What Angels Are...And Are Not

There isn’t anyone among us who hasn’t enjoyed a Christmas movie wherein an angel earns his or her wings. We love to hear the bell jingle because at that moment we know that heaven’s angel population has increased by one.

Wrong.

As much as those movies endear themselves to us, the fact is, the angel population neither increases nor decreases over time. But it does make those of us interested in angels sit up and take notice—and want to learn more about these heavenly creatures.

What are they?

Who are they?

Why are they?

Angels are spirits created by God (Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:14).

They are the invisible created things that have a hierarchy. These invisible created things are spirits meant to serve those who are to inherit salvation—fallen man who now freely chooses Christ. This establishes our relationship with angels in that they are to help us in ways that we may not fully know or understand; however, we shouldn’t be trying to discover how to boss them around or manipulate them! They are meant to help us usher our souls into an eternity with God.

As the lowest of the three groups of celestial beings, angels have taken on the appearance of human males to act as an interface between God and man but are never to be worshipped (Romans 1:24-25). In Genesis 32, Jacob clearly sees angels and recognizes them as such. On the other hand, in Tobit, Archangel Raphael was sent as a healer and was not recognized. It may be for this reason that Scripture reminds us in Hebrews 13:2 to always be kind and charitable to strangers for we never know when we will be entertaining angels.

Angels do not reproduce and are countless in number (Hebrews 12:22). Angels have what many feel is a confusing relationship to man in that man is made a bit lower than angels and yet man will attain a higher status than angels at the fullness of God’s kingdom (Luke 20:26).

Psalm 91:11 is where we find that God “commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.” Yet this should not translate into assuming we have a “get out of jail free card” wherein we foolishly live our lives on the edge; rather it is to remind us of the great call we have upon our lives as sons and daughters of the King. Isaiah 26:3 indicates that God’s angels are needed as much for the spiritual warfare that is taking place around us as they are needed in our earthly circumstances.

Angels, those Chariots of God (Psalm 68:17), will be part of the end-times. Their countless number will be made known (Revelation 5:11) and their joyful praises of God will gladden our hearts; our suffering will make sense as Jesus will reveal himself with his mighty angels and administer just judgment on behalf of the heavenly Father. What is invisible will be made visible and there will undoubtedly be a collective “Aha!” moment for us all!

Preparing Kids to Vote

The following copyrighted excerpt is reprinted with permission from All Things Guy: A Guide to Becoming a Man that Matters written for Catholic boys aged 9-14:

"Along with patriotism, there is citizenship. You are a citizen of a country. This is what makes you American, Mexican, or French for example. There are a lot of rights and responsibilities that come with citizenship in a country. In many instances, people have died to help obtain the rights and freedoms everyone enjoys.

"This is why gratitude to those who are in your history—and obviously knowing about them—is important. Just like there are Catholics who have gone before you in your faith history, so there are county-men who have gone before you in your nation’s history.

"However, first and foremost your citizenship is in Heaven. You have a place there because you were baptized. This is your calling—your destiny. Granted, you're not there yet. You have some work to do in order to get there. It began with your baptism and continues each day that you do your best to live for Jesus. Always remember that you have to know, love and serve God before you can become a citizen of Heaven for good! But you can do it if you persevere in this life on earth. 

"Think about it: in order to be a good citizen here on earth you have responsibilities. As you grow up and become a man, it's important that you learn about your country and what goes on in it. That’ll be part history and part current events. You need to know what happened before—so mistakes don’t have to be made over and over again—and what’s happening now."

Should Parents Introduce "Bad" to Talk About "Good?"

There is a dilemma that all parents face when raising their children. Desiring to keep them as innocent as possible for as long as possible is what lurks behind this conundrum. And the decision made in each family is the right decision—even when the decisions differ from family to family and even from child to child.

The issue at hand?

Do we as parents talk about “bad things” in a way that allows us to introduce the “good things?” And if we do, how “bad” can “bad” be without being too “bad?” And, of course, every parent’s definition of “bad” is different.

How do we equip our children to live in the world—and be salt and light—without robbing them of their innocence?

Is this even possible? More importantly: Is it necessary?

Can you talk to your young daughter about chastity without telling her—in honest language—what she will encounter in the world of boys?

