Murray Clan 13!!
The Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI: A commentary by Fr. Barron
Love Fr. Barron -this is the right perpective!
Birthday Boys!!!
A Nation Rises - March for Life
During this sad 40th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, let us stand up for life. Be pro-life/anti abortion for if we save just one life it is worth all we can give.
The New Year Message...
With the New Year now upon us. May we approach this year with a deeper hope in Christ and trust in His love and peace. The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI sent a very special message of peace to the world. may we all strive to live this peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our communities and in the world.
For sacred Scripture, contemplating the face of
God is the greatest happiness: “You gladden him with the joy of
your face” (Ps 21:7). From the contemplation of the
face of God are born joy, security and peace. But what does it
mean concretely to contemplate the face of the Lord, as
understood in the New Testament? It means knowing him directly,
in so far as is possible in this life, through Jesus Christ in
whom he is revealed. To rejoice in the splendour of God’s face
means penetrating the mystery of his Name made known to us in
Jesus, understanding something of his interior life and of his
will, so that we can live according to his plan of love for
humanity. In the second reading, taken from the Letter to the
Galatians (4:4-7), Saint Paul says as much as he describes the
Spirit who, in our inmost hearts, cries: “Abba! Father!” It is
the cry that rises from the contemplation of the true face of
God, from the revelation of the mystery of his Name. Jesus
declares, “I have manifested thy name to men” (Jn
17:6). God’s Son made man has let us know the Father, he has let
us know the hidden face of the Father through his visible human
face; by the gift of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts, he
has led us to understand that, in him, we too are children of
God, as Saint Paul says in the passage we have just heard: “The
proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his
Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’” (Gal
4:6).
Here, dear brothers and sisters, is the
foundation of our peace: the certainty of contemplating in Jesus
Christ the splendour of the face of God the Father, of being
sons in the Son, and thus of having, on life’s journey, the same
security that a child feels in the arms of a loving and all-powerful
Father. The splendour of the face of God, shining upon us and
granting us peace, is the manifestation of his fatherhood: the
Lord turns his face to us, he reveals himself as our Father and
grants us peace. Here is the principle of that profound peace –
“peace with God” – which is firmly linked to faith and grace, as
Saint Paul tells the Christians of Rome (cf. Rom 5:2).
Nothing can take this peace from believers, not even the
difficulties and sufferings of life. Indeed, sufferings, trials
and darkness do not undermine but build up our hope, a hope
which does not deceive because “God’s love has been poured into
our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us”
(5:5).
May the Lord grant you His peace, now and always.
Joe and I made our vows...
Joe and I both received a beautiful, handmade card from the Missionaries of Charity sisters who wrote a touching and moving quote from Blessed Mother Teresa:
"Just as Jesus allows Himself to be broken, to be given to us as food, we must break, we must share with each other, with our own people first in our house, in our communities, for love begins at home. Every communion fills us with Jesus and we must with our Lady, go in haste to Him to others."
In this year of faith, I hope and pray that I may be worthy and able to serve Him ever more deeply in the poorest of the poor. May God Bless you!
A very Murray Christmas!!
A very Merry Christmas to you all from the Murray family. We hope and pray for many blessings to you and your family this beautiful season and in the new year to come.
Here is the "best of the year" video created by Sheila as a review of 2012.
Here is the "best of the year" video created by Sheila as a review of 2012.
Enjoy!!!
Stephen's Nativity Scene.
Stephen created this nativity scene with toys and things around the house. He is very creative and very much into the true meaning of Christmas. Joe and I especially appreciate the Wise man played by an Imaginext castle figure riding a dinosaur instead of a camel. It is so precious and totally Stephen I had to share it. God Bless you all!!
Happy Birthday Thomas!!!
Thomas turned 13yrs. old on Dec. 20, 2012. He is now a teenager!! He looks so grown up, especially with his new glasses!
Happy Birthday John!!
John Mary turned 3 yrs. old on Dec. 12, 2012!! How very exciting!! The time just flew by and John is now a little boy!
Happy Advent!
We are in the midst of Advent in this year of Faith. I must say Advent is always such a struggle for me and my family. We get caught up in the trappings of the culture with the worries of shopping, baking and buying. Slowing down, praying, examining my conscience, and seeking our Lord earnestly is so important and I beseech our Lord daily to help me place my priorities in right order.
Yesterday's Gospel reading was the story of the paralytic whose friends lowered him down from the roof in order to get close to Jesus since the house and surrounding area were packed with people. Our Lord praised them for their faith, and I believe the men carrying their friend were praised by Jesus as well given their dedication to their friend's needs. They wanted the best for their him and they were willing to climb on the roof and tear it open in order to help their friend to walk again. They had faith in Jesus' power to heal and the strength to complete the task despite the questions and cynicism of the Pharisees.
I recently read a meditation in the Magnificat by Frank Capra the director of the well-loved film "It's a wonderful life." This truly defines friendship, faith and trust and I want to share it with you:
"It's a Wonderful Life wasn't made for the oh-so bored critics, or the oh-so jaded literati. It was my kind of film for my kind of people. A film to tell the weary the disheartened, and the disillusioned; the wino, the junkie, the prostitute, those behind prison walls and those behind Iron Curtains that no man is a failure. To show those born slow of foot or slow of mind, those oldest sisters condemned to spinsterhood and those oldest sons condemned to unschooled toil, that each man's life touches so many other lives. And that if he isn't around it would leave an awful hole.
