Category: Weekly Blog

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Weekly Blog

Three Things to Help Ourselves and Others in Time of Crisis

It was Monday, March 16th, that the President’s 15 Days to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus, went into place. It was the day after my wife and I went to Sunday Mass for the last time at our Parish (we now watch online). Since then Churches have closed across the country, as has almost everything else. With the exception of those serving in the essential services sector, we’re all at home. Many are able to work remotely, while some (into the millions) have lost their jobs due to the crisis.

We’re still not out of this thing. With what started outside of our country, the ripple effect is incredible. It would seem probable that there are parts of our country, our world, our way of life, that are going to change forever…something that wasn’t close to being on our radar earlier in the year, when things were humming along.
In watching the news, seeing what’s being posted, and talking to folks, there’s a lot of fear and anxiety out there. I can genuinely say that I’ve experienced neither, which I would attribute to my faith. What I’m absolutely amazed by is how everything flipped on a dime. The world has literally been turned upside down by Coronavirus overnight. It’s surreal. It’s nuts. It’s really unbelievable.

Photo by Charry Jin from Pexels

So, the question becomes what we can do for ourselves and others during these times. I’ve identified three things:

  1. Stay in a place of Gratitude
  2. Do what you can…don’t worry about the rest
  3. Help others

Stay in a Place of Gratitude
It was a year ago that I posted a blog titled, “Do You Need An Attitude Adjustment Too?”, which you can find here. Not wanting to be redundant, I want to stress the importance of gratitude in these times. BTW, a quick internet search will indicate how important gratitude is to us. Without question, we are currently facing challenging times. And at the same time, so many of us are so blessed. For me, I am so thankful for so much…

  • Starting with Jesus Christ as my Savior
  • Very close second is my wife and the relationship we have, followed by our children and their families, all incredible blessings to us
  • For my journey (everything that has occurred in my life, including the tragedy) and what God now has me doing in my life
  • For my upbringing, my loving parents, my brothers, and our broader family and friends
  • For everything that occurs in my daily life, the good (for obvious reasons) and the bad (for the lessons they teach me).

I don’t mean to drone on, but want to provide you with examples. We all have so much to be thankful for in our lives. We need to take account of these things daily, thanking God in prayer.

Image by Bongkarn Thanyakij from Pexels

Do What You Can…Don’t Worry About the Rest
I’m reminded of the Serenity Prayer, which I say daily:

God grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would like it.

Trusting that He will make all things right,
If I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this world
And supremely joyful in the next.
Amen.

We have very little control over much of our lives, i.e. Coronavirus. I believe strongly that the above prayer, including the first four lines, are indicative of the healthy way to live life. Do what you can and don’t worry about the rest.

Help Others
This one is obvious and we’re seeing examples of it everywhere. I, like you, could fill 13 pages with examples. Here’s a different slant though. Those who do mission work or ministry most often feel more served by those they’re serving than the other way around. In other words, it’s in those in need that we truly see the face of Christ, where we feel the love of Christ.

While serving others is not to be about us, we do benefit from it, which is a nice thing in these challenging times. Reading Scripture this morning, I came across Luke 8:39, where Jesus says to a man he just healed, “return home and recount what great things God has done for you”. Two things…first, be grateful. Second, another way to help others is to share the Gospel message, including your testimony.

Praying for all of us as we make our way out of this crisis. As always, should you have questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

Three Benefits of Social Distancing

In listening to the White House Coronavirus Task Force, social distancing is staying at least 6’ away from others. A quick internet search indicates other examples as:

  • Working from home instead of at the office
  • Closing schools or switching to online classes
  • Visiting loved ones by electronic devices instead of in person
  • Cancelling or postponing conferences and large meetings

It turns out that social distancing wasn’t developed specific to Coronavirus, but instead has been a public health practice for years, for highly contagious diseases. A potential silver lining in the current health crisis is that people may gain positive habits, i.e. better hygiene, that prevent the spread of disease. This could help in relation to the flu and the common cold. We can hope.

Photo by Bongkarn Thanyakij from Pexels

Cyndi, my wife, and I have been taking all of this seriously. With the exception of our Sunday drives and occasional walks outside, we’ve now not left the house for 17 days. As empty-nesters, we don’t have the challenge of occupying the attention of or educating our kids. Both accustomed to working from home, we continue with our regular activities. And to be honest, being stuck together has helped us grow in our relationship (not that we were having issues…at least I don’t think so…I’ll have to ask her).

Speaking of relationships, I’ve come to say that with the advent of smart phones, although we’ve never been more connected, we’ve never been more isolated. Statistically very true, while we have fewer friends today than we did years ago, a number of stats are up, including those who are lonely, depressed, addicted, suicidal…and the list goes on. An interesting insight is that with so many people looking at their screens all the time, even in the presence of other people, you could argue that social distancing has been being practiced well in advance of COVID-19.

To me, there are three benefits to social distancing. Let’s see what they are.

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash

Relationship Intentionality
Not only are Cyndi and I spending more time talking, but we’re being more intentional with talking to our kids, our mothers, and others. One example is my brothers and me talking and texting more often, not only about the crisis, but checking in on one another and our families. In addition to checking in with and having lengthier conversations with each of our kids, we did a 4-way FaceTime the other night, for an hour. We laughed with and at each other….just like being in the same room.

Time for Prayer
Although most people reading this blog understand the importance of their relationship with God, some (maybe a majority) struggle with prayer, including me. Always faithful to my rote prayer, it’s my quiet time with the Lord which is off and on. Starting a week ago this past Sunday, given the 1/2-hour commute to work I’m not making, I’ve forced myself to spend that 1/2-hour with God. It looks like this:

  • Rote Prayer – 5 minutes
  • Read and meditate on Scripture – 5 minutes
  • Thinking and praying for people in my life – 5 minutes
  • Thinking and praying about a current challenge – 10 minutes
  • Thinking and praying about my schedule for the day – 5 minutes

With the times above varying from day to day, my time with Jesus has been very meaningful and a great way to start each day. Assuming Coronavirus lasts long enough, I may just create a habit here.

Photo by Arek Adeoye on Unsplash

Discipline to Exercise
Although I’ve always been an avid exerciser, I’ve stepped up my game during this time, as have many that I’ve spoken to. Being home all day, not having the opportunity to be out or walk around, is a real incentive. If you don’t have equipment in your house, a quick internet search can provide plenty of guidance (email me if you need some help). Taking a nicely paced walk can be good exercise too…good for the relationship too, just maintain your social distancing.

Doing the above is taking care of yourself the way God intended, all things that will make you healthier, including the spiritual, and happier.

As always, feel free to get back to me with questions, comments, or concerns at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

P.S. For resources that can help you on your faith journey, while practicing social distancing, you can go to The Upper Room.

P.P.S. While waiting for the crisis to end, you can pick what conference you want to go to this summer on the Steubenville Conferences page.

P.P.S. And if you’re looking to participate in a “virtual” small group so as to maintain your social distancing, check out Discipleship Quads.

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Weekly Blog

Three Coronavirus Takeaways

None of us could have imagined just a month ago what life is like now. As of this post, my wife and I have not left the house for 10 days, with very few and abbreviated exceptions (keeping our social distance). Fortunately, we both can work from home, unlike millions who are losing their jobs. Businesses are struggling, with many at risk of not making it. All events are canceled, including Church services. With schools closing, kids are at home, putting additional stress on working parents. It’s crazy. The ripple effect is tremendous.

Our elderly and the frail are most vulnerable. While cases of Coronavirus continue to rise, the death rate is still very low. Nonetheless people are very scared. Many are in a panic, with hoarding continuing to take place. With the economy going off the cliff, our government is preparing to spend trillions of dollars, with no guarantee that it’s going to work.

Where are we? What’s happening?

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

No, this isn’t a political blog. Instead I wanted to comment on the human dynamics at play.

I think there are three primary things that have people so shaken:

  1. Lack of knowledge as to what we’re truly facing
  2. The fear that most people have most of their lives (even without a pandemic)
  3. General decline of faith in America.

Let’s look at each individually.

Lack of Knowledge

In my book, I identify the things that we most fear in life. Among the top six is the “unknown”. People fear what they don’t know and what they don’t understand. We’ve all heard that knowledge is power. While that is very true in the affirmative, it can be paralyzing in the negative.

Although the news channels are full of Coronavirus 24/7, no one has definitive answers. There are so many unknowns, including how long we’re going to have to endure this.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

Fear

In addition to the unknown, people most fear ridicule and rejection, conflict or confrontation, being alone (loneliness), and failure. It would be my guess that among these in relation to Coronavirus, the fears include the unknown, potential conflict, and loneliness. I would assume you could add to that “pain” and “death”.

It says 365 times in the Bible some derivative of “be not afraid”. God clearly doesn’t want us to live in fear. Fear, doubt, and division are of Satan, not God who loves each of us more than we’ll ever know, no matter what we’ve ever done.

I’m well aware that knowing the above (or just hearing it for the first time), in of itself, doesn’t eliminate the fear. But know…God doesn’t want us to live in fear.

Lack of Faith

The numbers are staggering. Over the last several decades, while the US population has increased dramatically, the percentage of Catholics has gone from 24% to 20%. If the current trends continue, that number will be 17-18% soon. The same decline applies to the non-Catholic Christian community.

Those who have made the decision or had their conversion, which is a function of knowing the love of Christ, would never go back to their past lives. Not only are those who have come to this place engaged in their faith, including being active in their Churches, but they’re passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others.

If more people knew the love of Christ, our Church wouldn’t be decreasing in size.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Use Your God Given Gifts

God gave you a specific purpose for your life. He provided you with unique gifts and talents. We are called to use those gifts, doing our very best in all circumstances, not only for ourselves, but in helping others as well.

In circumstances like these, we need to make sure we understand the facts and make good decisions. If we need clarity, we should seek it as opposed to speculating or relying on bad sources of information. Taking all to prayer will do nothing but help immensely.

Lastly, we need not live in fear. We have a God who not only loves us, but who we can rely on for all. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make our best efforts, doing all that we can to protect ourselves from danger. That said, God will provide!!!

So…do your best, fear not, and trust in the Lord. Know of my prayers for you, your families, and our country.

As always, please get to me with any questions, comments, or challenges at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

Categories
Weekly Blog

Hollywood Star Who Really Loves Jesus

Situation comedies, sitcoms, are part of our American fabric. Originated in the 1940s, the first US sitcom was Mary Kay and Johnny, in 1947, which told the domestic tales of New York newlyweds. Published in October, 2019 a list of most popular sitcoms, over the last several decades, includes:

  1. The Simpsons
  2. All in the Family
  3. I Love Lucy
  4. 30 Rock
  5. Seinfeld
  6. MASH
  7. Family Guy
  8. The Big Bang Theory
  9. Two and a Half Men
  10. Cheers
  11. South Park
  12. The Cosby Show
  13. Will and Grace
  14. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  15. Friends
  16. Married with Children
  17. The Beverly Hillbillies
  18. The Andy Griffith Show
  19. Modern Family
  20. That 70s Show
  21. Bewitched
  22. Three’s Company
  23. Family Ties
  24. Leave it to Beaver
  25. Sanford and Son
  26. Happy Days

If you’re like me, you’ve watched many of these over the years, having your favorites, with several probably taking you back to a time in your life…which is part of the impact that sitcoms can have. The other impact they make is their tie to reality, at least to some extent, presented in a funny way. Sitcoms give us a window into our humanity, showing us how ridiculous we can sometimes be, hopefully helping us to have a sense of humor and learn some lessons along the way. And of course, the good ones are entertaining.

In referring to the list above, you probably believe that it doesn’t include one or two you think it should. For me, I can’t believe that I Love Raymond isn’t on it. My wife and I still enjoy the occasional reruns. And we certainly appreciate the show’s female star, Patricia Heaton, not only for her talent, but her profession of faith.

Image by by DoloresFreeman on Fanpop

Heaton tells the story, that having struggled in her career for a long time, she went on a mission trip to an orphanage in Mexico. Upon her return, she’s quoted as saying, “I woke up the next day and I had this deep sense of peace I’d never felt before, and it made me realize that up until that point, my entire identity was in my success or lack of success as an actor. That’s when I realized I needed to give that thing over to God and ask Him what He wanted me to do, not what I wanted to do. I said to him literally, pretty much out loud, ‘I will go back to Mexico or to whatever mission field you want to send me to, but I have a few auditions here in LA so I’m going to keep doing those. If you want me to change course I will do it gladly, but you have to open the door really wide in one direction or another.’ That’s when I started getting acting work”.

She is further quoted as saying, “you can’t rely on those things (I refer to them as the 4Ps…prominence, possessions, people, and pleasure) because they don’t last. And you have to know that the purpose of your life is glorifying God with your life, not glorifying yourself with your career”. It would appear that Patricia gets it.

Heaton was raised in a devout Catholic family. However, her faith became her own when she entered adulthood. Very bold about her relationship with Christ, she apparently declares that “Jesus saves” in both her Twitter and Instagram bios. She’s also a very rare pro-life voice in Hollywood, advocating on behalf of the unborn. Praise God!!!

Screenshot of Everybody Loves Raymond Episode 140: “The Breakup Tape” (Aired: 03/04/02)

“There’s a lot of need in this world. There’s always something you can do to help someone else. You’ll find the Holy Spirit; you’ll find Christ; you’d find God. You’ll find love and mercy and forgiveness when you’re helping the poor. That’s really what we’re called to do here, Patricia told Christianity Today.

Although there are others in Hollywood who we can point to, albeit few, Patricia Heaton is one to certainly cheer about….living and sharing her faith, standing for those in need, including the unborn, and not being ashamed to profess any of it. Thank you, Patricia and God Bless you!!!

Who else can you point to in Hollywood who lives their faith? Please share with me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com, additionally asking any questions or stating any comments or challenges.

May God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph