2010 ~ Give Glory Music

IT'S JUST ANOTHER NEW YEAR'S EVE Barry Manilow - lyrics

It's Just Another New Years Eve Lyrics
Artist(Band):Barry Manilow

Don't look so sad, it's not so bad you know.
It's just another night, that's all it is,
It's not the first, it's not the worst you know,
We've come through all the rest, we'll get through this.

We've made mistakes, but we've made good friends too.
Remember all the nights we spent with them?
And all our plans, who says they can't come true?
Tonight's another chance to start again.

REFRAIN
It's just another New Year's Eve,
Another night like all the rest.
It's just another New Year's Eve,
Let's make it the best.
It's just another New Year's Eve,
It's just another Auld Lang Syne,
But when we're through this New Year
You'll see, WE'LL be just fine.

We're not alone, we've got the world you know.
And it won't let us down, just wait and see.
And we'll grow old, but think how wise we'll grow.
There's more you know, it's only New Year's Eve.

REPEAT REFRAIN

MY LOVE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH Marco Sison - lyrics

My Love Will See You Through

Marco Sison

When times get rough
And your dreams just fall apart
And sometimes you feel
That you cant go on
Be strong, hold on
For my love will keep you warm
Through the coldest night
Through the rain, through the storm

When friends turn their backs on you
And you're so helpless
You don't know what to do
I'll be on your side to comfort you
My love will see you through

When the tears are in your eyes
And you feel like you wanna cry
Just reach out and i'll be around to understand
When you stumble and fall
And you need a shoulder to lean on
All you have to do is call
And i'll be there with a helping hand

When the road seem so long and endless
And all you see is nothing but darkness
Dont give up just walk on
Have faith in your heart
For my love will see you through

My love will see you through
When you reach for your star
When you cross the deepest sea
When you climb the highest hill
my love will always be with you
In everything you do
In every step you'll make
In every road you takeDon't be afraid to follow your dreams....
For my love will see you through

Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?

Today's Reflection:

Today’s gospel reading highlights to us that in every man, times of weakened faith can come. The very question, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ once more pops up? And to this Jesus responds: "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."

Amidst some present day adversities, life reversals and difficulties, we could also be posing the same question to Jesus. ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?

God is in His word through the prophet Isaiah has responded to this question: He said: “I am the LORD, there is no other; I form the light, and create the darkness. …I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things… Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other!” God wants us to totally trust Him in faith. God will never forsake us nor leave us. He will be with us until the end of time.

Let us surrender our all to God as He will never abandon. “The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps.”

Direction
Trust is the foundation of any relationship. Trust God completely without reserve.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we believe that Jesus is the great Messiah through whom all your benefits flow and to whom we entrust our lives. In Him, we live, hope and pray. Amen.

But how do we properly receive God's Word?

Today's Reflections:

But how do we properly receive God's Word? We can only receive God's Word if we get rid of sin and humbly open our hearts to His grace. We have to remove the filthiness of our old life by repenting of our sins and firmly resolving to nurture and nourish our hearts with what is of our Lord. We can have God's Word permanently domiciled and active in our hearts if we seriously seek spiritual growth and welcome God's Word even though it may mean being pruned and purified in fire.

Receiving God's Word and heeding it means we have to reflect on it and apply it to our lives. To hear God's Word and not do anything about it is to regress spiritually, which is the exact opposite of what our Lord wants from us. Receiving God's Word does not only mean storing it in our memory bank but implies we have to respond to it and follow what it says.

God's Word has to be lived if we claim our oneness with Him. But quite a number have their minds all made up about certain things. How open are we to the truth that can set us free?

We have to claim God's Word seriously and make it a distinct and integral part of our existence, until the truth our Lord wishes to bring us is deeply imbedded in our hearts. It is only at this point when we can claim God's mighty promises to His people. It is only then that we can experience the transforming power of our Lord, live according to His will and move forward to becoming truly like Christ and being more like the child of the Father that we all have hoped to be. It is the only way we can be gracious, thankful and fruitful, the only way we can rid ourselves of negativity and make our hearts grateful for what all that may come our way.

"Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. He is like a tree planted near running water that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers."

Direction

God's Word should be applied to our lives. We should delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on His law day and night.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to be truly obedient to your Word no matter how difficult it may be. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Chase Bank wants Christmas tree removed

Christmas is about Jesus and if you seek Jesus first, everything will be added unto you. To some, it's business first. If Chase Bank wants the Christmas tree removed from their lobby to favor customers who might be offended, does this mean they don't care about their customers who will be offended if the Christmas tree is removed? There is a reason for those decorated trees to be everywhere and it's been done for ages - it's one of the many ways we celebrate the birth of our Lord. Therefore, every person, Christian or non-Christian should already know that by now and have already accepted that that it is so. Apparently, still not.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

SOUTHLAKE -- Chase Bank told a Texas businessman to remove the Christmas tree he donated to a local branch because it could offend people.

Antonio Morales, owner of Bellagio Day Spa in Southlake northeast of Fort Worth had assembled and decorated a 9-foot-tall tree in the lobby of the Chase Bank branch at 1700 E. Southlake Boulevard as a favor to the branch manager, who is one of his clients.

The tree remained in the lobby from the Monday before Thanksgiving until Tuesday. Morales said his friend called him Wednesday to tell him the tree had to go. She later showed him an e-mail from JPMorgan Chase saying that the tree had to be removed because some people were offended by it.

The bank referred questions to corporate offices.

Greg Hassell, a JPMorgan Chase spokesman, said that the company's policy isn't anti-Christmas. "People wish their customers merry Christmas when it's appropriate," he said.

However, to ensure that everyone who visits Chase branches feels welcome and comfortable, the bank's policy is to use only decorations supplied by the company.

"We appreciate the thoughtful gesture from Mr. Morales," Hassell said. "Unfortunately, we're unable to keep it [the tree] on display for the remainder of the holiday season." JPMorgan Chase ensures that decorations are "something everyone is comfortable with, regardless of how they celebrate the season," Hassell said.

But others see the tree as a symbol of the season.

Read the rest of the article here.

PEOPLE NEED THE LORD - lyrics and chords

ANOTHER VERSION:

PEOPLE NEED THE LORD
by Steve Green

D A G D A G

Everyday they pass me by I can see it in their eye

F#m Bm Em7 A7

Empty people filled with care Headed who knows where

D A G C D7 G

On they go through private pain Living fear to fear

Em7 D G Em7 A

Laughter hides the silent cries Only Jesus hears

(chorus)

D Em7 D G

People need the Lord People need the Lord

A D G Em7 G A

At the end of broken dreams He's the open door

D Em7 D G

People need the Lord People need the Lord

A D G Em7 A D

When will we realize People need the Lord

(2nd stanza)

D A G D

A

G

We are called to take His light To a world where wrong seems right

F#m Bm Em7 A7

What could be too great a cost For sharing life with one who's lost

D A G C

D7 G

Through His love our hearts can feel All the grief they bear

Em7 D G G Em7 G

They must hear the words of life Only we can share

(chorus)

D Em7 D G

People need the Lord People need the Lord

A D G Em7 G

At the end of broken dreams He's the open door

D Em7 D G

People need the Lord People need the Lord

A D G A

D G

When will we realize That we must give our lives

Em A7 Bm Em7 A7 D

For people need the Lord People need the Lord!

Amazing Christmas lights - must see video

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Is our relationship with our Lord founded on signs and wonders?

Today's Reflection

“Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

Is our relationship with our Lord founded on signs and wonders? Do we remain indifferent and unmoved unless we see something unusual which strikes our senses?

It is almost next to impossible to walk in the way of God's will without faith in our hearts. True faith is not based on what we see and touch but on the authority of God. God has revealed Himself to us and He can neither deceive nor be deceived. Authentic faith demands that we believe firmly in His Word under any circumstance. To believe God and His Word, despite life's difficulties, is pure faith which is pleasing to God and which can only be ours as a gift from Him if we have hearts that are truly open.

