And then the Lions ate him!

I met with and facilitated a prayer meeting with some great Catholic Youth this week. We reflected on the Holy Spirit and then on an Early Church Father/Apostolic Father. "Huh!?" they said. Maybe you are saying the same?! So, here it goes in a nut shell.

First an Apostolic Father is an early Chrisitian and a church father of the first or second century A.D. who was believed to have received personal instruction from the 12 Apostles or from their disciples. Ignatius was one of the earliest of the lot. He passed down the truths of Jesus and very early Christian theology (study of God). The baton was passed so to speak, from Jesus to apostle John to Ignatius. It is amazing to me, that Ignatius knew and was taught by the apostle John. Ignatius lived in Antioch (now Antakya, Turkey), the 3th largest city of the Roman empire in the 1st century. He became Bishop of Antioch which in the bible, the book of Acts, speaks of Antioch (one of the first pagan (non-believing) communities to receive evangelism/teachings about Christ.) Thank you Ignatius.

He was the first man to pen the word "Catholic" to describe our Church in one of his 7 letters/epistles. He also wrote about the order in the Church (ecclesiolgy), mainly Bishop, priests and then Deacons. He spoke about the "real presence" of Jesus in the Eucharist and other Sacraments (a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance). He uses the word Eucharist. Yes, this word is not in the bible. But, as quoted from John 20:25, “But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” This is such a book/letter. (I could get into Sola Scriptura, a whole other topic...another post)

Some of his letters are addressed to the Romans, the Ephesians. Sound familiar, those of you who read the bible? His letters, and a letter on his Martyrdom can be viewed online for free. Just do a search. They are fascinating and eye opening. He was a brave, brave and devoted man that tried his best to walk the life of Christ. He was fed to the Lion's for not renouncing his faith in God, thus he is always pictured with Lions biting him. His feast day (Holy day of commemoration) is October 17th. This is why I spoke to the youth about him, as that day is almost here. They really enjoyed the video I presented from Steve Ray on the Apostolic Fathers, and learned a lot. I hope you learned something too.

Pray for us St. Ignatius of Antioch...we need your prayers! Amen.

Canadian Martyrs....huh!?

My family and I traveled to Midland, Ontario this summer. We had surprising revelations that brought further meaning to our faith during our stay. I, as a Catholic revert, have been getting my head wrapped around the lives of Saints and Martyrs these past years. As of last week, it was really drilled home as to why they are held in such high esteem as you will see below.

After kayaking in the Wye Marsh (right beside St. Maire), we made our way through Ontario's first European community (1639) "St. Marie among the Hurons". The headquarters for the French Jesuit Mission to the Huron (Wendat) people. It struck me that Canada did not even exist yet...this was 400 years ago that the Jesuit Order (Catholic religious order) first spread Christianity to many people in our land.They traveled 3-4 weeks in dangerous conditions (from Quebec to the foreign Midland area) in cramped bark canoes with strangers. Talk about back aches and adventure?! What sacrifice, courage, dedication and great Missionaries for God as follows next...
 

During one of many Huron Village captures, the Iroquois, on March 16, 1649, seized St. Jean de Brebeuf and his fellow Jesuit St. Gabriel Lallemant and brought them back to St. Ignace (6 miles from St. Marie).There they were fastened to stakes at the church and tortured to death by scalping, mock baptism using boiling water, fire, necklaces of red hot hatchets and mutilation. Brebeuf did not make a single outcry while he was being tortured but instead tried consoling the Wendats. The Iroquois bashed his chin off to silence him during the 17 hours of torture. He astounded the Iroquois and so after he died, they cut out and ate his heart, in hopes of acquiring his courage.

As recorded about his fellow priest Lallemant tied to a stake beside him: "At the height of these torments, Father Gabriel Lallemant lifted his eyes to Heaven, clasping his hands from time to time and uttering sighs to God, whom he invoked to his aid. He had received a hatchet blow on the left ear, which they had driven into his brain, which appeared exposed: we saw no part of his body, from the feet even to the head, which had not been broiled, and in which he had not been burned alive -even his eyes, into which those impious ones had thrust burning coals." This is hard to read but relevant to understand our history of sacrifice and love for God and His people.

We lastly, on our trip, made our way across the street to the Martyr's Shrine. The Shrine now makes sense to me. It is a Roman Catholic Church consecrated to the memory of the Canadian Martyrs that I now understand more intimately. A place of worship to God and a place to remember what real faith can and should be. Where am I in my faith, where are you? Well, I am sure these men are in heaven due to their reverence for God and great miracles that have occurred from these prayer warriors, in the heavenly realm. They carry prayer requests to the throne of God. Many crutches in the church and  testimony letters  witness to the healing miracles occurring at this holy place.

