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http:/prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com
Who do you think she blames for the curse? God, of course! She is not alone. Many people point directly to God for all of their troubles. What most people don't understand or don't wish to is to accept full responsibility for their trials and tribulations caused mostly by decisions made at one time or another.
Just go back to Job in the Bible and read the part where he says, "That which I feared the most came to pass." People suffer from "imaginary curses" not because they are cursed, but because they have fears—fears of pending disasters. And the sad thing about this very negative feeling is that it feeds on itself constantly until it manifests itself, or you stop it.
First of all let me clarify for you, "No one is cursed by God." God is the God of love. We curse ourselves by allowing our fears to take control of us. We curse ourselves by associating with evil and mean people. Bad things come to us by the way that we think and perceive things. In other words we either attract to us bad things, just as well as we can bring to our lives good things. It's truly our choice.
You ask, "Then what can I do to avoid this "perceived curse that seems to follow me"?
You pray, but make your prayers of gratitude! Thank God for all that he has done for you, and not what you're going through. The minute that you pray in gratitude, that which was a "curse" will no longer exist. It will stop bothering you, following you and making your life miserable.
Prayers of gratitude bring blessedness, rest, peace of mind, and clear mindedness to the supplicant. I believe that this will bring you a better life than to live in torture and torment.
God bless you, and should you wish for me to pray for your needs, or require a small vial of holy water, I will send it to you anywhere in the world.
Tony McCleary
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http:/prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com
Monday, July 12, 2010
Dress properly for religious services
I attend Mass twice a week at my Catholic church in Coral Springs, Florida. On Thursday mornings I open the church at 6 am and get the Chapel ready for the 7 am mass. I have done this for years. What I see here is people wearing their sleeping outfits from the night before. One lady has worn her pajamas for years, covered with a coat.
On Sunday mornings I attend the 11:30 mass. On Sunday, many people that attend mass in the main church come in wearing their "bar-b-que outfits." That is, colorful sweat pants,t-shirts, beach outfits, Bermuda shorts. And during the most sacred parts of the mass, many get up to go to the restroom. Out of some 1,100 people or so that do attend each mass, I always see the same people do exactly the same routine: come in late to mass; wear shoddy outfits;get up to go to the restroom every time at exactly the moment that the priest offers the host and the wine to be blessed by God.
The Catholic church is lenient to say the least when it comes to dress code. Most people do dress properly, but there shouldn't be any exception when it comes to worshiping God. People should take the time to shower or bathe, and put something proper on for the services. This should apply to any religious service in the world.
I have attended mass in very poor countries in the world, and I never saw anyone ill-dressed for the occasion. Unfortunately, it is mostly in America that I have observed such disrespect. The sad thing is that it is not for lack of clean or proper clothing, but mostly an attitude issue.
Life is beautiful as is if we respect it and appreciate it. Religion for many people, including myself, is a gift of enormous value. I pray for people that ask me, and I offer many prayers to the Virgin Mary for her intercession. I don't play with my religion, and I take very seriously my requests to God, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Allow me to do the same for you!
God bless,
Tony
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http://prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com
On Sunday mornings I attend the 11:30 mass. On Sunday, many people that attend mass in the main church come in wearing their "bar-b-que outfits." That is, colorful sweat pants,t-shirts, beach outfits, Bermuda shorts. And during the most sacred parts of the mass, many get up to go to the restroom. Out of some 1,100 people or so that do attend each mass, I always see the same people do exactly the same routine: come in late to mass; wear shoddy outfits;get up to go to the restroom every time at exactly the moment that the priest offers the host and the wine to be blessed by God.
The Catholic church is lenient to say the least when it comes to dress code. Most people do dress properly, but there shouldn't be any exception when it comes to worshiping God. People should take the time to shower or bathe, and put something proper on for the services. This should apply to any religious service in the world.
I have attended mass in very poor countries in the world, and I never saw anyone ill-dressed for the occasion. Unfortunately, it is mostly in America that I have observed such disrespect. The sad thing is that it is not for lack of clean or proper clothing, but mostly an attitude issue.
Life is beautiful as is if we respect it and appreciate it. Religion for many people, including myself, is a gift of enormous value. I pray for people that ask me, and I offer many prayers to the Virgin Mary for her intercession. I don't play with my religion, and I take very seriously my requests to God, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Allow me to do the same for you!
God bless,
Tony
tonymcclr@gmail.com
http://prayer-be-strong.blogspot.com
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