Medjugorje Visionary Marija Visits Notre Dame

"And Mary said, 'My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has has done great things for me—holy is His name.'" 
- Luke 1:46-49

On November 15th the Medjugorje visionary, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, came to the University of Notre Dame for one of her daily apparitions. She came to witness to those living in South Bend, IN about the Medjugorje messages coming from Our Lady. My cousin, Lauren, attends the University of Notre Dame and she was fortunate to be able to go to this event with my aunt. Mary TV also streamed a live video feed online. (Click here to read Cathy Nolan's reflection of this event from Mary TV's perspective.) This was such a blessing! Because of this broadcast my family and I were present for the apparition as well, via the internet.

During the apparition you could see the peace of Our Lady's presence come upon Marija while she was in ecstasy. It must be so wonderful to see the beauty of the Blessed Mother everyday! What a gift! I cannot even imagine.

After the vision, Marija gave her testimony to all who gathered there. I was surprised to hear her speaking in English. Since I have done a lot of research about Medjugorje I know that this particular visionary never studied the English language. It was absolutely amazing to hear her witness in our own native tongue. When I went to Medjugorje in 2010 my family and I stayed with the visionary Ivan. Even though he knew how to speak English, he would always use a translator while giving a testimony since he was more comfortable speaking in Croatian. I am so glad Marija choose to speak in English this time. It was much easier for us to relate to her by hearing the witness given in our language.

While Marija spoke she reflected upon the reasons of why Our Lady is coming. Is is very apparent that our society today is corrupted in sin and in great need of the Blessed Mother's presence. At the event Marija relayed the message of God which came from the Blessed Mother, stating, "I am God, the Resurrection. I am the God who was crucified and died. But I am resurrected! I am with you and I died for you. But I give you freedom. In this freedom you have a choice. Good or bad. I call you for goodness." The Blessed Mother also added, "I call you for new life. It's your choice. It's your choice to say yes or no." 

It is so sad that numerous people across the globe have stopped following Christ. They have given up on Him and are looking to the world for their satisfaction. Some people even claim to be "spiritual" but not "religious." Spirituality can be very dangerous if it is not within a religious context, such as Christianity. This usually means they are following New Age trends or satanic influences. Those involved in these cults and/or do not believe in God are in grave danger. What they do not realize is that they are putting their own soul at risk of losing the opportunity of enteral life. That is why Our Lady is coming for them. She is coming to give them hope. She is coming to give all of us hope and the grace of conversion.

Marija's testimony rang with truth and conviction. Like she said, we need to give our "YES" to God. We need to accept Him into our lives to strengthen our faith day by day. Only in this way can we inherit His holy kingdom. Paradise is waiting for us! All of us! If people seriously knew this who would ever say no to happily ever after? But, as Marija testified, it is our choice. It is our choice to accept or reject. By rejecting Christ we have essentially rejected eternal life. But if we accept Him into our life and our hearts we accept His glorious kingdom. During this "Year of Faith" let us give our entire "YES" to God. Let us glorify the Lord like Mary did with her "YES" to becoming the mother of Jesus. For she has truly given us the greatest example in accepting the Will of the Father.

         

The Age of Heroic Catholicism Has Begun

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'" - Matthew 25:31-34

The United States of America, and the Roman Catholic Church within our own country, has been forever changed. On November 6, 2012, the American people chose to re-elect a president who's policies go against our entire belief system as Catholics/Christians. People have chosen death over life, sin over purity, greed over generosity, satisfaction over sacrifice, slothfulness over diligence, socialism over democracy, and—essentially—evil over good. Besides President Obama embracing all of these vices (such as abortions, contraceptives, gay marriages...etc.) he has also weakened our economy with an increasing rate of unemployment/underemployment. It is astonishing to believe that he was re-elected as president again just on his record alone!

