#virtue

RISE & PRAY

REFLECTIONS FOR AN AUTHENTIC CATHOLIC LIFE

Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 19, 2020
2 min

LOVE HIM FIRST

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Yesterday's Gospel was the story of the rich young man who is attached to his money and material possessions. The 19th chapter of Matthew ends with the verse, "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." Today's Gospel

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OH, SOMEWHERE IN THIS FAVORED LAND THE SUN IS SHINING BRIGHT

Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 16, 2020
2 min

OH, SOMEWHERE IN THIS FAVORED LAND THE SUN IS SHINING BRIGHT

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME My husband is with dad out fishing. A fishing trip I should be on—a fishing trip where I should be competing my Cutt Slam challenge. No, yesterday my back decided it didn't like me moving around and screams out sharp pains when choosing to do anything besides lay flat. This Tuesday, we should be loading up the cars and driving Jake down to Laramie, Wyo, to begin his freshman year of college, but UW changed the move-in dates until September, m

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 11, 2020
2 min

THE POWER & PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD

TUESDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost. (Matthew 18:14) We are in the final hours of preparing for our annual summer Gala at Turning Point Pregnancy Resource Center in Jackson, Wyoming. Like everyone, we've had to pivot and turn our beautiful summer evening Gala into a virtual event. A virtual Gala requires lots of social media announcements, email campaigns, and digital advertising to g

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 9, 2020
2 min

THE TINY WHISPER

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Today's first reading from 1 Kings is a favorite scripture of mine. Elijah is on the mountain of God, Horeb, where he is waiting for the Lord to pass by. A wind so strong it blows about rocks, an earthquake shakes the land, a fire passes by, and then a tiny whisper. For folks in south Louisiana several times a year, we hold our breath and wait to see where the models predict a hurricane will come ashore. Hurricanes are rated on their wind st

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 5, 2020
2 min

HOPE FOR COURAGE

WEDNESDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Cris is away at Fire Camp again, so last night, I watched The Blind Side. The film came out in 2009 and is based on the real-life story of Michael Oher, a homeless black teen. Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock and her husband, Sean, played by Tim McGraw, take Michael in from the cold one night. A pivotal scene in the movie that left me sobbing for a good five minutes. The Tuohys eventually become Michael's legal guard

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Aug 3, 2020
2 min

SINK OR BELIEVE IN HIM

MONDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Oh, Peter! The same Peter that Jesus entrusts with the keys to the kingdom is the one who has so little faith in our Lord that he begins to sink in today's Gospel. Perhaps there is hope for you and me yet! I know you've heard this scripture before but humor me, read it again: At once, Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the w

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 29, 2020
2 min

LORD, I KNOW YOU CARE

WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME I live in one of the most beautiful places in the US. A fact not lost on the 40,000+ visitors that are streaming through our town currently. Despite a pandemic raging through most of our country, tourism in our small town has not slowed down; great for businesses' bank accounts not great for their employees who are inevitably being exposed to the virus, causing businesses to repeatedly open and close. Today's Gospel leads me

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 27, 2020
2 min

JUST A LITTLE YEAST

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME In today's Gospel, Jesus is again speaking in parables. This time it is the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven. Parables are frequent in the Synoptic Gospels. Jesus's parables conceal and reveal the divine mysteries by comparing earthly scenarios to heavenly mysteries. The humble look deeper into the parable's meaning to search out God's revelation while the purpose remains hidden from the proud. Parables in their negati

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 25, 2020
2 min

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

FEAST OF ST. JAMES, APOSTLE We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. (2 Cor 4:7) This treasure St. Paul speaks of is God's glory, the message of Jesus Christ that we hold in our hearts. While our existence some days may seem far from glorious, St. Paul tells us that despite our suffering and ultimately our death to self, we have great life within us. We might be persecuted or knocked down in this life, but we are not a

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 22, 2020
2 min

MRS. VELMA

FEAST OF SAINT MARY MAGDALENE Six-years-ago this week, I was on my first Vacherie Mission Trip with St. George youth group. It was a mission trip to serve the people of Vacherie, Louisiana, hosted by Our Lady of Peace. The teens would be assigned to workgroups during the day serving the people of Vacherie by fixing up their homes with the help of skilled volunteers leading them. In the evenings, we'd listen to praise and worship music, motivational speakers, and play games. I

