ThirstyFountains

Fire is the most powerful when it spreads. Think about it.      One match can light up a forest. One match can light a candle, and that candle another...and another...and another. One match can light up a room. One flame can spread and heat an entire house.  Fire is needed for trains, plane engines, and rockets. Fire is necessary.      Even more so, fire is essential in the Church. We need to spread the fire of the Holy Spirit to everyone and everywhere. We, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to evangelize. We are fundamentally wrong if we think that evangelization is supposed to be left to priests and religious (or even super -Catholics). It's our job to show Christ through actions and when necessary to use words. Our mission is to show Jesus to others. We aren't called to first preach facts about Him, but to share His love. When we want someone to like a certain food, we ask them to taste it. That way, they can experience it for themselves.   To

We are going to die. (Great way to open the post, right?). Death is a reality we have to accept. There is such a poverty in death, a vulnerability. We don't know when we will die. Death can come suddenly, when you least expect it. It can approach slowly without remorse as it does with sickness and cancer. But it comes. The question is: will you be prepared? How many of us can say, "I regret nothing. If I died today, everyone I have ever loved would know it." ? However, until we die... let us live. Victoria Erickson tells us to "feel our lives while we are in it." (tbh when I started writing this post I had something completely different in mind but stay with me haha). Back to the poverty note above... The night of the Last Supper, Jesus reached His hand out to wash Peter's feet. But Peter pulled away. He couldn't let the Messiah, the King of the entire world, touch his feet. To most of us, our feet are the unpresentable, dirty, almost ugly part of oursel

Matthew 21: 12-13 says, "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, "It is written: 'My house shall be a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves." "  John 2:14 says Jesus "m ade a whip out of cords."  Woah. Imagine a Nazorean carpenter, filled with righteous anger, flipping tables and  whipping things .   Not exactly someone you want to mess with. The thing is, I believe we tend to see Christ as some soft-spoken, gentle handed, and meek man. And while He possesses them, He is not made up of only these traits. Reading the Gospel of Matthew and John, we can see that He is passionate and wild . He does not walk into the Temple and pay no mind to the evil going on. He steps in. He does something. He fights for what He believes in.  Recently, Fr. Mike Schmitz delivered

Again I felt as if I couldn't breathe when I realized it has been more than a year without you... That I'll turn 18 without you... That I'll go to college without you. No longer are we inseparable, for there are more miles and light years between us than I ever imagined possible. Everything goes on without you. Without me. The leaves change colour, the temperature drops, the winter chill begins to set in. All creation quietly screams to move on, let go. But what if I can't? What will happen to me? Will I never be open to love again? Will I continue to push people away until they finally give up fighting for me? I wish you were here, even if I can't have you for my own. Just knowing you were alive... How do I move on from what we had? I still feel it, feel you. Ach, you haunt me. My every waking moment, you hover in the shadows of my mind. In the night, I feel you... just out of my reach.         *OMADG*

   "Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him." (Psalm 103:13)       Where does the word "compassion" come from? What is its origin? In the mid-14th century, compassion literally meant "suffering with another." Isn't that so true? God suffers with us; He doesn't leave us alone. Too often, however, we feel like He does. Our minds tell us He has left us, abandoned us, forsaken us... How come we do this to ourselves? Is it that we are afraid of love or be loved? Or we just don't fully comprehend what love is?      I just came back from a conference that Matt Lozano spoke at. He was talking about the Heart of God our Father. Something he said that resonated with me was this: "We all have questions that can be answered by God only. These questions include 'Daddy, do you love me?' 'Am I beautiful?' and 'Do I have what it takes?' "      Have you ever as

Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima!!!        I began this post with a determination to capture Mary's beauty, life, and purity. However, as soon as I started typing, I realized that I could not do her justice... (Then, my friend reminded me that no one on earth really can either so I felt better:) She cannot be labeled or defined by mere words from our dictionary. Phrases and words cannot or even come close to describing her very essence. Rather, she is so much more.     A word continues to reappear in my head and it is this: captivating. Mary is captivating . She is a mystery . ... and aren't all mysteries an intrigue?      Some people think of Mary as a gentle, humble, selfless, and perfect human. This is most definitely true; however, the thoughts may progress to something along the lines of "she didn't have fun." Personally, I cannot imagine a life with Mary that would not have at least some fun. She is an optimist and has a p

Hey guys! I have not posted in a while. So, before I forget, I want to share a little something about an amazing retreat coming up! (p.s. DYC was incredible).  I will be posting tomorrow, but wanted to tell you all about this:) (see bottom to learn more...) What is Faithful Servant? Faithful Servant Catholic Leadership Institute is designed for high school aged youth and adults who work with them.  It combines a wide variety of learning modalities, including visual, verbal, logical, physical, and aural.  Regardless of participants’ ultimate vocational call, Faithful Servant provides a foundation of insight into discipleship coupled with proven life skills.  Some of the topics covered during the week include: Christian Leadership and Leadership Styles Communication Skills Negotiation and Consensus Building Morality – Natural Law Group Dynamics The New Evangelization Eucharist – Our Source and Summit The History of Faithful Servant in the C

  The Annual Diocesan Youth Conference is a weekend-long event for high-school youth. DYC brings together high school youth from around the Diocese for a theme-centered weekend of workshops, led by youth and adults alike, keynote speakers, entertainment, daily Mass, Adoration of Our Eucharistic Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and Confession, all time to grow in the Catholic faith.   Mission Statement We, the youth of the Diocese of Charlotte, commune together amidst spiritual warfare, trusting that God will redeem our brokenness and bring us from darkness into light. We choose to pursue a life purposefully for Christ by endeavoring to bring hope to the despair of present day reality. By partaking in this conference, we will seek with fortitude, prudence, and love to bring joy into the world by Enlightening the Darkness. Registration and Cost Information For DYC

Who would you have been when Jesus was arrested and killed? Judas? The man so lost and confused that he believed that by handing over Jesus, his truest friend, he would be helping him. The man who thought Jesus would defend himself, prove he was innocent... The man who believed that this would cease all accusations against Jesus. The man who was devastated to see that Jesus did the opposite. The man who was so filled with shame and brokenness that he decided that he was not worthy of God's relentless mercy. The man who swallowed his tears and vowed that he would kill himself. The man who decided that he was a waste of oxygen. Peter? The man who believed he would give his very life for his best friend. The man who fell asleep at the hour of Our Lord's agony. The man who never heard the cry of his best friend as he suffered. The man who was not there to comfort Jesus while he sweat His Precious Blood. The man who, filled with passion and trying to defend Christ, sli

This is a story of repentance and true contrition... The Repentant Lord SONGS TO LISTEN TO: The Sacrifice - Bob Fitts He's My Son - Mark Shultz My Jesus - Todd Agnew Why - Michael Card You Love Me Anyway - Sidewalk Prophets Perfect Love - (Mary's Song) Making All Things New - The Passion of Christ Reminder: The Divine Mercy Novena begins today. (I'll be posting more tomorrow) *OMADG*