Author: Msgr. Charles Pope

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Websites to Grow By

Consider enhancing your faith in this Lenten season. There are many on-line opportunities to listen to talks and view short videos. Here are just a few. 

The daily readings of the Mass can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/nab/. 

A 3-minute video sermon based on the readings of the day can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml.

Short videos on Catholic current events, etc. can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/video/.

A short video series on the Sacraments can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/video/sacraments.shtml.

Inspirational videos of living the faith are found here: http://www.usccb.org/video/sacraments.shtml.

The Catholic Standard, the paper of the Archdiocese is on line here: http://cathstan.org/.

Why, heck, you can even listen to my own sermons which I post here in mp3 format: http://frpope.com/audio/recordings.php.

Consider some of the resources as you grow in your faith this Lent!

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So, What are You Longing For?

I am going to be bold and claim that I can “prove” to you that God exists, and that our desires and longings are that very proof! Think about it: your desires and longings are infinite aren’t they? When was the last time you were ever completely satisfied and needed absolutely nothing? If we’re really honest, we have to admit that our desires and longings are infinite—without any limit. But wait a minute! The world in which we live is finite; it has limits. How can a limited, finite world give us unlimited and infinite desire? The answer is that it cannot. There is an old saying in Latin: Nemo dat quod non habet (no one can give what he does not have). So we must have received these infinite, unlimited longings from that which is also unlimited and infinite. This unlimited and infinite One we call God. Have I proved my case? Let me know what you think. The world couldn’t give you these deepest longings! Only the infinite God could have done that! He exists and he has written his name on our hearts. All these desires and longings we have are ultimately pointing us to God. Consider reading the Gospel of John, Chapter 4, where Jesus meets the Woman of Samaria at the well. She comes to the well of world to satisfy her thirst. But Jesus reminds her that “everyone who drinks from this well will be thirsty again.” He goes on to teach her that He  is really the only one who can give her water that will truly satisfy her longings. In effect he says to her, “What are you longing for? Maybe it’s God!”