Happy 16th Birthday Catherine Therese!!

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Although you'll never read this my sweet Catherine, I love you. 16 years ago you changed our life forever. All of your siblings have done this in their own way but you have done so in a very special way. You have made me more empathetic, compassionate, and much more prayerful. Your smile lights up the world around you and we are all blessed by it.  It's not easy living with a saint. You remind me of my weakness and limited time on this earth. You challenge me to go deeper within myself and find what the Lord is trying to teach me...usually patience. You are made in His image and likeness but He uses you so that I can see my own beauty, goodness, and shortcomings.  You struggle mightily against me with every bath, diaper change, and wardrobe change. I struggle mightily with Him against all the changes He wills in my life. You depend on me and your mom for even the simplest of things. You teach me to depend on Him for everything and not rely on my on strength. You teach me that I
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The Sword

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PALM SUNDAY
Luke 22:14 - 23:56




I always feel uncomfortable reading the accounts of the Passion of Our Lord on Palm Sunday. Of course the parts I feel most uncomfortable with are the ones where I cry out "crucify Him, crucify Him." Yet isn't that exactly what I cry out, perhaps not in those words, every time I sin. Oh, if only I felt that uncomfortable towards sin!

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Being a boy at heart my ears perked up when Jesus mentioned swords. I found it strange that the Prince of Peace said that one should sell his mantle or coat and buy a sword.

When Jesus tells them to buy a sword they say, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." There are two swords in this world. One is made of steel the other of words - the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). One destroys life the other builds up life. One is meant for destruction the other is meant to bring the victim to eternal life. The sword Peter used struck the servants ear removing it from his body. The sword that Jesus used touched the ear as well and brought about its healing. The sword of Peter is now rust and dust whereas the sword of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Jesus says that he who lives by the sword will die by the sword. Which sword will you live by?

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