Day 3
Saving Grace: (5 Minutes) If you read "Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission", you know the mission at the end of the Chapter 1 is to put the mission everywhere. I want you to write the words "Become a Saint" and put them everywhere....on your alarm clock, bathroom mirror, computer, television, car dashboard, snack cupboard, refrigerator, screensaver, cell phone (just take a picture of the words with your phone and make it the wallpaper)....put it everywhere. You can't say no to the enemy without a deeper yes.
Want a free copy of "Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission"? Click Here!
Athletics: We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Self discipline...This virtue will really come in handy today because of your task in Sacrifice and Service. Every athlete knows that to be successful, you need self discipline. You can't be a champion without it. You can't be a saint without it either. It is not about making yourself miserable. I assure you, the level of your happiness is directly proportionate to your level of self discipline.
Instructor's Manual: (5 minutes) To get the most out of Sunday Mass, you have to prepare. It makes a world of difference if you actually read the readings before you go so you know what they are about. Click on this link and read Sunday's readings. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him: (20 Minutes) If you want to know Jesus, walk with him on his way to the cross. My mother used to bring me to the Stations of the Cross every Friday night during lent. I pretended I didn't want to go, but I loved going to the stations...smell the incense and listen to the story of the human side of Jesus and the suffering he went through for you and me. It becomes so real. Experience the power of the stations this lent. The Stations of the Cross are a powerful way to get to know God. If you are able and the stations are available at your parish....go. If not, pray your own favorite version in a quiet place. Don't rush through it. Soak in the story. Here is my favorite version in which Jesus speaks to us as "my other self"....a reminder that we are one with Jesus, and we must pick up the crosses of our ordinary life and carry them with heroic virtue for the sake of the Kingdom....just like Jesus. http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-7/Stations_EVERYMAN_00_main.htm
Theology of the Body: (3 Minutes) Story of the Day: The Seven Wonders
Once upon a time there was a geography class and they were studying the many wonders of the world. At the end of the section the teacher asked the students to vote on what they thought the seven wonders of the world were. She handed out a piece of paper to each of the students and at the top of the piece of paper it said…I think the seven wonders of the world are… and then in the left hand column were the numbers one through seven. Each of the students filled them out brought them back to the front of the class and as they did the teacher began to tally what the different students had voted for. When the teacher had finished tallying most of the votes, there was a little disagreement but most of the students agreed the seven wonders of the world were the Tajma Hall, The great pyramids of Egypt, St. Peters basilica, the great wall of China, the empire state building, the Panama canal, and the Grand Canyon. But as she was finishing tallying the votes she noticed that one of the students hadn’t handed in her piece of paper yet. The girl was normally a little bit quiet and shy. She called on the student and asked her if she was having trouble with the assignment. The girl spoke up quietly saying, “I am a little, there just seems to be so many wonders in our world.” The teacher said, “Well why don’t you share with us what you have and maybe we can help you.” The girl became obviously embarrassed now and began to blush a little. And then nervously she began to speak. She said, “I think the seven wonders of the world are, to touch, to taste, to see, to hear, to laugh, to run, and to love.”
What are the seven wonders of your world? Don’t get distracted with what the rest of the class says. You see, in our country today young people have more things, more opportunities, more knowledge, more technology, and more conveniences then ever before. And yet, since 1950, the suicide rate among teens and young people has increased 5,000 percent. If you want to be truly happy, put this myth to bed right now. Things don’t make us happy. People go through their whole lives believing, life will change when I’m done with school, when I finish college, when I get married, when I get a good job, when I have kids, when I can afford the car I want, when the house is paid off, when the kids leave for college, when I retire, etc, etc….but it doesn’t. Our lives change when our habits change. Everything you need to be happy, you already possess.
SACRIFICE AND SERVICE: Today is Friday, a day of fasting. I recommend you don't eat meat and don't eat between meals, the same as you would on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Also, eat healthy. Don't eat and drink junk food. Remember, these are not rules to follow. It is not an arbitrary hoop to jump through. The purpose is to make a sacrifice and offer it for other souls, but in doing so you will be freeing yourself. You will become master of your body. The body makes a wonderful servant, but a horrible master. We find ourselves by giving ourselves away, but you can't give what you do not first possess. That is why you can not serve unless you are willing to sacrifice. Don't forget to offer up your sacrifices of this day for a particular person.