Can you speak to your young son about temptation and hormones—in a realistic way—without introducing characteristics that girls exhibit at some point in their development?

So what is a parent to do?

We may want to put our head in the sand—or choose to believe that the best form of protection of innocence is denial. Yet that just isn’t the case. Maybe we feel ill-equipped ourselves to speak on subjects such as chastity but the answer isn’t to ignore the topic and hope it will go away—or to hide our children in hopes that this will keep them from confronting such things.

What we need to do is find great resources. The hallmark of a great resource (typically a book) is that it provides a third-party place where we can meet our kids. We ought to read it and they ought to read it. We can read it together, over time. Or separately and “compare notes.”

Our kids need to see it (the book in this example) as honest and forthright. It doesn’t make them roll their eyes because it is unrealistic or ignores the truth of what they are experiencing—or will be experiencing. In the meantime, it upholds our morals and values. We don’t have to compromise but can approach our expectations in light of what our kids are experiencing.

A great resource may introduce something we previously thought of as “bad” but in light of seeing how it allows us to honestly talk to our kids about the “good,” we see the value. It is never so bad that it does damage; rather it is an honest roadmap for our kids to use in their own journey towards adulthood. In All Things Girl: Truth for Teens, for instance, we emphasize that dating is with an intention towards marriage while also frankly—yet appropriately—discussing traits of boys. In a story-like setting we introduce The Octopus, The Cheater and The Narcissist while exploring The Nice Guy, The Hard-worker and The Brainiac.

Great resources create a groundswell of opportunity for discussions with our children. They give food for thought and nourishment for the soul. Great resources can’t be underestimated. They are a critical roadmap—something that will guide our kids to become all that God intended them to be and will support us, as parents, to help them along the way.

(illustratoin: ID 41185650  Chayunt Varapok  Dreamstime.com)

Alternative Medicine...Is It Right for a Woman of Faith?

Many women today suffer from chronic illness. It may be autoimmune related diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus or it may be digestive issues like Colitis or Crohn’s. 

And those are only the very tip of the iceberg. 

I don’t think there are verifiable statistics for this phenomenon because it doesn’t appear that there is a real awareness of the seriousness of this trend—but it is there.

I see it.

I hear it, too.

Since I’ve spent the better part of the past three decades (and probably even more time than that but I just didn’t put the pieces together) with what can best be described as “chronic illness” that evades concrete diagnosis, I may just be more sensitive to seeing and hearing the telltale signs of this trend among our female population.

But I’m no doctor. I have no qualifications to address this subject except my own personal experience—and those I continue to see and hear about which keep bringing the subject back to my awareness. Women who have suffered so long that they now are in the depths of depression as well.

What I’ve found is that a Catholic woman with undiagnosed health issues—or diagnosed health issues that are not getting “cured”—faces an issue when considering alternative medicine. She is often torn between her desire to get well and trying to find what avenue is acceptable to her faith.

A decision to consider alternative medicine as a piece of her health care is a personal one; it can only be answered by the woman herself—the seeker, the believer. Everyone seems rather comfortable with what I now call “traditional” medicine. Traditional medicine includes a doctor who has a license to practice medicine by a recognized university and through proper exams, tests, and certifications. All their accomplishments are worthy of praise and ought to be valued; but what I’ve found is that they are only a piece of a medical puzzle when a person suffers from things not in the “normal” range of traditional medicine—and even then, it can still be a hit-or-miss journey towards health.

Traditional medicine has been part of my journey, too, in the past few decades; unfortunately it has been to no avail. I’ve been told I had Lupus, RA, and other diseases along the way. None have been firm, conclusive, or have provided physical relief. It has been a roller-coaster ride, to say the least.

At some point I found myself interested in seeing a Naturopathic doctor. I liked her a lot and saw her for a few years. And while I can’t say that seeing her actually provided any more help than my time seeing traditional doctors, I did form a bond with her because I felt that I was working with her in seeking understanding and “cures.” Whereas my traditional doctor was offended when I inquired about the safety of HRT (at a time when it was a given that a woman would take it—which is no longer is!), my naturopathic doctor explored with me as I read and researched and sought health.

