Father Chuck’s Thought For the Day.

Friday March 1st  2024

The Fridays of Lent are a great time for us to think about our being disciples of Jesus.  The question that is often asked is what is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?  These are three things that it will cost you to be a disciple of Jesus:  First, it will cost one hour a weekend to attend mass. Second, You will have to make certain that your language is reflective of how you would speak with the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Third, you will have to make certain that your moral decisions are based on the teaching of the church and the teaching of Jesus Christ. Fourth, you will have to be a good example of being Catholic.  Fifth, you have to be generous with your time, talent and treasure.  Sixth, you will have to respond to the needs of others.  My thought for the day is that next week I will write about the benefits of being a Catholic.

Monday March 4th   2024

In my last writing I said that I would give the 8 benefits of being a disciple of Jesus.  The eight benefits are:  1, you will find purpose in life and experience holy moments. 2, You will know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in your life. 3, You will find meaning in your life as Holy moments give meaning to our life. 4, You will have a community to support you, that lives the same values and virtues that you do. 5, you have an opportunity to know the bible and the teaching of the Catholic Faith. 6, You will have a better understanding of the place that material things should have in your life. 7, You will experience Jesus’s presence in the reception of the Eucharist. 8, You will have a high place in heaven.

Tuesday March 5th    202

Going the extra mile.  A husband and wife are one of the leaders of the confirmation class in our church.  They had planned to go on a ten-day cruise and to visit their family on the East Coast.  They shared with me that they had postponed their trip so that they would not miss any of the confirmation classes.  I was so impressed with their willingness to go the extra mile for our confirmation students.  My thought for the day is for all of us to seek a way to go the extra mile for other.

Wednesday March 6th   2024

One of the great things in our life is to experience inconvenience for others.  One of the great ways to show love for others is to be willing to help others even thought it is an inconvenience to you.  One of the great blessings in life is to see the beauty of the effect that inconvenience has for all of us.  In my class we learned about showing love for others by willing to inconvenienced for them.  My thought for the day is that the next time that you are inconvenienced realize that it may be your greatest blessing.

Thursday March 7th  2024

This is more of sharing and I don’t like to do this very often but today is my sister, Mary Jo’s birthday.  Mary is the only girl in our family and she is a great blessing for all five of us boys.  We always laughed because when we were growing up she could hold her own with any boy who wished to compete with her in sports.  My thought for the day is for all of us to thank Jesus for the siblings that we have in our life.

Friday March 8th   2024

These are few ideas to have Holy Moments in your life.  1, control your temper, even if you are fully justified in losing it.  2, pray before making a decision. 3, Encourage someone, coach someone, praise someone, affirm someone. 4, Be partied with that person who drives you crazy. 5, Do something that helps you become a better version of yourself, even when you don’t feel like it.  6, Begin each day with a prayer of gratitude.

My thought for the day is that I hope that these suggestions will help you to many holy moments in your life.

Monday March 11th   2024

One of the important things especially in Lent is that we have holy moment in our life.  Here are a few more ideas.  Overlook an offense against you.  Go out of your way to make  a new person in your parish feel welcome.  Take you spouse’s or friends car and fill it with gas, if you want to have an even holier moment wash the windows and if you want a really holy moment wash and wax the car.  When you talk to someone ask them what was the best part of their day.  My thought for the day is that I hope that any of my suggestions for a holy moment will help your life be fulfilled with Jesus’ grace.

Tuesday March 12th    2024

My thought for the day is to ask you a question.  What were the Lenten practices that your family had when you were a child.  What were they?  When you think of these practices do you use them in your home with your children.  My thought for the day is that I hope that in this Lenten season that families develop their Lenten traditions.

Wednesday March 13th   2024

We need great examples of men of faith.  This was a disturbing story that I read this morning.  At the Nebraska Boys Basketball tournament there was a fight between two parents from the opposing teams.  One aspect of this fight was that one of the fathers was the father of a player from the Catholic High School team.  When I read about things like this I think about the need, especially for men of the Catholic faith to be great examples of following the guidance of Jesus Christ.  My thought for the is to pray for all Catholic men that they grow in their understanding of the importance of their being a good example for the younger men of church.

