“¹In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ²‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ³This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’’”

Sin builds a barrier between us and God. Sin is what killed the divine life within us when we acquired the knowledge of good and evil. It is how we choose to believe that we know what is right for us, even if it goes against the goodness of unconditional love, which is who God is. This sin paralyzes us and alienates us from God and each other. How can we hope to choose God and be images of God for others if we are caught in sin?

God made us to live life to its fullest. Jesus came to free us of our sin. Jesus said in John 10:10,

“¹⁰I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

To live life in abundance is to choose unconditional love, to choose the goodness in the world. It is how Bishop Barron relates God’s permission to Adam and Eve to eat of all the trees in the Garden of Eden to living life to its fullest.¹ For example, it is choosing to care for another person or ourselves, not for our own selfish desire but just for the good of that person. It is as Matthew 5:48 says,

“⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We still fall but it is our decisions to get back up and try again that perfect us. It is through our repentance of our sins and returning to God that we are able to continue to grow. It is through preparing the way of the Lord by our repentance that God’s work in us is realized. So repent and return to God. Prepare the way of the Lord in your life.

“To love is to will the good of another.”¹ Using another for your own self-gratification or benefit is a distortion of love. God is love. 1 John 4:7-9 says, “⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹” We were made in God’s image. We were made for love and to love.

Sin breaks our relationship with God because sin distorts love. The Catechism defines sin as follows,

“Sin is an offence against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.’²" ³

When Adam and Eve sinned, they chose to eat of the apple to be like God. They chose to ascertain the distinction of good and evil to themselves, not to God. This choice was to replace God with themselves, to choose their own pride over their relationship with God.⁴ Genesis 3:4-5 says,

“⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die ⁵ for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

This sin removed our sanctifying grace. It killed the divine life within us. On sinning, our eyes were opened to good and evil. We were no longer shielded from knowing evil. Genesis 3:22 says,

“²² Then the LORD God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever."

God saw that our broken relationship and knowledge of evil might lead us to eat of the Tree of Life to try and replace God. To become like God of our own volition and without God. A distortion of love. This broken relationship is the original sin, which is our fallen nature.

God sent his only begotten son into the world to repair this relationship and grant us eternal life with Him. Jesus says in John 10:10,

“¹⁰ I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”

1 Corinthians 13:7 says,

“⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Jesus came to bear our sin in its totality. To endure us at our worst in the hope that we might choose life with Him. It is for this reason that Jesus came into the world: to reveal God to us, our call to a relationship with God and to restore our relationship with God. To redeem us. Jesus answered Pilate in John 18:37,

“³⁷ You are right when you say that I am a King. I was born for this reason. I came into the world for this reason. I came to speak about the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

The Good news is that although our relationship with God was broken, He has come to restore that relationship with us. Since God respects our free will, our choice, He does not force this relationship on us. He allows us to choose to love him. To choose love. If we choose this relationship with God then we must choose love, choose the good of another; God, neighbour and ourselves, every day and at all times.

Join us for a evening for dancing on Saturday February 24th, 2024 at 7:00pm at St. Basil's Church (940 Rex Ave, Ottawa).
The cost is 5$ or a donation of a canned food item.
We hope to see you and dance with you there :)

Sometimes it is hard to find something to be thankful for in times of trouble. No matter what we are going through, there is always something we can be thankful for. Maybe this year you are not able to spend thanksgiving with your loved ones, but even if you can’t spend time with them you can be thankful for them. You can spend time with God no matter what is going on in your life. He will always be there for you.

The leaves are starting to change colour and fall to the ground to get ready for winter, but no matter the season we are in God’s love for you will never change. He loves you more than you will ever know. No matter what is going on in your life that will never change God’s love for you.
MY challenge to you is to find something to be thankful for today and everyday!

Come and see

First Samuel 3:3-10, 19. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in Yahweh's sanctuary, where the ark of God was, when Yahweh called, 'Samuel! Samuel!' He answered, 'Here I am,' and, running to Eli, he said, 'Here I am, as you called me.' Eli said, 'I did not call. Go back and lie down.' So he went and lay down. And again Yahweh called, 'Samuel! Samuel!' He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you called me.' He replied, 'I did not call, my son; go back and lie down.' As yet, Samuel had no knowledge of Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. Again Yahweh called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you called me.' Eli then understood that Yahweh was calling the child,and he said to Samuel, 'Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, "Speak, Yahweh; for your servant is listening." ' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.Yahweh then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Samuel answered, 'Speak, Yahweh; for your servant is listening.' Samuel grew up. Yahweh was with him and did not let a single word fall to the ground of all that he had told him.

The Lord is calling you just like He is calling Samuel. He loves you so much and has a plan for your life. He wants you to sit down and be with Him in the stillness to get away from the loudness of the world. He wants to show you how much He loves you! The Lord has a plan for each and everyone of us. You just have to listen to the Lord and answer when He calls.