A film that said to the downtrodden, the pushed around, the pauper, 'Heads up, fella. No man is poor who has one friend. Three friends and your filthy rich!'
A film that expressed its love for the homeless and the loveless; for her whose cross is heavy and him whose touch is ashes; for the Magdalenes stoned by hypocrites, and afflicted Lazaruses with only dogs to lick their sores.
I wanted it to shout to the abandoned grandfathers staring vacantly in nursing homes, to the always-interviewed but seldom- adopted half-breed orphans, to the paupers who refuse to die while medical vultures wait to snatch their hearts and livers, and those who take cobalt treatments and whistle - I wanted to shout, 'You are the salt of the earth. And It's a Wonderful Life is my memorial to you."
In this culture of death, where the handicapped and unborn are seen as burdens without a quality of life worthy to exist, Frank Capra's film and his quote speak of the importance of every human being. Our Lord knew of the dignity of the paralytic made in the image and likeness of God. His friends knew of the importance of this man's life which touched so many other lives and is a story still recalled 2000 years after it's occurrence. Our family knows as well of the unique gifts every member of the family contributes to the family as a whole as well as the outer community. Although most people would consider Claire's quality of life below what anyone should endure and therefore relieving her of all suffering and existence may be the compassionate thing to do. We would disagree, her suffering has made her family and friends much more patient and tolerant of struggles, we are stronger in our desire to help her through her suffering and we do it from a need to make her life comfortable given all she has gone through.
Her suffering has forced us to go outside of ourselves in order to give of ourselves to help her with whatever she may need Even if that meant tearing open a roof to have her healed. Because without Claire in our family there would be an "awful hole." Without her presence we may have remained in our selfishness and need for comfortable living.
Happy Advent and let us continue to build a culture of life.!
Yesterday's Gospel reading was the story of the paralytic whose friends lowered him down from the roof in order to get close to Jesus since the house and surrounding area were packed with people. Our Lord praised them for their faith, and I believe the men carrying their friend were praised by Jesus as well given their dedication to their friend's needs. They wanted the best for their him and they were willing to climb on the roof and tear it open in order to help their friend to walk again. They had faith in Jesus' power to heal and the strength to complete the task despite the questions and cynicism of the Pharisees.
I recently read a meditation in the Magnificat by Frank Capra the director of the well-loved film "It's a wonderful life." This truly defines friendship, faith and trust and I want to share it with you:
"It's a Wonderful Life wasn't made for the oh-so bored critics, or the oh-so jaded literati. It was my kind of film for my kind of people. A film to tell the weary the disheartened, and the disillusioned; the wino, the junkie, the prostitute, those behind prison walls and those behind Iron Curtains that no man is a failure. To show those born slow of foot or slow of mind, those oldest sisters condemned to spinsterhood and those oldest sons condemned to unschooled toil, that each man's life touches so many other lives. And that if he isn't around it would leave an awful hole.
A film that said to the downtrodden, the pushed around, the pauper, 'Heads up, fella. No man is poor who has one friend. Three friends and your filthy rich!'
A film that expressed its love for the homeless and the loveless; for her whose cross is heavy and him whose touch is ashes; for the Magdalenes stoned by hypocrites, and afflicted Lazaruses with only dogs to lick their sores.
I wanted it to shout to the abandoned grandfathers staring vacantly in nursing homes, to the always-interviewed but seldom- adopted half-breed orphans, to the paupers who refuse to die while medical vultures wait to snatch their hearts and livers, and those who take cobalt treatments and whistle - I wanted to shout, 'You are the salt of the earth. And It's a Wonderful Life is my memorial to you."
In this culture of death, where the handicapped and unborn are seen as burdens without a quality of life worthy to exist, Frank Capra's film and his quote speak of the importance of every human being. Our Lord knew of the dignity of the paralytic made in the image and likeness of God. His friends knew of the importance of this man's life which touched so many other lives and is a story still recalled 2000 years after it's occurrence. Our family knows as well of the unique gifts every member of the family contributes to the family as a whole as well as the outer community. Although most people would consider Claire's quality of life below what anyone should endure and therefore relieving her of all suffering and existence may be the compassionate thing to do. We would disagree, her suffering has made her family and friends much more patient and tolerant of struggles, we are stronger in our desire to help her through her suffering and we do it from a need to make her life comfortable given all she has gone through.
Her suffering has forced us to go outside of ourselves in order to give of ourselves to help her with whatever she may need Even if that meant tearing open a roof to have her healed. Because without Claire in our family there would be an "awful hole." Without her presence we may have remained in our selfishness and need for comfortable living.
Happy Advent and let us continue to build a culture of life.!
Look at the turkeys!
The boys recently did a project with Stephen's teacher where they created construction paper turkeys and wrote what they were thankful for. Fulton's was a bit primitive but he was so glad to be a part of the project anything he created was perfect. It was so helpful for Stephen to articulate his gratitude, and a wonderful art project for them to work on. Maybe Stephen should have mentioned his thankfulness for Mrs. Randall who works so tirelessly and painlessly with him.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and enjoy your families!!!
NunEssential: Contradeception...
NunEssential: Contradeception...: The following article was written by a beautiful friend of mine who has six young children and who is passionate about bringing the dig...
Piano Recital
Claire's 17th Birthday!! Praise God!!
How blessed we are to celebrate another year with Claire. She is doing well. All of the appointments with her specialists indicate her stability and we are so grateful to God for His goodness and her good health! She has been out of the hospital for almost almost a year! We pray for her continued improvement in her health. Thank you so much for your prayers.
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