In this Faith Talk I reflect on the importance of gratitude – for all of God’s blessings both in this life and the life to come. As I see it, gratitude was in Jesus’ DNA, so to speak, which means that as Christians, gratitude is also in our DNA. How can we not be grateful for all that God has given and continues to give us? I hope my reflection is helpful for you. Please share it with anyone who might benefit.

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Scripture cited: Luke 17:17-18, John 6:11, Luke 22:17-19, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Psalm 118:1

In this Faith Talk, I reflect on death and eternal life. This is certainly not a comfortable thing to do, but it is an important step on our faith journey. It is important when reflecting on death to acknowledge that no one knows definitively what happens to us after death - not the biblical writers, not mystics, bishops, or even the Pope. They are, after all, just humans like you and me - living within the limits of space and time. And so, I offer this reflection to you with the clear admission that it is not grounded in any firsthand knowledge, but in my own beliefs. I hope it will give you a new perspective to contemplate.

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Scripture cited: Mark 12: 24-25, John 6:40, John 11:25, John 14:2-3, Luke 9:28-36

Other sources cited: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 366, CCC 990)

In this Faith Talk I reflect on the gospel readings for the Twenty Ninth and Thirtieth Sundays in Ordinary Time, which this year fall on October 20th and 27th (Mark 10:35-52). In the first reading, Jesus teaches these important lessons and in the next one he models them. From my perspective, Jesus established a direct correlation between high status or “greatness” if you will - and service. The greatest among us must be the servant of all. I hope this Faith Talk is helpful for you. Please share it with anyone who might benefit.

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Scripture cited: Mark 10:35-45, Mark 10:46-52, Micah 6:8

I believe God is always calling us. That is clear from Scripture and the writings of the saints. But it’s not always easy to distinguish God’s voice in our noisy, hectic and chaotic world. In this Faith Talk I share my thoughts on the notion of discernment. How can I hear God’s voice? How can I be sure it is God calling me and not just some random thought that pops into my head? Or more likely, my own ego calling? And how do I know for sure what God is asking of me? I hope my reflection is helpful for you as you continue on your faith journey.

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A man asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This is a critical question that I’m sure we would all like to have the answer to. Jesus does indeed answer the question, but he does so by offering us a very peculiar image to ponder. Please join me as I reflect on this important question and try to make sense of his strange notion.

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Scripture Cited: Mark 10:17-27, Philippians 2:6,8

Sources Cited: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. USCCB.org. Daily Readings.

This is a message I needed to hear! It is the gospel reading for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 29, 2024). In this Scripture story, Jesus teaches his apostles (and us) the lessons of humility and tolerance. Please join me as I reflect on Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 9.

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Scripture Cited: Mark 9:33-48, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 20:28

Sources Cited: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. USCCB.org. Daily Readings.

Fr. Richard Rohr.

Scripture scholars refer to the Book of Proverbs as “a guide for successful living.” In this Faith Talk I will share a few of my favorite proverbs and similar teachings from Jesus. Please join me as I look to these words for wisdom, resourcefulness, knowledge, discretion, and guidance. Let us see what they may teach us, and how we might see them reflected in the teachings of Jesus. Foundational information about the Book of Proverbs comes from the Catholic Study Bible, New American version.

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Scripture Cited: Proverbs 1:1-6, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 12:19, Proverbs 13:3, Matthew 15:11, Matthew 5:33, 37, Proverbs 19:11, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 6:14, Matthew 5:7, 9, Proverbs 21:3, Matthew 9:13, Proverbs 27:1, Matthew 6:34, Proverbs 14:21, Proverbs 19:17, Luke 14:13-14, Matthew 19:21, Proverbs 3:13-18

Sources Cited: Catholic Study Bible, New American Bible, 1990, Oxford University Press, Inc.

My inspiration for this episode came from people who I have heard recently saying they don’t feel welcome in their churches because they feel judged by others. They feel as though they are viewed as less-than-ideal Christians because of the way they live their faith. My intention in this faith talk is to offer a bit of inspiration to all those people, with the help of Jesus’ words from Scripture and the wisdom of two other women – Margaret Cundiff and Elizabeth Stuart. My advice is this: don’t listen to others who want to tear you down or make you feel like a bad Christian. Listen, instead, to Jesus. Stand firm in your faith and walk your path knowing Jesus is by your side!

Faith Talk with Anita You Tube videos: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@FaithTalkWithAnita/videos

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Scripture Cited: Matthew 7:1-3

Sources Cited: Women of Vision, An anthology of spiritual words from women across the centuries. Compiled by Dorothy Stewart. Loyola Press, 1997; Revised 2000.

Prayer from the Grail Society.