Month: January 2017

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
–Romans 12:2

Meditation – Step 4: Set Your Mind on the things Above

Today is the Feast Day of our dear friend at Paradisus Dei, Saint Don Bosco!

Don Bosco raised thousands of boys. He took them off the streets of Turin, Italy and formed them in the ways of Christ and the Church. He loved the boys and the boys loved him. His famous method was 1) Reason 2) Religion and 3) above all kindness.

And although Don Bosco was always merciful and kind, there were two areas where he simply would not compromise. He knew that so long as the boys clung to these two things they would NEVER make progress in their
spiritual lives.

One of these things was bad books. In our modern day, we can translate this to mean “bad media.” Media molds the mind, and the type of seeds that we plant in our minds, whether good or bad, will always be reflected in the type of fruit that bears forth in our hearts and lives.

What if we made a resolution for 2017 to get out the bad media in our home, and instead replace it with things that elevate our minds toward God?

 

Prayer
Remember us, O God; from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ. You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever. Amen.
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
–Matthew 6:6

Meditation – Step 3: Give God Some of Your Time

Do you have a resolution to pray more this year? If so, make a daily appointment with God and treat that appointment with God in the same way you would approach a business appointment.

1. Pick a place where you can give your undivided attention.
2. Pick a specific time

You would never set a meeting with your boss without a specific time and place.

So, slow down and pray more. Trust that if you keep your appointment, God will always keep His!

Prayer
Remember us, O God; from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ. You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever. Amen.
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers

“Above all hold unfailing your love for one another,
since love covers a multitude of sins.”
–1 Peter 4:8

Meditation – Step 2: Use Money for Others

Have you ever tried to rip away a dog’s favorite toy out of it’s mouth? Impossible right? What do you do instead? Have the dog come over and start petting him and talking sweetly. After a little while the dog loosens its grip and you can easily sneak away the toy. I know you’ve done this!

But what if we take time to stop and be still and think about all the blessings that God has poured out into our lives. The more we ponder the goodness of God and recognize that he is a good Father who will always provide, the more we become like that dog that loosens its grip. We begin to open up our hands. We begin to see our resources as a gift that we have been given by God to share.

St. Francis would chase down the beggars to make sure he offered them whatever he had. Rather than avoid eye contact with the homeless, be prepared to give.

 

Prayer
Remember us, O God; from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ. You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever. Amen.
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers

“Above all hold unfailing your love for one another,
since love covers a multitude of sins.”
–1 Peter 4:8

Meditation – Step 1: Honor Your Wedding Vows

“The family is placed at the center of the great struggle between good and evil, between life and death, between love and all that is opposed to love.”
– Saint John Paul II.

Have no doubt, Satan is trying to destroy your family!  The enemy is coming for those you love the most. The question is, what are you going to do
about it?

Discover a practical way to be a hero to your loved ones, starting with
your spouse.

Prayer
Remember us, O God; from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ. You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever. Amen.
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers

“The hope of the righteous ends in gladness.”
Proverbs 10:28

Meditation
The end of one year and the beginning of another comes with celebrations, reflections, new goals, and the famous New Year’s resolution. Each year we say we’ll start doing this, or stop doing that. Unfortunately, for some of us, our big plans rarely make it to February.

It’s time to Live It!

At Paradisus Dei we are here to resolve with you. Strive to become a better person – a person you WANT to be – a person after God’s own Heart. The secret to a “happy life” is to live a holy life. Let’s make 2017 our happiest and holiest year yet!

Prayer
Remember us, O God; from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ. You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever. Amen.
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers