Here is this week's installment of "Five Faith Friday" which contains five, faith-based things I found interesting and am sharing on Friday.
What News Saddened Me --
That you can now murder your baby right from the convenience of your own home. Under what reason? Covid, of course. "With this action, the Biden administration has made it clear that it will prioritize abortion over women's safety. Allowing unsupervised chemical abortions via telemedicine, without requiring timely access to medical care, will put women in grave danger," said Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life.
What I'm Reflecting On --
The last 24 hours of life. "If you had 24 hours left in your life, what would you do?" might be a question that has crossed your mind at some point during your life whether via an ice breaker, a deep conversation with a friend, or a late night thought laying in bed. There are many opinions on this. A popular testimony that sticks out in my mind is this one:
- Once, when Saint Charles Borromeo was playing billiards, a friend asked him what he would do if he knew he had only fifteen minutes to live. Barely pausing, Saint Charles answered, “Go right on playing billiards.”
Now that's being at peace with life! How did I think about this topic? It actually came up during Holy Week as I meditated on Holy Thursday when Jesus knew he had less than 24 hours to live. What did he do? Many things. He established the ministerial priesthood, he instituted the Eucharist, and despite those being absolutely monumental, the one thing he did that hit me the hardest was that he washed his disciples feet. Not that this action was any larger than the other two things I mentioned, because they aren't, but because it was an act of serving. In Jesus's last 24 hours on Earth, he decided to continue serving others.
Oh! Since we are on the topic of the last 24 hours of our lives, here's the key to a happy death.
What Else I'm Reflecting On --
Given the above topic of your last 24 hours on Earth, I also reflected on what every Catholic should do at a bare minimum. Here's the list:
- Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (or pray along with this video)
- Call a priest for Last Rites (IMPORTANT NOTE: make sure to call a priest while the dying person is still capable of making a conscious confession. Priests I speak to say that far too often, people wait until the last minute, thinking that the Sacraments are magic. A general rule of thumb is that if you know that there is a good chance of death, call a priest right away)
- Ensure the priest prays the Apostolic Pardon after hearing the penitents confession. You can even order holy cards to keep in your wallet in case you ever need to give it to a priest
What I'm Looking Forward To --
The Listening For God *FREE* Virtual Conference happening this weekend (April 16-18). This conference will help you to recognize God in your everyday life. Be inspired through personal testimonies, Scripture, and the lives of the saints by more than 50 amazing Catholic speakers, including Kevin Wells, Father Mitch Pacwa, SJ; Mike Aquilina; Father Chris Alar, MIC; Jeff Cavins; Teresa Tomeo; Dr. Edward Sri; Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle; Father John Trigilio; and many more!
What I Read --
"33 Days to Greater Glory: A Total Consecration to the Father Through Jesus Based on the Gospel of John" by Father Michael Gaitley. While you can go through this consecration at any time, you are recommended to end it on a feast day. I chose to do so leading up to the Divine Mercy Sunday and it was a beautiful way to learn more about Jesus through the Gospel of John with beautiful reflections done by Father Michael Gaitley (MIC).
-- BONUS --
What Picture I Saw --
That of the (in progress) construction of the Christ the Protector statue in Brazil which is even taller than the one in Rio!
Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and your family!
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