Meditations

June 13, 2013
June 13, 2013
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How Well Do You Know God?

If you were to ask me to describe someone I’m familiar with, I would start by naming the person’s attributes.  An attribute is defined as “an inherent characteristic” or “a word ascribing a quality.”  For example, if you asked me to describe my dad (Carl Williams), I would respond by saying that he’s organized, practical, protective, by-the-book, private, efficient, productive, hardworking, trustworthy, skilled, confident, decisive, and strategic.  My description of how I remember my grandfather (Tom Williams) would include the following attributes: bold, vigorous, genuine, intense, self-reliant, admired, dominant, forceful, trustworthy, confident, decisive, and independent.

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May 30, 2013
May 30, 2013
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School Is Never Out

Cavett Robert (1907-1997), a lawyer and founder of the National Speakers Association, used to say, “School is never out for the professional.”  During the time he was on the national speaking circuit, Cavett sold courses that consisted of workbooks and cassette tapes for people to take home to listen to and study on their own.  He and other well-known speakers emphasized the importance of “spaced repetition,” a learning system that encouraged a person to listen to each cassette a minimum of seven times so the material that was covered would become imbedded in the subconscious mind of the listener.

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May 16, 2013
May 16, 2013
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Cooperation With God

There was a time when all the Catholic grade schools in the country held an event every May that celebrated the crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.  The event included a procession with music, followed by a crown of flowers being placed on the head of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Among devout Catholics, the month of May has always been known as the month of Mary.

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April 25, 2013
April 25, 2013
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A Crisis of Faith

The dictionary defines “crisis” as “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending, especially one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome.”

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April 11, 2013
April 11, 2013
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The Role of Women in the World

Last week, at a general audience, Pope Francis touched on the role of women in the Catholic church.  He started out by discussing the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and then, in a bold expression of the importance of women in the church and in society, stated:

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March 21, 2013
March 21, 2013
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Revealing Your Worst Sin To The Public

What was it that Jesus wrote on the ground when the gang of scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Him and told Him that because she had been caught in the act of adultery, the law of Moses commanded that she be stoned to death?  How long was He writing before the eldest man in the group walked away?  Did He intentionally knock out the eldest man first because he was the leader of the group?  Did He write new information after each man left?  Those are some of the questions that came to mind when I listened to the Gospel reading last Sunday (the fifth Sunday of Lent).  The relevant part of the Gospel is as follows:

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March 14, 2013
March 14, 2013
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The Brother of the Prodigal Son

Last Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent) the Gospel reading for the Mass (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) described how the prodigal son asked and received half of his father’s inheritance, moved to a distant region, then proceeded to squander the money he received on alcohol and women.

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March 7, 2013
March 7, 2013
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Bearing Fruit for the Kingdom of God

A couple of weeks ago Americans were treated to the Oscars (also known as the Academy Awards), the annual ceremony where awards are given to actors, directors, and other individuals who have important roles in the making of movies.  As usual, there was an area where the actors and actresses posed for pictures before walking into the auditorium where the ceremony took place.

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February 28, 2013
February 28, 2013
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St. Peter, the Transfiguration, and Leadership

On the second Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading for the Mass (Luke 9:28-36) described how Jesus took three of His disciples – Peter, John, and James – up on a mountain to pray.  While Jesus was praying, His disciples fell asleep.  When they woke up, Peter and his companions saw Jesus, Moses, and Elijah standing together.  Their bodies were radiant from being in a glorified state.

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