Here is this week's installment of "Five Faith Friday" which contains five, faith-based things I found interesting and am sharing on Friday.
What Quote I'm Reflecting On --
"Imagine if every single Catholic prioritized Sunday Mass, prayed every day, went to confession once a month, contributed time, talent and treasure to the mission of the Church, served the poor and sick and evangelized others. We would change the course of global history!" Bishop Donald Hying tweeted that a few days ago and I've gone back, read, and re-read it a few times. I then decided to go out and pull the data on these items for my own curiosity. Only 39% of Catholics go to Mass each week (pre-covid). Just 59% pray daily (and I'm guessing a portion of those only pray at meals while at home). I can't find any good data points on how many Catholics go to confession monthly but I'd venture to say that number is tiny. And I know for a fact that those who contribute their time, treasure, and talents to the mission of the Church are lacking. Do some reflection on that quote and pray about where you may need to grow in your faith.
Which Gospel I'm Reading --
This Sunday's reading from Matthew 21:33-43. This is where Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23 saying, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?" What is the cornerstone? Taken from wikipedia: "The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure." So my question to you is, "What is the cornerstone of your life?" What are the things in your life in which all other items are set in reference to? For some it may be the meals of your day. For others it could be sporting events. Yet for others it may be around their TV, phone, or other source of media. Consider what it would take to make Jesus your cornerstone. What if daily Mass or 20 minutes of mental prayer became the cornerstone to your day and everything else revolved around that?
What Short Article I Enjoyed --
"When the Dogma Lives Loudly" by Archbishop Chaput. This was absolutely brilliant commentary by Archbishop Chaput. Both Joe Biden and Judge Barrett are Catholic, right? By baptism, yes. But there is clearly a drastic difference in terms of how Judge Barrett holds true to the faith that she professes and she should be applauded, not denounced. Remember the "Hate has no home here" narrative? Notice how quickly that went out the window when it is in relation to the Catholic faith.
What Exciting News I Heard --
That the tomb of Carlo Acutis was opened yesterday for veneration ahead of his beatification. Carlo is hopefully going to be a modern day Saint! One who wore sweat clothes, played soccer, and loved his video games. From one of my previous FFF segments: Carlo passed away in 2006 meaning a lot of public information (including pictures and videos of his life) is available online. Carlo is also the designer and creator of the "International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles." He lived a life with Christ as the center and that love of God and those around him had profound effects on his family.
What Book I'm Reading --
The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great by Ben Shapiro. I had fairly high expectations since it was rated a 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon with 2,414 ratings and it sure is living up to the expectations. From (part of) the back cover:"As a society, we are forgetting that almost everything great that has ever happened in history happened because of people who believed in both Judeo-Christian values and in the Greek-born power of reason. In The Right Side of History, Shapiro sprints through more than 3,500 years, dozens of philosophers, and the thicket of modern politics to show how our freedoms are built upon the twin notions that every human being is made in God’s image and that human beings were created with reason that is capable of exploring God’s world."
Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and your family!
David Yingling started his weekly “Five Faith Friday” emails when the Coronavirus forced an end to his in-person “Pints & Prayers” gatherings, which he describes as “Men striving to deepen their faith over a cold one.” He’s a member of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Easton.
Copy Permalink