Saving Grace: (5 Minutes) If you read "Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission", you know the mission at the end of the Chapter 1 is to put the mission everywhere. I want you to write the words "Become a Saint" and put them everywhere....on your alarm clock, bathroom mirror, computer, television, car dashboard, snack cupboard, refrigerator, screensaver, cell phone (just take a picture of the words with your phone and make it the wallpaper)....put it everywhere. You can't say no to the enemy without a deeper yes.
Want a free copy of "Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission"? Click Here!
Athletics: We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Self discipline...This virtue will really come in handy today because of your task in Sacrifice and Service. Every athlete knows that to be successful, you need self discipline. You can't be a champion without it. You can't be a saint without it either. It is not about making yourself miserable. I assure you, the level of your happiness is directly proportionate to your level of self discipline.
Instructor's Manual: (5 minutes) To get the most out of Sunday Mass, you have to prepare. It makes a world of difference if you actually read the readings before you go so you know what they are about. Click on this link and read Sunday's readings. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him: (20 Minutes) If you want to know Jesus, walk with him on his way to the cross. My mother used to bring me to the Stations of the Cross every Friday night during lent. I pretended I didn't want to go, but I loved going to the stations...smell the incense and listen to the story of the human side of Jesus and the suffering he went through for you and me. It becomes so real. Experience the power of the stations this lent. The Stations of the Cross are a powerful way to get to know God. If you are able and the stations are available at your parish....go. If not, pray your own favorite version in a quiet place. Don't rush through it. Soak in the story. Here is my favorite version in which Jesus speaks to us as "my other self"....a reminder that we are one with Jesus, and we must pick up the crosses of our ordinary life and carry them with heroic virtue for the sake of the Kingdom....just like Jesus. http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-7/Stations_EVERYMAN_00_main.htm
Theology of the Body: (3 Minutes) Story of the Day: The Seven Wonders
Once upon a time there was a geography class and they were studying the many wonders of the world. At the end of the section the teacher asked the students to vote on what they thought the seven wonders of the world were. She handed out a piece of paper to each of the students and at the top of the piece of paper it said…I think the seven wonders of the world are… and then in the left hand column were the numbers one through seven. Each of the students filled them out brought them back to the front of the class and as they did the teacher began to tally what the different students had voted for. When the teacher had finished tallying most of the votes, there was a little disagreement but most of the students agreed the seven wonders of the world were the Tajma Hall, The great pyramids of Egypt, St. Peters basilica, the great wall of China, the empire state building, the Panama canal, and the Grand Canyon. But as she was finishing tallying the votes she noticed that one of the students hadn’t handed in her piece of paper yet. The girl was normally a little bit quiet and shy. She called on the student and asked her if she was having trouble with the assignment. The girl spoke up quietly saying, “I am a little, there just seems to be so many wonders in our world.” The teacher said, “Well why don’t you share with us what you have and maybe we can help you.” The girl became obviously embarrassed now and began to blush a little. And then nervously she began to speak. She said, “I think the seven wonders of the world are, to touch, to taste, to see, to hear, to laugh, to run, and to love.”
What are the seven wonders of your world? Don’t get distracted with what the rest of the class says. You see, in our country today young people have more things, more opportunities, more knowledge, more technology, and more conveniences then ever before. And yet, since 1950, the suicide rate among teens and young people has increased 5,000 percent. If you want to be truly happy, put this myth to bed right now. Things don’t make us happy. People go through their whole lives believing, life will change when I’m done with school, when I finish college, when I get married, when I get a good job, when I have kids, when I can afford the car I want, when the house is paid off, when the kids leave for college, when I retire, etc, etc….but it doesn’t. Our lives change when our habits change. Everything you need to be happy, you already possess.
SACRIFICE AND SERVICE: Today is Friday, a day of fasting. I recommend you don't eat meat and don't eat between meals, the same as you would on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Also, eat healthy. Don't eat and drink junk food. Remember, these are not rules to follow. It is not an arbitrary hoop to jump through. The purpose is to make a sacrifice and offer it for other souls, but in doing so you will be freeing yourself. You will become master of your body. The body makes a wonderful servant, but a horrible master. We find ourselves by giving ourselves away, but you can't give what you do not first possess. That is why you can not serve unless you are willing to sacrifice. Don't forget to offer up your sacrifices of this day for a particular person.
