Catholic Inspiration

In A Christmas Carol we see two completely different portraits of Ebenezer Scrooge: on one hand he is a tight-fisted miser whose heart is cold; on the other hand he is a fully alive uncle and employer who wishes "Merry Christmas!" to friends and strangers alike.   What happened?  What brought about the transformation?  Simply put, the power of Christmas - Jesus Christ - touched his heart and changed his life. This power continue to speak to us today.  The incarnation of Jesus - God becoming like us - removes all barriers and obstacles that keep us from the Lord and one another.  By recognizing the parts of our lives that have "Bah!  Humbug!" and turning to Christ, we can receive the power and grace of Christmas. December 25, 2014 - Midnight Mass - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

At the end of A Christmas Carol Scrooge chooses to make a change in his life that will affect everything.  In the Gospel, Mary chooses to embrace the message of the angel Gabriel. Our choices carry powerful consequences for ourselves and those around us.  Sometimes they are major events in life, but often they occur throughout a day as we freely decide to either step up (seeking what is good) or step down (giving in to temptation and sin). This Christmas, may the choices we make be guided by the love and grace of Jesus Christ! December 21, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

We take out the trash regularly from the kitchen, or else we live with the stink and stench of smelly garbage.  In the same way Advent gives us a ready made opportunity to search our hearts and through the sacrament of reconciliation to remove the stink of sin so that God's grace might give us healing and peace December 13, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI  Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

There are times when we formally say "Yes, I accept" to new opportunities in our lives.  Mary's "yes" to the angel Gabriel gives us an example and model as the Lord invites us to follow our call.   December 8, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

A Christmas Carol has several characters that stand out:  Fan (Scrooge's sister) - full of love for her older brother Fred (Scrooge's nephew) - full of Christmas cheer Fezziwig (Scrooge's old boss) - knows how to celebrate Christmas Bob Cratchit (Scrooge's clerk) - loves his family deeply Tiny Tim (Bob's weakly son) - strives to live thoughtfully with goodness/kindness Note: They are all filled with hope, even as they face the difficulties of life: Fan will die young; Fred grew up without a mom; Fezziwig knew the challenges of running a business; Bob knew about poverty and making tough sacrifices; and Tiny Tim knew firsthand the hard realities of illness. It invites us to ponder - how do we prepare our hearts with Advent hope?  Are we receiving hope, and are we passing it on to one another? December 7, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com  

This talk was part of an Advent retreat offered at Cathedral of Christ the King.  Six categories are offered to help us see more clearly the face of Christ: Sacraments Scriptures Prayer Service Sacrifice Fellowship December 6, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

Just as Jacob Marley provided a wake up call to Ebenezer Scrooge, we have been given an opportunity to be alert to the coming of the Lord.  Advent is our opportunity to prepare our hearts - pausing to reflect and consider the state of our souls - so that when the Lord Jesus comes he will find us ready. November 30, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

The feast of Christ the King reminds us that Jesus Christ - the king of the universe - comes to us in a loving and accessible way.  He's the judge, the savior, the messiah, and the Lord - yet for all that power and glory he breaks through all boundaries to come to us in the midst of our human weakness and fraility.     The king became like us...so we can know him!   November 23, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

We use our calendars to keep us on track.  But there are traps: We can get caught up in the past - and beat ourselves up over our mistakes. We can get absorbed in the future - wasting time over unknown worry. Rather, we are called to encounter the present moment - learning from the past as we plan and build for our future.  This is true not just for life, but for our spiritual journey as well. November 16, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica reminds us that our churches are sacred spaces where we encounter the depth and breadth of human experience in the context of God's grace.  We come before the Lord in our need - reaching out in gratitude and petition - that we might be renewed in faith, hope, and love. November 9, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

How do we measure things?  Volume, space, time all have tools to help us measure: what about our hearts?  We are reminded that LOVE is the benchmark by which we determine our discipleship. Three key areas surface:  Thoughts Speech Actions By reviewing these areas we can look at concrete opportunities where we engage our faith through the practical ways we love the Lord and one another. October 26, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

What does it mean to make an offering to God?  Everything we have comes from the Lord, belongs to the Lord, and will one day return to the Lord; when we offer our lives for care and service we conform our lives to Jesus - who offered his life for us all. October 19, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com  

Food is more than nourishment.  A great meal feeds our bodies and our souls.  This is also true for our spiritual nourishment - the Lord feeds us with his Body & Blood - so that we can draw together and be strengthened for service in the world. October 11, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

Forgiveness is never easy, yet it is the path the Lord has set before us.  We forgive others, as God has forgiven us.  All of us have made mistakes - said and done things we regret - and in our need the Lord continues to reach out to us with mercy and love. May we do the same! October 5, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com  

"He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?"  Are our actions congruent with our words?  When this happens, we not only follow the Lord's example, but we become instruments of the Lord's mission in the world today. September 28, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

We are often tempted to try to do things on our own.  But when we start looking more closely at our lives, we realize quite quickly that we need each other - consider the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the cars we drive - that so much of what we do depends on the skills, talents and abilities of millions of people. "United we stand" speaks to the fundamental truth of life and spiritual life.   First, we cooperate together to have enough. Second, generosity flows out of our interdependence on one another. September 20, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

This talk is the third of three given at a KC Men's Retreat.  The focus of this talk is on SERVICE - how we intentionally live out our faith, following the example of Jesus Christ.  This talk provides a method and general guidelines for the application of faith in daily life. September 13, 2014 - St. Joseph Church - Hayward, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com  

This talk is the second of three given at a KC Men's Retreat.  The focus of this talk is on PRAYER - how we build and develop our relationship with Jesus Christ.  A number of practical points are made to show how each of us can connect with the Lord in ways that make sense to our own unique temperment and style. September 13, 2014 - St. Joseph Church - Hayward, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

This talk is the first of three given at a KC Men's Retreat.  The focus of this talk is on STUDY - how we learn about our faith so we can feed our minds and develop our relationship with Jesus Christ.  A number of practical points are made to show how each of us can find particular ways to intellectually grow. September 13, 2014 - St. Joseph Church - Hayward, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com

Keys are part of our lives.  Here are three ways in particular: Power - to do stuff Authority - the right to do stuff in formal & informal ways Responsibility - to be accountable for the stuff we do How will we use the keys we have been given?  How will we offer our lives to use what we have been given in good and prudent ways. August 24, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci studyprayserve.com