Our world is scary and overwhelming right now but we have more time than ever to spend with the Lord and get to know Him. The Lord wants you no matter how browen, wounded or happy you are. He made you and loves every part of you. When He calls, answer Him and say “ I am here Lord”.

Take some time to sit with the Lord and tell Him what is on your mind and heart He always knows and is waiting to comfort you. Take out your journal and talk to God, and also take time to sit in silence and let Him talk to you.

When you look at yourself in the mirror what do you think? Do you say, “the Lord is pleased with me”?

Maybe when you look at yourself in the mirror, you think: I am not good enough. No one loves me. The Lord is not pleased with me...

The things you say to yourself reflect how you feel about yourself. When you say positive things to yourself you're going to feel good about who you are. Say things to yourself like “I am loved! I am good enough! The Lord is pleased with me!” Then you are going to feel good about who you are.

The Lord sees you right now and all the things the world is going through. He sees how strong you are. He knows you miss your family and friends. He knows you’ve had to adapt to seeing them in different ways. He sees you when you cry at night because you miss your family and friends. He sees how tired you are and how hard you are trying to stay close to him. He knows not going to mass has affected your faith so much but He is so pleased with you in all you have done.

You are His beloved. He loves you so much and he knows how hard you are trying to please Him. Keep doing your best because He sees you. When you fall, get right back up and try again. The Lord loves you more than you ever know even if you turn away from Him, He will always invite you back because He loves you that much.

I challenge you to talk to God and ask him how He is pleased with you.

When I read Matthew, I reflected on my own life and the gifts that I can bring to others and to God. We all have different gifts that we can share. The Lord always shows us what we have to bless others with. Giving it to God and letting Him do with it what He wants can be very scary but it is all about trust.

We all have something we can offer the Lord and others, even if it is small. You may not have another you can offer, but just giving the Lord your time that is all He could ever ask for. He loves to spend time with you, and He loves you so much!

Like I said, we all have different talents, and I know it can be hard but try not to look at others’ talents and want what they have. But, the Lord gave you your talent for a reason. You will bless the Lord and others with your unique talents.

Don’t look at others and say “I want that”, they may be looking at you and thinking the same thing. If you're spending all day focusing on what others have, you will run out of time to share the talent that you do have.

Now I want you to take out your journal and talk to God about the gifts He has given you as talents.

There are many things in this world that give me peace, like going for a walk while listening to worship music, or being with my best friend who knows me best.

Now I want you to close your eyes and picture a place that gives you peace. Imagine what it feels like, sounds like, and looks like. Is it noisy or quiet? Dark or light? Warm or cold?

Now I want you to picture a person who gives peace and makes you feel comfortable. When you talk to this person, do you feel like you can be yourself and be vulnerable?

Now think of both of those and picture yourself talking to the Lord and telling him everything. Tell God what is on your heart because He is the provider of peace. God can be both the place and person who gives you peace. Even if He already knows what is on your heart He wants you to tell Him.

Do you get a sense of peace when you are alone with God? Where is your favourite place to be alone with God?

My challenge to you is to take out a piece of paper, or your journal, and write down what gives you peace during this time of unknowns we are facing in our world right now. Take the time to rest and find peace over the holidays.

Nehemiah 8:10
The joy of the Lord is my strength

Sometimes it is hard to find joy when you feel like your life is falling apart. But, when you are in the middle of a storm, the sun is still there and surely the storm will pass and the sun will come out again! And you're all in luck because I know one person who can give you joy when life is hard: the Lord !

The Lord is with you and He will never leave you. Even when you feel like your life has no joy or meaning, turn to the Lord and He will show you where to find the joy.

No matter what is going on, know that the Lord is by your side, and you can find joy and strength in Him. Even during quarantine when you feel alone, Jesus is with you and will never leave you.

In life, joy can come from many things, but right now it is harder to find joy in our lives because of what is going on around us. Despite these difficult times, I encourage you to work to find, big or small, what brings you joy in your life.

Here are a few things that bring me joy: children's laughter, talking to my friends, painting, writing, teaching children a new skill, my faith, baking, and music (like this song below, check it out!)

My challenge to you is to look for the little things in your daily life that bring you joy.

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies - Mother Teresa

God loves you more than anyone. He loves you more than you will ever know. No matter what you do or say God will always love you!

God loves you and has such an amazing plan for your life. This plan may seem so far from your current path, but you just have to trust in God and trust that He is with you every step of the way.

Think of a time when you felt the most loved. I remember a time when I was crying and my friend hugged me and told me that everything was going to be okay. In that moment of love I felt God with me.

Now think of a time when you have felt the most loved by God. About a year ago I was really sick and going through some health issues. When I was at Adoration, I felt God say to me “you’re going to be okay”, and in that moment I broke down in tears and I knew that I truly was going to be okay.

Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

No matter what you’re going through or how you’re feeling, know that God is with you and He will never leave you. You are loved by God and by so many others. Let’s say it louder for the people in the back…

This year is so different and it’s hard to find hope when our world is turned upside down... kind of like an upside down apple pie (but much less sweet and tasty). When our lives seem upside down, especially like it is right now, so many people are struggling to stay right-side up. It is hard to find hope when you don’t see any hope in the world. We have to find hope in the Lord. He has a plan in all of this. We have to look into the eyes of Christ and say “ I find hope in You. I trust that You are with me”.

Even when you feel like you don’t have hope in the Lord, just know that He has a plan for everyone. Yep, a special plan just for you! Never lose hope in the Lord. He is with you and He will always be with you even through your most difficult times. If you feel overwhelmed, tell the Lord and He will give you hope for better days.

The best thing a friend has ever said to me was,

My challenge to you is to say, “ I trust in you Lord, I put my hope in you”, and put the times you are not okay, into the hands of the Lord.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As lent approaches, most of us are probably dreading those difficult forty days. It is a time when we feel like we must give up something we like doing, like playing video games, using social media, or eating sweets. We dislike the time leading up to Easter, we don’t want to wait so long for the celebrations that come afterwards, we don’t look forward to fasting, and we most certainly don’t like all the preparations that come before the big feast. But why do we look down upon such an important time? And yet, what is it about Lent that is so important and necessary for us?

The season of Lent is designed so that we can focus and meditate on the suffering that Jesus went through. It is a time of solemn reflection leading up to His death on Good Friday, but also a hopeful time as we wait for His resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday. During Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death by bringing ourselves closer to Him with prayer, fasting, repentance, and denying of self.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, when we receive the ashes of burnt palms from last Palm Sunday on our foreheads. “Repent and believe in the Gospel” are the words we hear as a cross of ashes is traced on our foreheads. Indeed, we must repent our sins and we must believe in Christ’s life in order to live out our faith.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.

God created us, we have every reason to turn our eyes to Him and focus our lives on Him, there is nothing more important than the very Creator that created us. We are reminded of our humanity and our natural sinfulness, and thus our need to repent.

After his baptism, Jesus spent forty days in the desert being tempted by the devil, and he rejected each of his temptations. We should strive to do the same. If we are to be like Christ, we must thrust each of our temptations away from us and follow Him; always aiming for better. Our very faith is founded on the life of Jesus, who refused the devil’s worst temptations and led a life of utmost piety. During Lent, we imitate Jesus’ time in the desert and fast like Our Lord did so we may be more like Him.

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in His death” (Philippians 3:10).

St. Paul comes to know Jesus by acting in His likeness and suffering as He did. Every ounce of St. Paul’s being desired to please and serve God. He knew that by sharing in Christ’s sufferings and by becoming like Him, he was getting closer and closer to the God he yearned for. St. Paul saw the profound and lasting effects of finding Christ in his life. The hardships he faced on his path to following Christ were small in comparison to the sufferings in Christ’s own life and even smaller in comparison to the love Christ had for us as He died for us.

Sometimes I find myself complaining about the smallest of adversities. I have a cold and my throat itches, my classes are boring and my head aches, my friends are not giving me attention and I don’t feel loved, I am not getting good marks and I am not smart enough, my family is going through troubles and I can’t fix them, I made a rude remark to someone and now I regret it, a family member just died and I feel hopeless, I don’t get enough exercise and I am exhausted all the time, others are happy but I am not, I skipped mass and I haven’t gone to confession in months, my friends have beautiful clothes and mine are so old, I forgot to do my chores and my parents are mad at me, others are being praised but I am left unnoticed, my life is not fun while others seem to have constant enjoyment… But then I remind myself of what Jesus went through on the cross and everything is made well.

“Lord Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being Loved, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus. […] That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it” (Litany of Humility).

If our God endured nails being pierced through His flesh, splinters of wood on His back as He hung from that cross, a spear going through His side, and a crown of thorns on his head, the least we can do is fast for forty days. If we compare our sufferings to His, we often find ourselves seeing how small our problems really are. Can we truly compare a grain of sand to the whole desert? Of course not, one is much greater than the other. But if we take our little grain of sand and place it with everyone else’s grain of sand, we see a desert. This desert is what Christ took upon Himself for us. He took all our little sins and problems, all our tiny grains of sand, and took that whole desert in His arms so that we wouldn’t have to bear it any longer. Then, He let the people crucify Him, and that desert of sins was made nothing. Just like that, our sins were forgiven: past, present, and future. Just like that, we were restored to a relationship with God, with no sins to separate us from Him any longer. Just like that, our thirst for water in the desert was quenched and our thirst for eternal life with The Father quenched too.

