Discovering hope and joy in the Catholic faith. September 2015 St. Clement Mary Hofbauer Conventual Franciscan Friars Discover God’s plan of love for you A vocation is a call from God to love personal encounter. The more we him throughout your life. Whether open ourselves up to Our Lord, the St. you are called to be married, a priest more easily we can discern his voice. A Jesuit, Robert was or deacon, a religious brother or Follow in another’s footsteps. a scholar devoted to sister, or committed to Find role models in the different studying and staying single, your vocation vocations. See if you can writing about will bring you the most joy picture yourself doing what church history, you can experience on he or she does each day. Scripture and Earth. It will help you Ask for details of their the fathers of and others to grow vocation stories to see the Catholic closer to God. how God chose them. Church. He taught Here are some That will give you clues against the divine right of ways you can better to how you are being kings and became unpopular. discern God’s plan called. He worked to accurately for you. Keep in touch. record Church doctrine to Personally meet Keeping a prayer explain and protect it from him. The Church’s journal is a good way attack by Protestants. Although sacraments are to spot patterns that a cardinal and counselor to opportunities to meet God may show God is Pope Clement VIII, he lived personally and receive his grace. working in your life. Pick a and ate like the poor. He was We can meet him often in the prayer buddy and pray for each canonized and declared a Sacrament of Holy Eucharist and the others’ vocations. Spend time in front doctor of the Church. Sacrament of Reconciliation. Sacred of the Blessed Sacrament when you Let go of the dream Scripture is another opportunity for can. Who wouldn’t want to live the “good life?” Imagine having all the money you need, going on exotic Why do Catholics only vacations, and owning your dream home. Yet, people who get baptized once? have all the world can offer still say they don’t have all they want. That’s because the good life isn’t here on Earth. The tells of Christ opens us to grace, “We know that all us that Baptism is the helps us resist the things work for good gateway to the Church, temptation to sin, and for those who love and the beginning of a inspires us to love God and God, who are called lasting communion with neighbor more perfectly according to his God. At our Baptism, God (Catechism of the Catholic purpose” adopted us as his children Church, #1121). This mark (Romans and “marked” us as his is permanent, so we are 8:28). forever. This spiritual mark only baptized once.

© Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC September 2015 Page 2 Carry the Eucharist with you

During the , Jesus comes to us in the Sacrament of the parish offer First Friday Benediction? Practicing a Eucharist to nourish us, heal us, and draw us closer to him. Eucharistic devotion will make the Mass less like The graces we receive from the Eucharist help us follow a duty and more like a visit with a Friend. Christ more perfectly if we are open to them. The good Take the Eucharist on the road. We take Christ news is these “sacramental graces” remain even after with us when we communicate his love through Mass. They help us become Christ to the world. our actions and words. Grace from the Cultivate grace. Grace is a share in God’s divine Sacrament inspires us and strengthens us to life. Being open to Eucharistic grace involves show Christ-like love to the world. “As I have spending time with God in the Eucharist. Is there a loved you, so you also should love one another” Eucharistic Adoration Chapel nearby? Does your (John 13:34).

Mark 9:38-48, What is the difference Be ruthless with sin between feast days and solemnities? The disciples were jealous of an that keeps us from God may seem unfamiliar man who healed in Jesus’ just as painful as cutting off a Feasts and solemnities differ in terms name. It seemed that they were hand, but the consequences of their importance. more concerned about of our choices last forever. Solemnities are the highest rank of losing the spotlight than in Being lukewarm celebration in the Church. Christmas, healing. Yet, we do the same toward Jesus is not Easter, All Day, the thing when we refuse to possible. “For Ascension, Corpus Christi, participate in good works whoever is not and other celebrations of because the people are against us is for us.” events in the life of Jesus unfamiliar, those in charge Not all of Jesus’ are solemnities. There are don’t do things the way we’d followers resemble fewer solemnities than like, or we fear our efforts won’t each other or belong feast days. These days are get recognized. Competitiveness to the same groups. But like Sundays but they and ego have no place in the all who are on Jesus’ side have the aren’t always Holy Days of Obligation. Christian community. same goal to build up the kingdom We say both the Gloria and the Creed Jesus was very clear; we must be of God. Our differences should never on such days. “Thus recalling the ruthless in removing sin from our lives. interfere with the work of the mysteries of the redemption, (the Giving up a relationship, job, or habit kingdom. Church) opens up to the faithful the riches of her Lord’s powers and merits, so that these are in some way made Sept. 21 – St. Matthew. Also known present in every age” (CCC, #1163). Far as Levi, he was a notorious tax from being “solemn,” solemnities are collector. St. Matthew changed and left joyful occasions to celebrate. everything when Jesus called him to Feast days honor important saints or Sept. 8 – The Nativity of the Blessed spread the Gospel. The Gospel of events from the lives of Jesus and Mary. Virgin Mary. Tradition says Mary was Matthew is attributed to him. The Catholic Church celebrates these born in Jerusalem after her parents, Sept. 30 – St. (436). St. feasts because they are snapshots in the Anna and Joachim, had been childless Jerome’s great love of the Scriptures history of the Church and of God’s for more than twenty years. Mary’s birth led Pope Damasus to ask him to saving love for us. They call to mind brought her parents – and humanity – translate the Bible from Hebrew and sacred mysteries or events recorded in joy. Greek into . Called the “,” the history of our redemption. Sept. 16 – St. Cornelius (253). it became the Despite Rome outlawing a new pope, official text of the To provide practical ideas that promote St. Cornelius was secretly elected and Catholic faithful Catholic living. Success Publishing & Media, LLC bravely led the Church during a difficult Church and Publishers of Growing in Faith™ and Partners in Faith™ time. He modeled forgiveness, made the Bible (540)662-7844 (540)662-7847 fax accessible to http://www.growinginfaith.com embracing people who renounced their (Unless noted Bible quotes and references are from faith under the persecutions but many more the Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible) sincerely repented afterward. people. © Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC