The Spirit of Bethlehem

All in one place together
The wind started to blow
Racing through the house
The Spirit did bestow
Flaming tongues of fire
Resting on each of them
Filled with the Spirit
Of the child from Bethlehem

They sang praises to the Father
And the glory of His Son
Proclaimed the Holy Spirit
Three Persons all in one
Flaming lounges of fire
Resting on each of them
Filled with the Spirit
Of the child from Bethlehem

Many now had gathered
Hearing the strange sound
Confused they were hearing
Words that would astound
Language that was spoken
Understood by each of them
Filled with the Spirit
Of the child from Bethlehem

They sang praises to the Father
And the glory of His Son
Proclaimed the Holy Spirit
Three Persons all in one
Flaming lounges of fire
Resting on each of them
Filled with the Spirit
Of the child from Bethlehem

Copyright by "Anthony"

The Bread of Life

Come to me if you thirst
You shall have your fill
Come to me if you hunger
To do so is my will
Come to me you tired ones
I will give you rest
You shall know I love you
Your spirit I shall bless

I am the bread of life - you shall have your fill
Trust and believe in me - to do so is my will
Come to me tired ones and I will give you rest
I shall satisfy your hunger; feed upon my flesh

Come to me - where living waters flow
Reside in my Spirit – within you I shall sow
Seeds that will lead you – to eternity
Come to me my child – come feed on me

I am the bread of life - you shall have your fill
Trust and believe in me - to do so is my will
Come to me tired ones and I will give you rest
I shall satisfy your hunger; feed upon my flesh

I am bread from heaven
You shall have your fill
Never shall you hunger
Trust and do my will
Come to me tired ones
I will give you rest
I am the bread of life - come and feed upon my flesh

Copyright by “Anthony”

I Believe

John 16: 31-33
Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming, in fact, it is already here, you will be scattered, each one going your own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

We indeed have scattered and have gone are own way; conducting our lives on our own terms. Yes, we have left the Lord alone, all of us in our own way. But the Lord is not alone because he is one with the Father. As we encounter our earthly trials and sorrows, do not loose heart; Jesus is always with us and has overcome the world and all the falsehoods, trials and sorrows. Do you finally believe? I do believe!!!

Filled With Joy

John 16:20-21
Truly, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me again.
Jesus is not only referring to his passion, death, and resurrection, but for the things that are in store for all those who love him. Today, there is much to be concerned about; let us not loose hope. Jesus tells us that we will mourn over what is going to happen to him; so even today we mourn the disrespectful ways our Lord is treated; worry not. Although it may seem that things around us are quickly moving out of control, and many rejoice in the direction of events that are unfolding; fear not. Remember the words of our Lord; “You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me again.” Get ready to be filled with joy, Jesus is coming!

In Your Face or Without a Trace

I was in the Bank that day; I stood in line and watched the TV screen; my heart and soul fell to the floor. The smoke and flames billowed from the tower; out of nowhere comes the second blow. I stood there in awe watching these events unfold before my eyes. Then the horror of watching my fellow Americans lunging from the flaming towers. I said to myself, “this cannot be happening in my country,” but it was, and it did.
Tonight I came home from work and there it was right before my eyes once again. I could not believe what I was hearing and seeing. On one hand the case was being made against pouring water in the face of the terrorist who brought so much pain and destruction against our fellow Americans on that horrible day. On the other hand those who supported these tactics made their case. I am not a violent person; the torture of any human being is totally against my core beliefs. But the pouring of water into the face of a person that was responsible of the killing of so many innocent human beings and plotted to kill thousands more is a no brainier to me. The effect of implementing this deed saved thousands of innocent American lives. Then it hits me; how could a man profess to against the torture of human beings on the one hand and on the other hand side with the destruction of the most innocent among us; the unborn. The hypocrisy is truly unbelievable; the pouring of water into a destructors face, or to end an innocent human beings life without a trace. Evil is evil, politics is politics, but murder is murder. You either profess to be against harm and destruction or you are for it, there is no in between.
I went to the Bank that day, September 11th, to cash a check; I realized that day that in this world there is good and there is evil. I know that good exists, but on that day for the first time in my life I experienced the face of evil. Let us not be as the hypocrites, let us stand always for peace inside our world and inside the womb.

