Fulton J. Sheen’s Lessons on Love & the Greatest Commandment

from Catholic Exchange AL SMITH Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was a man for all seasons. Over his lifetime, he spent himself for souls, transforming lives with the clear teaching of the truths of Christ and His Church through his books, radio addresses, lectures, television series, and his many newspaper columns.   As a much sought-after lecturer, his topics ranged from the social concerns of the day to matters of faith and morals. With an easy and personable manner, Sheen could strike up a conversation on just about any subject, making numerous friends as well as converts.  During his presentations, Archbishop Sheen would offer his trademark words of benediction, “God love you”. Sheen explained that his phrase “God love you” means God is love, God loves you, and you ought to love God in return.  Along with his familiar parting phrase of “God love you”, Archbishop Sheen was known for beginning his lectures with the greeting “Friends”. This salutation had a twofold meaning: he was referring to the scripture passage “I no longer call you servants… instead, I have called you friends.” (John 15:15). And, he wanted to make friends with men and women of all faiths, in the hope of...

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s Apostolate of Charity

SOURCE: https://catholicexchange.com/blessed-pier-giorgio-frassatis-apostolate-of-charity NOVEMBER 10, 2021 CHRISTINE M. WOHAR Every one of you knows that the foundation of our religion is Charity. — Pier Giorgio Frassati In the moving account of the death of Pier Giorgio Frassati writ­ten by his sister Luciana, his actions in his final hours showed the depth of his compassion for the poor and sick whom he took care of regularly. It was Friday, July 3, 1925. He would have normally gone that day to the weekly meeting of his Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. Instead, he was bedridden with a fatal diagnosis of polio and surrounded by his grieving family. Almost completely paralyzed at this point, he asked his sister to bring some items from his study and then wrote these barely legible instructions: These are the injec­tions for Converso. The pawn ticket belongs to Sappa; I had forgotten it, renew it on my account. Unnoticed Acts of Giving Requests like these would not have come as a surprise to his friend who received this note. After all, this was how Pier Giorgio spent so much of his life — doing one unnoticed act of charity after another. Providing medicine, schoolbooks, bus tickets, food, and...

Accepting God’s Will While Feeling Disappointed

I will bless the LORD at all times;his praise shall be always in my mouth. My soul will glory in the LORD;let the poor hear and be glad.Magnify the LORD with me;and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me,delivered me from all my fears.Look to him and be radiant,and […] Source: Accepting God’s Will While Feeling...

Jesus is our food…

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD April 19, 2021  EASTER MONDAY 3 WORD of the DAY  The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said,“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”  So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them,...

God’s Children in the Son

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD March 17, 2021  Fourth Wednesday of Lent WORD of the DAY  Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does,and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears...

FOURTH SATURDAY OF EASTER TIME

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD FOURTH SATURDAY of EASTER TIME May 9, 2020 WORD of the DAY If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him. (John 14: 7) How shall I live this Word? “If you know me…”. ‘To know’ Jesus is the way to see the Father’s face. Jesus gives us the possibility of seeing God’s face! We are speechless, filled with wonder, for the greatness of this possibility!” ‘Seeing God’ is the deep desire that has always crossed the human heart! But Jesus does not limit Himself to this affirmation. He tells us how to make this happen. In the Jewish culture, speaking of knowing does not refer only to a knowledge of the intellect, but to an ‘intimate relationship’, one of great familiarity, to a relationship of ‘the heart’ that ‘involves one’s entire life’. “I in you and you in Me.” This is the marvelous revelation of Jesus to us: A loving God, Abbà! (Dad) Knowing Jesus, knowing the Father the way Jesus taught us to call Him, we enter into a life of Love, we live for each other with...