Gotta suffer!

Over the past four-to-five-years since I "found God" again, I have had my fair share of negative remarks - "How can you like guys but then be a hypocrite and be not only a Christian, but a Catholic?"

People "standing over me" then smirking, letting out the following phrase - "Where's your god now?"

And the pessimists who will always say - "So, you've found God... then how come He lets so much crap happen to you?"

Without going into too much detail, a week ago I was attacked - in my own home - by four people. They took off with a few of my things, the most noticeable being my not even one-year-old LCD T.V... and of all weeks, it had to be just when the "Australian Open" was starting!

Now as you can imagine, I watch a fair bit of television. I like to know what is going on in the local area and in the world. I like to watch some favourite television shows. But with it comes quite a bit of senseless crap that soon becomes part of you schedule. For instance, it hits mid-day, and I decide whether I will watch the Ellen show, Dr. Phil, or go for something lighter with a comedy on Go! or a drama on Seven - either way I go, it is the same thing, just a nonsensical pattern depriving me of doing any real enjoyable activity, whether it is to read, draw a picture, just relax or go for a walk.

Over the past week, without a television, I have had to find other ways to enertain myself. I have had to resort to using an AM/FM radio to catch up on news, as well as the internet of course. However, one landmark improvement is that I have been reading more and thinking more - I can feel the creative juices flowing, I just need to find the strength and energy to put pen to paper, so to speak.

I have caught up on the Bible reading plan that I set out to do. A week ago I was a good ten-days behind, and now I am on the right path - I could be in front if I wanted to, but I chose not to as I am going to keep it to a set amount each day from now on, at a set schedule to get me into a better pattern throughout the year.

So the attack wasn't all bad. Perhaps God was trying to tell me something? So when I either A) get my television back, or, most likely, B) get a new television (won't be anything special, probably not even an LCD :-P) I will have this to remind me not to get into nonsense patterns in my television watching habits!

Same as the car accident... had that not happened, I wouldn't have found God, at least not at that stage in my life, and who is to say that I ever would find Him again? I could well have gone on being a heathen until it was too late to turn away from sin and repent in my final breath before being cast down to hell.

Hmm... just food for you to all ponder about. What is in your life that's creating unhealthy patterns in you, pulling you from your passions and from God Himself?

Homily of the Holy Father on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

REDISCOVERING AND BEARING WITNESS TO THE GIFT OF FAITH
VATICAN CITY, 10 JAN 2010 (VIS) - As is customary on today's Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, this morning in the Sistine Chapel the Pope presided at the celebration of the Eucharist during which he baptised fourteen newborn children, seven boys and seven girls.

  In his homily the Holy Father explained how "today Jesus showed Himself, on the banks of the River Jordan, to John and the People of Israel". The Baptism of the Precursor was "a Baptism of penance, a sign inviting people to conversion, to change their lives because the One is coming Who 'will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire'. Indeed, we cannot aspire to a new world while wallowing in selfishness and in the habits of sin", he said.

  "The Son of God, He Who is without sin", the Pope went on, "comes among sinners, He shows how close God is to man's journey of conversion. Jesus takes on His shoulders the weight of sin of all humanity. He begins His mission by placing Himself in our position, the position of sinners, from the perspective of the cross".

  Referring then to the babies he was about to baptise, Benedict XVI explained that "they will receive as a gift the grace of Baptism, and the Holy Spirit will dwell in them as in a temple, transforming the depths of their heart. ... Today they are baptised in the faith of the Church, as professed by their parents, their godparents and by the Christians present, who will then lead them by the hand in the following of Christ".

  And he went on: "Today is a great day for these children. With their Baptism, having become participants in the death and resurrection of Christ, they begin with Him the joyful and exciting adventure of being disciples".

  "It is Baptism that illuminates us with the light of Christ, opens our eyes to His splendour and introduces us to the mystery of God through the divine glow of the faith. The children who are about to be baptised must walk in this light all their lives, helped by the word and example of their parents and godparents who should undertake - through their words and the witness of their own lives - to feed the torch of the children's faith that it may shine in this world of ours, which is often groping in the shades of doubt, and bring the light of the Gospel which is life and hope".

  "In our days too, the faith is a gift to be rediscovered, cultivated and witnessed. With this celebration of Baptism, the Lord grants each of us the chance to live the beauty and joy of being Christians, that we too may introduce baptised children to the fullness of following Christ.

  "We entrust these little one to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary", added the Holy Father in conclusion. "We ask her that they, dressed in white as a sign of their newly-acquired dignity, may be faithful disciples of Christ for all their lives, courageous witnesses of the Gospel".

Copyright © Vatican Information Service

Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival #2

My contribution to Sunday Snippets for the week Monday January 4 to Sunday January 10. Those who don't know what Sunday Snippets is, read this!

