Aside from attending Mass and belonging to St. Norbert Catholic Church in Orange, Ca  I also belong to a small group “Christ In You”. Don’t bother to looking  it up on the internet because we have no web page. Why? we are technically challenged but do powerful work for the Lord. It is through this group that my missionary trip have come forth.

Today, an ordinary Sunday for most but not for me. I will be teaching on one of my favorite theologians, the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote the Epistles, including, Philippians (my lesson today). Paul was imprisoned when he wrote to Philippians; yet he never lost his joy or direction.  How can you have joy when you are imprisoned? Our world, our country in imprisoned by the lies of the enemy. Never have I witness so much of holding back on the truth. Anything you state on social media that does not conform to the masses you get blasted and called a hater.  The truth will always be the truth; Paul never once gave into lies, he was is imprisoned because he was a  Christian not a criminal. How do we operate in this society with the web of lies? Remember the characteristics of Christ: humility, servanthood , merciful and loving; we are call to be His example. Our country needs God more than ever and just like the Philippians we need encouragement to know that God still sits on the throne and waiting for us to unite in prayer. Pray for our country and that God remains in all that we stand for, our closing hymn at Mass today was America the Beautiful  “America, America God shed his grace to thee is thee…”  Have a Blessed Forth of July!

“Even now,” declares the Lord, return to with all your heart with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12