Tag: suffering

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Weekly Blog

What Can I Do About It?

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe what’s going on in our country and world…a sentiment I’ve expressed before, promising not to get political…same is true here. Too many bizarre things to list, the question that often comes to my mind is, “what can I do about it?” After all, the issues I’m referring to are national and international. I’m not involved in politics. I don’t have a platform. With rare exception, I’m not known…I don’t have a voice. And although I’m not complaining, my wife and I don’t have the wealth to make any significant impact. So again, “what can I do about it?”

Rick Warren
Matthew Kelly

Related, two of my favorites of our faith are Matthew Kelly (https://www.matthewkelly.com or https://www.dynamiccatholic.com) and Rev. Rick Warren, who I’ve mentioned before. Their messaging really speaks to me, whether it be their books, blogs, or talks. I’m going to reference both in relation to this blog.

It’s my lived experience that God gives us an opportunity to make a ministry out of our messes. Rev. Rick recently wrote in a post:

  • Life is full of heartache. We suffer, feel lonely, discouraged, and face criticism. And sometimes that can feel unfair.
  • Ask yourself this: Did Jesus suffer? Was he sometimes lonely? Was he tempted to be discouraged? Was he misunderstood and criticized unjustly?  Yes! Jesus understands suffering better than anyone.
  • None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or criticism, because God is developing in us the character of Christ. In order to do that, He takes us through some of the same struggles that Jesus experienced. 

In another post Rev. Rick states:

  • God will give you all the grace you need to endure hard times. But he also wants you to be willing to use your experiences to help other people. God doesn’t want you to waste your hurt! He may let you go through a period of darkness, depression, or discouragement so that you can comfort others with the same comfort he gives you.  
  • Your greatest life messages always come out of your weaknesses, not your strengths. 
  • The things in your life you wish you could change are often the very things God wants to use to help you grow in spiritual maturity and as a ministry. While God works in you, he also wants to work through you to help others.

Matthew Kelly wrote a book called Holy Moments. It speaks to how each of us individually have the opportunity to change others’ lives on a regular basis, one Holy Moment at a time. Like all of Matthew’s books, a great and easy read.

I think the answer to the question I pose above (“what can I do about it?”) is in combining these two concepts. In my life, it’s those things that I’ve most struggled with that God has most blessed in me helping other people…making a ministry out of my messes. Add to that the idea of Holy Moments, whenever you get the chance, on a regular basis. And although a Holy Moment doesn’t have to be specific to your giftedness, often born of your challenges, blessing others with your experience is a great way to do it.

How do I impact the craziness in the world? How do you do it? One Holy Moment at a time, using the gifts God gave us, given the experiences He’s blessed us with.

As always, please email me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with questions, concerns, comments, or prayer requests.

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

Remember…God made you for Greatness!!!

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

What’s the Answer?

This kicks off our monthly posts, which we’ll endeavor to get out the first Wednesday of every month. Consistent with the past, we’ll cover real life stuff, relating it back to our faith. Today’s topic…the significant challenges of our world and the answer to it all. 

Are you a “glass half full” person or “glass half empty”? How do you typically see the world? The circumstances around you? Do you experience challenges as opportunity? Or is everything a crisis, a problem that needs solved? What about your view of the world? Our country? How does what is going on in our communities effect you? Are you nervous about it? Or although a concern, it’s nothing to really lose sleep over. 

I don’t know about you, but I see our current world as being in a bad place. Starting with our country, crime and violence have skyrocketed. Deaths from overdoses are through the roof. Depression and addiction are at all-time highs. There’s a homeless crisis in numerous cities. Regardless of what you may think of immigration, you have to admit that we have no idea who’s entering our country along the southern border, by the tens of thousands. It’s a safety concern, not to mention how the vast numbers are stressing our local governments. 

Inflation is out of control. Gasoline is way more expensive than just 2 years ago. With a couple banks having failed, there’s a lot of uncertainty. Recession is probable. There’s a huge shortage of workers, with many having left the labor market. There are supply chain issues, causing shortages of some products. We have an overreliance on China, which has shown itself to be our adversary.   

Then there’s all the geopolitical stuff…challenges around the globe, including China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia. Just two years ago, who would have imagined war in Europe…there doesn’t seem to be an end to the Ukraine conflict. Or such instability in so many places? It’s nuts.  

If paying attention, the above (and more…my list is brief) can really bring you down. It can depress you. One answer may be to ignore it…don’t watch the news; don’t read the articles. I have a couple friends who practice this approach and it seems to work. For me, I prefer being in the know. Once a real political junky, I can’t imagine tuning it out completely, although I watch and read less about it than I used to. 

