Your Daily Compass

  Second Meditation on The Lord's Prayer Have you ever wondered about the deep meaning behind Jesus’ teachings? Once we grasp this wonderful metaphysics of love and humanity's potential, we can infuse it into our meditation. This can help us connect with God's abundance and love through various factors, including faith, gratitude, and visualization. As a gentle reminder, if you seek to dedicate time to deep prayer and meditation, it is beneficial to accompany these practices with a relaxed state, facilitated by proper breathing, as well as a mental state free from negativity. One effective technique I use is to create what I call “set-points”. I create and then consciously remember my physical state for both breathing and relaxation. I also create a 'set point' for my mental state that is void of worry, fear, and negativity. These set points are like signposts on a journey. They serve as markers to guide me more effectively toward the desired state of preparation ...

  Opening thoughts I thank St. Bartholomew Church and the Paletta family for the honor of delivering a recent eulogy for my Uncle Jim. Earlier that day, I had a bit of a warning from God that my presentation of this man might not be easy. This is partly because summarizing a person's life in a few minutes is impossible for anyone. We can never truly do justice to their story. All we can do is try our best, seek forgiveness from the departed, and hope they are content with our tribute. The highlight of my day was conversing with Angie and listening to her heartfelt tales about her grandparents. It was a more meaningful tribute than anyone could have orchestrated. We all do this, starting with the viewing and ending with the breaking of bread and sharing smiles after the cemetery.    This tradition of bidding farewell to the ones we love dates back to Ancient Egypt, the Greeks, and the Romans, and it has been preserved by Judaism and Christianity. We attempt to honor...

  Using our God-given faculties in prayer In a past blog blast, we discussed the power of sticking to your prayer routine. Some folks treat prayer like a business deal, clocking in with lines like "I sent up a prayer" or "I prayed my heart out." If prayer is drudgery to you, this blog can help you rethink prayer. Some may see their spiritual journey as preparing for a marathon - it's all about getting ready for the big run. It doesn’t need to be that hard, but prayer does need its prep. It's all about building that inner strength to power. Preparing for a race with proper training can lead to some major rewards. Learning to pray with the right mindset can lead to magical transformation. Learning to pray Our spiritual laws operate similarly. Take The Lord’s Prayer, for instance; We can mechanically repeat this prayer five times in a row, our minds wandering elsewhere. Alternatively, we can recite it with intense concentration and profound contemplatio...