Marriage Is A Sacrament: A Sacred Union Between One Man, One Woman, and God

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife." – Mark 10:6-7

There is a term known as "marriage" that has been tossed around quite a bit recently by the US government and politicians. Just for some clarity let's look up the definition of the word "marriage" in the dictionary. In my book it says, and I quote, "marriage – (noun) the formal union of a man and a woman, typically recognized by law, by which they become husband and wife." In other words, two persons of the opposite-sex are formally committed to one another and are united by a wedding ceremony and legally binding contract. Within this union the husband and wife are bound together by their vows of everlasting love. This gives the couple the opportunity to bring about new life into this world under the promises that they shall remain together as a family. In essence, it means the two shall become one flesh out of love for each other.

Pope Francis recently affirmed this as the church’s teaching of marriage between one man and one woman in his 82-page encyclical, originally started by Pope Benedict XVI, stating, “This union is born of their love, as a sign and presence of God’s own love, and of the acknowledge and acceptance of the goodness of sexual differentiation, whereby spouses can become one flesh and are enabled to give birth to a new life.” (Click here to read more.) As you can see, the union of marriage is meant for the purpose and intention of creating life; which in turn, creates a family.

Keep in mind, if God wanted two persons of the same gender to be united He would have only created one gender in the first place that could reproduce homosexually or asexually. But that is not the case. Instead, God created two beautiful genders of the human race that compliment one another with their bodies to produce life. Naturally, a man and a woman are meant to come together on a very intimate level for reproduction. This physical bond between husband and wife is essential for any marriage to thrive. If the marriage is not consummated then it lacks in fulfilling the wedding vows. And although true love is not always physical, the physicality of love is a big part of romance—especially within a marriage. This special type of romantic bonding is found only in the relations between a man and a woman. 

Along with that, a child raised from a traditionally married couple is also secured with a relationship between parents of both genders. It is very important for the growth, well-being, and physiological health of the child to have both a mother and a father figure to look up to. With that said, God has clearly given us the perfect example of a typical family demonstrated by His own Holy Family. The Holy Family is made up of a (male) husband, (female) wife, and child that we all know as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus Christ, respectively. Even though Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father, he was Mary’s earthly spouse and helped raise the Christ Child with Mary. As Jesus grew up within the family He learned life lessons from both of His loving parents and carried out the fruits of their love in His ministry on earth.

This is how the family unit is meant to be—a supportive and loving union containing a husband, wife, and child/children. However, satan wants to twist the holiness of marriage and change it so it no longer revolves around true love or the family. Marriage is the glue that binds families together. If we let satan break apart marriage through divorce or the dilution of a true marital union, between husband and wife, it breaks apart the family. Just as Blessed Pope John Paul II said, "As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live." This is the devil's plan—to destroy marriage, in turn, destroying the family and our whole world as we know it.

That is why we must pray for our Church the sanctity of marriage to be upheld in the United States and in the rest of the world. People need to be reminded of the beauty and holiness of marriage between one man and one woman. Marriage is supposed to be a beautiful, sacred, and holy experience of two lovers joined intimately by Christ's love. Marriage is an institution, founded by God, to unite a male and female in the sanctity of their love for one another. That is why marriage is considered to be a Sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church known as Holy Matrimony. I, myself, hope to one day be married in the Catholic Church with the man I love under the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. I believe many other people want this too! In order to preserve and protect the sanctity of Matrimony we need to uphold our values as Christians and be steadfast and true to our beliefs on marriage.

Below is a passage taken from the statement of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops response to the Supreme Court's decision on DOMA on June 26, 2013:

Today is a tragic day for marriage and our nation. ...The common good of all, especially our children, depends upon a society that strives to uphold the truth of marriage. 

Marriage is the only institution that brings together a man and a woman for life, providing any child who comes from their union with the secure foundation of a mother and a father. 

Our culture has taken for granted for far too long what human nature, experience, common sense, and God’s wise design all confirm: the difference between a man and a woman matters, and the difference between a mom and a dad matters. While the culture has failed in many ways to be marriage-strengthening, this is no reason to give up. Now is the time to strengthen marriage, not redefine it. 

When Jesus taught about the meaning of marriage – the lifelong, exclusive union of husband and wife – he pointed back to “the beginning” of God’s creation of the human person as male and female (see Matthew 19). In the face of the customs and laws of his time, Jesus taught an unpopular truth that everyone could understand. The truth of marriage endures, and we will continue to boldly proclaim it with confidence and charity.

A Love Worth Waiting For

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." – Hebrews 13:4

Hello dear friends in Christ! I hope everyone has had a blessed May, Our Lady's special month. Spring is such a beautiful time of year when nature thrives among us. Every day I look out my window and see sunny skies, gorgeous flowers, fluttering butterflies, squirrels scurrying up trees, and birds chirping in the wind. It has been very nice to take some time off now that the semester is over. Now I can relax because all of the hard work is done. I have officially graduated college and earned my degree with the honors of Magna Cum Laude! It has been a whirlwind of a ride, but I have the feeling it is only just getting started. I am ready to embrace a new adventure and to see where God takes me in this amazing world of His.

As I begin to embark on a new phase in life I recall my high school days at the Academy of the Holy Names, an all-girls Catholic high school, where we talked about vocations in religion class. What is a vocation anyways? Well, I can tell you one thing—it's not just a job or a profession, but rather a lifestyle. A vocation is a summons or strong inclination to a particular call by God. This divine calling puts us in the right place to serve God and His Kingdom as best as we can on earth...but only if one adheres to it. If we ignore God's calling to our true vocation we will end up missing out on the best plan He has for us!

