Cross Wise - Suffering with Joy

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."      Mt. 16:24

There are folks who are wise in the ways of the world and then...there are folks who are Cross wise. Their vision has been lifted from this world to the next. The Cross, which seems such an obstacle to some, is a stepping stone to our Lord for others. They use their sufferings to draw closer to Christ and to obtain graces for others, also.

This week's Catholic Treasure is Barbara Schoeneberger's - Suffering with Joy. Barb is a gifted artist with a very keen intelligence and I always enjoy reading her thoughts and insights on various issues including, but not limited to, dealing with a chronic illness, the Church, the Arts, and Sacred Scripture.

Barb has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. In 2008, she also went through 3 hip surgeries. Despite her battle with chronic pain, Barb remains upbeat and offers her sufferings in reparation for sins of the world. You can read her story here. She is an inspiring and courageous woman and I highly recommend her site.

"So shall the King desire thy beauty"

"Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm"

Since I began blogging about a year and a half ago I have come across many wonderful Catholic blogs. On occasion I'll come across one that speaks to my heart in a special way and inspires in me a greater love for our Lord. This week's Catholic Treasure is Daughter of the King. I've always felt that Karinann's site is aptly named and that God has blessed her with a special gift that I like to call single-heartedness ... her eyes are fixed on God. She writes with a beautiful honesty that is hard to come by these days and her love for God is palpable. When I think of Karinann it seems to me that she is very like Mary, Martha's sister, despite her busy life, and that she has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her. I also have no doubt that, spiritually, she is paving the way for many conversions.

 Karinann's Reversion Story is a powerful witness to God's love for his people and his longing to heal them and gather them to himself. I was deeply touched by her story. For those of you that have family and friends who have walked away from their faith please read her post today. It will fill you with hope.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

A Gem Reflects Light

There came a time on the earth when people no longer pointed upward to things of God but, rather, pointed at themselves and even downward at things less than themselves. That time is now. Art, film, books have become some of the greatest purveyors of this distorted way of thinking. What artists and writers  fail to understand is that their work is often a reflection of the state of their souls. Reading a book tells one a lot about the author, just as gazing at a painting tells us much about the artist who created it. Even fictional works contain a hidden autobiography which speaks volumes about the author.

It's always nice to find a gem hidden in the midst of dirt and stones. Today's Catholic Treasure is Time for Reflections . Victor Moubarak's short stories are food for the soul and nourishment for the spirit. The author uses his stories and the character of Father Ignatius (Whom I jokingly call St. Ig ... because he'd surely be beatified if he existed!) to draw our attention away from ourselves and the problems we are facing in this day and, instead, gently turns the focus towards God. This is where our focus should be. Victor has a gift for pointing out the truths of our Catholic faith and the great truths of life with wit and wisdom. May God continue to inspire him!

"A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."           Luke 6:45

Catholic Treasures - " As the family goes, so goes the nation...."

"As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live."  Pope John Paul II

This week's Catholic Treasure is BENMAKESTEN. If God were to appoint an army to help straighten out the families of this world, it seems likely to me that He would assign the task of captain to Judy , the author of Benmakesten. Judy is passionate about family and faith issues and her advice to Catholics of all ages is practical and down to earth. She is a born teacher with a deep understanding of the importance of marriage and families in God's plan for the world. When I was on her site today a verse from the Bible immediately popped into my mind:
 "Zeal for your house consumes me."
 I thought about this and nodded my head. This perfectly describes Judy. Zeal for God's house consumes her. And this zeal is catchy!

"Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family - a domestic church."  Pope John Paul II

Catholic Treasures

One of the first sites I started following as a blogger and enjoy to this day is Anne Bender's blog -
Imprisoned in my Bones. I am pretty much a daily visitor there. As a matter of fact, I used to drink my morning coffee while reading her posts until school interfered with this routine. Anne is a gifted poet and writer. I can picture God standing over Anne's cradle as a baby, anointing her hands with a kiss and turning to the angels with a smile,  "This child shall paint pictures with her words and these words will touch the hearts of many." God has blessed Anne with a beautiful gift and this blogger's heart is as lovely as her words. I highly recommend this site!

Catholic Treasures

Each week I would like to feature a blog or website that I enjoy visiting that reflects the richness of our Catholic Faith.  We are blessed to have a vast array of sites dedicated to sharing that faith with others. This week, to start off, I am featuring two. One is a blog I've been following for a while, the other is a brand new website by the same author :

Thoughts on Grace - a great blog authored by Colleen Spiro. Colleen shares her reflections on God and her thoughts on spirituality with us at this site.

Catholic Prayer Life - Colleen's new website! At Catholic Prayer Life you can find information on Catholic spirituality, Catholic prayers and devotions, E-cards, audio reflections, and more!

Check them out!