During the next four years we will be challenged. Catholics in America will be persecuted. Our religious freedoms will be stripped away bit by bit. However, those who remain true to Jesus in the sacrament of the Eucharist will receive the strength to endure these trying times. This will test our faith. Inevitably, Catholics across the nation will have to chose to stand with the church or not. It is a very clear-cut decision. The so called "casual Catholics" will no longer exist because those who remain truly faithful will be the only ones willing to endure the persecutions. 

Some people, including Catholics, may have no idea to what I am referring to. Shocking! Right? According to the Obamacare HHS mandate, Catholic institutions (including hospitals, charities, schools, and churches) will NOT be exempted from paying the health care taxes that include funding abortions. This is one of the biggest reasons why the GOP "pro-life" candidates, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, were against Obamacare in the first place. As Roman Catholics we are pro-life. That is a HUGE principal of our faith! Essentially, Catholics who voted for Obama indirectly put a wedge between themselves and the Catholic Church's teachings. Our Catholic identity does not come from the title of our faith. It comes from our own actions by living out the word of God. Saying that you are "Catholic" means nothing if you don't apply the teachings in your own life. And apparently half of the Catholics in America didn't get the memo! Or an even worse scenario—half of the Catholics refused to listen and voted to re-elect Obama anyways.

The US Bishops warned us time and time again about this mandate. Ramifications from this mandate include Catholic hospitals closing down by the refusal to pay taxes on the inhuman procedure of abortions and the utilization of contraceptives. Also, did you know that Catholic hospitals make up 12% of our entire nation's hospitals? That would be detrimental to the economy and well-being of US citizens if they were all forced to close. Click here for more info. Other institutions, like Catholic schools and churches, will also be attacked. There is the option of paying a huge fine for not paying the health care taxes. But for these institutions to have the means to survive AND pay the fines will be extremely difficult. It can be done...but over time you will see many many MANY of these schools and churches close down. If these institutions continue to stay open, refuse to pay the taxes, and cannot afford the fines... Catholics will be thrown in jail, especially the priests who run the churches. 

Can you see the infringements the government is placing upon our religious freedom? This clearly violates the first amendment of the constitution that allows us to have free exercise of religion. For example, Catholic education will become less affordable. The private Catholic schools and universities will probably have to jack up the tuition in order to pay the fines. However, that can only go so far before they start losing enrollment. Then they will start to close down, like the hospitals. This restricts us to secular education, removing our freedom to chose an education based in Catholicism. 

All of this is hard to imagine. But my worst fear is the government forcing the churches to pay these taxes. If the churches start to close down, and if priests get thrown in jail, where do the faithful go to attend Holy Mass? Where are we suppose to receive Jesus in the sacrament of the Eucharist? How does one get married in the Catholic church? Where will confession be offered? Baptism? Confirmation? Adoration? ...At this point I'm not sure. We'll have to cross that bridge when we get there. But there is no doubt in my mind that a war is developing on our church in this country. However, Cardinal Dolan reminds us that Catholics won't give up without a fight—which is entirely true.

The age of heroic Catholicism has begun! A new era of faith is born. Even the pope announced this year as the "Year of Faith." It is up to us to remain faithful, stand by the church, and endure the persecutions—whatever they may be—even if it means dying for what we believe in. Although I was originally devastated to hear the news that Obama was re-elected, this will give us the opportunity to embrace our faith even more...in the midst of evil. This will give us the opportunity of become REAL saints! We must be role-models for others. We must choose to say "yes" to Christ and become His sheep in the flock and let the others fall by the wayside (Luke 8:5-8). Those who embrace the church will be a dagger of light that pierces the darkness of the wickedness and sin. It is time to ignite that flame and let your heart burn fiercely for Christ. Remember what St. Catherine of Sienna said, "If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!" 

I invite you to join me in this effort of reviving the Catholic Church in the United States of America. There are 77 million Catholics in our country alone. It is time to wake up this sleeping giant! Pray the rosary with friends and family. Go to Holy Mass. Receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Utilize the resources of the Catholic Church while they are still available to us. (FYI: The mandate doesn't go into effect until August of 2013.) Even though we might not be able to control what the government does, we can control how we handle what is thrust upon us. It is not going to be easy. Be prepared that it will probably be extremely difficult. However, the reward of eternal life in Heaven will be over a million times greater then any suffering we may face on this earth. Do all that you can to bring souls to Christ. Help revive the church. Continuously grow in your own faith, day by day, so at the end of your life you may hear God say to you, "Well done my good and faithful servant."

"We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials." - St. Teresa of Avila

Your Prayer, Your Voice, Your Vote

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance." 
- Psalm 33:12

Catholic voters, this upcoming presidential election for 2012 is only a few weeks away. We need to ask ourselves... What does God truly want for the United States of America? What are His future plans for us and our country? How can America become a nation that will uphold His values? What is it going to take for our country to be successful and, at the same time, be loyal to the Almighty God? In what way can we serve God in this election?

These are all questions with answers that need to be determined on our own. But as a suggestion, contemplate WWJD: what would Jesus do? If Jesus could vote in this election who do you think He would choose? Who would please God more as our next president? It is obviously a very clear choice. God is giving us the opportunity to reform America with a new president. A president who will lead with honesty and integrity.

Since many people have already made up their mind about who to vote for, the election is coming down to the undecided voters. Please keep these men and women in your prayers. Pray, now and on election day, they will wake up with a clear decision inspired by enlightenment from Holy Spirit. Pray the rosary especially for them now and in the days to come. This is a very serious issue. It is no laughing matter, as Vice President Joe Biden might think.

Our country is under a serious attack through spiritual warfare. The best way to combat the evil lurking in the darkness is to pray for the American people. Pray with a radiant light! This light will shine so bright it will pierce the darkness and enlighten others. It is our job now. We must be that light—the light of Christ. Many saints have come before us and given examples of how to live a life for Jesus. We must follow in their footsteps. It is essential, for the survival of our nation as we know it.

CatholicVote.org just came out with a wonderful video and prayer for this election. I encourage you to watch it and share it with others.

This is my prayer for America:
Holy Spirit, come and be with us. Guide and enlighten us. Help us this night and everyday to do Your Will, to be open to Your inspiration, and to allow our lives simply to be reflections of Your creative power. And we ask only Your inspiration to guide us and lead us. That we may spend the brief days of our lives doing Your Will as best we can. Amen.

Just watching these Americans in this video above gives our country hope. Hope for a real change! Hope for a good change! It is imperative that Americans pray for our own country. But we, as Americans, also need to be informed on the issues at stake. Catholic voters should be aware of what to look for in the presidential candidates and what they stand for.

Here are PDF documents you can download and share with friends. Help them become more informed on the issues, especially if they are undecided Catholic voters.

• Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics by Catholic Answers.
• Where Do The Candidates Stand On Life? by National Right to Life Committee, Inc. 
• Florida Catholic Bishop's Statement by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Know the Positions of the Presidential Candidates by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Discerning Your Vote by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Election and Political Activities Guide by Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Faithful Citizenship by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• YES: Amendment 8 & Religious Freedom by Citizens for Religious Freedom 

It is also important to know, as Catholic Americans, that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a statement on October 12, 2012, refuting Vice President Biden's claim regarding the HHS mandate. According to this statement, Catholic organizations are not exempt from the Administrations's anti-Catholic HHS mandate. Click here to view the statement. The USCCB continues to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in the strongest possible terms, to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom. However, since many of our religious freedoms are constantly under attack it is very important to vote YES to Amendment 8. This constitutional amendment will help protect our religious freedom. Click here to view the Amendment 8 Fact Sheet. (Note: This Amendment may only be found on the Florida voters ballot.)