And I’ve not even mentioned the personal struggles we all have, that are a part of everyday life. 

The Only Answer

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…our Lord and Savior. The answer, my answer is Jesus. If I didn’t have my faith, I don’t know what I’d do. There are so many thoughts, expressions, and principals I could include here. That said, it’s all about the love of Jesus; the glory and grandeur of God; the strength given us by the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. 

All the things that are happening globally and locally, even to us personally…God’s got it. Although He doesn’t create it, especially the evil, God isn’t surprised by it. He’s bigger than all of it. God’s love, His Son’s love is bigger than we could ever imagine. The Holy Spirit is there for us day by day, every hour and every minute. 

There’s a difference between knowing the above intellectually and experiencing a real peace in your life. I believe it begins with understanding and internalizing the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, followed by being heavily engaged in our faith. To me, that includes having an active prayer life and participating in the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Confession; reading Scripture and other faith based books. All of it helps me in staying closer to God and being at a place of peace. 

Do I still worry at times? Yes. Do I not sleep at night periodically? Yes. Those are the times when I double down on prayer. We live in a crazy and scary world, but thank God for God. The only answer is Jesus.  

As always, please email me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with questions, concerns, comments, or prayer requests. 

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

Remember…God made you for Greatness!!!

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

The True Reason for the Season

It seems to me that the title of this blog is more often used as related to Christmas than Easter. I love Christmas and always have. With all the traditions from my childhood, the birth of our Lord and Savior has remained a joyous holiday for me.  

As I get older and grow more spiritually though, I find that Easter is the most meaningful of our Christian celebrations…the true reason for the season. Jesus’ torturous crucifixion, followed by His resurrection…each foundational to our faith. 

The Passion of the Christ came out in 2004 and since my conversion in 2006, I’ve watched it every Good Friday. Originally with my Dad prior to his passing and now watching alone (including this Friday), it is the movie that most speaks to the meaning of our faith to me (and I’m a huge fan of Chosen). What a gift from Mel Gibson and Jim Caviezel, really a work of God.

When watching, I often imagine myself there, wondering what I would do, how I would react. Would I run or would I stay? I know that regardless Jesus would have still loved me. We have the benefit of having 2,000 years of history on our side. We know the end of the story. We know Jesus won victory for us. 

I think that Easter gives us an opportunity to start anew. Easier said than done, simple but not easy, Jesus laid it out for us in the:

  • Great Commandments – Mark 12:30-31, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 
  • Great Commission – Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Paraphrasing, Jesus directs us to love God, love our neighbors, and share the love of Christ…that’s it. Not mere suggestions, Jesus tells us specifically what to do. That’s our faith. In our crazy, crazy world, I think that if we all did more of that…what a difference it would make. 

I wish you and your family a Holy and Happy Easter. During this time, let us reflect on what Jesus has done for us while we rejoice in His glory. Below I’ve included a prayer that you may have seen before…I wrote it in 2009 and say it every day. It speaks to Easter. It speaks to the Great Commandments and Great Commission. And it speaks to me in my walk with our Lord. Enjoy. Happy Easter. 

Thank you God our Father; Thank you Jesus!!!

Dear Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, thank you for dying that torturous death on the cross for each one of us, including me. Thank you for rising from the dead so that I can live in Your Glory. God the Father, thank you for loving me enough to give me your only begotten Son.

Lord, thank you for my journey, every step along the way…the good, the great, the wonderful, the bad, the terrible, the ugly. I am where I am because it is where You want me to be. I am who I am because it’s who You are making me to be. I trust in You to make me and shape me for Your Glory.

Thank you for loving me, blessing me, showing me Your Will, showering me with Your Grace, and granting me Your Peace, which can only come from being in a place of Surrender, Gratitude, Humility, and Love.

Lord Jesus, help me to feel your Unconditional Love and Unconditional Forgiveness, fully internalizing and living these gifts, so that with Holy Spirit Boldness, using my God given gifts, not caring what anyone on this earth thinks of me, I can be all that You want me to be, in serving You.

Dear Lord, help me to always see Christ in All and be Christ to All, Living Your Will, helping others become the best versions of themselves, which is True Love…Christ’s Love. Please give me the strength and courage to evangelize my Faith, living the Gospel, sharing the Gospel, using words when necessary and often. When done for the Glory of God, the unimaginable is achievable.

I ask this blessing for my family, friends, and myself, in addition to all those on Your Journey….grant us peace. For all those seeking, help us find. For all those lost, help us see.

I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

As always, please email me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with questions, concerns, comments, or prayer requests. 

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

Remember…God made you for Greatness!!!

Mark Joseph