My Best Friend

I would like to take a moment to tell you about my best friend. He doesn’t always tell me what I want to hear, no, sometimes his message is down right disturbing; I must admit though, he has never been wrong. He’s always been very patient with me, even when I completely turned my back on him. It’s amazing, with all the mistakes I’ve made in my life he has never once abandoned me; and any time I need someone to talk to he’s always there to lend an ear. When I’m feeling down he picks me up; when I get lost he helps me find my way. Even the times when I felt so distant from him, or it seemed as though we had parted ways, he would seek me out and let me know how much he loves me; he has always been there for me. It’s taken me fifty years to realize how fortunate and blessed I am to have such a wonderful friend. It’s funny, there were times when I thought I had it all figured out and that I was in control; I know better now. Thanks to my best friend, I have made it this far and I know for certain how the story of my life will end.

Decision Time

John 16:5-11
"But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going. Instead, you are very sad. But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Counselor won't come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world's sin is unbelief in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.
The prince of this world has already been judged; he has been found guilty of deceit and condemned for eternity. So why is the world still so troubled and sinful? Jesus tells us that He would send the Holy Spirit; and the Spirit of truth would convince the world of its sin. He states further: “the world’s sin is unbelief in me.” The deceiver has been successful from the beginning, to the present age, of masterminding the biggest lie of all time; there is no God. The evil one tempted Jesus in the desert and so too he temps us today. We are offered all of the pleasures this world has to offer if we follow him and deny the existence of God and His beloved Son Jesus the Christ. Which spirit are we hearing and following? Now is the time to decide, will we put our faith in things of this world that are quickly passing away, or will we seek out the truth in all things? The Spirit of truth is found within each of us; ready to fill our hearts with God’s love and the mercy of His Son, Jesus; seek Him out.

The Role of Hypocrites

John 14: 23-29

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.“ In that day you will know that I am in My Father and you in Me, and I in you. “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.“ Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.
“I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.
Jesus said, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. This is where our Christian faith has its roots. Jesus promises to all those who keep the commandments of the Father; Jesus said, “I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Is our heart set on the Lord?
Do we hear his voice within us and follow the laws of the Father? If so, then we have been filled with the Spirit of truth; we have nothing to fear; God dwells within us. He also sends a message to the world that lives in darkness and does not keep the commandments of God; the world cannot receive him, because it does not see Him or know Him.
This is a very important point that should be made to many that are in positions of power. They claim belief in God, but they do not follow his laws; they are hypocrites. They do not obey the laws because they are not filled with the Spirit of truth but the spirit of the ruler of this world that Jesus told us was coming. Case in point: Notre Dame University a Catholic institution; today Sunday, May 17, 2009.

One Stone at a Time

John: 15: 16-17
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus makes it very clear, that he has called us to go out and live the message of the Gospel. Wherever we find ourselves at this time in our lives, we have been placed there for a reason. It is there we must accept the graces that the Lord wishes to bestow upon us and use them in a humble way to spread his peace and joy to all around us. In turn, those we help will someday follow suit and help another person, and so on. We are not called to move mountains, only to build the Kingdom of God here on earth. If we do that, then when our journey here is finished, we will have built up a mountain of glory that has been raised to heaven, one stone at a time.

Parable of the Talents

For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, “Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.” His master said to him, well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”
Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, “Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.”
His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”
And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.”
But his master answered and said to him, “you wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.” “Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”
For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

There is no more poignant verse that hits home today than this one. The Lord has given us all many gifts and talents; he expects us to use them to bear much fruit. He does not want us to bury our heads in the sand and to waste what he has given us; he instead wants us to multiply them to produce more with the gifts he has given us. If we waste our gifts than they will be taken away, but if we use them to bear fruit than we shall prosper ten fold. Also, the Lord approves of his people working hard and being prosperous. Laziness and expecting something for nothing is sinful. But he does expect those who have been successful to lend a helping hand to those in need. As Jesus has said, “the poor you will always have with you.” It is up to us always to help those who are less fortunate. There is not only a reward waiting for those who follow will of God in the Kingdom; there is also a reward waiting for those who work hard and use the gifts that God has blessed us with in this world today. There is no shame in being successful; only shame in not being successful in furthering the Kingdom here on earth with the gifts we have been blessed with.

Witness

Today more than any other day, or any other point in time, we are called to witnesses of truth. The times in which we live are truly trying and very stressful. Many seek release from all the stress in many different ways. Unfortunately so many of us have become entrapped in a life of routine; the world offers us so many different ways to relieve our tension and stress. Our release may come in the form of music, a TV show, a night out at a ballgame, or dining out with family or friends. Whatever the case may be, let us never loose our focus on where true peace will be found. True and lasting peace will only be found in the presence of the Lord. He alone can fill us with the joy our souls long for. The world is quickly passing away, along with all the empty promises, temptations and attachments; all of which have seem to become the idols of our lives. Spending time with the Lord in prayer, meditation, or especially before the Blessed Sacrament, will feed a tired and weary soul. In doing so, we will be in tune with the will of God; fulfilling our calling to be his witnesses as we live out our daily lives. The time is now to become a true and faithful servant of our Lord. Let us be his light of peace and joy; satisfy those who have a need or desire, and set the world ablaze with his love and fire.