Although I feel very strongly that God has called me to graduate school in attending the University of St. Thomas, I know that is not my vocation. That specific calling is more in line with my profession. My vocation will be how I choose to live my life in accordance with God's calling to a particular lifestyle. Maybe going to St. Thomas will help fulfill my vocational calling in leading me in the right direction.

Since I am very active within the Catholic Church many people have asked me if I'd like to become a nun. However, I personally feel called to a married life instead. Even so, religious life is another beautiful vocation! I admire those who choose to love God in this way. It is a great sacrifice. But many people will also tell you that marriage is just as big of a sacrifice, in a different way.

Both vocational callings, married and religious, are different—yet similar. Being a religious, priest, deacon, nun, brother, sister, monk, etc., has the call to love God within the church and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. A priestly vocation, anointed by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, also includes the love of his congregation and clergymen. This is another way to love God, through other people. It is such a beautiful way to love...which is also shown significantly in the Sacrament of Matrimony. In marriage the couple loves one another and commits to this love with their vows, honoring God and each other. In doing so, they love Jesus in a formally committed way because Christ resides in every person. If the couple is blessed with children that committed love extends to their offspring. This is very similar to how love is extended to the congregation of the church in the priesthood.

However the lifestyle may be, love is always the center of the calling. Love is God and God is love! Christ's love is deeply rooted in each of these vocations. ...Although I have yet to mention the calling of a single life. The single life is another type of vocation, but I feel that it is a rare one. Maybe not, but I haven't met that many people called to a single life. Most of my single friends are like myself, waiting for that right person to love in a married life. However, single life is definitely another option for a vocational calling. Some choose to commit their virginity to God during their entire life on earth, like St. Philomena. Others may have been married once, but were widowed, like St. Rita of Cascia.

I like that St. Rita actually lived all three vocations. As a young woman she was married and had children, embracing the calling of marriage. Later, her husband and children died from a terrible disease. As a widow she lived a single life for a while. Then she became a nun in her older age and died peacefully in the religious life. Although she had many hardships, how beautiful it is for her to have lived all of these different vocational callings? She is a great example to anyone who desires to love God with their life and vocation!

I remember feeling called to my vocation a long time ago. When I was given the Sacrament of Confirmation, during my sophomore year of high school, the bishop blessed me with holy oil. During his blessing he looked at my name tag and saw I was taking the name of St. Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. It was then that he said how I would one day be a great mother, just like St. Anne. It dawned on me that I truly do feel the call to marry and have children. I would love to be a mother someday! However, this call to love must come with patience. Before I can be a great mother I have to wait for the great man God has planned for me to be with. You have probably heard the phrase, "all good things come to those who wait." This calling to love is a love worth waiting for! Waiting for love doesn't only happen within marriage, but also in religious life. A man entering the priesthood must wait years and years before he is ordained with Holy Orders.

This reminds me of the first description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Saint Paul writes, "Love is patient."  Just think about...he could have put love is patient much farther down on the list of his description. However, he writes it as the first account of love. Without waiting, without having patience, love cannot truly exist. Think about how Christ waited three hours on the cross in indescribable agony just to die for us! It was a big sacrifice but He did it out of true love. ...So like I said before, it may take years to finally live out a personal vocation, but it is totally worth it because your vocation is a love worth waiting for.

Below are two of my favorite songs about love that I wanted to share with you. The first is called "Hide Your Love Away" by the Anthem Lights. This is an amazing single about waiting for marriage! My friend Rachel had shared it with me on Facebook a little while ago and I can't thank her enough for that. The other is called "Plan on Forever" by Dana Glover and Mervyn Warren. I first heard this song on the movie called The Wedding Planner and fell in love with it! I hope these tunes will touch your heart the same way they touched mine. God truly loves you and He wants you to find your happily ever after, according to His own good plan and His own good time. Amen!

            

Follow The Desires of Your Heart

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." – Luke 12:34

Hello dear friends! It's been a while since I last updated my blog posts. Like I said, school has been very hectic towards the end of the semester. But, I am pleased to announce I have finally finished all of my undergraduate classes forever! Yay!!! I'm so excited that summer has officially started and I'm ready to move on to a new endeavor in my life. This weekend, alone, is going to be filled with lots of excitement. I will be participating in the BFA Senior Exit Show (the art show for all the graduating seniors) and I will graduate college with all of my friends from the University of Tampa. I have been to several college graduations in the past, but this time I'll be able to celebrate for earning my own degree. 

There have been many ups and downs throughout my college career. But overall I definitely enjoyed my experience and I have learned a lot about life in general. Going to UT was the first time I was removed from a Catholic institution. All my life I always attended a Catholic school, from elementary to high school. At least UT is still a private university, so some aspects were similar, but it is also a secular institution—which was very different from what I was used to. Being around people on a daily basis who have opposing views about life was extremely challenging. However, I have become stronger in my faith because of this and I can be around those people without feeling intimidated with my own personal views. In fact, I feel it has only helped to ingrain my belief system even more so into my lifestyle and persona.

As I stated in my last post, I am very excited to start a new chapter and attend graduate school. If you asked me where I was thinking of going last summer I would have said, "Notre Dame or University of Central Florida." At the time, those were the colleges I had been looking at. I love Notre Dame! It is the most beautiful university I have ever seen! The campus is absolutely gorgeous and I love the fact that is it a Catholic institution. However, it wasn't in God's plan for me to go there...nor UCF. I had looked at both schools for a masters degree in the digital arts/graphic design. Even though UCF is not a Catholic school, it would have been much closer to home. Plus, they do have a large Catholic community over there since it is the second largest university in the nation. But again, that was not where God was leading me. Surprisingly, instead, He planned for me to go much further away from home!

