Catholic Community on the Jersey Shore
Tips for Living a Holier Life: Daily Gifts to Jesus
Thanks to Patti Armstrong, Father Larry Richards, Deacon Greg Kandra, et al
1. Give a return on your gifts. When using a gift, say a prayer for the giver. For instance, Patti says a Hail Mary for the person who gave her a geranium, every time she waters it. When using clothing or jewelry someone gave to you, say a pray for the giver. Be grateful, always!
2. Begin your day with prayer, and commit random acts of prayer. Pick someone to pray for throughout your day. It could be a politician you hear promoting abortion, or if someone cuts you off in traffic. Pray for them, and your anger will subside — and you will both be blessed. Use even menial tasks as offerings of gratitude.
3. Give thanks before every meal, and when you wake. Do it at home, do it at restaurants, do it wherever you are having a meal.
4. See Jesus more often. Make a weekly appointment to visit Jesus in the tabernacle. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more he can give to you. Adoration is time perfectly spent. So is daily Mass.
5. Bounce-back. As kids we used to say: “I’m rubber, and you’re glue; whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.” Jesus told us: “The measure with which you measure will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:10). Be kind. Forgive.
6. Become invisible. Look for invisible ways to do good. Do random acts of kindness. Skip over a parking spot near the door and pray for the one who will park there instead of you. Put away a shopping cart and pray for the one who left it and the next shopper to use it. “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).
7. Read the Word/Share the Word. Put a Bible somewhere convenient and open it up once a day. Join a local study group such as Walking With Purpose, Fire of Faith or a local men’s group. https://shorecatholics.com/faith-sharing-and-formation
8. Call the manager and praise an employee. When you’ve been given good service, call the manager and report it. It will make that employee’s day. For a bonus, say a prayer for them.
9. Ask God to arrange your seating and conversations. I know people who have had amazing experiences asking God to direct who we sit next to at events, studies, or on planes and to direct our conversations (even when socially distanced). Try it, and I think you will be surprised.
10. Fasting. Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning his ministry. To integrate fasting into a daily sacrifice, take something out at meals. Skip the fries or ketchup, or don’t put butter on your bread. Take a day to give up something like coffee, wearing jewelry or makeup, watching TV, going on social media, or whatever. Of course, a true fasting day is powerful and also recommended. Try one weekly!
11. Enjoy the wait. What do you do while waiting for the microwave or while waiting for someone to answer their phone? Turn inconsequential moments into prayers of consequence.
12. End your purchase with a surprise. “Thank you and have a good day” is so ordinary that cashiers barely hear it. Try saying, “Thank you, and God bless you” with heartfelt expression. They will hear you.
13. Use sirens and flashing lights as prayer signals. Pray for the person needing the ambulance speeding by and also for whomever is at the end of a police call. For whatever reasons, they could use some extra prayers.
14. Forget about yourself. Humility leads to holiness. Avoid correcting others if it doesn’t matter. Be last in line. Thank God for failure and ask him to lead you to what he wants for you. Don't think less of yourself, just think of yourself less.
15. Talk to people no one can see. Get to know the saint of the day and ask him or her to pray for you. Talk to your Guardian Angel.
16. Give away something you love. It’s fine to donate the things you don’t use, but occasionally give away a favorite item. It’s the difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings to God.
17. Wear a crucifix. It’s a silent witness to Jesus’ love and sacrifice. Wear a scapular, miraculous medal, or a saint’s medal. It may inspire conversation and conversion!
18. Have a no-complaint day. Dedicate an entire day each week to not complaining.
19. Do a house blessing. Ask a priest to bless your house in 2021.
20. Give unexpected gifts. Release someone from a debt, anonymously give a gift card or money to someone on hard times, or send a pizza or baked goods to a police station or to a nursing home or to hospital employees or to a big family.
21. Spend time in service. Serve the needy, the imprisoned, the homebound, the sick, or the lonely. Work at a food pantry or soup kitchen, shovel a neighbor’s snow, or run errands, or say hello. Send a note and/or Bible to the imprisoned, lonely or hospitalized. Pray for them.
22. Pray at an abortion facility. Pray for the Holy Innocents, for the mothers, for the fathers, for the doctors and nurses and other participants. Pray for healing and the conversion of hearts.
23. Pray the Rosary: The Rosary is our most powerful weapon. Take the time to meditate and reflect on each mystery. Start with one bead, then two, then a decade. You will enjoy the journey. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a great supplement/alternative.
