Try something new
Do you find that your prayer life feels stale or dull occasionally?
Try learning a new prayer. Look in the missal at church or the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops' website (www.uscb.org) under "Prayer and Worship."
Sometimes learning something new to say to God can refresh your time with
him.
Hope
Hope is what leads us to desire and expect eternal life with God
in Heaven. Hope gives us the strength to keep going when when we are troubled,
tired, overwhelmed or burdened. Hope is what makes us strong. Followers
of Christ always have hope.
God's ways
How do we become disappointed when it as if God didn't answer a
prayer? It is so easy to despair when God's ways don't look like our ways.
Instead, need learn more about God by learning the teachings of his Church
and reading his word. Only then will we come to understand his ways.
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Choose Heaven over Earth
Our lives on Earth last but a moment compared to our time after
death, yet we often let earthly matters take priority over preparing for
Heaven. The good news is, if we put Heaven first, God will take care of
everything else. Jesus promised, "... seek first the kingdom (of God)
and his righteousness and all these things will be given you besides"
(Matthew 6:33).
What is important to you?
Although you may have God-inspired values-family, service, work-
that may be what claims your time. Write down a list of what you do each
day, from morning to bedtime. Whatever absorbs most of your time and attention
are your real priorities. If they aren't related to God, your activities
need to be changed.
How do you make decisions?
Do you look to fiends or co-workers for advice ? Or do you turn
to prayer and Scripture for guidance? This year, resolve to take your eyes
off of the world and place them on Christ. If we base all choices and decisions
on God, we will never choose wrong.
Do you trust God to make you happy?
"For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare, not for woe ! Plans to give you a future full of
hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
Learn from your mistakes.
Review what went wrong and resolve not to let it happen again. Remember
how uncomfortable it was to carry guilt and how great it felt when the
burden was lifted. Seal your commitment with the penance you receive from
the priest.
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| Why Do Catholics Do That ?
Why do Catholics ask for indulgences?
Every sin has consequences. Obtaining foregiveness thriugh the Sacrament
of Penance restores our friendship with God so that we can eventually go
to Heaven, but we still must first suffer punishment for our sin. The Catechism
of the Catholic Church (CCC, 1471) says that through an indulgence, God
grants the prayer of the Church that the temporal penalty for sin is reduced
or even eliminated. For example, after certain actions and prayers, a plenary
indulgence can remove the temporal punishment of sin. |
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