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 16, 2020
2 min

HE INVITES US

THURSDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Today's Gospel is only three verses. Three simple little lines that mean so much. People quote them all the time. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Jesus's words do not mean what most people desire them to mean. A

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 15, 2020
2 min

ORANGE SLICES & BOB SEGER

MEMORIAL OF ST. BONAVENTURE Today's Gospel introduces a joyful note into Matthew's tenth chapter, which is otherwise dominated by a theme of unbelief. And yet, as the Lord reminds me to have a childlike trust in Him, I still feel my unbelief sneaking in. Because Jesus is the Son of the Father, he has perfect knowledge of all the mysteries and can reveal them to whomever He wishes. The childlike accept the Father's revelation because they are open to receiving the Word of Chri

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 14, 2020
2 min

I SHALL HELP YOU

MEMORIAL OF SAINT KATERI TEKAKWITHA The feast of St. Kateri brings me back to my first summer as a full-time youth minister. I had been a youth minister for all of five minutes when I decided to gather up our teens in three rented Suburbans and head to Steubenville Atlanta. We made a couple stops along the way at EWTN, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, and finished the trip up with a Braves game. I can't believe that it was seven years ago. That

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 13, 2020
2 min

A WORTHY HOUSE

MONDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH DAY IN ORDINARY TIME Cris made it home from fire camp on Thursday. Friday, we spent the day on the motorcycle, Saturday we all painted the kitchen and Sunday, Papa, Cris and I went fishing. The ride was beautiful, the kitchen looks fantastic, and we checked another trout off our Cutt Slam Challenge. All weekend I was thinking about the verse from Thursday's Gospel, "As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon i

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 8, 2020
2 min

FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matthew 10:7) When was the last time you or I made this proclamation? Honest? I was a youth minister and a faith formation director, and I can't remember ever saying these exact words to another soul. And yet, we should, right? Maybe we don't exactly think of it that way. Back in chapter 3 of the Gospel of Matthew, we heard John the Baptist say, "Repent, f

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 7, 2020
2 min

LIKE A SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

TUESDAY OF THE FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Yesterday as I finished up my blog post for the day, my phone rang. My phone never rings in the early morning. It was Cris, a man that had come into fire camp had a family member test positive for COVID. Cris had potentially been exposed to the virus. Logically, I knew that Cris had limited opportunity for exposure. But it wasn't until this morning as I was hiking down Snow King when I got the news, the man tested negative, tear

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 5, 2020
2 min

FINDING TRUE FREEDOM

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Independence Day weekend. All weekend we have been celebrating our freedom. Many of the usual festivities around Jackson were canceled due to the pandemic. While I didn't miss the pancake breakfast, I did miss the parade with so many local faces and the simple floats. After all those years of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a simple local parade is my favorite. Freedom in our country is a blessing. The right to free speech, the right to practice

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jul 1, 2020
2 min

THE DEMONS TREMBLE IN HIS PRESENCE

WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME There were these two savage demoniacs . . . this is not the beginning of my bad joke for the day; it is the beginning of today's Gospel reading. Jesus comes upon two demons. We are told they are so savage that people will no longer use the road for fear of them. The demons cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?" (Matthew 8:29) Did you notice it?

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DO YOU CALL TO THE LORD WITH FAITH OR FEAR?

Sarah Beth Dippel

Jun 30, 2020
2 min

DO YOU CALL TO THE LORD WITH FAITH OR FEAR?

TUESDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26) Ah yes, the storm comes, the boat rocks, and we cry out to the Lord. If 2020 was a boat . . . There is plenty of reason to cry out to the Lord these days. A pandemic that not only threatens our health but our financial security as well. Riots and unrest threaten cities. Peace protesters attacked while praying. In my life, I can't remember a more distressing time in o

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Sarah Beth Dippel

Jun 29, 2020
2 min

GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS SEND AN ANGEL

MONDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Cris and I have been married a year and a half today. This morning he got called out on a wildland fire near Las Vegas. Once he got the call, we quickly set about getting him packed for a two-week stay at fire camp. I was single for so much of my adult life that I look forward to a little alone time. Then the first evening without Cris comes, after about 20-minutes, I'm over it and ready for him to come back home. Like with any m

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