Month: June 2020

Happy Feast Day St. Anthony of Padua!

/ chicoinematt

June 13th is always a special date for my family: it is my oldest son’s birthday–and the feast day for Saint Anthony of Padua! Primarily known as the Patron saint of lost items, Anthony was my mom’s go-to saint the many times she lost her keys, purse, or other important articles either at home or work.

Saint Anthony of Padua

Not Simply a Patron for Chronic Losers (of Items)

Anthony lived in the 12th century and was a Portuguese Catholic priest. He became a friar of the Franciscan Order. Like St. Francis of Assisi, Anthony came from a wealthy family but lived a humble and obedient life in service to the Lord. He is best known for his outstanding preaching and expertise of the Scriptures.

What I just recently learned is that St. Anthony is actually a Doctor of Church.  He is a spiritual giant in the history of Catholicism. Not all does he aid us daily affairs (like losing our keys for 37th) but the saint’s writings inspire hope and inform us about God’s love.

Along with celebrating my son’s birthday, I wish to discover the great wisdom of St. Anthony of Padua. Find your faith with the help of the great patron of Lost Items! **stops typing and searches pockets to make sure car keys are still there**

Below are a few simple yet powerful quotes from the great Doctor of the Church to help you discover [or rediscover] your faith in the Good News of the Gospel!

Enjoy!

Wisdom from the Evangelical Doctor

“Attribute to God every good that you have received. If you take credit for something that does not belong to you, you will be guilty of theft”

“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travelers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey.”

“The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. Satan is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross.”

“The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.”

Related Links

St. Anthony Shrine

St. Anthony to the Rescue

St. Anthony, Cooler Than Just Finding Your Lost Crap

P.S. Thank you for reading about Saint Anthony. He’s the ‘bee-knees’ (or is it St. Ambrose, the patron of bees?). No matter, I appreciate you reading and hope you have a wonderful day. Ask Anthony for help if you lose something (don’t feel bad I lose something almost daily).

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Thank you for sharing!

How to Use ‘Yes’ to Reframe Your Mindset

/ chicoinematt
❓How many times have you said ‘no’ (or anything phrased in the negative) today?
Thinking about this question forced me to reframe my perspective and interactions with others.
❌ Saying ‘no’ is easy (as a dad I feel like I am telling my kids no a thousand times a day).
no meme
🤔 But think about it.
It truly is easier to say no and move on.
“Stop running!”
“Quit arguing!”
“I don’t want feedback.”
“I won’t listen to my boss.”
Each of these statements focus on the short term (and frankly are selfish).
❗️Our default setting is “no”.
In the words of my parents, “The Can’t Man is out.”
I have been reading ‘Questions are the Answer’ by Hal Gregerson. He talks about the importance of asking questions to reframe your mindset.
❌ Stop saying ‘no’.
Wait. I did it again. Let me try again.
✅ Start saying ‘yes’.
Reframe your mindset.
Begin a new habit of using words of affirmation instead of negative commands.
You will see immediate results:
🔷 Productivity increase
🔶 Happiness increase
🔷 Relationships improve
🔶 Frustration decrease
Do you have any tips to shift your mindset?
Let me know in the comments ⤵️
Thank you for sharing!

Muffingate 2020: A Blue-Eyed Suspect’s Escape during a Pandemic

/ chicoinematt / 2 Comments

🌐 Civil unrest has shook the quaint town of Chicoineville recently. Weeks and weeks of quarantine (due to a mysterious virus) left the citizens in a tizzy.

🌐 Local parks and libraries shut their doors to prevent further spread of the disease. While this stopped more outbreaks the lockdowns inadvertently resulted in an exponential increase in shenanigans.

🌐 Food shortages occurred too. Yeast, flour,  fruit, and eggs sold out like crazy. This meant no muffins.

Speaking of muffins, this is a continuation of the story dubbed “Muffingate”—a level 7 shenanigan event!

muffingate

🚨 🚨 🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨🚨🚨

📍 Video footage was discovered to be manipulated.  Police learned that the prime suspect in Muffingate, Avila Catherine Geraldine, doctored the surveillance (further analysis determined a few stuffed animals and a baby doll were strategically placed under a blanket to make it look like she never left her crib).

📍The prosecution wanted to move quickly to bring the case to court. However, the pandemic forced the mayor to suspend all government activities (this halted all court cases).

📍 While the virus has subsided and food supplies are returning back to normal, controversary stuck the nation’s police force. This caused a ripple effect all the way down to Chicoineville.

📍 The police department’s tactics for nabbing criminals and bail procedures came under fire. Pressure from the media forced Chicoine’s sheriff to lift restrictions on several ‘suspects’.

📍 ACGC was one of those impacted. She is no longer under house arrest. PRNT TV’s award-winning photographer Jenny Lynn captured this photo of the ‘muffin miscreant’ celebrating.

blueberry blue eyes Don’t let the cute face fool you. Shenanigan-makers love to disguise themselves under the veil of “adorableness’.

