A Few Words

The Bulletin of the Catholic community at The Family Foundation School

Pauca Verba (a few words)

Number 10 – January 31, 2010

Miracle Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I come before you just as I am. I am sorry for my sins. I repent for my sins, please forgive me. In your name I forgive all others for whatever they have done against me. I renounce Satan and all the evil spirits. I give you my entire self, Lord Jesus, now and forever. I invite you into my life Lord Jesus, my Lord, my God and my Savior. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul and spirit.

Come Lord Jesus, cover me with your Precious Blood and fill me with your Holy Spirit. I love you, Jesus. I thank you, Jesus. I praise you, Jesus. I shall follow you everyday of my life. Amen.

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Do you notice in the gospel today how fickle the people are? Maybe have a second look: Luke 4: 21-30. One minute the people think it’s the best thing ever to have Jesus, their local boy, back at home in the synagogue in Nazareth, and then in the next minute they’ve changed their minds about him and are looking to throw him over a cliff.

Am I fickle? Fickle in my faith and in my prayer? Fickle in my relationship with Jesus? Fickle in my school work? Fickle in my friendships? Why is that?

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Feel lost in fears? Afraid of failure? Afraid of not being approved of, sought after, liked, consulted? Afraid not to have power? Afraid that “I’m going to be here forever?” Listen to the prayer of Saint Teresa of Avila. She lived in the Middle Ages. Not an easy time!

Let nothing disturb you,

let nothing make you afraid,

all things are passing

God never changes!

Patient endurance

attains to all things.

God alone is needed.

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Remember recently how we wrapped up the Honesty Day? We asked a lot of questions and some of us answered very honestly. What’s happened since then? Anything new?

Some people say they don’t believe in God because they don’t see the kind of miracles anymore that we read about in the Bible. That’s missing it completely. Why don’t we stop questioning God so much and start questioning ourselves. Instead of “What God’s not doing” it might be more useful to ask, “WHAT AM I NOT DOING?”

Do I bring provocative talk and behavior into the life of this school?

Do I break commitments?

Who do I hate?

Do I plan revenge?

Do I refuse to listen to people in authority?

Do I act like I know all the answers?

Do I think or act violently?

Who am I rude to around here?

Am I living here just wasting time and BIG money?

What lies to I tell my parents?

In which classes is my school work poor and lazy?

With whom do I wear a phony smile?

Do I hate God yet act like a religious expert?

Am I arrogant, with a big mouth?

What obligations am I not fulfilling here?

Do I fake out people – even as an intern, anchor, leader?

Who do I ignore?

Do I have negative deals going with my parents?

Which staff do I manipulate?

Do I simply not care?

Is my laughter sometimes mean or mindless?

Am I hiding out here, under the radar?

Do I take, take, take, and give nothing in return?

With whom am I a poor friend?

Is my religion phony?

Do I give people scary, mean, watch-out-for-me looks?

Who do I bully around here?

How am I a quitter?

How am I materialistic?

Where is there ingratitude in my life?

With whom do I act entitled?

Who do I silence? “Shut up” means “blow up!”

Am I satisfied with a weak conscience?

Am I disobedient in even the simplest things?

Do I burden people with my moodiness?

What false promises have I made?

Vanity means: I’m glued to my appearance; how I’m coming across.

Do the words pretender and coward fit me?

Who is in my clique?

Do I reject a new moral compass – “Leave me alone; I’m fine the way I am.”

Whose feelings have I hurt – even deliberately?

Listen to myself – how superficial am I?

Do I admit that there are bombs and guns in my heart?