God sees into our souls and knows how strong and pure our faith has been even more clearly than we do. But God does not require more than each one can give Him. When He sees our deepest motivations and sincere efforts to follow Him, believe in Him and depend on Him, He necessarily takes it upon Himself to perfect our faith. Thus with God's grace our imperfect and still human faith becomes pure and supernatural.

In this life, we can only walk towards God not by sight but by faith. The more authentic our faith is, the more pleasing it is to God and the more it will allow us to know His holy will and to accomplish it in our lives.

Today let us pursue God in total faith. Let us rejoice as Jesus assures all of us who come to Him with pure faith that we "shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living" and that "it shall be done to you."

Direction

Let us open our hearts to God and His grace so that He may be able to perfect our faith.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, perfect my faith that wavers in difficult times and bitter moments, so that I may know Your true will for me. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

[via email]

5 things other boxers can learn from Manny Pacquiao

Aside from invoking God in prayers before and after each fight, boxers can learn from the best boxer of our time... Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao’s Guide to Repeatedly Punching a Guy in the Face, Like a Gentleman

First, be a renaissance man.
Manny Pacquiao, congressman of the Sarangani district of the Philippines, is also an actor and singer, as well as the only boxer ever to win titles in eight different weight divisions. On November 13, he added that eighth title when he beat Mexican super-welterweight Antonio Margarito.

Second, be much smaller than the other guy.
Pacquiao gave Margarito six inches in height and reach, and weighed in at 147 pounds compared to Margarito’s 160.

Third, be faster and tougher.
Pacquiao dominated the larger man with his speed and persistence. He landed more than 470 punches in the fight and opened cuts above and below Margarito’s right eye and below his left eye.

Fourth, be a gentleman.
What separates Pacquiao from other fighters, aside from his quickness and stamina, is his sportsmanship.

After the tenth round, Margarito had no offense left. He couldn’t even see. Pacquiao’s trainer told him to knock out Margarito, but Pacquiao refused. That refusal, according to FoxSports‘ Mark Kreigel, is just “more evidence of his greatness.”

Pacquaio spent the last few rounds hesitating and avoiding Margarito. He even asked the referee to stop the fight so Margarito wouldn’t suffer further injury. When the fight was over, reporters asked Pacquiao why he laid off. He replied, “Boxing was not for killing.”

Margarito went straight to the hospital, where doctors determined that he had a broken orbital bone that would require surgery. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach thinks the other fighter’s corner “should be arrested… Their job is to protect the fighter. They let him take a beating.”

Back home, Pacquiao’s fellow legislators were proud, not just of Pacquiao’s success, but of the manner in which he achieved it. Representative Elmer Panotes said, “Even in the ring, Manny showed a high level of sportsmanship and gentleness when he signaled the referee to stop the fight as soon as it became clear that Margarito has become helpless and could not fight squarely.”

Fifth, celebrate by putting on a show.
What was next for the Fightin’ Filipino Congressman? He spent a couple of days nursing injuries, and then he performed a concert at Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe. Even Muhammad Ali never did that.

[source: Michael Josephson]

What will make us a faithful follower of Christ?

Today's Reflection:

What will make us a faithful follower of Christ? It is not verbal commitment to our Lord that counts but doing His will. Being one with our Lord in thought, word and deed, in our deepest desires and motivations, is one adequate expression of our love relationship with our God and our commitment to His cause. Doing His will with a cheerful heart despite the difficulties and trials that may have cramped our lives is a sign of an authentic follower of Christ.

Who will enter the heavenly kingdom of our Father? Jesus Himself said: "only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

To do the will of the Father is to be like Jesus and live as He lived. To be like Jesus, we have to walk the talk just as Jesus did. We should be totally dependent upon God and our lives and all that relate to our being should reflect God's character, His will and plan for us.

