"Of the Week's"

My Dog and My God

My dog hates it when things touch him.  He doesn't mind if people touch him, but he doesn't like things touching him.  Blankets.  His leash.  A piece of ribbon!  If his leash gets wrapped around his leg, he won't move.  He will literally just freeze where he is until I untangle it.  It's a good think that he's not out in the wild, because someone might not be there to rescue him!  What a weirdo!

Anyway, I was taking my dog for his walk when his leash became tangled between two of his toes.  I don't imagine that this was a painful moment.  He didn't yelp or limp later at all.  But he began trashing about, panicking, and acting like he was about to die.  This panicked movement just made matters worse.  He got it more and more tangled.  He wouldn't sit still long enough for me to do much about it, which just made things even worse.

When things come into our lives that we can't fix ourselves, it is our natural tendency to start flailing about, trying to fix it anyway.  But the Truth is that if we stay calm and let God take care of it, it won't get any worse than it already is.  We just have to take a deep breath, and let Him work.

Bible Verse of the Week 

  My heart is so dirtied sometimes, by pride, hatred, jealousy, fear, disappointment.  This verse is what I pray to help me get rid of those toxins, and replace them with nutrients.

"A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit" - Psalm 51:12 (according to the NAB, but is Psalm 51:10 in the NIV translation)

Saint Quote of the Week:   

The word freedom relates to different people in different ways, but there is only one definition.  And this is it:

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." -Venerable John Paul I

Prayer of the Week:  

O God our Creator,
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,
You call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,
Bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
To every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us
In our vigilence for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart
To readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;
Give us courage in making our voices heard
On behalf of the rights of your Church
And the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,
A clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
Gathered in Your Church
In this decisive hour in the history of our nation,
So that, with every trial withstood
And every danger overcome -
For the sake of our children, or grandchildren,
And all who come after us - 
This great land will always be
"One nation, under God,
Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen             

Video of the Week:  

Since this week we are praying for Vocations, I thought that it would be good to post this video that is an advertisement for the Priesthood.  This video is cool, and it inspired me, even though I cannot (nor do I think I should be able to) become a priest.  This video shows the joy and the awesomeness (yep, I said awesomeness) of the priesthood, and it makes me really appreciative of what we've got!  So I encourage you all to watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FbL7eFJGdQ