A Little Time to Be Catholic

In his book Signs of Life, which is “a celebration of all things Catholic”, Catholic author Scott Hahn writes: “Being Catholic means never having to say we have nothing left to do. Our prayer is enriched by sacred images and incense, votive candles and rosary beads, waters and oils, gestures and postures, blessings and medals, customs and ceremonies.”

Isn’t it wonderful that in today’s busy world, Catholic families can always be doing be doing a little something and never be without proof that we are Catholic?

Even in our busiest moments with work, school, little league, carpooling, and feeding our families, there is still a little time is left for God and His Church.

All we truly have is little time each day anyway. Right?

A little time to live. A little time to pray. A little time to worship. A little time to love.

A little time each day to offer our day to God? Possibly by taping the Morning Offering to our bathroom mirror to recite as we curl/straighten our hair, brush our teeth?

A little time each day to bless ourselves and our children. Possibly anoint ourselves with holy water as we walk out the door on our way to the things that serenade our day?

A little time each day to open our Bibles and meditate on the word of God. Possibly before we turn out the light for the night?

A little time each day to pray the rosary. Possibly as we sit in a line of traffic, sit in the dentist’s chair, put on our make-up, or fold a load of bath towels?

A little time each day to sing a song of praise. Possibly a CD of Christian music in the stereo as we prepare supper for our family?

A little time to read and meditate on Scripture:

DivineOffice.com (http://divineoffice.org/ )

iBreviary.com (http://ibreviary.com/new/)

iMissal.com (http://www.imissal.com/)

iPieta.com (http://ipieta.com/)

A little time to remember that Christ is the light of the world. Possibly with candles at the dinner table, a prayer candle for those in need, or lighting a candle in church on Sunday?

A little time to pray for those suffering and in purgatory. Possibly by ejaculatory prayers sporadically throughout the day: “Jesus, help them!” “Jesus, bless her!” “Jesus, save him!”

A little time to improve ourselves and strive to be a better person. Possibly by doing a good deed, a good work, taking no credit, and offering it back to God?

A little time to strive to be holy. Possibly by focusing on the saint of the day and meditating on a spiritual quote by that saint?

Helpful “Saint a Day” App links:

Pauline Press: http://www.pauline.org/AppsMP3s/SaintaDayiPhoneApp/tabid/387/Default.aspx

American Catholic: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/iPhone-App/default.aspx

A little time to be saint-like. Possibly by smiling at someone in the store, letting someone with only a few grocery items step ahead of you in the check-out line, looking into the screen of our child’s eyes instead of at the computer screen? The opportunities are endless.

Our Catholic faith is endless and full of depth. Here are a few retreat notes to get you started in those “little” ways of being Catholic

Remember…

We cannot transform the world until we allow Christ to transform us.
We have to be before we can do.
Being Catholic means just that…being…not doing. Christ said to come and be fishers of men. He did not say come and do. ~ Simone Dubois
Being Catholic means “never having to say we have nothing left to do.” ~ Signs of Life by Scott Hahn
We really don’t have to do anything. We just have to be Catholic each day.