In early January, when I was at the SEEK conference, I spoke with a priest during confession about God's will for my life. I needed some guidance from the Holy Spirit. I had been discerning graduate school so much I was beginning to think it was God’s will for me to take a year off in order to figure it out. I wanted to go to Notre Dame because I love it so much. Just visiting the campus again last summer confirmed my love for that particular school. But the program just didn't seem to fit me the way I had imagined. They were targeting their master's program to much older students, above the age of 25. Plus, only one student is accepted to their program every year. That makes it highly competitive. I believed if God truly wanted me there it didn't matter who I was up against. But, even then, something didn't feel like it was the right choice. 

However, the priest distinctly said, “Follow the desires of your heart.” This made me really think about what is the most important aspect of my life. Of course, my greatest passion in life is the Catholic faith and my deepest desire is to be united with God in Heaven forever and ever. I love Jesus and His Mother Mary so much that I just want to be able to glorify the Kingdom of Heaven with whatever I do here on earth. That being said, my focus shifted from finding something in commercial art to doing something more in line with my beliefs—such as integrating my artistic profession within Roman Catholicism. I began to think that I should find a job in the diocese or do something for a Catholic institution in digital media.  

Unaware of what God was doing, I just kept praying about it and tried to put my trust in Him. By mid-January I was praying the second half of my 54-day-rosary novena that I started during Advent. The first part of the novena is 27-days in petition. I was praying for my future husband and God’s will for my career. I wanted to know what He wanted me to do after I graduated. The second 27-days is prayed in thanksgiving, whether you have received an answer or not. 

Lo and behold, one evening I was online and stumbled upon a website for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. I never went looking for it, but somehow I came across their website. After browsing through the pages I came to the degree listings. All of a sudden something caught my eye. It was an MA in Catholic Studies, which was very intriguing. I read through the details about this particular degree and I found out it was an interdisciplinary program, meaning you can come from just about any background and integrate the Catholic teachings in your own profession after you graduate. This was a remarkable find! 

After talking with my parents and family priest over dinner one night we decided that I should apply and see what happens. My priest gave me some advice and said to only go into the program if I was accepted with the financial means necessary for me to make this dream possible. He said if it is God's Will for me then He will provide a way. I agreed and felt something very compelling in my heart that this was somehow in line with His Holy Will.

We also talked about the issues of distance and climate change. I've only been in the snow once in my entire life! Moving to MN means lots of snow and extreme temperature change. However, if God wants me to go there He will provide a way for me to handle all the new obstacles that I may face while living in a new place. 

After a long time of prayer and discernment I finally received an envelope in the mail from the University of St. Thomas. I hung onto it and knew that it possibly contained the contents of my future. This was during Lent and I decided to wait and open the letter when I got back home from the Stations of the Cross and Adoration with my family. I remember praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament, begging not to get the scholarship I needed if God didn't want me to go there. I only want what He wants for me. But then again, I asked that if this was the right place for me to go that I would be able to receive the means to go there. 

When I got home that evening with my family I opened the letter. As my family sat there patiently waiting for me to say something I started to cry. It was tears of joy! I had been accepted into the Catholic Studies MA program and received exactly what I needed in order to go there. My family and I were completely overjoyed. My sister ran to me and hugged me so tight, saying, "I'm going to miss you!" Then I started to cry about leaving my family. However, I truly felt in my heart that it was right. Even though I have yet to visit the campus up there, this decision feels better then any of the other options I was looking at before. 

As I keep thinking about this decision more and more I have come to realize this is exactly what the priest at SEEK meant about "following the desires of your heart." It doesn't mean to be irrational with decision making. God gave us a brain and we must use our minds to think things through. But he also gave us a heart. Together, we have a mind that can know and a heart that can love. With that combination, I know I love my Catholic faith more then anything in this world! That is why I have decided to go this route so I can use my artistic talents for the evangelization of Catholicism in a world that seems to know God less and less everyday. 

People are hungry for true love! This true love only comes from knowing the living God. As Mother Teresa once said, "The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." With my faith and talents I desire to be a light for those living in darkness. I hope people will find inspiration to live a life to the fullest within the Catholic Church. If I can somehow add to their inspiration I believe I can fulfill God's Will by helping to make our faith community across the globe stronger and more enduring until the end of time. 

           

It's Time For You To Shine!

"You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light." – 2 Samuel 22:29

This past weekend, during Sunday morning Mass, I felt a bit sad when I didn't hear our Holy Father's name read aloud after the consecration of the host. The reality has finally settled in that our Church is without a Pope. Although I am supportive of Pope Emeritus' decision, it's hard to imagine what kind of papacy will transpire within the coming days, weeks, or months. We certainly need someone who will be a strong and devout leader in these difficult times for the Church. I pray that whomever God selects, through the Cardinals, they will be a hit with the young people at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this summer. It is with today that we begin to take a step in a new direction for the Catholic Church. Today was the first day the Cardinals met for a pre-conclave meeting. Once the actual conclave begins they will be isolated from the world until a final decision has been made for a new pontiff.

Since the resignation of Benedict XVI there have been a lot of reports and rumors in the media about scandals within the Catholic Church and the Vatican itself. These news sources are not the most trustworthy and should be taken with a grain of salt. There may be some truth to corrupted politics and power within the Vatican, but most of it is twisted and exaggerated to the extreme. Unfortunately, the Church is not perfect because it is run by people. However, Jesus, who founded the Catholic Church, is perfect and will see to it that it becomes perfect at the end of time.