And once I entered into the realm of “alternative medicine,” I wanted to keep a foot in that world but I also wanted whatever I was doing to be reconciled with my faith. Fears of stumbling into “new-age” practices kept me hyper-aware of each step.

That’s both good and bad.

What I’ve learned is that lots of good things are thrown out under the fear of new-age. The new-age banner has been applied to things which may well be God-centered. What I’ve concluded is that the only person who can truly decide if seeking alternative medicine is right is the seeker herself.

I believe it is important to recognize that what is more accepted today—things like kinesiology and meditation to reduce stress—were once considered outside-of-the-box thinking in the health care industry. This means that the label “Alternative Medicine” is either greatly expanding—or shrinking—depending on how you look at it. Either way, it is good for the seeker of health: alternative medicine is expanding and pushing into the realm of “traditional”—or traditional is expanding to pick up what was once alternative. It ultimately means more options that are seen as viable enter the arena and the chances of those who are stumbling through their years of chronic illness will more likely find some combination of things that will lead to health.

I accidently came across Hildegard of Bingen’s writings last year and it opened up a whole new world to me. While “gem therapy” is thrown out as new-age and has frightening and damnation consequences written all over it—you can only imagine my surprise when I read about Hildegard of Bingen’s crystal therapy and her understanding of “energy” systems in the body! We are talking about a doctor of the church explaining how holding a gemstone in your mouth can cure something or that a certain type of cookie can help alleviate spiritual and physical symptoms. I say I “accidently” came across her work but of course there are no accidents in a faith walk. Although I am not advocating gem-therapy in the new-age sense or any alternative treatments that conflict with or possibly undermine traditional medicine, I am confident in saying that there is a bigger world of health care than we are currently offered through strict traditional medicine and a woman of faith—yoked to Christ through constant prayer and adoration—shouldn’t be afraid to ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit to find answers.

Someone needs to say this and I’m willing to be that someone.

Many Catholic women today—myself included—have tried to reconcile their suffering and seeking health with their faith but have come up short. It’s exhausting and frustrating. It is depressing. Confusing and mixed messages (take up your cross, “no” is an answer to prayer, offer it up, and so on) send us back and forth between suffering and hope. In the end, a woman of faith should be confident that she can be guided by the Holy Spirit towards those things that will provide her with the health she seeks and which may include alternative things like biomagnetic pair therapy and attending healing masses while also seeing a traditional M.D.

We don’t replace “traditional” with “alternative” but we can certainly live in confidence that God who loves us and desires we live in health and peace will help us on our journey.

My prayer for you—whoever is reading this message—is that the God you serve, the God who loves you and sent his only begotten son to heal you through his stripes, the God who hears your prayers for health and healing, answers you today.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

(Image: ID 27770634 © Alexmillos | Dreamstime.com)

All Things Girl: Friends, Fashion and Faith

It’s that time of that year again when girls groups are starting in home settings and Catholic parishes.

We’ve received many exciting inquires about the new release of All Things Girl: Friends, Fashion and Faith and wanted to share these two excerpts as an example of what you will find in the book for Catholic tween girls and the accompanying journal. 

The Table of Contents is also offered here. 

And if I can be of any help, please just let me know! Cheryl@BezalelBooks.com

Having a Soul Gives You Inherent Dignity…

Joan lives in a neighborhood where the houses are huge and everyone has a pool. Katie lives in a neighborhood where some of the houses have broken windows and lots of kids share bedrooms. Which person has more dignity?

Tamar is from the Middle East and has olive skin, she speaks with a thick accent. Mary has long, beautiful brunette hair and perfect skin. Betty is chubby and has greasy hair. Gertrude is skinny and cuts her own hair. Which girl has more dignity?

Olivia is 99 years old and can’t bathe herself or feed herself. Ruby has a birthmark on the right side of her face. Jessica is a beautiful model who stars in television commercials. Which person has more dignity?

All people are equal in dignity because they’ve been given a soul by God at their creation.

Here’s another excerpt—the topic is Catholic Baptism:

Being baptized is really quite simple but its simplicity shouldn’t make anyone underestimate its power! Have you ever noticed that during Easter Vigil the priest leads you through a renewal of your baptismal promises? That’s because it is always good to remember what it means to be a baptized member of the body of Christ.

