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Saint Joseph, Pillar of Families

I didn't use to pray novenas.  I always thought that praying directly to God was better.  But I read this passage from the Bible: "The continual prayer of a just man availeth much." - James 5:16 I thought of the matter more and now I see that novenas are a humble way of praying.  It is asking those closest to Jesus (and holiest) people who walked the earth, to pray for me. This is not a new way of doing things as Moses intervened for the Jews when God wanted to punish them for making a bull with their own hands and started worshipping them. I now think God is pleased whenever I pray a novena.    Since then, I have seen so many SIGNS AND WONDERS in myself and in my circumstances because I prayed a novena.   I credit Saint Joseph for my happy home life and also for helping us with our finances though the best thing for me is the way novenas help us to lead holy lives.  The saints want no applause but rather, they will always draw us closer to God.   Instead of idolizing cel

Despite Doubt


Every day our minds are a playground for a whole variety of thoughts.  We have good thoughts and not so good ones.  Sometimes a day is going so well and then doubt creeps in and takes over.

It was the same for Jesus disciples.  They were fishermen, craftsmen, businessmen, ordinary men who thought ordinary thoughts.

Their leader, their hero had fallen and though reports of Him being raised from the dead circulated, followers were walking away.  They were discouraged, fearful and doubt reigned supreme.

Jerusalem was where it all happened.  They started walking away.

But Jesus was alive and He told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for something big that was coming their way. (Acts 1:1-11)

How many times have we tried to be patient and wait yet only to let doubts tell us to just move on and to flee from desperate, seemingly impossible situations?

Or how many times have we felt unworthy of good things and let them slip away from us?  How many times have we run away from God thinking of how we've messed up and how He couldn't possibly want us back now?

If we choose to walk away from God and our experiences of Him, giving way to fear and doubt, we miss out on what He desires to give us.

The disciples who stayed received the power of the Holy Spirit.  They had changed minds and hearts that enabled them to change the course of the whole world.

Do we want everything God wants to give us or are we fearful of it?  

During the times we are waiting, we don't sense His nearness to us.  We think He isn't coming or He isn't going to do something - I need to.

But these times of waiting are essential to prepare us for His coming.  We grow in faith with waiting. 

The 11 disciples went up on a mountain and saw the Risen Lord.  Despite the unbelievable of a man coming to life again and their seeing Him face to face, the still doubted. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Even when good things happen, we doubt. 

Despite doubt, go with God.  Despite fear, go with God. Despite sin, go with God. He will bring us from glory to the next.


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