Peace of the Lamb

John 14: 27-31
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”
He who is the way, the truth, and the life, our Lord, Jesus Christ, extends to us his true peace. Once again he tells us not to be afraid, and he promises us that he will return for us. He leads us by example; true love is a grace from the Father, if we do the will of the Father, then we, as Jesus, prove our love for Him. Jesus also tells us that the prince of this world would be coming, but that the evil one has no power over him. It is very obvious that he is truly the prince of all the darkness in the world today; that’s the bad news. However, the good news is; he has already been defeated and condemned to eternal damnation, along with all of his evil minions. We need only to continue to fight the good fight, one day at a time. The Lamb has already been slain, and his blood spread upon the beam of the cross. “It Is Finished!”

The Battle Lines

John: Chapter 16
“All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.
These words from our Lord are striking, especially it light of the conditions around the world today. Jesus is telling us that we will surely be persecuted for our belief in him. The word kill is a very strong word, but let’s be honest, there are people in the around the world who kill in the name of God; but then again we have people in our own families who persecute us for having a relationship with our Lord. One thing is for sure, our faith will be challenged around every corner; are you up for the fight? Get ready to put on the armor of faith; it is the only thing that will see us through.

Chapter 15: 1-8

The Vine and the Branches

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus is telling us that he alone is our lifeline to the Father. If we choose to attach ourselves to him then we shall bear much fruit; If not we shall just wither away. Our spiritual nourishment is drawn out from he who sustains us; Jesus the Christ. May we always affix our hearts and minds on the Lord; he alone is will carry us through this life; he alone shall lead us to the Father, and our eternal salvation.

A Guaranteed Investment

Our Creator through his infinite wisdom created the heavens and the earth. After doing so, God looked at everything he had made, and was very pleased.
The Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live. Then the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the flesh. He formed a woman out of the rib and brought her to him. Then the man said, “at last, here is one of my own kind – bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman’ is her name because she was taken out of man.”
Those who profess to believe in God believe that he created us; and from that point in time to the present day many changes have taken place. Many for the well being of mankind, and many, I believe, that are contrary to what God had intended for his children.
It seems that we are at a crossroads point in time; many have totally removed God from their lives, still others that profess their belief in God have drifted off the road; going it alone and doing it their way on their own terms. That’s all well and good, but sooner or later we find ourselves at the end of the road, then what? Pleasure over sacrifice, materialism over charity, Egotism and the lust for power over reaching out to our fellow man, and the list goes on. I am a sinner, and do not profess to speak for God, but common sense tells us that this is not what the Father had intended for his children. I am not a gambling man, but there is one thing I know without a doubt in my mind, the world is full of empty promises and falsehoods, and I for one am not buying into the lies. My treasure is found in God, and in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not in the things of this world. This is the one solid and sure investment that I have ever made; it’s a guaranteed winner.
Yes, this is an investment that will take you higher, to the top, and is guaranteed; not with monetary returns that the world offers; with heavenly returns that have been seal in blood, the blood of salvation.

A Higher Investment

John 14
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you? I will come back again and take you with myself, so that where I am you also may Be. I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
These words of our Lord speak for themselves; they are the words that our Christian faith relies on. Jesus gives us promises that all that believe in him and follow the will of his Father are guaranteed a place in the Kingdom of God. Believe not in the things of this world, but in He that created the world and all of its goodness. This is the greatest investment that one can possibly make, and it is sure to take one higher.

One Day at a Time

Not all are called to shout the word of God from the mountaintop, or to proclaim it from the pulpit. Every person though, has a specific calling to further the Kingdom of God in our world today. Most of us are just everyday people, living simple lifestyles.
No matter where we find ourselves in this place and time we can all have a positive impact on our family, friends, and those we come in contact with on a daily basis, by refusing to fall in step with the negativity that we are being inundated with each day. Our platform to do the will of God is by taking his message to the street, into the workplace, into our daily activities and so on. We need not push an agenda, force an opinion, or ram our beliefs down anyone’s throat, no; we need only to live out the truth of our convictions. We must be the light of Christ to a world in darkness that is drifting away from reality. Pleasure seeking, materialism, and the lust for power have become the god of today; unknown to those trapped in these vices that they are quickly passing away. All that will matter in the final analysis is if we fought the good fight and helped our fellowman along the way. Not from the mountaintop, but in the street, furthering the Kingdom of God one day at a time.