Check it out. This is an example of what the priest might say and what you would say in response.

·  Do you reject Satan? I do.
And all his works? I do.
And all his empty promises? I do.

·Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? I do.

·Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? I do.

·Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? I do.

·God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Table of Contents

 ·         You Are Here for a Reason                

·         Relationships                                                       

·         The Real You                                                       

·         Me and Social Media                                          

·         Fashion, Skin, Hair and Makeup                             

·         Financial Responsibility                                  

·         Role Models                                                                          

·         Virtues to Live By                                                             

·         A Prayer Life                                                       

·         Glossary                                                                      

Do You Know the Four Marks of the Church?

Every time a Catholic recites the Nicene Creed, he is proclaiming belief in the “Four Marks of the Church.” He joins with all other believers and professes a faith which says, “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church…”

These “four marks” are called “indelible” in that they cannot be changed or removed. They are the same as when Christ founded the church and will remain the same until his return. As indicated in the Nicene Creed, they bind together the believers in a unique and significant way.

The first mark: the church is one.

As diverse as we are, we are also considered one in that we are one body in Christ. Even as we bring our different cultures to the one body of Christ, we all believe that this Christ is our Lord and Savior; in him we have our redemption.  All who have been baptized are part of his one, true church.

The second mark: the church is holy.

The teachings of the church lead each believer to holiness. They never lead away from God—who calls all to holiness.

While we continue to stumble and often even grope our way to our eternal reward in heaven, we can look towards the church to aid us in our call to holiness. The teachings of the Magisterium help us unwrap the Truths of our faith as we seek holiness.

The third mark: the church is catholic.

Catholic means “universal.” It beckons all men—throughout the ages and across the globe—towards the truths of Christ. Its universality began at Pentecost with men of every nation gathered and has since retained the same fullness of faith throughout time.

The fourth mark: the church is apostolic.

The Catholic Church is apostolic in nature. It began with the teachings of Christ given to the apostles and will remain the same until Christ’s second coming. It is the only Church which can trace its roots back to the first apostles—and the first Vicar of Christ: Peter.

These four indelible marks of the Catholic Church are proclaimed by believers in communion with other believers and are meant to inspire the humility of Christ in each one. They are immutable gifts from God, established by Christ, that exist because of his grace and mercy. These four marks of the Catholic Church (one, holy, catholic, and apostolic) and are meant for our sanctification and his glory.

A Woman of Faith Ages Gracefully, Right?

You’ve discovered what it truly means to be “young at heart.”

The wrinkles around your mouth and the pouchy jowls have no effect on you.

You see the varicose veins in your legs and feet as a sign of victory—having carried children and lifted the loads of life.

You are able to make fun of your bat wings and still wear sleeveless shirts in the summer.

That’s what it means to grow old gracefully; it is a sign of maturity of spirit.

Something we attain while we nurture others and as we, ourselves, learn and grow from life’s experiences.

Yeah, not so much…

My own struggle with getting older has been a quiet one—but a real one. And I don’t get that. As a woman of faith my struggles against aging make me question my faith.

Shouldn’t I be sort of excited to be on the dark side of 50? Isn’t one step closer to eternity a bigger milestone than the number 60 that looms in the not-too-distant future? Nope. Not at all.

So it makes me wonder: What’s up with that?

I went to a Neil Diamond concert a few years ago and all I could think was: What are all these old people doing here?

Don't get me wrong: I am glad to be alive and yet the reality of facing aging is still very real.

And I get that some people who are in their 70s think I’m still a babe in the woods; but the fact is, I can’t even call myself “middle aged” unless I can honestly say I think I will live to be around 112 “ish.” Probably not going to happen regardless of how Suzanne Somers spins aging—but I do like her spunk and am very tempted to order her electric-zapping facial contraption (has anyone tried it?).

In the meantime, I ponder this surprising dilemma more and more and look in the mirror less and less.

I’m trying to find the balance between my faith and digging in my heels against time as it flies by—although I do like the idea of the gusts of time pulling back the skin of my face and giving me a more youthful look.

Maybe it is a win-win after all.

(picture: © Mellefrenchy | Dreamstime.com)