In John 4:34, Jesus said: "doing the will of Him who sent me and bringing his work to completion is my food." Doing God's will was so satisfying to Jesus as a good meal is to most of us. Doing God's will should be our food if we have to experience satisfaction. When we include God in our lives and make Him part of us, we are only bound to experience fulfilled lives which can nourish and refresh us and bring us the peace and serenity that we always long for. God's will is good, totally acceptable and perfect and can only bring us joy and contentment even in our most bitter and difficult situations.

God wants us to have the opportunity to be one with us and He is waiting for us to respond to his call. God may bring with Him "somethings" which we never planned for in the past but we have to receive them as our own and carry them. When we respond to God in this manner, we give Him the right to work out His will in our lives and be God for all of us. But if we fail to be one with our Lord and set Him aside in our lives, we get stuck in being god of our lives.

Doing God's will is picking up our cross and carrying it in His Name. Doing God's will is dying to self, our pride and arrogance and always asking God for the grace to submit to Him, "yet not what I will but what thou has willed."

Direction
God’s will for us is an expression of His infinitely perfect plan and it certainly demands our obedience.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the grace to be fully committed to your Word, your will and perfect plan for me. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Quote of the day

Failure is not fatal,
but failure to change might be.
– John Wooden

St. Andrew prayer

Today is the feast of St. Andrew. St. Andrew is the patron of Fishermen, fish dealers, against gout, maidens, Scotland, singers, unmarried women.

O glorious St. Andrew,

you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God.

With your friend, St. John, you remained with Jesus for that first day,

for your entire life, and now throughout eternity.

As you led your brother, St. Peter, to Christ and many others after him,

draw us also to Him.

Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him and dedication in His service.

Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross

and to carry our daily crosses without complaint

so that they may carry us to Jesus.

Amen.

Brother of Simon Peter, you heard John the Baptist say: "Behold the Lamb of God," and you chose to follow Jesus. Leaving your nets, you became a successful fisher of souls. Lover of the Crucified Christ, you too were crucified like him. Teach us to live and suffer for Him and to win many souls for Christ.

Amen.

Quote of the day

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
– John Wooden

Pope ‘commends’ Philippines' church

ROME - Pope Benedict XVI said on Monday he "commended" the Philippines' Church for its pro-life stance and defense of the institution of marriage.

"I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defense of the integrity of marriage and the family," Benedict told visiting Philippine bishops.

"In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from the natural law," he added.

Benedict said he appreciated "the Church's work to abolish the death penalty" and acknowledged the "on-going commitment to the struggle against corruption."

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III recently announced that the government will pay for contraception for the poorest couples in the devoutly the catholic country, despite strong opposition by the Catholic Church.

In the four months since Aquino came to power the impoverished country's population has grown by about 600,000 -- the fastest rate of increase in Southeast Asia.

Quote of the day

Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord because He knows what we really are, and that is all that matters – John Wooden

Quote of the day

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

– John Wooden

Quote of the day

Ability is a poor man’s wealth. If you're not making mistakes, you're not doing anything.

– John Wooden

Quote of the day

Talent is God-given - Be humble.

Fame is man-given - Be grateful.

Conceit is self-given - Be careful.

– John Wooden

SACRED SILENCE Tom Booth

Quote of the day

Only one thing is necessary: that is to do at every moment what is most pleasing to Jesus. – Blessed Charles de Foucauld

More "hallelujahs" in public places - must see video

I know I would be in tears if I was there.

When is Easter Sunday for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015?