So, give your grain of sand to Christ this Lenten season, and let Him replace the dryness with His river of abounding love.

Our Saviour was born to a humble virgin in a stable and was laid in a manger. It could have been a cold and dreary time for the Holy Family as they spent their early days in the stable, however Christ was surrounded by the love and wonder of people who sought Him out, welcomed Him, and showed that they loved and respected Him through their actions. We too are called to welcome Jesus into our hearts and to prepare ourselves for His coming. A quote that has stood out to me about Christmas and the purpose for why we as Catholics prepare our hearts comes from St. Teresa of Calcutta. It says:

We desire to be able to welcome Jesus at Christmas-time, not in a cold manger of our heart, but in a heart full of love and humility, in a heart so pure, so immaculate, so warm with love for one another.

What have you been doing this Advent to prepare your heart for Christ? Are you showing kindness to others? Are you preparing your heart through prayer? Have you gone for your Advent Confession? Are you giving your time to help serve Christmas dinner at a shelter? Are you buying a gift for a child at Toy Mountain or for a senior in a nursing home? Are you spending time with your friends and family that is free from technology so you can focus on building your relationships? What can you do to prepare your heart to ensure that Christ is coming into a warm heart of love and not a cold heart like a manger.

In true Challenge fashion, I have a Challenge for you this Christmas. I challenge you to reach out to others and show them love in whatever way you feel most comfortable in order to prepare your heart to welcome Christ this Christmas. Be one of those people who surround Christ with love and respect for others and welcome him in to your warm and loving heart!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
{2 Timothy 4:7}

Well we are officially nearing the end of October. I am sure that many of you have returned to school routines this fall or maybe started a new job after graduating. Whatever you’ve been up to, I’m sure the newness, excitement, and enthusiasm you had for your tasks is starting to give way to tiredness, stress, and procrastination.

I know for me when I get a fresh start at school, I have visions of materializing a perfect year: achieving great things or finding success in my work. However, as rote tasks build up - like readings, dishes, early mornings, assignments, commitments etc… I grow weary, bored and restless for distractions and a quick means of gratification.

However, when I feel this way, I try to remember the wise words of Thomas Merton In his book New Seeds of Contemplation. Merton reminds me that:

“The requirements of a work to be done can be understood as the will of God. If I am supposed to hoe a garden or make a table than I will be obeying God if I am true to the task I am performing. To do the work carefully and well, with love and respect for the nature of my task and with due attention to its purpose, is to unite myself to God’s will in my work.”

With these words suddenly my boring, dislikable tasks gain purpose and meaning. I am encouraged to try and love these tasks and do them with great care. I will begin to form a desire, not for the tasks, distractions and gratifications beyond me, but rather a nurture a spirit of love for the work that is in front of me. This will not be because these tasks are exciting or because they hold promises of praise and success, but rather because these small moments reveal to me the nature of God and are part of His will for my life each day.

If I strive to keep this attitude about my work, at the end of each day I should be able to echo the words of Timothy: I fought the good fight when I washed the dishes. I fought the good fight when I chose to do one more page of readings even though I wanted to check my phone. I will be confident that I finished the race even if I lost my patience, got distracted by Facebook or forgot to take care of myself by stopping for a meal. And I will be assured that I kept the faith because I spent my day pursuing God’s will, to my given ability that day, by his grace in all the little moments and daily tasks set before me.

When I lost my Heart to You (Hillsong): The Youtube acoustic version of “When I Lost My Heart to You” is really special because musicians from Hillsong travelled to the Sea of Galilee to record this together, live while sitting around a fire pit. I find it really moves me to a place of peace and gives me a desire to pray. Definitely worth a listen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GiLWogTBio

The Franciscan Friars of Renewal via Ascension Presents: I love these young, vibrant, faithful brothers from New York. I always feel encouraged by their outlook, stories of great faith, and down to earth explanations of their experiences of God. I’ve linked the video where Brother Malachy shares his experience of trying to figure out God’s will. (Make sure you get to the part where he talks about boy scouts - super funny)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhlC23riOEM&list=PLeXS0cAkuTPoSZU98Nf7jhF21Pqgoz9tE&index=34

Sleep, Spirituality and Self Care from The Catholic Feminist: This podcast is hosted by a former Focus Missionary Claire Swinarski and is a podcast I listen to with regularity. Claire is always finding smart, admirable, faithful women to interview on a variety of topics. I thought the students might have a special interest in listening to Claire’s interview with Carleara Weiss (PhD) as it is scientific, practical, and faith building.
https://www.thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/carleara

The Serenity Prayer: This prayer helps me slow down, accept things as they are and remember that God is in charge (not me).

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to his will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with him forever in the next.
Amen

I hope these resources have helped you as they have helped me. De Colores!