Interestingly enough, The Christian Post also pointed out that many people tweeted the bible verse Proverbs 29:9 to describe Joe Biden after the recent Vice Presidential Debate. The verse states, "If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace." This statement perfectly describes what happened when the two opposing Catholics went head to head on the issues at the debate. As a result of this, the GOP released a very interesting and powerful ad called "Laughing at the Issues."

I hope and pray that those capable of voting in this election will vote for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. May I remind you, not everyone in America can vote. That is why your prayer, your voice, and your vote are so important in this upcoming election. It is necessary to remain faithful to the values of the church as Roman Catholics living in America. Many people are counting on your vote! For example, the high school students shown in the video below describe what it's like for their future to be in the hands of the eligible American voters. They are voices without a vote. But if you are an American citizen that is 18-years-of-age or older, before the election, you have the opportunity to proclaim your voice and vote.

During this election, I choose to follow Jesus. If you do too He will never ever leave you astray. This I promise you. With all of my heart, I know America is headed towards a new, wonderful, beautiful, and bright future. But it is up to you. Will you decide to be heard on November 6, 2012, with your prayer, your voice, and your vote? May God bless you and God bless the United States of America. 

Can You Paint With All The Colors Of The Wind?

"Like the appearance of the bow in that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." - Ezekiel 1:28

Hello friends in Christ! I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. My schoolwork has been very hectic lately. But God has definitely been helping me a lot to get through this rough patch. Anyways, I wanted to share with you about the wonderful colors God has bestowed upon us in His amazing creation! Recently I had several coloring assignments for my classes. It's funny because I'm a senior in college and my professors are giving me things to color—like when I was five. However, I'm not complaining, it was a lot of fun.

For my Renaissance class we were all given panels from the Sistine Chapel. Each person in the class was assigned a partner to color with. The panels were separated into several sections. It was our job to color them with the right colors and to keep the panels seamless, in doing so. The girl I worked with gave me some of her colored pencils to use so we would both be using the same colors for the panels. The assignment ended up turning out very well. It is so bright and vivid. The colors are absolutely beautiful! The section of the Sistine Chapel we colored was the throne of The Delphic Sibyl. She is one of the most beautiful figures Michelangelo painted on the ceiling. Her garments contain hues of deep oranges and reds, light greens, and various shades of blues.

Michelangelo, The Delphic Sibyl, Sistine Chapel, 1509

After coloring the large panel sections I recalled Our Lady's recent Medjugorje message. On September 25, 2012, she said, "Dear children! When in nature you look at the richness of the colors which the Most High gives you, open your heart and pray with gratitude for all the good that you have and say: 'I am here created for eternity'—and yearn for heavenly things because God loves you with immeasurable love. This is why He also gave me to you to tell you: 'Only in God is your peace and hope, dear children.' Thank you for having responded to my call."

After reading her message over again I just walked around my campus and took in all the beauty, the colors, and the light God has given us. He has created the most wonderful and glorious work of art in history—which is the Earth and life itself. Just think about how many beautiful things in this world can leave you in complete awe...such as the ocean, the sky, the sun, the clouds, the mountains, the aurora borealis, all of the rainbows, waterfalls, trees, flowers, plants, animals, etc. The list goes on and on! With every form of creation we have amazing colors. This world has so much beauty to offer. For instance, there are so many colorful fish under the sea, vividly painted flowers of the Earth, multicolored butterflies, picturesque landscapes, blazing orange fires, and crystal blue waters. We need to take the time to appreciate the beauty around us. Even admiring the metallic feathers of a peacock, created by the Most High, illustrates our understanding of God as the ultimate creator of beauty and wonder. Having an artistic background myself, I have learned to appreciate this beauty even more deeply.