Easter 2011
Ash Wednesday is 09 March
Palm Sunday is 17 April
Good Friday is 22 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 24 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 24 April

Easter 2012
Ash Wednesday is 22 February
Palm Sunday is 01 April
Good Friday is 06 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 08 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 15 April

Easter 2013
Ash Wednesday is 13 February
Palm Sunday is 24 March
Good Friday is 29 March
(Western) Easter Sunday is 31 March
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 05 May

Easter 2014
Ash Wednesday is 05 March
Palm Sunday is 13 April
Good Friday is 18 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 20 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 20 April

Easter 2015
Ash Wednesday is 18 February
Palm Sunday is 29 March
Good Friday is 03 April
(Western) Easter Sunday is 05 April
(Orthodox) Easter Sunday is 12 April

JESUS MESSIAH by Chris Tomlin - lyrics

HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY by Chris Tomlin - lyrics

LEAD ME LORD by Gary Valenciano - with lyrics

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey

AMAZING GRACE (MY CHAINS ARE GONE) Chris Tomlin - with lyrics

ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE Miley Cyrus - lyrics

THE CHRISTMAS SONG Charice

ON EAGLE'S WINGS (Hillsong)

Here is another version which is a little lively:

"The Rite" starring Anthony Hopkins, about a priest training as exorcist

A true story to be made into a movie about what a priest went through in training as exorcist starring Anthony Hopkins. The priest is Father Gary Thomas, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga, California.

Rare is the priest in the United States who holds the title of diocesan exorcist.

Rarer still is the priest who is the focus of a book on his training as an exorcist, not to mention that the book has inspired the making of a feature film called “The Rite” – starring Anthony Hopkins, no less.

But that’s all become part of the life of Father Gary Thomas, a priest of the Diocese of San Jose, Calif., who is pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga, Calif.

When some of his fellow priests were discussing that another priest had declined an offer from the bishop to serve as diocesan exorcist, he thought to himself, “I could do that.”

Not that it was easy, Father Thomas said. For one thing, he could find no U.S.-based course of study for priests to be trained as exorcists. He wound up taking a three-and-a-half-month sabbatical to go the Rome seminary of the Legionnaires of Christ and get training from a priest based there.

His experiences are recounted in the 2009 book “The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist” by Matt Baglio.

But Hollywood being Hollywood, when reality isn’t good enough for the big screen, it invents a new reality. “In the movie, I don’t start out as a priest. I start out as a seminarian who has a faith crisis,” Father Thomas said in an Oct. 18 telephone interview with Catholic News Service. “I am ordained eventually before the end of the movie. In the book, already I’m already a priest and I’m not having a faith crisis.”

Hopkins plays a priest-mentor to the seminarian, who anchors the story.

Father Thomas explained that “two months before Pope John Paul II died, he issued a directive through Cardinal Ratzinger’s (now Pope Benedict XVI) office that every bishop train and appoint an exorcist.”

With no U.S. training available, Father Thomas studied three days a week during his sabbatical. “Partially, I made up my own curriculum,” he said. “There’s no cookbook for this stuff.”

A priest for 27 years, Father Thomas has been San Jose’s exorcist for the past four years. In that time, he said, he has conducted exorcisms on five people.

The results, he acknowledged, are mixed.

“One is ongoing and has been successful, but has not been completely delivered,” Father Thomas told CNS. “Two decided not to continue after a time because they lost patience. And the other two, the persons are dramatically better.”

But those are just the five whose cases he’s taken. “I get calls from all over the United States and e-mails, and I try to direct them to their own local church. It’s difficult to diagnose these things over the phone,” Father Thomas said.

“Every person who approaches you has a different story. You have to be able to discern out what they’re bringing is psychological matter or a preternatural mater or a combination of both - or neither, none of the above. Quite honestly, no two situations are identical.”

Exorcism, he added, is the last step. He said he was uttered a “prayer of deliverance” over some people who fear they’ve been possessed.

Father Thomas said he served as a consultant on the set of “The Rite,” with an anticipated released date of Jan. 28.

“I’m very excited about the release of this movie,” he said. “I think the move is very authentic about the topic. I was very impressed with Anthony Hopkins and Colin O’Donoghue (who plays the seminarian) and their portrayal of the ministry of exorcism as accurate ... as was the scene that specifically involved exorcism.”

Mark Tuohy, a co-producer of “The Rite,” said of Father Thomas, “I think he’s a great guy.”