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Meanwhile, we are called to be stewards of faith, hope, and love by shedding light upon the Catholic Church through our own lifestyle. By living in the light of Christ others will see our example and will desire to find that light within themselves. They will feel attracted your interior light, like a moth, and won't cease to look for it as long as they can see it in you. WOW! Wouldn't that be a real statement...if Catholics really lived Catholic!? It seems simple, and yet there are so many Catholics who have fallen away. Some are even embarrassed to be Catholic because of what the media has shaped Catholicism to be. It's a sad reality, which is why we need a good Pope in the coming era.

Whatever the outcome may be for our Holy See we still need to do our best to live the Catholic faith to the fullest and set an example for others. You may not even know how you could touch someone just by being yourself. For example, I had no idea that I genuinely touched my best friend Janelle Sanchez before we became friends. As we became closer friends over the years she wrote a book called Confessions of a Pure Heart and asked me to design the cover. I was pleased with her request, but little did I know that she wrote something so heartfelt about me in her own book! On page 48, she writes,

"People are naturally attracted to things that are good, and through your loving presence, you attract loving people to you. Have you ever heard the phrase, "Birds of a feather flock together?" It means that people who are alike become friends and associate with each other. When you start living a pure lifestyle, and God's love radiates from you like the sun, you will find people who are attracted to this light, no matter where you are. Though your current circle of friends may not appreciate this, some will—and those are the people who will bring you up and not tear you down.

I have a friend named Danielle Duet and she is one of the most cheery people I know. She is always smiling, always happy to see you, and always there with a big hug whenever you see her. Do you want to know how I met her? In the school bathroom. We were both commuters at the time (meaning we drove to college instead of living there). I had noticed she had a rosary hanging in her locker, and I thought about how unique it was to find another Catholic on campus, and decided I wanted to get to know her. I never really had the courage to introduce myself, until we were standing next to each other in front of the sinks. She smiled at me and just looked so friendly I couldn't help but say something, and we became such good friends that she designed the cover of this very book! 

It was her demanor that attracted me, God's love was evident in her life, and she didn't shove her rosary in my face and tell me to pray it. No, simply having it in her locker for her own use was enough for me to gather interest in her. Her very lifestyle attracted me, and now we are close friends."

I honestly had no idea she even wrote that about me until it was published. I was so shocked and amazed that after I read it I almost wanted to cry. Janelle is one of my very best friends! If I hadn't been living my life faithfully and in accordance with God's love on a daily basis I would have never met her. That is why it is ssssooooooo important to live as best you can with God's love pouring out from your heart and soul like a radiant beam of light. You never know who you'll meet or become friends with.

The love of God shown through happiness is contagious! Just smile at someone and see if they smile back. As Blessed Mother Teresa said, "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

That is the life we are called to live by God as Catholics in the Roman Catholic Church. If we all lived like that, as practicing Catholics, no one could ever say anything bad about the Church because they would be so overwhelmed with the love they see in it. So while we are in the transitional period between Popes, Sede Vacante, let us continue to pray for the Church and the new pontiff.

Let me leave you with a song by Owl City called Shooting Star. I was inspired to write this blog for you after listening to Adam Young's music. Even though he is a very popular music artist in the secular media I have heard some of his songs on Spirit FM 90.5, my local Catholic radio station. Apparently he writes songs and lyrics based on his faith as Christian. I never looked at his music that way until now. His songs are very good and I encourage you to listen to this one with an open heart and mind—cause' it's time for YOU to SHINE!

           

Be Satisfied With Me

"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you." – Psalm 63:3

Happy St. Valentine's Day!!! ❤ Today is the feast day of a wonderful saint who was a priest and martyr for the faith. St. Valentine is the patron saint of love, couples, young people and happy marriages. For many many years now, people have been exchanging Valentine cards to express their love and affection for one another. This goes back to a legend of St. Valentine. While he was in jail, on the eve of his death, he wrote a farewell note to the jailer's daughter and signed it "From your Valentine."

Although this day is meant to commemorate a great saint, it has become commercialized to the extreme.  Around the end of January you can't go into a store without seeing hearts, balloons, and dazzling cards with red and pink sparkles. However, these materialistic goods can be used as a kind gesture from the heart if given in moderation and for sentimental value. I personally love giving and receiving Valentine cards or eating Valentine cookies with friends and family. It's a time to show how much you truly care about those you love and hold close to your heart.

If you have a spouse or a special someone to share the day with it can be a lot more enjoyable! Maybe the two of you have a date planned for the evening or an outing with a group of friends. If you're a Catholic couple, maybe you'll spend it in Adoration with Jesus. Or maybe you'll stay at home and watch a fun and uplifting romantic comedy together. Whatever it may be, it is always nice to be with the one you love.

That being said, I do feel for all of the single folks out there. Not having a Valentine on Valentine's Day can be tough; especially when you see lots of other couples walking around, holding hands, and staring into each other's eyes. Everybody wants to be loved—and it's okay to feel this way. But it's not okay to dwell on it so much that it brings your spirits down. Remember, moping is not hoping.

One of my friends that I talked to last night emailed me a beautiful prayer today. It is a prayer written by St. Anthony of Padua and it's perfect for singles on Valentine's Day. After reflecting on this prayer, Be Satisfied with Me, I feel as though Jesus is asking for our trust and complete surrender as Catholic singles in waiting. He wants us to fall totally and completely in love with Him first before we meet the right "one." Although I know my greatest love is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, there is a certain plan He has for me that only He knows. He has a plan for all of us! What we need to do is pour out our love for Jesus and then things will just fall into place according to His great plan. The more we plan on our own the more we could possibly be getting in the way of His bigger and better plan for us.