We ask our friends and family to pray for us. So I conclude by saying, St. Jean de Brebeuf and St. Gabriel Lallemant and all the Canadian Martyrs, pray for us. Please take our prayer petitions to God as you are surely with Him. May we learn by your example, to carry our small crosses in life, compared to what you endured.

Great love song!

"And because of You, I come alive"

I sing this song at the top of my lungs in my car as I drive about. I just got back from a drive and my vocal cords are raw and my heart is pounding with love.  This is a love song.

Audrey Assad is my favorite Christian/Catholic female artist. I find this song just breathes life into me. But, of course it does...with every inhale, I breathe in God as I sing it:)

I like it when it gets windy!

Yes, I like the wind. You heard right! Sounds crazy after all the wind storms we have had lately. I also like the heat of a burning fire. OK, let's cut to the chase, I love the Holy Spirit. I am happy to be celebrating Pentecost today!

That sounded a bit strange didn't it? Well, the Holy Spirit is often times refereed to as being a mighty wind and a fire. So does that mean that to experience the Holy Spirit that we need to be roasting marshmallows on a windy day at a campfire? Then "Whamo" you get the Holy Spirit?! NO...though I suppose you could ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life and move in your life while these scenario's play out. However, you might get on fire in the wrong way. There is a better way to be on fire. That is...be on fire for God.

"Oh no", you say, "not me...I don't want that Holy Roller thing happening to me!" I know, there is always this fear of the unknown. I definitely had those feelings and then some. But there came a point in my life when I was feeling so empty and that something was lacking. I went reluctantly to a prayer group one night, and heard things about the Holy Spirit. So, one day I surrendered and asked for this Spirit to move in my life. The spirit of God. I was willing to ask Him into my life, as that is the only way the fire can build up inside of you. That is, a raging fire of love for God. I always had the pilot light on, but, it wasn't serving any purpose until I allowed the flame to grow.

Once I opened myself the the Spirit of God, to move and take control of my life -He came in like a raging wind. Powerful and life changing. Like the McDonald commercials sing "I'm lovin' it"! I became forgiving, fulfilled, content. But, I can't do it on my own. I already tried to be in charge in the past and I that didn't accomplish much. By the Spirit, I am now a happy sinner, that sins less *smile*, and sleeps well at night. I am content knowing that I have a Redeemer that lives and His Spirit lives in me:D

He is in charge and when I finally let go of my pride and gave my life to Him, my life changed. I was really worried though, that my life would have a lot of rules and it would be misery doing the "Christian thing". Well, honestly, I can now say, I really had no clue that life could get really awesome. For me being a practicing Christian is a heck of a lot easier way to live than not being one. "Happy Happy Joy Joy" (Ren and Stimpy fans get this).

Christmas, Easter are great times of celebration in the Church. Pentecost is treated like an ordinary day. Yet, it is a very very important day! Pentecost (50 days post Easter, thus the name) commemorates the day the Holy Spirit descended on Mary, the Apostles and 1,000's of people. The Birthday of the Catholic Church.With no Holy Spirit to move in our lives there would be nothing. With the Holy Spirit- we can pray and have the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control amongst many other gifts of the Spirit can manifest in our lives in life changing ways.  It's like Christmas with gifts under the tree just waiting to be unwrapped.

Veni Sanctus Spiritus/Come Holy Spirit. A simple and powerful prayer, you can say, allowing the fire and wind to sweep through your soul. To blow out and burn up the sadness, hurt, pain etc.that you are carrying inside.  Then, the fire set ablaze in your soul, will radiate true love and true happiness. The mighty wind of the Spirit will breathe into you new life.

"Come Holy Spirit"- it's that simple.

The Catholic story is being told by the wrong people

"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is, of course, quite a different thing."

~Bishop Fulton Sheen~

I look forward to viewing this positive and brilliant masterpiece, set to be released this Fall. Father Barron is a very intelligent man of faith. An acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian. I wait to be inspired, enriched and enlightened by his words and the beauty that will unfold in this 10 part series. Considering the Church is 2,000 years old, there is, I am sure, a lot of info and footage jammed into only 10 parts. I understand that being a world wide church, they traveled and filmed in over 20 countries.

I agree with Father Barron, that the Catholic story has been told by the wrong people and it is time to set the story right.

Thank you Father Barron and the Word on Fire team for your years of hard work and dedication to a great project. With my hubby, children, the big flat screen TV, and our bowls of buttery popcorn we will enjoy this epic cinematic experience in the near future.We are proud to be Catholic, the oldest Christian faith in existence. This film will bring that reality to new heights.