Father Thomas said he is certain that demonic possession exists. He noted that one theme in common with his five exorcism clients is “they had opened doorways to the demonic, either through witchcraft or going to witch doctors or other people having gone to witch doctors on their behalf.”

Asked about the case of Republican U.S. Senate aspirant Christine O’Donnell of Delaware, and her comment that she had “dabbled into witchcraft” in high school, Father Thomas replied, “I find that incredibly troubling that a person who had taken part in witchcraft would run” for office.

O’Donnell made the comment in an appearance on a 1999 television show. The segment had never aired until the host of the show, Bill Maher, aired it during the election campaign.

“I think that immediately disqualifies her from public office (as it would for) anybody who engages in witchcraft or engages in any new age activities,” the priest said. “It opens doorways to the diabolical. I think it impairs people’s judgments.

“There’s a difference between witchcraft,” Father Thomas said, “and somebody who goes and has their palm read.”

In interviews, O’Donnell has attributed her experimentation with witchcraft to being a teenager. Raised in a Catholic family, she describes herself as an evangelical Christian.

With no American training for exorcists available, Father Thomas said he has given orientation sessions to other priests. “But spending a day and a half with me is nothing compared to the three and a half months I spent in Rome,” he added.

The U.S. bishops and priests, including diocesan exorcists, are scheduled to meet Nov. 12-13 at a closed-door conference, prior to the annual fall general meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 15-18.

“I’ve been pushing that (training) at the local seminary without success,” Father Thomas said. “We hope something will emerge (in Baltimore), but we have nothing at the present.”

THE LIVING YEARS - lyrics and chords

The Living Years
Artist: Mike & the Mechanics
Album: The Living Years (1988)

Capo 1

G F#m Am D G

G C

Every generation blames the one before

G C

And all of their frustrations come beating on your door

F

I know that I'm a prisoner to all my Father held so dear

Am

I know that I'm a hostage to all his hopes and fears

D G

I just wish I could have told him in the living years

G C

Crumpled bits of paper filled with imperfect thought

G C

Stilted conversations I'm afraid that's all we've got

F

You say you just don't see it he says it's perfect sense

Am

You just can't get agreement in this present tense

D G

We all talk a different language talking in defence

G C

Say it loud, say it clear

Am D G

You can listen as well as you hear

G C

It's too late when we die

Am D G

To admit we don't see eye to eye

G C

So we open up a quarrel between the present and the past

G C

We only sacrifice the future it’s the bitterness that lasts

F (F)

So don’t yield to the fortunes you sometimes see as fate

Am

It may have a new perspective on a different day

D G

And if you don't give up, and don't give in you may just be OK.

G C

Say it loud, say it clear

Am D G

You can listen as well as you hear

G C

It's too late when we die

Am D G

To admit we don't see eye to eye

G C

I wasn't there that morning when my Father passed away

G C

I didn't get to tell him all the things I had to say

F (F)

I think I caught his spirit later that same year

Am (Am)

I'm sure I heard his echo in my baby's new born tears

D G

I just wish I could have told him in the living years

G C

Say it loud, say it clear

Am D G

You can listen as well as you hear

G C

It's too late when we die

Am D G

To admit we don't see eye to eye

Quote of the day: by Justin Bieber

"Hollywood is ... a scary place. There's a lot going on, there's a lot of bad things, but there's also a lot of good things. I'm able to live my dream, I'm able to do a lot of good things. Basically, I don't even consider religion. Like, I'm a Christian, I believe in God, I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins. I believe that I have a relationship and I'm able to talk to him and really, he's the reason I'm here, so I definitely have to remember that. As soon as I start forgetting, I've got to click back and be like, you know, this is why I'm here."

- Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber (who, it turns out, is Catholic).

[via Deacon's Bench]

Awesome early Christmas treat

My heart overflowed watching this!

No to women as priests; how about women as deacons

The Roman Catholic Church is pretty clear on who may join the priesthood: men only.