So whether you are single, married, divorced, or widowed let us give all of our fears to Jesus and have Him enlighten us with His hope and love. Let us be satisfied with Him and know that all things happen in His own good time.

Notre Dame Basilica Wedding

Be Satisfied With Me by St. Anthony of Padua

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But to a Christian, God says, "No, not until you are satisfied,
Fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone,
With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me.
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.

Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the perfect human relationship,
That I have planned for you.
You will never be united to another
Until you are united with Me.
Exclusive of anyone or anything else.
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, to stop wishing, and allow Me to give you
The most thrilling plan existing... one you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best.
Please allow Me to bring it to you.

You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.
Just wait, that's all. Don't be anxious, don't worry.
Don't look around at things other have gotten
Or that I have given them
Don't look around at the things you think you want,
Just keep looking off and away up to Me,
Or you'll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than you could dream of.

You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready,
I am working even at this moment
To have both of you ready at the same time.
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me."

There's A Glitch

"There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." - John 15:13

Over the weekend I finally saw the new Disney movie called Wreck-It Ralph. It was so cute!!! I highly recommend it for a family movie night. It's most definitely enjoyable for all ages, very well done, and super entertaining!

*SPOILER ALERT!* Throughout the duration of the movie I noticed many good and valuable life lessons. Here are some just to name a few. One: the desire for conversion. Two: the true meaning of love and friendship. Three: to restore/mend what is broken—especially if you created the problem or mess in the fist place.

Initially, I noticed the expression of Ralph's desire for conversion. After a long life of continuously breaking things people began to hate him for it. Being a video-game character, Ralph was created as a "bad guy" for his game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. The "good guy" was Felix and everyone loved him. He was always getting medals for doing good deeds. He was praised and honored for being such an exemplary role model—always fixing what was broken. Ralph was tired of living like this. He decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" anymore. He wanted to be good! He wanted to change his life for the better! And he wanted to be truly happy.

Although he had such a great desire in his heart, the task was not easy. Everyone kept telling him that "bad guys" don't win medals and can never be good. This was discouraging, but he did not give up. He realized he could not win a medal in his own game, so he decided game jump into Hero's Duty. In this game he found a way to win a medal. Everything was going just fine until some of the CY-Bugs started to attack him.

This relates very much to how to devil will try to discourage you and attack you for doing something that is good. Since his desire for conversion was so great no wonder why it was challenging! These obstacles that get in our way need to be acknowledged in our lives, but must not defeat us. We need to overcome evil when we are faced with it. We must continue to aim for the best—like Ralph did when he desired to win that shiny golden medal and become a "good guy."

As he was trying to get away from the bugs, Ralph was chased into a little girl's game called Sugar Rush. In the land made of candy Ralph met very spirited little rascal, Vanellope von Schweetz. Little Vanellope was known as "the glitch" because her programming code was messed up. In Sugar Rush all the other little girls could race cars, but Vanellope couldn't be a racer since she was a glitch and would mess up the game.

Both Ralph and Vanellope, two very unlikely friends, formed a bond relating to the fact that they were always unwanted by everyone else around them. The two misfits made a deal to help each other get what they want—Ralph's medal and Vanellope's race car. Fortunately, they found a way to achieve their desires. However, once Vanellope had her race car Ralph pulverized it to protect her from racing. He talked to King Candy and found out that Vanellope could destroy the game and herself if she were to race since she was a glitch. Ralph's intentions were good, but again he came across as the "bad guy." This made Vanellope very upset.

Eventually Ralph found out that King Candy had lied to him about Vanellope racing. In fact, King Candy was the one who messed up her code in the first place to make her a glitch. He was trying to prevent her from racing because if she did she would reset the game and her code would be fixed.

At this revelation Ralph got Felix to fix Vanellope's race car. This also helped in mending their friendship. After some training and getting her car back Vanellope was ready to race. She was admitted as a contestant and took off. But during the race thousands of CY-Bugs appeared and began to attack the game of Sugar Rush. If they didn't stop the bugs, Sugar Rush and the entire gaming arcade would be destroyed!

Ralph knew what he had to do. He wanted to save Vanellope, her game, and the arcade. The only way he could think of doing it would be to smash into the top of Coke Mountain and make all the mentos icicles fall into the soda. This would make a huge explosion and eliminate the CY-Bugs from the game. However, if Ralph died in the explosion outside his own game he would not regenerate—meaning he would be gone for good. But he took the risk in doing so to save Vanellope and everyone else.

This is a very Christ-like action he took. Ralph decided to sacrifice himself for his friend's life. If there is anything to take away from this movie, that would be it. What a great life lesson! And to top it off, his heroic deed screams "good guy"—which is far better then winning any medal, in my opinion. Even though he didn't die, because little Vanellope snatched him up in her race car just in time, he was most certainly willing to die for her.

Ralph also made an effort to fix Vanellope's race car. Although he could not do it himself, he found someone who could. Ralph realized that it was wrong to destroy her car and he should have let her race in the first place. Come to find out, King Candy was an impostor known as Turbo (who was another racer from a different game).

Once the CY-Bugs were gone Vanellope crossed the finish line and Sugar Rush was reset. All of the code was restored and the characters could remember what had happened before King Candy took over. Apparently, Vanellope wasn't just a racer—she was also known as "Princess Vanellope von Schweetz." All of the girls who used to make fun of her for being a glitch were now in awe of her royalty. Ralph was also recognized as a hero for saving the gaming community. 

