I had the good fortune to volunteer for the first time on Saturday atSt. Luke’s Mission Of Mercy, a combined Church/Shelter located near Buffalo, NY. You can find out more about their amazing story on their website, linked in this sentence.

Volunteering is a way of bearing witness. We have heard the Gospel call and are responding to it. There are as varied ways of responding to the call as their are Christians, and volunteering is an excellent way.

Matthew 25: 34-40: “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

(Via USCCB.)

St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy is a place where people are clothed, and fed, and if they re thirsty, given a drink. It is an excellent place to bear witness to the Gospel by merely doing a work of God.

There has been a renewed effort on the part of the Catholic Church to “re-evangelize” the World. This means the so-called Christian West which has seriously strayed far from its roots. When you consider that essentially every Western nation dates the founding of its nation-state to when it accepted Christianity, and almost every one now seems to be abandoning those roots, this becomes serious. When a tree’s roots rot away, it dies. This is evidenced by the declining birth-rate in Western nations as well as the chronic rates of pornography addiction, access to abortion and other heinous acts that rot away the soul.

This site, from the blog portion, the podcasting venture (when that becomes available) and via Twitter and other social media tools, aims to participate in the Church’s efforts. Essentially started by Pope John Paul II (though it has its origins in the Second Vatican Council) and supported strongly by his successor, Benedict XVI, the “New Evangelization” aims to use the communication technologies of the modern world to engage and remedy its course.

Modern means of social communication such as radio and television, and also those more readily available for creative use by the common masses, namely the Internet, are all a part of this effort. With the Internet available everywhere, and creative tools such as blogging and podcasting more easily usable, we Catholics can cooperate in the New Evangelization, and save us from ourselves!

Catholic Preachy is by no means the leader in this, and probably never will. But we do hope, even in a small way, reach people through informality and whatever talent we have. We also hope to encourage you to participate. You can comment here at this blog, Tweet back to us (we’re @CatholicPreachy) or yak at us over on our Facebook Page (We have Facebook Page and Twitter badges in the sidebar. Currently the left one, but this blog may undergo some redesign.)

In just over a week, the Church begins a new liturgical year. With that in mind we do hope to start blogging regularly with a-few-times-a-week series on the Catechism. Pray for us on that because as of this writing, I have no idea what I’m going to write about (I wasn’t kidding when I said we’re informal!) Something will come to mind when it is time.

Anyway, until later!

Today is Catechetical Sunday (Via USCCB)in the United States, and to celebrate, I am announcing the re-launching, or reviving (resurrection??) of this blog project!

This marks a slow development and growth of the site: there will be fairly regular blog posts, more than likely just meditations on the Mass Readings, then various random Scripture passages, and hopefully eventually the crowning jewel of CP, podcasting.

Nothing too ambitious at first, some fits and stumbles, but please wander back (or subscribe) and check out what is happening here.

Two of us work this blog, yours truly (a/k/a Paulcoholic) and BroJer (a/k/a “BroJer” ) BroJer will be the main force behind the podcasting, whenever he can get to establishing the resources (time/talent/treasure) and technology.

So, in honor of Catechetical Sunday, grab your Catechism. Open it. Read it. Don’t have your own? Try here: Catechism of the Catholic Church.

In the Gospel Reading from today’s Mass (Matthew 5:13-16): “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.’”

(Via USCCB.)

Do not hide the light of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit has lit in your life under a basket. Allow it to shine brightly before all so that they may see the Gospel message of Jesus working in your life. Otherwise, you are dry and flavorless.

In the final part of our piece on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” we read:

Matthew 5:10-12a “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

(Via USCCB)

Are you a Christian? I don’t mean that you spend an hour in Church during the weekend at Mass or a “worship service”. I mean, do you live as Jesus intended you to? Do you take up your Cross and follow Him?

Does the Church’s social and moral teachings form your conscience? And then does that conscience guide you when you makes decisions at the ballot or at a store? Or the Church’s teachings pushed aside when they become inconvenient or uncomfortable?

It isn’t an easy thing to be Christian. We all fall short at times, we are all weak and subject to external pressure. But we should always try.

You know you are succeeding when those who follow the moral dictates of the World curse you, revile you and persecute you. Ridicule you, as well.

Fight on. The saints in Heaven are watching and interceding for you. And waiting to greet you when you enter into the Father’s house to gain your reward.

In Part 3 of our meditation on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” we read:

Matthew 5:6-9:
“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

(Via USCCB)

Look around you and what do you see? I do not mean the room or house you are in, I mean the World about you. Is there any evidence of 2,000 years of Christianity as the “operating system” of human society? Or is there just lip service paid to it?

The world is in very sad shape. God’s will is being rejected and there are gross injustices reigning throughout humanity.

Do you hunger for the means and strength to rectify the situation?

Do you pray for mercy be upon the victims of injustice, and act merciful to those that harm you?

Do you strive to be clean of the taint of the World?

Do you try to build community and establish peace between disparate individuals?

If so, then blessed are you in the eyes of Jesus. You are doing His will.

We continue with our meditation on today’s Gospel reading with Verse 4 of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”:

Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

(Via USCCB)

Please read it here: Blessed are they who mourn

(In the interests of full disclosure, The Four Last Things is written by Catholic Preachy co-admin and contributor, Paulcoholic, a/k/a this writer. )

In today’s Mass the Gospel reading is Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”:

Matthew 5:1-3, 5: “When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

(Via USCCB.)

He began to teach them. He sat down, and His disciples came to Him, apparently attentive to what He was about to say.

Are we attentive? Do we listen to the Word when it is preached? How receptive are we to the Word of God?

“Poor in spirit” I think means “humble.” Are we humble, or are we “full of ourselves” and thus do not allow God into our lives (or keep Him at the margins?) The humble, and the meek (those sheep in Christ’s herd that are willing to be led by the Shepherd) stand to inherit not just the land but the kingdom of Heaven. The proud, arrogant and ruthless claim the land and all its bounty and deny God. They will pass away and those bound for eternal life with God will reap the rewards of their humility.

More later…

We can not all go to DC, but we can all be in DC!

Holy Use of New Media. PTl!

Jesus Loves YOU!

+++BroJer

“Jesus himself has shown us by his own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil (cf. Mt 4:1-11). As he taught his disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except in this way (cf. Mk 9:29). Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit: the walls which conceal from the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters the evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life. May this same power turn their hearts to resolutions and goals inspired by the civilization of life and love.” Evangelium vitae 100

If we would but heed the words of John Paul ll, and use the weapons of prayer and fasting, maybe, just maybe, we would see the power of the Lord, break the chains, and change the hardened hearts of many!

We can not do the same old things that we have done and expect different results! “Casual Christians become Christina Casualties”! We like to point the finger at those that are blinded and have hardened hearts. I believe it is time, we take a good look at our own apathy, and take some responsibility for the way things are.

We need Christ! We need the “power from on high”! WE…will never get minds to change on the issue of abortion! He, Jesus, can and does, change hardened hearts!

Let us stop pointing fingers, humbly repent of our own apathy, grab the weapons, let Jesus be Lord, and break the chains!!!

JESUS! LOVES! YOU!!

In Christ, +++BroJer