The Trinity

John 13: 19-20
“From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may
believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives
Me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
If we as Christians believe in Jesus Christ, then we also believe that the Holy Spirit
dwells within us. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit we have come to believe.
Strengthened in faith we shall continue to persevere in the midst of all our trials and
difficulties. The Father sent his beloved Son into the world to free us from our sinfulness;
and he promised to be with us always even until the end of the world. Now, let us
continue on our journey marked with the sign of faith; in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

The Two are One

John 12: 44-50
And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness .“If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. “He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. “For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”
Jesus once again speaks to us in this Gospel reading about faith. He is telling us that if we believe in him then we also believe in the Father, because they are one. He also tells us that he did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. By rejecting the Lord and his words we will have to give account of this on the day of God’s judgment. Those who do not believe, and refuse to abide in the word of God will be liable for. The mercy of God knows no bounds; have faith, believe, and your salvation is guaranteed.

The Fight

Coming from a large family ten children I can honestly say, “We have been there, done that.” Life is not all peaches and cream, life can be down right hard and nasty. We all, at one time or another, find ourselves in a battle; a fight, and we try our best to make it right. We go fifteen rounds, giving it all we have to get through it to persevere. We are tired, overwhelmed, physically and mentally spent, and we think that all the pain is finally behind us, then, another storm comes. We are totally exhausted and worn out from one trial and another one is waiting for us at the door. How do we deal with circumstances in life that we have no control over? Faith, and trust in the Lord, is the only answer I can come up with; if you have another please let me know. There will always be new challenges to face, obstacles that we need to deal with, but we must never give up hope and loose our faith. Life is short, our problems can be very complex and troublesome; never loose hope. The Lord sees all things, feels our pain, and will see us through. God, at the time of our trial, will give us the strength to make it through; Keep the faith!

The Gate

We have all heard the expression at one time or another; "Both sides of the fence." In today's modern culture, you are either on one side of the fence, or the other. We as a people, and a culture, have become polarized; seemingly living in two completely different worlds. Our thought processes are geared totally in one direction, without room for compromise. Each of us knows fully on which side of the fence we find ourselves, and what our heart felt beliefs are.
Today's Gospel is taken from: John 10: 1-10; Jesus tells us that he is the gate for the sheep. Jesus says, "Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." The gatekeeper opens the gate, the sheep hear his voice, as he calls their name and they follow him.
The Lord is calling to each of us; are we listening for his voice? Jesus died upon the cross for all of us, no matter what side of the fence we are on. The gate is opened to all, but the gate does not swing both ways. The gate points in one direction, toward heaven and eternity; back to our Father and Creator.
While the gate is open, and the Lord is calling; listen to his voice and enter into paradise.

David’s Song

Young David lay in a hospital bed - the disease had taken control
Could not speak just read his lips - the procedures had taken a toll

His mother there by his side - when I went to see David and say hello
To this day, I still can see his beautiful face, filled with a heavenly glow

With a gesture he called me near - his quiet lips said what he had to say
Mom and I witnessed this young man - with words that blew us both away

He said, "Jesus is here by my side," and my heart nearly fell to the floor
A glowing face, big brown sparkling white eyes, he said, "there is more"

"Jesus is here, and he is holding me near, and he loves me very, very, much!"
His mom looked on with tears in her eyes, held on with her motherly touch

I said, "I know he is here and he loves you dear," Seeing David filled with grace
Words could not explain what was taking place, it was written upon David's face

He said, "Jesus is here by my side," holding my hand with a gentle clutch
"Jesus is here, and he is holding me near, and he loves me very, very, much!"

"Jesus is here by my side," repeating those beautiful words again and again
"Jesus is here, and he is holding me near, and he loves me very, very, much!"
"Jesus is here, and he is holding me near, and he loves me very, very, much!"

The Christ

Listening to him some were troubled
Hearing words so very hard to accept
Words he spoke were Spirit and life
These are the words that were said

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
Remains forever in me always
I shall dwell in him, forgive his sins
And raise him up at the end of his days

He knew some would never believe
Others would leave and even betray
Those that would always love him dear
And proclaim the Lord in this way

Master, to whom shall we go
You have the words - of eternal life
Oh Master, we have come to know
You are the Son of God - “The Christ"

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
Remains forever in me always
I shall dwell in him, forgive his sins
And raise him up at the end of his days

Master, lead us where we must go
You have the words - of eternal life
Oh Master, we have come to know
You are the Son of God - “The Christ"