In the end, Ralph was still the "bad guy" for his game because that's his role. However, he is now accepted as a friend among the other characters. In fact, there would be no Fix-It Felix game without Ralph...so he is definitely recognized as an important member. But the best thing that came out of this entire adventure was his friendship with Vanellope. Disney demonstrated a beautiful Christ-like love between these two crazy characters. Plus, the two misfits are now in there rightful place, are recognized as being important members of their own game, and there is peace among the communities. Talk about a real happily ever after! We, too, should strive for love and peace within our own world through prayer, fasting, and the demonstration of it in our own lives.

          

Love The Babies

Kissing the Face of God

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5

It is so sad to what the world is coming to, especially on the topic of abortion. How can a nation survive if its leaders destroy its own people? ...It simply can't. In this upcoming election life and death is at stake. This is probably the most critical issue, even above our United States national debt. What we need to realize, as Americans, is that ABORTION IS MURDER! There is no other way to spin that.

All of us, at one point, developed from a tiny microscopic egg in our mother's womb. In Christianity we are taught that life begins at the moment of conception. As a country founded by Christians we need to keep our morals and values in line that began from our establishment. We all have inalienable rights stated in the Declaration of Independence as, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." And "life" is the first one! Every person, inside or outside of their mother's womb, should have the right to life.

Even though a developing baby is incapable of making that decision we still don't have the right to decide for the child. We need to love them! We need to protect them! And a mother's womb, of all places, should be the safest for a growing child. The poor innocent babies have done nothing wrong to deserve death. They should have the freedom to live!!!

In our country the current president is trying to fund abortions in the health-care plan. We will all have to pay for abortions through our own taxes. We will have no choice but to give money to those organizations who contribute to this horrific massacre. Even Catholic hospitals will begin to close everywhere since funding this type of procedure does not concur with the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. That means 12.6% of all hospitals in the United States will close! Talk about hurting our economy with extensive spending...this will just effect our whole nation in every negative way imaginable. How can the government even force that upon us? It is just sssoooo unconstitutional.

Praise God that Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the benediction at both political conventions...especially at the DNC. He is a very brave and holy man of God. During the benediction, he prayed, "Thus do we praise You for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask Your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."

He continued praying, "We praise and thank You for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us to live our freedom in faith, hope, and love." If I hadn't known any better it was almost as if Cardinal Dolan was tossed into a cage of ferocious man-eatting lions ready to attack. Obviously some people did not like what he had to say. Even all of the TV stations cut off the airing during mid-prayer except FOX News. Click here to view the entire text of the benediction from the DNC. Click here to see what Women of Grace had to say about it on their lovely blog.

Even though the Catholic Church cannot technically side with either political party, it is clearly demonstrated that the Republican party has values which are much closer to those of the Catholic faith. You can even view the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops statement on religious liberty. For more information visit PriestsForLife.org. This is a crucial turning point for our country. If our nation keeps Obama in the White House for another four years the United States of America will cease to exist as we know it!

But the great thing is, you can do something about it! If you are an American citizen and are 18 years of age or older you are eligible to vote. If you love God and love the babies, I advise you to vote conservatively. Plus, both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are both holy and prayerful men. Ryan is even a practicing Catholic! Thus, a vote for them is a vote for life!

I believe they do have authority from God to help get this country back on track. But, like I said, it is up to you. So please, during this time, ask our Blessed Mother to guide our country in this great decision. After all, she is the purest of all mothers. The mother of every nation. The mother of the United States. Also, continue to pray for the protection of all the unborn children in the world and for the survival of our religious hospitals.

In the following video you will see Melissa Ohden speak about how she survived a failed abortion. This is a very powerful video. I advise you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to distribute the message to your friends. We all have a choice in this election, as Americans. How will YOU answer?

Also, my friend Kendall sent me a song she wrote on this topic of abortion. She truly felt a calling from God to get this message out there, especially to teens. This pop song called "The Cries" has a lot of truth to it. Kendall said, "I wrote this song to hopefully bring attention to all the innocent unborn children who are being killed every day by the act of abortion. My heart aches for the children who will never have the choice to live."

Saintly Friendships

"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure." - Sirach 6:14

Friendships are a big part of life! Whenever life brings us up or down it is usually our friends we turn to -- in both the good times and bad. We look to them for advice, comfort, companionship, peace, joy, love, hope, and guidance. They help transform our lives for the best in weakness, sorrow, and distress. They yearn for us to find truth, meaning, passion, and purpose.

Virtuous friends, filled with the light of the Holy Spirit, will pray for you, will pray with you, and will speak to you with the words of God. They will help show you what you cannot see. Christ-like friends will encourage you to stand up again when you are brought to your knees. These true and faithful friends will give their best effort to be there for you when you are in most need of their presence and consolation. In order for the friendship to sustain itself, you too must also be willing to hold out your hand to them in the times when they have fallen. Treat them as you would want them to treat you. The more you become their friend the more likely they will become a true friend to you.

However, be careful when forming friendships. Not everyone can be your friend and not everyone is going to be. Being friends with someone means you have to be able to trust them. Imagine confiding your deepest feelings to someone who doesn't have your best interest at heart? Real friends want to help you. They will not tear you down. They might tell you things you do not want to hear, but it is because they care about you ssssoooo much! If they purposely try to sabotage your dreams and continuously hurt you...then you should take a step back, reevaluate the situation, and reconsider having any type of relationship with them. A true friend will give you the joy you seek and will even help you to become the best version of yourself.

