View from the Domestic Church: Mark 4: 1-20: "What kind of soil are you?"

In addition to my books

I have written for the English edition of L'Osservatore Romano (Vatican newspaper)

The National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report, Our Sunday Visitor (national) newsweekly, Columbia Magazine, The Catholic Transcript, The News Times, The New Milford Times, Hearth magazine, Canticle magazine, Lay Witness magazine, Faith & Family magazine, CarbLite magazine, On the Web - many areas, including Catholic Exchange, Catholic Online, Catholic Lane, Catholic Mom, and a parenting column for Irish Family Press (print edition), a Catholic weekly newspaper published in Ireland as well as the online format. My work appears in many foreign publications as well (Nigeria, Singapore, Africa, Russia, and more).

A Catholic Woman's Book of Prayers

With all the mixed messages that women receive from society today, women can be distracted from--and even unreceptive to--the deep and abiding love that Christ has for them. Whether single or married, religious or consecrated, parenting children, or spiritually mentoring others, women need to know that the Lord understands the many challenges they face, their desire for inspiration, and, above all, their need to be affirmed as women.Through this book of original and traditional prayers from one of the top ten most fascinating Catholics of 2009 as rated by Faith & Family Live, women can realize God's divine Love, thrive in inspiration from Saints and the Church and rest in the affirmation of the "feminine genius." (order above by clicking book image at top of page)

First and foremost educator

"Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it. For it devolves on parents to create a family atmosphere so animated with love and reverence for God and others that a well-rounded personal and social development will be fostered among children. Hence, the family is the first school of those social virtues which every society needs."--Gravissimum Educationis (one of the documents of the Second Vatican Council)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Mark 4: 1-20: "What kind of soil are you?"

I'd like to share a post from Kim's blog...

Today's Gospel 4:1-20
"Some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants had thirty grains, others sixty, and other one hundred." 4:8

The question I ask myself and you today is "What kind of soil are we?" Are our seeds (our children) having to grow in shallow soil, dry soil, soil with thorn bushes, or good soil? What makes for good and bad soil? Shallow soil doesn't have deep rooted faith to help the seeds grow...dry soil shows the seeds their unhappiness and doesn't give the seeds hope to live and be joyful to the Lord....soil with thorn bushes is choked by materialism and greed and teaches the seeds to always yearn for more. But good soil means to be in daily prayer, to yearn for holiness. Good soil distinguishes the difference between life on earth and life in heaven and radiates with joy and love for the Lord even in disappointment and hard times. The most important task of good soil is to give their life for their seeds (the family) and to help the seeds grow and bear much fruit. (Continued here)