The Lord spoke to me and told me to buy this book. Didn't search for it, it found me!!!

Finally I have taken some photos of my Prayer Table.

A letter that a FaceBook friend wrote titled "Dear Satan" ---> Quite humourous!

Finally, the Christmas Season draws to an end and we enter "Ordinary Time", beginning with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, however, "Ordinary Time" is anything but ordinary!

Enjoy!

BAPTISM OF THE LORD: First Sunday of the Year

"And as the people were of opinion, and all were thinking in their hearts of John, that perhaps he may be the Christ; John answered, saying unto all: I indeed baptise you with water; but there shall come one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose: He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Now it came topass, when all the people were baptised, that Jesus also being baptised and praying, heaven was opened; and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon Him; and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

✠ Luke 3:15-16, 21-22. (Douay-Rheims)

In my opinion, there are three types of Catholics: first is simply the Catholic's - those of us who attend Church regularly, live our faith as opposed to picking it up at the Church on Sunday's, then leaving it as we get on with the rest of our week. Secondly we have the Cafeteria Catholic's, those who "pick-and-choose" what doctrine to believe and follow and finally, what I would call the Annual Catholic's - the ones that make each Church packed at Christmas Mass so as extra seating is needed for the everyone to fit in... then they don't return again until the following Christmas.

We have three main seasons within The Church, starting with the Christmas season, followed by Ordinary Time and then Eastertide thrown in the middle, with Ordinary Time resuming the day after Pentecost Sunday.
Many people see the importance of Christmas and Easter, but not Ordinary Time, or as I like to call it, EXTRAOrdinary Time. There really is nothing "ordinary" about this part of the Church-year.
While the Christmas Season focuses on Christ's coming into the world, Eastertide on The Passion, Ordinary Time focuses on all the other things that make us Christians! This is the MAJORITY of Christ's life - His ministry, miracles, the way we should live! Not to mention the many Holy Days of Obligation which fall during Ordinary Time.
For me to best explain this, here is an excerpt from "Inform", a bimonthly publication on a particular topic, produced by the Catholic Adult Education Centre (CAEC).


Ordinary Time: not so ordinary
The weeks outside the seasons of Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, are named in Latin per annum or "Ordinary Time", which is unfortunate since it is anything but ordinary.
While the other seasons of the liturgical year commemorate events in the life of Christ, Ordinary Time presents us with Jesus' deeds and teachings during His public ministry. During this season, Catholics grow in their understanding of the Christian life; thus the liturgical colour is green, reminding us of growth.
INFORM: One Day at a Time- The Church Year, Issue 107.
Fr. Timothy Deeter: Director of the Liturgy Office of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Published with ecclesiastical approval © 2007, CAEC.

Dear Satan...

"And now war broke out in heaven,

when Michael with his angels attacked the dragon.

The dragon fought back with his angels,

but they were defeated and driven out of heaven.

The great dragon, the primeval serpent,

knows as the devil or Satan, who has led all the world astray,

was hurled down to the earth,

 and his angels were hurled down with him.

Revelation 12:7-9

Dear Satan.... It's me again,
but this will be the last letter I'll ever send.


I'm writing you this letter in regards to my past.
I'd like for you to know, our friendship didn't last.


Always thinking we were friends, I was blinded by the fact;
you always had me fooled, beating me up to the max.


I've got someone else now, He's become my new best friend.
For you this ride is over, but for me it has just began.


I'm smart enough to realize, you made me into a fool.
You’re games wasn't fun and you wasn't even cool.


It's hard for me to believe that you didn't even care.
Now I have someone in my corner, I think you should fear!!


How does it feel knowing you've lost one of your soldiers?
Now I'm on the flip side. I thought I told ya!!


I'm sure you’re upset and if I were you, I would be too.
Knowing that you've lost, a valuable member of your crew.


I think it's kinda funny that your losing the battle and the war.
And now to you, I shall settle the score.


I bet this is the shocker that you never saw coming.
I have broken your chains and hit the ground running.


As far as I'm concerned, I don't want to see you anymore.
You know your way out, show yourself to the door.


Now is the time I should say goodbye, but I won't.
I know I should care about your feelings, but really I don't.


I do have something else to tell you just before I go,
something I need to say, something you need to know.


For all of the memories that we've shared as one,
here's another....now you can tell everyone about how God has won!!


If I could only see the expression on your face.
I bet your mouth is wide open and your eyes are out of place!!


Through Jesus I have joined a great staff.
Here's looking at you, I get the last laugh!!


Happy trails loser!!
See ya!!


Thanks to Kipp Griffin.

Davie's Prayer Table

You've been waiting a long time, so here it is - my prayer table! I moved it from its original location and changed a few things. On it are statues of each of the Seven Archangels, image of Jesus and Mary, Crucifix, Holy Water blessed by the Bishop Gerard Hanna of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga, one of my favourite Bibles, the "New Jerusalem Bible", "The Catechism of The Catholic Church" - original edition, though I also have the second edition which is much smaller and compact... and "The Compendium of The Catechism of The Catholic Church". In the background you will see a heap of books - all of which relate to Catholicism - not Christianity in a broad sense, but strictly Catholicism! Rosary books, Prayer Books, A-Z of Catholicism - you name it! I hope you enjoy my small shrine that will one day take up an entire room if I have the money, and I hope it inspires you to set up a sacred space of you own :-)

Too too much...

There are so many different websites out at the moment that people either have trouble keeping in touch with MySpace friends because they are FaceBook users, but even worse, there are far too many groups out there on places such as FaceBook that is annoying! "I Love Men", "I'm Gay" - that type of thing, though usually with a few explicits thrown in like "cock" or "dick".

What's the point? Basically every gay man will join them all but that's it - they've joined them more-so to make a point of the fact to everyone else, as when you join a group/page, it shows on your list: Davie joined...... .

Then there's the complexity of keeping up with discussions if you are involved with them. Which group was that in again?

The Prayer of Jabez

It is the work of the Almighty! He is speaking to me. He knows that I want to shed my skin to reveal the pure soul that can lie within me!

Over the last week or so, He has spoken to me a number of time - through signs, through sudden thoughts, compulsions - anyway He can!

On Saturday when I went shopping to the local Vinnie's store, I was just browsing through books, seeing if anything interesting popped up. I went in to simply buy a rosary bag with the Papal insignia of JP2, with a set of white rosary beads inside.

However, instead of just going there, getting them and leaving, I was in the mood for a browse, so whilst browsing the books, this one stood out - The Prayer of Jabez. Why? Early one morning a few weeks ago I was getting stuck into those early-morning-evangelical-television-shows, and one segment on one of them they had the author of this particular book, talking about his latest book. For some reason, the name of this book stuck with me. I never intended on buying it, searching for it - nothing - but when I found it at Vinnie's for 50c, I figured I must have it!

I am still yet to read it, see what I get out of it et-cetera, as I have been too busy catching up on four-days worth of Bible reading (I'm doing the One-Year Bible Reading Plan).

Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival #1

Sunday Snippets is a group of us who get together on a weekly basis (via the internet of course!) and post an entry with links to other posts we have made during the week. This is my contribution for the week - though I am only new, I have a few extra ones thrown in there!

First I'd like to take you all back to mid-December with a few short, quotation-like posts. I found these in the monthly Wodonga Catholic Parish magazine "Parish Talk".

"Isn't it strange?" focuses on how we easily give at times, but how big or hard it seems when it comes to God and religion.

The following reflections on the person of Jesus make us more aware of what an extraordinary person He was and is. Some of the lines that follow are original, the majority belonging to those writers we fondly recall as "Author Unknown", though where possible, the author has been identified.

Though I now live in Albury, NSW, I am still very much attached to the Wodonga Parish (which is only a 5min drive yet different state and diocese!) so I closely followed the revamp of their Mother Church from when it was near completion to attending the very first service held in the new church!

I have also talked about John Safran's latest show "Race Relations" in which the final episode he had himself crucified in the Phillipines.

Though a week or so late, an email I received about "Keeping Christ in Christmas".

Perhaps one of the most controversial topic at the moment - gay-marriage - here's my view on it from both a Catholic and homosexual perspective.

This following article came from "Together" the free monthly newspaper in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga, talking about the struggles he faces when one comes in the buy contaceptives.

Finally, to close off, I leave you this entry about my last confession experience!

Eight-months on... I DID IT!

That's right - eight-months - the last time I went to Confession (also known as Reconciliation), but who-knows how long since I went and actually confessed my BIG sins as opposed to just the small ones? In the past I have only confessed little things - nothing big - because I am always too scared to, knowing that the priest will know what I have done et-cetera. All good if I were to go to another church, which I have thought of doing on several occasions. Stupid really because when the priest wears his Stole, he is no longer his own person, but an intermediary between the me and God!

The last couple of days I have been thinking I really want to go to confession... I mean, I am going to be doing A LOT of changes this year with my resolutions, but, what is the point of it all when I still carry the excess-baggage of my sins?

So early-afternoon on Monday, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me to go to confession (which is at 4:45 - 5:45, followed by the vigil mass). The Holy Spirit guided my way, reassuring me that it won't be nearly as bad as I always think it to be. He then guided my pen to paper and write down the main sins so I could talk about them easier, then off I went over the road to my church - Sacred Heart.