24. Go to Confession. Let Jesus take your burdens! Resolve to be reconciled regularly! Examine your conscience nightly.
25. Pray with others. Pray with family, friends or strangers. Join us on the 13th of each month for the Rosary at the Fatima Shrine at St. Catharine’s in Spring Lake.
26. Turn off the noise. Unplug for a while. Media and social media are not yoiur friends. They breed division and contempt. Find peace.
27. Walk with God. Get up and walk in His creation. Contemplate His awesomeness!
28. Pray a Novena. There are many to choose from. Try the Hallow App or check your local Church.
“Most of all: resolve to have a truly blessed new year — one that is new, focused on growing, learning, hoping. Every page of the calendar is blank. By the grace of God, every day holds promise and possibility. Recall the stirring and hope-filled words from Revelation: “Behold, I make all things new” (21:5).” Deacon Greg Kandra
Be purposeful: Commit to something every day. Tell Jesus your gift to Him that day.
Consider partciipating in regular Novenas.
Consider downloading the Hallow App
Catholic Daily Prayer and Reflection
RECEIVE THE LOOP EVERYDAY: NEWS THROUGH LENS OF CATHOLIC FAITH
"Faithful Citizenship characterizes our dual heritage as both faithful Catholics and American citizens with rights and duties as participants in the civil order. First and foremost, however, we remember that we relate to the civil order as citizens of the heavenly Kingdom, whose reign is not yet fully realized on earth but demands our unqualified allegiance. It is as citizens faithful to the Lord Jesus that we contribute most effectively to the civil order." USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Catholic citizens know all to well how easily we can be let down, in fact betrayed, by our own Church and political leadership. We must remember that we are faithful to Jesus Christ and His Church. That is why it is important to understand what it means to be Catholic in the public square.
The key is to remember that we are Catholics first, and partisans second.
The Full Document on Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship from the USCCB can be found here.
Bishop Barron says it well:
What’s the kingdom of heaven? It is God’s way of ordering things. How often the Bible contrasts it to the “world,” which is the way of ordering things that is born of sin. When self-interest, rivalry, egotism, violence, and fear are fundamental, things will get ordered in a certain way—economically, politically, socially.
But the Kingdom of God is the way of ordering things born of love—love for God and love for neighbor. Generosity, peace, nonviolence, and trust will give rise to a new way of ordering things. This is true of a family, a school, a parish, a community, a nation state.
Now how in the world does one get this project off the ground? As should be clear, this never happens all at once overnight. Rather, in small ways, people begin living according to the kingdom. And then, in God’s time, this new community begins to have a leavening effect on the wider society.
One of the later catalytic effects of fasting is: "The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; 'Repairer of the breach,' they shall call you, 'Restorer of ruined homesteads' " (Is 58:12). Our culture of death is by definition a culture of broken relationships. We have mass-produced ruined homesteads. If you will let the Lord rebuild these ancient ruins for your sake, your fasting and obedient follow-up to fasting is exceptionally important to the world. You are the very person the world needs desperately (From Presentation Ministries)
Awakening lay people to their vocation and the meaning of “holiness;” steeping them in fidelity to the Church and her teaching; and empowering them to take leadership in the Church. Such is the way God begins to “make all things new” (Rev 21:5) in the Church, in the nation, and in the world
We are called to be radical, to live our lives in this world, with our hearts always focused on the next.
That often times puts us on the wrong side of conventional wisdom, the latest fads and public opinion.
It is imporatnt to what the Church teaches, and why. The Church has 2,000 of accumalated wisdom that comes from Jesus Christ, the Saints, great theologians, et cetera, all under the watchful eye of the Holy Spirit.
We are all called to holiness, and holiness is possible for each of us.
The first step is to understand what the Church teaches and why.
Our culture is dominated by lies and misinformation. It can be difficult to navigate.
We are in a better position to grow in faith, and defend it, if we have confidence. We encourgae you to take the time to inderstand "the other side" of the argument (AKA, The Truth!)
There are so many resources out thee that are interesting and informative. Try some!
First Thing: Subscribe to The Loop from Catholic Vote: The Loop
Video Resources for answering your questions, and your children's:
Catechism: Real and True
Faith and Science: Science Uprising
Faith and Culture Issues: What Would You Say?
Faith, Culture and History Issues: Prager University
Faith and Society: Edify
Wallbuilders has many links and resources, including a Youtube Channel, that present TRUE American History.