Finding these true friends can be difficult...and sometimes it is just a very simple solution. Go to God. In God you will be able to find your true friends. That means you might find them at church or in a Catholic/Christian group in your school or community. Friendship built on a sturdy foundation of the same faith (or very similar) will be able to withstand the test of time. These friendships have a common union in God, in morality, and in virtue.

Similarities are important, but a friendship rooted outside of God cannot bear good fruit. Since God is love, a friend who does not know God cannot love you the way a true friend should. It is nice for you and your friend to have similar tastes in music, fashion, art, books, hobbies, sports, food, culture, ...etc. But if the two of you can only base your friendship on materialistic things then it is not "true friendship" you are finding.

If you have a best friend now who does not believe in God, please pray for them and their conversion. However, it is up to them to choose God and you should not force them to. You may invite them to church or pray a rosary with you sometime, but if they reject the invitation don't feel like your prayers for them were in vain. We are all given free will. If they refuse God deliberately, then it is because they have freely chosen to do so. In that case, even though it may be extremely difficult, you should remove yourself from the friendship. In a friendship without God you cannot be led in the right direction with their help or guidance. Even if you feel that you can help them, you would be doing yourself a favor to end the relationship or at least dropping it down to an acquaintance level.

You may have heard the phrase "birds of a feather flock together." This means people who have the same beliefs, morals, or principals of life tend to hang around each other. Going back through the history of the church you may notice that many saints were friends with other saints. For example, St. Francis of Assisi was friends with both St. Clare and St. Anthony. The twin brother and sister duo, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, were lifelong companions and both canonized by the Catholic Church. Even St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier were great friends and Jesuit roommates. As you can see, Sainthood begets Sainthood. Finding friends who are saintly and love God will also help you to become saintly and to love God more deeply.

So in your quest for true, holy, pure, and "saintly" friends---seek God. Focus on deepening your relationship with Him. Don't worry. Just put your trust in Him. Don't even try to force friendships. Just let it happen naturally when you meet someone. I guarantee you that He will lead you close to those who also love Him. The church is a family united under the one God, and He wants you to know your beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you have these wonderful saintly friends already, praise God that you do! You are so blest to have these people in your life. They help you throughout life's difficult moments and help you to not despair nor become despondent. For that reason, as it says in the Holy Bible, "Cherish your friend, keep faith in him." - Sirach 27:17

           

Forgiveness and Healing a Broken Heart

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." - Matthew 6:14

Have you ever been so hurt by someone that all you want to do is blow up in a rage, punch your pillow, and pretend it was them? Do you find yourself sometimes listening to music that correlates to the emotions you feel towards that person? If so, you are not alone. I can empathize with you in this case. It is hard to let go of something so painful when someone has wronged you. It usually weighs on your mind for a while, preventing you from moving on with your life. And this, my friend, is not good.

God doesn't want us to dwell on these things. By dwelling on the hurt someone else has caused you, you are the only one continuing to cause it. You can become your own worst enemy. By hardening your heart you are allowing hatred to find its way into the open wounds. This is how the devil works. He will try to keep infecting your wounds with hate so they never heal...which, in turn, just makes you feel more miserable, hurt, angry, sad, and even depressed.

By letting go of the pain and learning to forgive we start to feel peace in our own hearts. This is the peace of God that will bless you and heal you of all your anguish. Given time, the brokeness of your heart will slowly mend. You will find that it feels good to let go of the pain and surrender it all to God. He will see how you have been able to truly forgive that person with the love of your heart. In the same way, He will forgive you of your sins out of His endless mercy and compassionate love.

You may have heard the phrase, "forgive and forget." It is always good to forgive because it frees us from so much distress. But it doesn't mean that once you forgive the person all those bad memories will suddenly disappear. By learning to forgive means you no longer hold anything against that person for the harm they may have caused you. Instead, when those memories arise, pray for that person...because they probably really need it! Replace the hatred with love.

Someday, maybe even after that person dies and meets God face to face, they will see the pain they caused you and it will hurt. They will also see the love you showed to them with your forgiveness and prayers. Don't you think that they will be so happy to know that you still showed them love and mercy even when they were unworthy of it? ...Of course they will! This is just like us. We are so grateful to know God's unconditional love and mercy even when we don't deserve it. By forgiving others you not only live like Jesus but you are also healing your own heart from all the pain. It is so much easier to move on with life being free from all of the hatred and resentment.

This healing of the heart takes time and will probably not happen overnight. So when you are troubled go to God in prayer and ask for the grace to forgive and move on. Sometimes we let go of things and the very next day we take them back again. Each day is a new struggle and filled with new temptations. Once we seem to find peace the devil will try to stir up those painful emotions again when we least expect it. Don't give into these games the evil one will try to play on us. He is sneaky, and unlike you, does not know love. That is when you can replace the hatred you begin to feel again with love through prayer. Praying about it will also help you to rebuke evil spirits and cast them out of your life.

Just remember, God will help you get through these trials. He loves you ssssooooo much and doesn't want to see you hurting any longer. As stated in Psalm 34:18, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." With patience, time, prayer, and love your heart will begin to feel whole again. All of those bad memories will begin to fade as you replace them with new ones---good ones. For just as God promised, "Behold, I make all things new."

Let Go & Let God

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry." - Psalm 40:1

Hello dear friends in Christ. Happy Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! Today I'm going to continue talking about patience, but this time in the context of specifically waiting for your future spouse. Ladies, if you are a young Catholic woman, seeking a man of the same value, who will uphold your dignity and self-worth...this post is meant for you to read. :)

Late last night one of my good girlfriends came over to visit. We talked about maybe going to the mall or a movie in the evening just to get away and catch up. However, we stayed at my house and talked in my room for probably three to four hours straight. Seriously, it was a great heart-to-heart discussion I really needed. We talked about everything...from school, to work, to our faith, and boys. But most of what we talked about revolved around waiting for the right person to come into our lives, at the right time, and at the right moment.

