Why We Look Up Making Sense of Our Catholic Faith

by Cormier, Robert J.

• ISBN13: 9780824521202
• ISBN10: 082452120X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Crossroad

Summary

People who want to make sense of their Catholic faith will cherish these inspiring reflections -- proof that you don't need to be a theologian to have a rich faith that nourishes the heart and mind. In the book's three parts, Having Faith, Living Faith, and Practicing Faith, the award-winning author provides us with small gems for devotional reading and inspiration, on a wealth of questions that matter to us most, such as the meaning of suffering, the glory of creation, prayer, and having a personal relationship with God. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Robert J. Cormier is a priest, theologian, part-time missionary, and pilot. He lives in Newark, New Jersey, where he serves Spanish, Portuguese, and English-speaking communities

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 11
Having Faith
Creation Was Signed	p. 15
We Are Made of the Love of God	p. 16
Stars and Sand	p. 17
Why We Look Up	p. 17
What Is Faith?	p. 18
How to See for Ourselves the Truth of Our Faith	p. 19
Faith Fulfills Our Human Nature	p. 21
The Gifts of Faith	p. 23
Faith Doesn't Change Things, It Changes How We See Things	p. 26
Thy Kingdom Come	p. 27
The Joy Is Just Knowing	p. 27
The Myth "If Only ..."	p. 28
The Secret of Happiness: Knowing What We Have When We Have It	p. 30
The Secret of Peace	p. 32
What Having Faith Is All About	p. 33
Why Hard Things Happen	p. 34
Why Hard Things Can Happen: Life Was Meant to Be a Struggle	p. 35
Why Suffering?	p. 36
The Greater the Burden, the Greater the Opportunity	p. 37
When Someone We Love Dies ...	p. 37
We Are Never Alone	p. 39
God Frees Us from Having to Do Everything So We Can Do Something	p. 40
You Only Need to Do Your Best	p. 42
Give It Back to God	p. 43
But What About "Ask and You Shall Receive"?	p. 44
Don't Forget to Listen	p. 45
The Best Reason to Pray	p. 46
What Is a Personal Relationship with God?	p. 47
We Judge God Backwards	p. 48
He Couldn't Love You More	p. 50
We Don't Know Why God Loves Us	p. 51
Why Do Some Grow So Much More Than Others?	p. 53
How Love Grows	p. 55
Living Faith
The Life of Faith Is Love	p. 59
What Is Love?	p. 59
Sin Is Selfishness	p. 61
The Golden Rule: Why It Works and How to Make It Work for You	p. 63
The Ten Commandments	p. 64
Greed	p. 66
The Corporal Works of Mercy	p. 68
The Spiritual Works of Mercy	p. 69
The Only Sure Sign of Love	p. 70
There Are Many Ways to Give Up Your Life	p. 71
The More You Put Into It, the More You Appreciate It	p. 72
The Exercise of Faith Strengthens It	p. 73
No Good Work Is Ever Wasted	p. 74
Faith Is Its Own Reward	p. 75
Love Is Its Own Reward	p. 76
Try to See Things from Others' Point of View	p. 78
Apologizing, Who Looks Bad?	p. 78
So What If I'm the Only One?	p. 79
Love Surpasses Justice	p. 80
God Does Not Keep Score	p. 81
How We Will See Our Sins	p. 82
We Are All Far from the Kingdom of God	p. 83
How "Judge Not, or You Will Be Judged" Really Works	p. 84
Forgiveness Is Understanding	p. 86
Forgiveness Is the Decision Not to Hate	p. 87
Forgiveness Is a Vote of Confidence in Self	p. 88
People Have the Power Over You You Give Them	p. 89
The Charity of Friendship and Love of Family	p. 91
How Many People Can Hold Your Hand?	p. 92
The Religion in Romance	p. 93
We Want Our Feelings to Be Returned	p. 94
The Difference Between Enjoyment and Idolatry	p. 95
The Difference Between Needs and Desires	p. 96
It Is Balance That Gives Joy	p. 97
The Ingredients of a Great Life	p. 98
Practicing Faith
We Were Made to Be a Family	p. 103
The Glory Be	p. 105
The Role of Christ in Christian Faith	p. 106
Five Reasons We Believe That Jesus Rose	p. 107
The Six Symbolisms of the Candle	p. 110
The Cross and the Basics	p. 112
The Four Meanings of the Cross	p. 112
The Life of Christ	p. 113
Comments on the Beatitudes	p. 115
The Our Father	p. 116
Why Do We Hail Mary?	p. 118
The Hail Mary	p. 118
The Spirituality of the Sacraments	p. 119
Five Meanings of Mass	p. 121
How Mass Re-Presents the Cross	p. 122
Three Liturgical Moments	p. 123
Four Reasons to Come to Church	p. 124
Five Values of Confession	p. 125
Comments on the Calendar	p. 127
How to Have a Really Happy Advent	p. 129
How to Make a Really Good Lent	p. 131
Twelve Reasons to Give Things Up	p. 134
Love the Year	p. 137
A Practical Creed	p. 140
A Daily Prayer	p. 141
About the Author	p. 142
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