Father Marino's Meditations

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala,  OFM Capuchin DON’T QUIT! When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low, and debts are high, And you want to smile but have to sigh. When care is pressing, and you’re down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don't you quit. Life is strange with its twists and turns, As every one of us eventually learns, And many a failure turns about, When he might have won if he'd stuck it out, Don't give up though the pace seems slow, You might succeed with another blow. Often the struggler has given up, When he might have captured the victor's cup. And he learned too late when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown, Success is failure turned inside out, The silver lining of the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar, So stick to the fight w

THE TATE FAMILY… WE ALL KNOW THEM You may know this family. There are 17 members in the family. I meet them almost everywhere I go. Maybe you, too, can identify with some of them. Perhaps some of the members of your family or your parish look or behave like this family. Their family name is TATE. There is old man DICK TATE who wants to run everything. He was born to rule.   He is the boss! His son PRECIPI TATE is always ready for a fight. He seems to live in constant anger. Uncle RO TATE tries to change everything. His sister AGI TATE stirs up plenty of trouble with the cooperation and help of her husband, IRRI TATE . When anything new is suggested HESI TATE and his wife, AGI TATE always want to stir up trouble or wait until next year. Their sister-in-law DEBILI TATE never has the energy for anything worthwhile. She’s always tired. She said she was born tired. And IMI TATE wants the church to be just like every other church. DEVAS TATE supports gloom

 

 

 

                                                    WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala,  OFM Capuchin VENERABLE FULTON J. SHEEN  ON PRAYER “The essence of prayer is not the effort to make God give us something. Prayer, then, is not just informing God of our needs since God already knows them. Rather, the purpose of prayer is to give God the opportunity to bestow the gifts, He will give us when we are ready to accept them. The person who thinks only of himself says only prayers of petition. The one who thinks of his neighbor says prayers of intercession. Whoever thinks only of loving and serving God says prayers of abandonment to God’s will, and this is the prayer of the saints.” On this Spiritual Workout Wednesday , think about the prayers you pray and for whom you pray. How can you improve your prayer life by moving from prayers of petition to prayers of acceptance of God’s will? Being a prayerful Christian is not easy. In fa

THE PRAYER PROCESS GRATITUDE Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today. AWARENESS Revisit the times in the past twenty-four hours when you were and were not the best version of yourself. Talk to God about these situations and what you learned from them . SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS Identify something you experienced in the last twenty-four hours and explore what God might be trying to say to you through this event or person. PEACE Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed against yourself, against others, or against God. Ask Him to fill you with a deep and abiding peace. FREEDOM Speak with God about how He is inviting you to change your life so that you can experience the freedom to become the best version of yourself. OTHERS Lift up to God anyone you feel called to pray for today; ask God to bless, protect and guide them. PRAY THE OUR FATHER Matthew Kelly www.dynamiccatholic.com

  YOUR CROSS IS YOURS "The Everlasting god has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity  the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross that He now sends to you,  He has considered with His all-knowing eyes,  understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice,  warmed with His loving arms and weighed with His own hands  to see that it is not one inch too large nor one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name,  anointed it with His grace,  perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage,  and then sent it to you from heaven, a  special greeting from God to you,  an alms of the all-merciful love of God." ~ St. Francis DeSales Feast day:  January 24 Patron   of Catholic writers, the Catholic press, the deaf, journalists, adult education Birth: August 21, 1567 Death: December 28, 1622 Beatified: January 8, 1661, by Pope Alexander VII Canonized: April 19, 1665, by Pope Alexander VII

  HOW OLD IS YOUR CHURCH? If you are Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, a former monk of the Catholic Church, in 1517 If you belong to the Church of England , your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry. If you are a Presbyterian , your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560 . If you are a Congregationalist , your religion was originated by Robert  Brown in Holland in 1582. If you are a Baptist , you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Holland in 1582. If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as the founder because he originated your religion in New York in 1628 . If you are a Protestant Episcopalian , your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England and was founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the late 1600s. If you are a Methodist , your religion was started by John a

The Lord is my shepherd… RELATIONSHIP There is nothing I lack… SUPPLY He makes me lie down in green pastures… REST He leads me beside still waters… REFRESHMENT He restores my soul… HEALING He guides me along right paths… GUIDANCE For His name’s sake… PURPOSE Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death… TESTING I will fear no evil… PROTECTION For You are with me… FAITHFULNESS Your rod and Your staff comfort me… DISCIPLINE You prepare a table before me in front of my enemies… HOPE You anoint my head with oil… CONSECRATION My cup overflows… ABUNDANCE Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life… BLESSING I will dwell in the house of the Lord for endless days... HEAVEN  

THE PSALM 23 FOR BUSY PEOPLE The Lord is my pacesetter; I shall not rush, He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals. He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity. He leads me in the way of efficiency through calmness of mind, And His guidance is peace. Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day And crisis may pile upon crisis I will not fall apart because His presence is here, His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in balance. He prepares refreshment and renewal n the midst of my activity. He anoints my mind with His oils of inspiration. My cup overflows. Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruit of my hours, For I shall walk in the peace of the Lord And dwell in His house forever.  Amen .

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin I PRAYED; GOD ANSWERED I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health so that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things . I asked for riches so that I might be happy, I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need for God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life so that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all, most richly blessed. In this Midweek Spiritual Workout , let’s remember that our prayers do not change God, but our God does change us through our prayers. We often pray for what we want, but God gives us what we ne

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin   WOULD YOU BE CONVICTED? Let’s take some time this week to reflect on one simple question. If you were accused of being a Catholic Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? In this  Midweek Spiritual Workout , examine your conscience and review your behaviors and interactions with others in your daily life. Does your lifestyle give evidence of your Catholic Christianity? Do your attitude, language, and behavior with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers provide evidence of your Catholic Christianity? If not, why not? And if so, how can you continue to grow?