in the front seat

Pope Francis addressed engaged couples about their commitment to eachother and the natural fear of vowing to remain togheter forever.  Instead of addressing, his session functioned as a question and answer meeting.  During which he offered some advice: Pray for your spouse Pray with your spouse. This can often be difficult as we tend to feel vulnerable. By beginning with formal prayers (those we memorize or learned as a child) we can later add deeper thoughts and feelings. Pray for love.  One simple suggestion was when praying the "Our Father" we say "give us this day our daily love ".  Jesus said "bread" to indicate what is needed. In marriage, love is needed. Originally posted on " Together for Life online "

Be sure of our prayers for you, “that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” (Philippians 2:15). 1. RECOGNIZE THE NEAR OCCASION OF SIN Observing the world around us and knowing ourselves is key to avoiding sinful situations. 2. SIN IS WORSE THAN AWKWARDNESS This ties directly into the first point.  Most often we participate in sinful activities because we want to avoid the awkwardness of leaving.  What's worse sin or embarrassment?  Think about this one. 3. FAST This is an old form of prayer, one that we often overlook. Fasting from pleasurable things (sweets, games, snacks, Star Trek...) teaches us to control our impulses and helps discipline our desires.  Ultimately, fasting will help us avoid "near occasions of sin". 4. CONFESS REGULARLY Think of sin as weighted chain tied to your feet.  The more we sin the heavier the w...

Here’s a great quote from Fr. Solanus Casey to help start your day: “Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks — then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.” This is a is good message to share with the people we meet today.  Jesus tells us to " Because I go  to the Father: and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do: that the Father may be glorified in the Son." John: 14:13 Human Heroes: How to be Extraordinary Every Day | LifeTeen.com for Catholic Youth

Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the Middle East.  Perhaps we could recite and reflect on this prayer. World Peace Prayer Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, let peace fill our world, let peace fill our universe. Amen. Thanks to Mike Amodei at Ave Maria Press who created a simple activity for a classroom.  It can also be uses by anyone reflecting on peace. Pray for World Peace | Ave Maria Press