Thursday March 14th 2024

A great contrast to the Wednesday thought for the day is this happening.  One of the great gifts of being confirmed is that the students that have been confirmed can be ministers in our church.  What this means is that they can be Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, and catechists in our religious education classes.  At the Altar Society meeting one of the ladies say to the mother of one of the confirmation students, who is now a Eucharistic minister, how impressed she was this lady’s son because he was a Eucharistic Minister at the Tuesday Evening mass.  My thought for the day is that we all need to realize how important it is for us to be ministers in our church and take advantage of every opportunity to participate in these ministries.

Friday March 15th   2024

Tonight is the last shrimp dinner that the Knights of Columbus prepare.  When I think about these men working together on this dinner it is a great testimony to the need for Catholic men to be involved in the Knights of Columbus. The other source of inspiration is that all of the monies raised from the shrimp dinner will be given away to people in need.  My thought for the day is for all of us to encourage Catholic Men to become Knights of Columbus.

Monday March 18th   2024

I have never thought about this but I think it would be a wonderful holy moment for all of us.  Have you ever written a love letter?  I am certain that many of us have written a love to someone.  My question though is have you ever written a love letter to Jesus Christ?  That is my thought for the day that we all write a love letter to Jesus tell Jesus how much we love all that he does for us.  I am certain if we do this we will be amazed and realize how much Jesus does for us each day.

Tuesday March 19th    2024

One of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences during Lent is our Tuesday evening mass, stations, soup supper and our program which is 25 questions learning experience about the scriptures and our church.  This tradition has been a part of our parish for over 35 years.  This Tuesday will be the last time we have these activities.  It always leaves me with a feeling of great satisfaction of how wonderful it is to learn about our church and the bible.  My thought for the day is for all of us to learn one thing we didn’t know about our church and one thing we didn’t know about the bible.

Wednesday March 20th   2024

One of the greatest joys of my priesthood has been teaching and preparing young people for the sacrament of confirmation.  This year’s class is the 54th class that I have prepared for the sacrament of confirmation.  I believe that the most important thing that Jesus did was to teach people how to live a moral way of life.  I also believe that most important thing for a priest is to teach others the way to live as Jesus wants us to live.  My thought for the day is for all of us to think about our celebration of the sacrament of confirmation and to recount how the Holy Spirit has guided our lives.

Thursday March 21st 2024

I have a question for all of us to ponder:  The question is are teachers born or are teachers made?  That is a great question.  I am convinced that we learn to teach.  I have heard many times that I have the gift for teaching.  I can assure that I have developed the gift to teach but I was not born to teach.   I believe all of us have the gift to teach the ways to live the moral life that Jesus Christ wants us to live.  My thought for the day is for all of us to thank Jesus for the great teachers that we have had in our lives and to pray that we too can develop our  abilities to teach.

Friday March 22nd   2024

We have a young man who loves to serve mass.  He is a native of the Congo.  He asked this question when day light savings started.  He was confused and asked the question to a group of us.  What are saving daylight for?  If you think about his question, what answer would you give him.  My thought for the day is for all of us to pray about the way that we use our day to proclaim Jesus Christ to the world.

Monday March 25th   2024

Today begins the holiest week of the year.  My thought for the day is simply to encourage you to attend the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday Easter Vigil services.  These three special masses will deepen you appreciation for the sacrifices and gifts that Jesus gave to all of us.  I hope you have the best holy week of your life this week.

Tuesday March 26th    2024

Have you seen a Robin?  One of the great signs of spring is that we see Robins.  I always believe that once we see a Robin that it is a sign that spring is coming and we will have great weather.  There is tremendous joy in knowing that the world will come alive with spring.  My thought for the day is that if you see a Robin take a moment to thank Jesus for all the joy that he brings into your life each day

God Bless,

Father Chuck Kottas