Maybe you have heard of Akiane Kramarik. She is an artistic child prodigy. She started drawing around the age of four. Without any art lessons she began to paint mesmerizing pictures. Her imagery came from visions she received from God at a very young age. Akiane is known for painting portraits, scenic landscapes, religious, and spiritual images. She tends to use extremely vivid colors for her compositions. At ten years old she painted Creation (2005), a colorful depiction of the stars, planets, and galaxy. This is Akiane's interpretation of the universe which came from God, Himself.

Akiane Kramarik, Creation, 48"x48", Age 10 (2005)

She painted another incredibly vivid image in 2006. Again, her interpretation of Heaven came from these visions. This piece is called Supreme Sanctuary, completed at age eleven. Talking about this painting, she said, "In Heaven I believe there is a place where each of us will be able to choose and create a sanctuary. I believe that certain things will be somewhat similar to the earth and many things completely different. This is the garden and a mansion I would like to plant and build. In fact, the colors in the original painting are so unique and mysterious that it was almost impossible to reproduce them for the print reproduction."

Akiane Kramarik, Supreme Sanctuary, 30"x40", Age 11 (2006)

Akiane's striking images speak to us through the colors she utilizes inspired by God's creation. Although there are many beautiful creations in this world, the most beautiful of all is God's mother—the Blessed Virgin Mary. Akiane also painted a portrait of Mary, titled Innocence, at the age of twelve. She describes the painting as her interpretation of purity, gentleness, beauty, and humility. Even though she is not Catholic, Akiane recognizes the importance of Mary and her eternal, youthful, glorious beauty.

Akiane Kramarik, Innocence, 48"x60", Age 12 (2007)

Observing God's creation and the beautiful colors in found nature, I'm sure you have heard the famous song that correlates to this topic. It is from Disney's Pocahontas called "Colors of the Wind." In the movie, Pocahontas asks her friend, John Smith, "Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?" This seems impossible, right? The wind itself does not have color. It is invisible. And yet, everything it touches is saturated with color. Even though we cannot see the wind, we know it is there because we can feel it. This is the same as our Lord. Although we may not see Him, we can always feel His presence among us through His beauty in nature.

Even though we are speaking about visible colors, the song is also referring to our way of life. Like an artist, striving for perfection, we must also strive to seek perfection in our own lives. Living according to His word is key. Can you just image painting the most beautiful, colorful, and glorious picture of yourself to offer God at the end of your life? I don't mean painting a physical painting. I mean painting the image of your persona with the actions you live in this life. Let your soul be illuminated by the love of God. Only then will you be able to reflect all the colors of the rainbow. So having said this, may I ask you a question...can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Check out my Pintrest page and view my board "Beautiful Places" if you are interested in seeing more of God's beauty. I love to pin stuff! So check out everything. I even have some great Catholic boards you can follow and pin from. Enjoy! 

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."

Discover A Love That Helps You Become Yourself

"She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." - Proverbs 31:12

Are you a Catholic/Christian single lady? If so, then this post is for you. Over the summer I finished reading the book How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul by Jason and Crystalina Evert. It is such an amazing book! Seriously one of the best books I have ever read. I highly recommend it to any young woman who is seriously considering a vocation in marriage. It really makes you think about what you want to find in your future husband. It explains everything very well and it is full of wisdom! Like I said, this book is especially great for Catholic/Christian girls, but it also reaches out to those who are still struggling in their faith journey. I can assure you it is just as beautiful and pure inside as it is on the cover. It is enchanting, delightful, and filled with hope to find a wonderful life-long romance based on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you read this book you will not be disappointed.

It touched me so much I honestly felt that all of my girl friends need to read it too! I listened to the Holy Spirit calling me for this mission. So I took action and bought 44 copies of the book in a bulk order from Jason's and Crystalina's website in order to distribute them to my friends. I have probably given away half of the copies by now. So many girls are coming up to me now and thanking me for giving them this book. It is even touching people I've never met! One of my good friends, Michelle, let her friend borrow her copy of the book to read too. I saw on Facebook that she posted on Michelle's wall, in response, "Soooo you remember the book you let me borrow, How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul? ...Your friend was totally right about this book. It's a book that every girl (and woman) must have." Now, all we need is a guy version of this book for men...right?