Do you remember the movie, Field of Dreams? "If you build it, he will come." We discussed how important it is to build a life centered around Jesus and trusting Him to bring you the man of your dreams. Someday your prince will come, ladies. It is just a matter of God's timing and trusting His Will. Rushing into something, like a relationship, that is not centered on Christ or founded in the same faith can lead to serious problems down the road. Sometimes it is hard to believe that there are any good Catholic young men left out there. Even though the ones I've seen want to become priests, I'm sure there are some holy men just waiting to find us good women of faith.

It is surprising though that out of my ten closest girlfriends only three are in a relationship now and four others have never been in a relationship. Even the ones that are dating are not dating Catholic men. They are just Christian. So I'm wondering how on earth all of these beautiful, holy, pure women of God can't seem to find beautiful, holy, and pure Catholic men. Why is it such a struggle? And why do we always keep asking ourselves where are they?

The fact is, God only knows where he is right now. He is out there somewhere, waiting for you... but the time you meet is completely up to God. And I've learned that you can't force it. If you try to and it's not the right time or it's not meant to be it either (a) won't happen or (b) you'll end up with the wrong person.

I haven't been in to many relationships myself. But I have learned a lot from my friends and their mistakes. Let me remind you...it is not quantity that you are trying to find, it is quality. Who cares if you've only had two or three boyfriends... or none. You only need to find one! I know girls who get into relationships all the time and just end up having their heart broken over and over again. You would think they would see the pattern, huh? But instead they keep doing the same thing hoping for different results. What is happening here, is that they are trying to control the situation instead of handing it over to God and waiting for Him to make their dreams a reality.

I found this quote the other day that really caught my eye. It says, "Timing is so important! If you are going to be successful in dance, you must be able to respond to rhythm and timing. It's the same in the Spirit. People who don't understand God's timing can become spiritually spastic, trying to make the right things happen at the wrong time. They don't get His rhythm -- and everyone can tell they are out of step. They birth things prematurely, threatening the very lives of their God-given dreams."

My good friend Taylor, who is a dancer, responded to this by saying, "Yeah that is very true! People rush things too fast in life instead of just letting them happen. Have faith that He will take control... His plan is always bigger and better. So don't try to create something that wasn't in His original plans." This is a perfect example of how you should just let go and let God. Let God work in your life. Instead of trying to seek out your own plans and force something to happen that shouldn't be, just don't worry about it and give it to God. Give God the desires of your heart. He knows that you long for a holy Catholic man...and He will answer you according to His own good time.

For as we all know, the first part of love is patience. "Love is patient, love is kind." 1 Corinthians 13 ❤

Planting the Seed

"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." - Matthew 17:20

Over the weekend my friends and I went to go see the new movie, The Lorax. I really enjoyed this movie. It is cute, entertaining, and great for the whole family. But as I watched the movie I kept thinking about how the main character, Ted, wanted to plant a seed in the ground so a real tree could grow and everyone in the town would see it's beauty. (If you don't know the story of the Lorax, there are no real trees in Ted's town and everything is made of plastic.) It's funny because Ted was originally only doing this for a girl he's crushing on, Audrey. However, sometime God inspires us to do things that we never thought of before -- even if it was originally intended for a boy or girl we really like.

As the movie progressed Ted was willing to do anything to get a real tree for Audrey. So once he got a seed of the last living tree he was determined to plant that seed in the center of town so everyone would see it grow. This reminds me of how we can plant the seed of faith in the lives of others, those who have yet to know the love of God. Just as Ted gave his own personal best effort for getting the tree for Audrey (which he succeeded), Jesus will in turn give us His best if we give Him our best. If you offer up prayers and sacrifices God will give you a generous harvest and multiply your rewards in a miraculous way.

But when you are planting your seeds make sure to place them in rich soil for healthy growth, otherwise they will wither and die. For instance, if you are praying for the conversion of your friend offer up prayers and sacrifices to those saints who are known to do the impossible. Their intercession for you, before God, will be miraculous indeed. Four saints of impossible causes I pray to all the time include -- St. Jude, St. Rita, St. Philomena, and St. Gregory. I trust them with a firm faith, along with the intercession of the Most Holy Mother, Mary, to guide and purify my intention before the throne of God.

In the movie, The Lorax, the kids had a hard time finding a place to plant the seed since there was no soil to be found. But once there was a hole in the ground they found the soil they needed. Sometimes it just takes patience, but if you plant your seed with faith and love, trusting that God will answer your sincere petition, He will give you the answer that you so earnestly and trustingly seek. However, the answers always come in God's time, not ours. It is important to submit ourselves to the Will of God, for His Will will ultimately make us the happiest because He knows what is best for us. Even our prayer might not be answered in the way we think because God may have a better way to answer it instead.

If we keep this in mind, trusting the Lord with our prayers and sacrifices, anything is possible. As Jesus said Himself, stated in Matthew 17:20, "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." If we continue to foster our seeds with faith and love, we will be loved as we love. Through prayer, we will be healed as we heal. We will be blessed as we bless. We will be given as we give to others. It is something that involves a complete surrender to God's Holy Will. Never doubt God's infinite mercy and divine love. If we trust without hesitation our prayer will be answered according to God's own good time -- meaning that even if we don't see the fruit of our petition doesn't mean that it wasn't answered. It may take months, years, or even a lifetime... but if you fully partake in this trust, planting your seed of faith, nothing is impossible!