Notice her blue eyes. The same shade as blueberries (perhaps from eating too many blueberry muffins). Coincindence?! You be the judge. Text out “blueberry buffoonery” to 55555 to vote “Guilty” or “Not Guilty”.

📍 Alas, there is no vaccine to stop shenanigans.

📍 Stay with PRNT TV 📺 to receive full coverage on this new scandal “sweeping” across this small town.

📍Text “antics” to 55555 to get text updates and exclusive interviews with the sheriff, eyewitnesses, and first-responders.

📍This has been I.M. Shocked with PRNT News reporting. Thank you for watching (reading)!

Thank you for sharing!

Why Celebrating the Mass is Like Returning Home in 2020

/ chicoinematt

The death of Kobe Bryant ushered in the new year. It shocked the world. Suddenly the coronarovirus circled the globed. Lockdowns and quarantines ensued. Our lives have been upended. You may have joked about this year being the beginning of an apocalypse— honestly, it feels Pandora’s box of evil was opened and there is no end in sight.

time traveler 2020 meme

Recreational outlets for stress such as sporting events, music concerts, and festivals have either been cancelled for postponed indefinitely.  Local libraries, zoo, and museums closed. How the heck are you supposed to live? I contracted COVID19 in April and those were among the most miserable weeks for my family. And if that wasn’t bad enough the Church suspended public Masses.

I understand why the bishops temporarily removed the Sunday obligation. Viewing the Mass via the Internet was a gift. It was a grace to hear my diocese’s newly ordained bishop preach (my family ordinarily don’t attend the Cathedral for Mass so we wouldn’t have heard Bishop DeGrood otherwise).

In May several dioceses across the United States started allowing public liturgies with safety precautions. I was recently graced with the ability to receive the Blessed Sacrament for the first time in months. It felt like a homecoming.

Home is Where the Sacred Heart is

Saint Augustine wrote, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee. ” This year was a journey in the wilderness (I mean that literally and figuratively). Lent ended on April 11th however my spiritual dryness and suffering continued well into the Easter Season. Streaming the Mass on TV felt like viewing an oasis far off in a desert. Some weeks it appeared real and other times as a mirage.

sacred heart of Jesus is our home

The tangibility of going to Mass physically reminds me of the Incarnation—  God becoming man. Without that direct connection of hearing and seeing the priest in person it remained a great Cross to bear.

Saint Pope Pius X said, “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven.” This life is not our true home. It is a pilgrimage toward our destination.

Home is about love. The truest form of love is found in the heart of Jesus.

Community of Love

Another term for the Blessed Sacrament is Holy Communion. I love this name for the Eucharist. Under the section What is this Sacrament Called?  the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1331,  (It is called)  “Holy Communion, because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ, who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body.” Love can only happen in the presence of another.

Jesus told his Apostles in Matthew 18:20,  “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This is the reality of the Church. People united together with each other through the power of God’s love.

Returning to Mass reminded me of this communion with God AND man. The priest stands in Personi Christ (the Person of Christ). While only a validly ordained priest, Eucharistic prayer, wheat bread, and grape wine are officially needed for the Sacrament to occur, it is a fuller sign of God’s love when the laity are present. Hearing the faithful sing the various hymns helped me to greater enter into the mystery of the Mass.

An Invisible (But Still Real Communion)

Mass is not boring

The community of the laity are a visible sign of communion. Yet, there is an invisible assembly present in the Mass— the angelic hosts and communion of saints. I felt closer to the holy ones during the Eucharist than when I was watching it in my own home on the television.  Jesus’ words to Thomas in John 20:29 hit home last Sunday, “Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'” This world is not our true home. A world beyond the senses exist.

According to the Catechism, “The whole community thus joins in the unending praise that the Church in heaven, the angels and all the saints (CCC 1352). St. Augustine echoes this truth,  “The angels surround and help the priest when he is celebrating Mass.” Understanding this reality helped deepen my appreciate for the Mass. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Ask God to Give You Strength

God won't leave you

This year continues to send us new and unimaginable trials. Our hearts ache for love. The inability to receive the Eucharist made those challenges exponentially tougher. Some of you may still be in “exile” and wondering how long you have to wander aimlessly in the desert of 2020. God never totally abandons us even though it feels like it sometimes. Read the Bible daily or the writings of saints for comfort. Praying the Rosary or chaplet of Divine Mercy help ward off distress. I offer my sufferings to God in hopes that you may receive spiritual consolation to soothe you during your trials!

Related Links

10 Things You Should Do Until Public Masses Return

Why Priestly Ordinations Give Me Hope in an Age of Pandemic

7 Reasons to Go to Eucharistic Adoration

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Thank you for sharing!