Order the book now on Amazon or visit http://www.howtofindyoursoulmate.com/. In your quest for love don't lose yourself along the way. It's time that you discover a love that helps you to become yourself. I hope you enjoy the book! God bless.

Check out this video below. Sarah Swafford, a very well spoken young woman, shares her view on relationships and how they should unfold with virtue. 

Resist Temptations and Believe in America

One Nation Under God

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

In today's world, being a good Catholic can be a really hard thing. You have all sorts of temptations trying to pull you down, away from your faith, and essentially away from God. When other people see that you are living a happy life and you are counter-cultural, they are not going to like that. In fact, they may be jealous of you since you are so in touch with your faith. They see that you are aware of something so far beyond the realm of this universe. This is when people, who have been influenced by the evil one, will try to make you question your faith and why you practice it. They will ask you all sorts of things to make you doubt yourself. And of course, relying on faith means that we, as Catholics, will not have all the answers. But that is what faith is! Like St. Augustine said, "Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."

In America, I see that our country has been slipping away from God over time. Our government is currently not being run by someone who leads with values and integrity. There has been a shift in society of what is acceptable as morally right and wrong. What has happen to the America my grandfather fought for in the military? I cannot imagine that God is please with the decisions our president has made in the last four years. Especially with the decisions to fund abortions.

Last week the RNC came to my hometown, in Tampa. It was wonderful to see all the amazing people here who have the love of God in their hearts. These politicians spoke with enthusiasm of how our country will get back on the right path as one nation under God. Even the Vice Presidential candidate, Paul Ryan, attended Mass in St. Petersburg during that week. Radio station, Spirit FM 90.5, informed us that Cardinal Dolan was there to celebrate the liturgy at St. Mary's Catholic Church. The Cardinal even gave the final benediction for the closing of the RNC. It is so important that we pray for our country in these times ahead. Through prayer we will be able to resist all of the evilness that wants to overcome us in this nation.

Like I said before, just living a normal day to day life as a good Catholic-American can have its ups and downs. Many of us are spiritually attacked on a regular basis because we are following God. The devil is aware of this, so he targets us more often. If we are to live in a country that is far from God it will be much harder to resist these temptations. People will label you. You will not be the most liked. But who cares? Why does it matter what these people think anyways? They do not have the best interest for you. They do not want what you want. So it is best to ignore these people and just pray for them. Try not to start a discussion with them that will lead to a political/religious argument. God does not want strife among His people. He wants us to live in harmony, even with our differences.

It is important to note that God does not pick political sides. We as people, involved in politics, chose to be on God's side. If we are on God's side, then we want what He wants. If you hear the voice of God coming through any of these politicians then you know what they are saying is what He wants. If you have a relationship with Jesus then you'll know He wants us to chose life. He wants us to have religious freedom. He wants us to value the sacrament of marriage. And He wants us to have a good economy that will help foster the hope of living the "American Dream."

This election will truly put us to the test. The way we vote is not something to be taken lightly. Voting is not just filling in a bubble with black pen on a page. It is something that each and every person will be held accountable for, according to his/her own measure.

In the follow YouTube video this well-spoken young lady explains her thoughts about being a Catholic in this day and age. Even though we go through many temptations on a daily basis we can overcome those with prayer and fasting. Making sacrifices for God will demonstrate your submission to His Holy Will. Praying for those people who have hurt you is what God means when He tells us to love our enemies. They might be completely unaware of the blessings you are bestowing upon them. However, God knows, and He will bless them according to your petitions.

So go out into the world and resist all kind of temptations the evil one may be throwing at you. And believe in your country, believe in America! We must believe together as one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you for reading my blog post. Take care. God bless you and God bless America!