Beads of Joy Blog II (2025)

From Spiritual Battles To Life-Changing Love The scene in Matthew 8:28-34 unfolds with breathtaking spiritual drama. Two men, tormented by demons and living among tombs, encounter Jesus, and everything changes in an instant. These weren't just troubled souls; they were completely overtaken by evil spirits, so fierce that no one could pass by that way. Yet when Jesus arrives, the demons immediately recognize His divine authority and beg for mercy. There's something profoundly comforting about this: even the darkest forces of evil cannot stand against Jesus Christ's power. They don't negotiate or put up a fight - they simply acknowledge His supremacy and ask where they should go. What happens next might seem puzzling at first glance. Jesus permits the demons to enter a herd of pigs, which then rushes into the sea and drowns. Some might wonder why Jesus allowed the destruction of someone's livelihood, but this dramatic display serves a crucial purpose. The death of the...

Following Jesus Through the Waves There's something beautifully human about the disciples in that little boat, isn't there? Here they are, seasoned fishermen who knew these waters like the back of their weathered hands, yet suddenly they're white-knuckling the sides of their vessel as waves crash over the bow. Meanwhile, Jesus - the very Word who spoke creation into existence - is catching some well-deserved rest after a long day of teaching and healing. The storm doesn't wake Him; their panic does. "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" they cry out, and isn't that just like us? We handle the routine challenges of life pretty well, but when the unexpected tempest hits, we forget Who's actually in the boat with us. What happens next should make our hearts leap with joy and wonder. Jesus doesn't frantically grab an oar or start bailing water. He simply speaks - just as He spoke light into darkness at the beginning of time - and immediately the w...

Marian Devotion - July 2025 Prayer to Our Blessed Mother O most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our tender Mother, we come before you with filial love and deep devotion, seeking your powerful intercession before the throne of your Divine Son. You who are full of grace, conceived without sin, and assumed body and soul into Heaven, we place ourselves under your maternal protection and ask you to cover us with your mantle of love. Present our prayers and petitions to Jesus, that through your immaculate hands they may be purified and made worthy of His divine mercy. Help us to imitate your perfect virtues of humility, purity, and obedience to God's holy will, and grant us the grace to live as true children of Mary, following your example of complete surrender to the Almighty. Obtain for us the graces we need for our salvation, protect us from all evil and temptation, comfort us in our sorrows, and guide us safely to your Son in Heaven, where we may praise the Most Blessed Trinity w...

True Discipleship: The Cost of Following Jesus A Reflection on Matthew 8:18-22 When Jesus tells the eager scribe that "foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head," He's not trying to discourage us - He's being refreshingly honest about what authentic discipleship looks like. Following Jesus isn't a spiritual upgrade to our existing comfort zones; it's an adventure that requires us to pack light and trust deeply. The Lord doesn't promise us earthly security or material prosperity, but He offers something far more valuable: a life of purpose, meaning, and eternal significance. He's essentially saying, "Are you ready for the journey of a lifetime, even if it means leaving your favorite recliner behind?" The second encounter reveals an even deeper truth about priorities. When the would-be follower asks to bury his father first, Jesus responds with what seems like shocking bluntness: "Let...

Pillars of the Church: Peter and Paul's Enduring Witness When Jesus looked upon Simon, son of Jonah, and declared "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17), He was responding to Peter's profound confession: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This moment reveals the heart of Peter's calling - not human wisdom, but divine revelation. Yet Scripture shows us Peter's journey was far from smooth. His attempt to walk on water began with faith but ended in doubt when he "saw the wind" (Matthew 14:30). His bold declaration that he would never deny Jesus Christ crumbled under the questioning of a servant girl. But here's the beautiful truth: Christ's words to Peter were not conditional on Peter's perfection. "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18) - this promise held firm even through Peter...

Unworthy but Unafraid: A Centurion's Soldier Approached Jesus There's something deeply moving about watching a powerful person realize they're powerless. The Roman centurion in Matthew 8 found himself in exactly this predicament - his beloved servant lay dying, and for perhaps the first time in his military career, his commands were powerless. Enter Jesus, this mysterious rabbi everyone's talking about, and suddenly our tough-as-nails centurion does something that would shock his soldiers: he begs. But here's the beautiful twist - in his moment of greatest vulnerability, he displays the kind of faith that literally stops Jesus in His tracks. This isn't just any soldier having a spiritual moment; this is a masterclass in how authentic faith works, taught by the most unlikely professor imaginable. The centurion's approach to Jesus reveals something profound about true spiritual authority that we often miss in our Instagram-filtered, self-help Christianity. He...

Why One Matters: The Joy of Being Found A Reflection on Luke 15:3-7 Consider the shepherd in first-century Palestine, responsible for one hundred sheep. As evening approaches and you begin counting your flock, your heart sinks—ninety-nine are accounted for, but one is missing. Now here's where Jesus challenges our modern sensibilities. Any reasonable person might think, "Well, ninety-nine percent success rate isn't bad!" But Jesus tells us that this shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness and goes after the one lost sheep until he finds it. This isn't just a nice story about divine mercy—it's a radical invitation to see the world through God's eyes, where every single soul matters infinitely. The shepherd doesn't send a search party or post missing sheep flyers; he goes himself, personally invested in the rescue mission. When we truly grasp this parable, it transforms how we understand our own calling as followers of Christ. Just as the shep...

  Your Hidden Heart When Jesus Calls You by Name The Heart Behind the Words When Jesus declares that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven," He's cutting straight to the heart of what authentic faith really looks like. It's wonderfully liberating, actually - God isn't impressed by our religious performances or how eloquently we can pray in public. He's looking for something far more beautiful: a genuine, intimate relationship with Him that transforms us from the inside out. Think of it like marriage - saying "I love you" to your spouse is wonderful, but if those words aren't backed up by daily acts of love, sacrifice, and genuine care, they become hollow echoes. Our relationship with God works the same way; it's the quiet moments of prayer, the small acts of obedience when no one is watching, and the gradual surrendering of our will to His that truly matter. The Secret Garden of the Soul The most...

Cultivating Catholic Character Recipe for Authentic Discipleship Jesus gives us one of the most practical pieces of advice in all of Scripture when He tells us to judge people by their fruits. It's like having a divine quality control inspector's manual for life! "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:15-16). This isn't Jesus being pessimistic about humanity - quite the opposite. He's giving us the tools to recognize authentic goodness and holiness when we see it, while protecting us from those who would lead us astray. The beauty of this teaching is its simplicity: good trees produce good fruit, bad trees produce bad fruit. It's gardening wisdom meets spiritual discernment, and it works every time. But here's where it gets delightfully challenging - this fruit inspection isn't just about evaluating others; it's about examining our own b...