And the way church leaders see it, there's no room for debate, even though many adherents to the faith would like to see women in the ranks.

Now, an Evanston pastor, the Rev. Bill Tkachuk, is raising the question of whether women can become deacons -- ordained ministers a step below priests.

His parish, St. Nicholas, has been kicking around the topic for months, and a longtime female member has expressed interest in becoming a deacon should the Vatican open up the option to women.

Experts said that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, given how slowly change comes to the church.

Like bishops and priests, deacons are ordained through a sacrament called Holy Orders, which is available only to men. Deacons aren't allowed to consecrate the Eucharist at mass or hear confessions, but they can preside at baptisms and weddings. They often help priests with other liturgical and administrative duties.

Pope Benedict XVI: "I invite you to become saints"

"What God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy. He loves you much more than you could ever begin to imagine, and he wants the very best for you. And by far the best thing for you is to grow in holiness.

Perhaps some of you have never thought about this before. Perhaps some of you think being a saint is not for you. Let me explain what I mean. When we are young, we can usually think of people that we look up to, people we admire, people we want to be like. It could be someone we meet in our daily lives that we hold in great esteem. Or it could be someone famous. We live in a celebrity culture, and young people are often encouraged to model themselves on figures from the world of sport or entertainment. My question for you is this: what are the qualities you see in others that you would most like to have yourselves? What kind of person would you really like to be?

When I invite you to become saints, I am asking you not to be content with second best. I am asking you not to pursue one limited goal and ignore all the others. Having money makes it possible to be generous and to do good in the world, but on its own, it is not enough to make us happy. Being highly skilled in some activity or profession is good, but it will not satisfy us unless we aim for something greater still. It might make us famous, but it will not make us happy. Happiness is something we all want, but one of the great tragedies in this world is that so many people never find it, because they look for it in the wrong places. The key to it is very simple – true happiness is to be found in God. We need to have the courage to place our deepest hopes in God alone, not in money, in a career, in worldly success, or in our relationships with others, but in God. Only he can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts.

Not only does God love us with a depth and an intensity that we can scarcely begin to comprehend, but he invites us to respond to that love. You all know what it is like when you meet someone interesting and attractive, and you want to be that person’s friend. You always hope they will find you interesting and attractive, and want to be your friend.

God wants your friendship. And once you enter into friendship with God, everything in your life begins to change. As you come to know him better, you find you want to reflect something of his infinite goodness in your own life. You are attracted to the practice of virtue. You begin to see greed and selfishness and all the other sins for what they really are, destructive and dangerous tendencies that cause deep suffering and do great damage, and you want to avoid falling into that trap yourselves. You begin to feel compassion for people in difficulties and you are eager to do something to help them. You want to come to the aid of the poor and the hungry, you want to comfort the sorrowful, you want to be kind and generous. And once these things begin to matter to you, you are well on the way to becoming saints.”

--Pope Benedict XVI [source: Whispers in the Loggia/via Deacon's Bench]
Greeting to Catholic Pupils of the United Kingdom
St Mary's College, Twickenham
17 September 2010

REVELATION SONG - lyrics and chords

REVELATION SONG

-by Riddle, Jennie Lee

Verse 1:

D2 Am7 C2 G

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, holy, holy is He

D2 Am7

Sing a new song to Him who sits on

C2 G

Heaven’s mercy seat

Chorus:

D2 Am7

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, God Almighty

C2 G

Who was and is and is to come

D2 Am7

With all creation I sing, "Praise to the King of Kings!"

C2 G

You are my everything and I will adore You

Verse 2:

D2 Am7

Clothed in rainbows of living color

C2 G

Flashes of lightening rolls of thunder

D2 Am7

Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be

C2 G

To You, the only wise King

Verse 3:

D2 Am7

I’m filled with wonder, awestruck wonder

C2 G

At the mention of Your name

D2 Am7

Jesus, Your name is power, breath and Living Water

C2 G

Such a marvelous mystery

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