Freewill

"Did you ever wonder why I don't use my power to make people do what I want?

I wanted a real relationship with you. That's why I gave you a freewill. I wanted you to have freedom to choose me. If I had to force you to love me, would your love mean as much?

Sometimes you will make the wrong choices. But I'm willing to risk that, because when you finally choose my plans for you, I know it will be your decision." -God

Intercede

"God is watching over you. I know because I asked Him to."

Insecurity

"It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you." -Proverbs 29:25

"...I only seek to please Him who sent me." -John 5:30

Maturity

"Maturity is the ability to express one’s own feelings and convictions balanced with consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others." -Hrand Saxenian

"When I was a child I used to wet the bed, now that I am older I wet my pillow." -Ate Candy

Knowledge

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge..." -Proverbs 1:7a

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." -Colossians 2:2-3

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." -Romans 1:20

"The only knowledge that can hurt you is the knowledge you don't have." -Anonymous

"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." -1 Corinthians 8:9-12

Reflection

“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” -Proverbs 27:29

Evil

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." -Romans 12:21

Anger

"In your anger, do not sin." Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” -Ephesians 4:26-27

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." -Proverbs 15:1

"But the Lord replied, 'Have you any right to be angry?'" -Jonah 4:4

"Every man has his moment of weakness; better that I yell at a wall than at somebody I could hurt." -John Ray Catingub

Hate

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me. ²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. ²³He who hates Me hates My Father as well. ²⁴If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated Me without reason.'" -John 15:18-25

"Let God deal with the things they do cause the hate in your heart will consume you too." -Will Smith

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -Martin Luther King Jr.

"Hate is just the intense desire to be loved." -Rocky Nguyen

"Hate may have gotten me into this mess, but love will set me free." -via Kim Nguyen

Eucharist

“Go to Communion not only to receive Jesus, but to also let Him receive you.” -Father Larre

"Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." -John 6:32-35 // NLT // WOW. (via adarkhorse)

“Give us this bread always.” (John 6:34)

The crowd was excited. Jesus had just used a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread to feed thousands! Now, having eaten their fill, you can almost hear them thinking: “Maybe we could get Him to keep on providing for us just as Moses kept giving our ancestors manna. We would never have to worry about food again!”

But Jesus had come to the earth to be much more than a divine breadbasket! He tried to tell this to the people, but His conversation with them seemed to be happening on two different planes. The people were thinking about their material needs, but Jesus wanted to raise their thoughts to the things of heaven. He had just cautioned them not to work for the food that perishes but for the food that leads to eternal life, but they still seemed focused on their pressing needs (John 6:27).

Jesus knows that we need food and drink. He didn’t think it beneath Himself to feed His listeners when they got hungry. But He also knows that whether we are starving or satisfied or anywhere in between, we are always hungering for peace, security, forgiveness, and dignity. He knows that whatever our physical state may be, the bread that He offers can meet our inner needs. His bread, the bread of life, can empower us to face any situation. It can fill us with the strength and clarity that come from knowing we belong to Him.

Sharing donuts after Mass can be a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and a good way to have a morning snack, but Jesus offers us something even more life-giving. Every day, He offers Himself to us on the altar. Every day, He seeks to draw us deeper into His life so that we can be transformed. As we receive Him in the Eucharist, He can satisfy our deepest hunger. He can give us the wisdom and courage we need to meet any challenge. He can fill us so much, in fact, that we have plenty left over to share with the people around us. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the bread come down from heaven, giving life to those who receive it!

“Lord Jesus, I want to pursue You for Who You are — the lover of my soul, the One Who can satisfy the deepest longings of my heart!” Acts 7:51–8:1; Psalm 31:3-4,6-8,17,21