A small favor to ask

My friends I need a small favor. This Sunday Oct 22nd I'm going to be at the Mt. Zion Catholic Community in Flushing, MI for a Lego Church Project display. This is a bit of a home coming for me given that it has been years since I've brought one of my projects out. This is the place where the project that became Season 1 was displayed at. Way before the media attention.

What I'm asking is to share the word about this display. I would love to see a bigger than normal turn out for this display. The Mt. Zion Catholic Community has been a big supporter of my work and it is well worth taking the time to check them out. I have been praying for a good turnout. Their is a good chance I will also be there the following weekend (Oct 29th). But these displays cannot be pulled off with out people coming out and seeing for themselves what God is doing in my life. But it is more than that with this display. It's also a chance to see the Mt. Zion community as well. They have had their own journey in this world and their story is an amazing one. Check out the links provided and see what God is doing for us. If you need more info drop me an e-mail at kc8wzm@gmail.com. -JM

Mt. Zion Catholic Community

Support For the Project

The Mt. Zion display

The Season 18 project is coming out to the Mt. Zion Catholic Community over in Flushing, MI starting Oct 18th. Mass is Sunday at 10:30am. The Community Center is located 8228 N McKinley Rd, Flushing, Michigan 48433.

The display is one that is more personal to me than most. It's a place I don't get to visit often. But it is the first place I ever took one of my projects to. If your in the area PLEASE stop on out and check out the community and the project. Would love to see a lot of people turn out to see on of my projects in person. The pictures are nice. But they don't do this justice. Share the blog post. Get the word out. Would really mean a lot to me.

Till Next Time

-JM

Prayer

I've been wanting to write this blog post for a while. Given how important I feel prayer is in the Catholic life. With the recent events it has opened up the mind and given me the freedom to do so.

Their are many in this world who would tell you that prayer is worthless. They would scream it from the roof tops if they could about how useless it is. They believe that they are empty words that do nothing for anyone. But to me prayer is something more. Those who openly proclaim Jesus Christ as their Savior and redeemer believe in something far greater than themselves. They accept that their is more to life than their own desires and wants. They commit themselves to following the teachings and doing their best hold fast to the message and Good News of Christ. We are not perfect. Which is why God sent His Only Son for us. For me prayer give me a deeper focus on what goes on around me. Seeking deep and profound wisdom in the best and worse times of our lives. A spiritual tool against the forces that would seek to destroy us from with in. It is seeking an understanding that we cannot always get from the world around us. More so when fear and anxiety seek to derail us. It is not about providing "magic answers" but rather clarity from a spiritual perspective. Personally I use prayer daily in my walk with Christ. It guides me. Shows me paths that in my own mind I might not always see. It can also give me a sense of peace. Even when I feel like the walls are caving in around me. I feel better over all when I take the time to pray. Not just when things are going bad. But even when times are decent. That is the nature of being a follower of Christ. We live in very troubling times. Events are unfolding that shake is to the core of who we are. This is why we pray. For Peace in our own hearts. Compassion for those around us. Even when they show hatred. Strength to handle things in our lives. The Wisdom to do the right thing. The Courage to face our darkest fears. Because Christ is the light that shines in the darkness. We who are His followers carry that light in our hearts. Surrender to Christ All Things. Even when we are mocked for what we believe. 

Till Next Time

-JM

Reflection for Oct 2nd

  The events of the day have me troubled to no end. Following the social feeds on both facebook and twitter is a lesson in frustration. Everyone seems to have a radical opinion of what needs to be done to stop the violence in our society. We know something has to be done. But we are divided as to what path we should take. The answers are not as simple as some would have you believe. Such things never are. History has taught us much but in the end we sometimes tend to glaze over it to suite our own personal agendas. We should as a nation be shocked and outraged at the violence we have seen unfold. But we should also be reminded that this is a constant cycle where lives are taken every day due to gun violence. Every major city has some kind of issue going on. It is so common place that the only times it gets our attention is when a large number of lives are lost at once. Such as the events in Las Vegas. We have become desensitized to the issues at hand and refuse to hold leadership accountable for the failings that allow the daily violence to continue.  Still it is hard to make sense of the senseless nature of this recent attack. One that shakes me to my core. We have had many chances to look into the issues at play and yet nothing gets done. Until we take a hard look at the issues at hand nothing will.

  Lately, more so given these troubling times, I have felt this deep welling inside my own soul to recite the Rosary every day. More so than  have at any time in my life. A gentle tug in my heart that this is something that I should be doing. But it is also a feeling that has gotten stronger inside me. It is more than a request from Our Most Holy Mother. It is a plea to all who call themselves Catholic. It is our Mother's cry to bring peace in our hearts. A cry to her faithful to honor the faith as we should. A reminder that While Christ is the light of the world. Mary, Our most Blessed Mother, is the Lantern. It is a request from Her that we can no longer ignore and should encourage to all who call themselves Catholic. 

I'm sure at some point I will write more on this. But my heart is too troubled right now. So I close out this reflection with the Prayer of St. Francis:

Make me a channel of your peace. 

Where there is hatred let me bring your love. 

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord 

And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console 

To be understood as to understand 

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope 

Where there is darkness, only light 

And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned 

In giving to all men that we receive 

And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

 

Till Next Time

-JM