As I walked in the side door, I saw Fr. Flannagan talking to a small group of people - all well dressed, including Father in his regalia. I stood at the entrance for a short time just flicking through some of the different literature that was there. They finally left - one lady saying she though I must have been here for the wedding but had the wrong time - and Fr. Flannagan went into the Sacristy, not noticing that I was in the dark corner by one of the non-main entrances.

When he had finished dressing back into his civilians, I caught him as he was presumably getting things ready for the 6pm mass. I asked if Confession was on tonight to which he said yes, going back to the Sacristy to get his Stole. When he came back out, he noticed there were no other people there, so we just had Confession in the front pew of the Church.'

I went through my list of sins: Indulging in drugs, including intravenous, having sex - with other men, stealing from my parents, including breaking into their house on numerous occasions (NOTE: This was back when I was really really bad, I had just never confessed it!). Finally, laziness in going to mass. He knows I live just over the road, knows that I don't have a job that would stop me going etc; and seriously, how hard is it to walk across the room, sacrificing one-hour of my life when Jesus sacrificed HIS LIFE for ME!!!

Father Flannagan prayed over me, all the other things that come with Confession as you Catholic's would know, and I was on my way with a penance of praying the Rosary once (not one decade but all five).

As soon as I left that church, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders - metaphorically and physically! My back wasn't hurting as much as it had been for one... but I also felt a sense of peace, of belonging, of being able to now do certain things in the parish if I so desire or if God guides me to it, without feeling like a hypocrite!

I hope I will never have to confess those sins ever again... it's wrong. Stealing is wrong. Stealing from your parents, even worse. Breaking into their house - that's uber wrong!

Homosexual-sex is wrong, and I have no desire to do it again. Whether one day I wish to go to one of those camps where they "de-gay" you is another question, but I will be quite happy living life on my own.

Drugs are wrong. As Marilyn Manson's song goes, "I don't like the drugs (but the drugs like me)" is quite appropriate for this.

Throughout the entire confession, Fr. Flannagan was quite understanding and had great things to say. There was none of the judgment that so many people think happens, or that some have encountered before on their first confession, thus thinking the Sacrament is flawed!

So, God - BRING IT ON!!! This time next year I will be a totally different person with Your help, grace and love!

Not fair :-(

I've been looking forwards to this coming pay-day for a number of reasons - tobacco... groceries etc; BUT most of all, so I could order my simply, "nothing-spec." paperback copy of the "Douay-Rheims" Bible. Only place I could find it under the $80 mark was this paperback edition, which for the time being will do me just fine, unless I want to by the DR-Bible in only the "Old" or "New" Testament... but I NEED the whole thing!

I have resorted to other means such as downloading the Church approved version in eBook form, so I'm not totally lacking.... but I can't exactly just pull that out of my bag now can I? Or quickly flip through to find the book I want either!

Only place I found this edition I prepared on buying was from Amazon.com - a Yank site - so after going through the checkout, the cheapest postage wasn't all that much, but would mean I have to wait nineteen-days AT THE MINIMUM.

So, I copied the ISBN number and did a search for it on Google, hoping I could find a copy within Australia... to no avail. Damn!

It's not fair! This is THE WORD OF GOD!!! Why must it cost so much??? Sure, when I do get the money to do so, I will be buying a proper hardback version - one of the Douay-Rheims that look really nice, medieval looking etc;. But I wanted the simple paperback for the meantime!!!

If anyone out there know of any AUSTRALIAN websites who sell this copy, please let me know ASAP!!!

Below are the details of the book:

Douay-Rheims Bible Paperbound (Paperback)

Translation of Latin Vulgate (Author), Bishop Challoner (Editor)

Product Decription

The Douay-Rheims Version of the Holy Bible, translated between the years 1582 and 1610 and revised by Bishop Richard Challoner from 1749-1752, is the most accurate English translation of the Bible available today. It was the only Catholic translation of Scripture commonly in use for over 200 years and we maintain that it is still the best and safest version of the Bible in English. Translated with profound respect for every word, the beautiful style of the Douay-Rheims Bible will instill in the reader a deeper understanding of the Word of God. Annotations, references and an historical and chronological index make it convenient for study as well as meditation. Features include: Presentation Page; Words of Christ in Red; Full-color New Testament Maps of the Holy Land; Beautiful Color Paintings Depicting the Life of Christ; Family Records Pages. Dark Blue cover.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: TAN Books and Publishers / Saint Benedict Press (July 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935302051
• ISBN-13: 978-1935302056
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches

I also included an image of it so you know roughly what it looks like. I'm NOT spending $20 for shipping!!! Then overall it will cost $50 for something that should only cost $30!!! If I spend $50 I'd be kicking myself as I could spend an extra $30 and get a proper, hardcover edition ----> from Australia ----> thus P&H would be a mere $5-$10!!!