CC#2--Reflections

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I'm David and welcome back to the theory to action podcast. Way back in August of this year, we launched a new special segment on this channel called the Catholic corner. Raising ring. Reason being is because in leading a life of virtue toward that ultimate goal of creating a flourishing life, we do have to dig into matters of faith and morals. It's unavoidable.
And that is something that the Mojo Academy doesn't shy away from, in fact, it welcomes and engages it.

And because as we said, in our first Catholic corner segment, faith and the supernatural life cannot be sidelined or put into a corner, it paradoxically must come out of the corner into the center of our lives, and be infused with it, layer upon layer of our character.
And so with that quick introduction, let us kick off this month's Catholic corner episode.
With someone near and dear to my heart. Father, Leo Clifford shaped my Catholic faith. When I was a newly minted baptized Catholic fresh at 23 years of age, I just completed our CIA The Rite of Christian initiation, which was the formal process of coming into the church. That happened on Holy Saturday of 1998 in Washington, DC.


I was baptized, confirmed and had my first communion all in the same day. Talk about grace, overflowing Whoa.  After which I began to try and find my sea legs as a new Catholic. And one of my first vivid memories of those early days was Father Leo Clifford's reflections on the Eternal Word network EWTN, which is the worldwide Catholic channel started by Mother Angelica, Mother Angelica.  Father Leo's Clifford's father Leo Clifford's quick short videos were an inspiration to me, kinda like a mojo minute, so to speak, during my hectic life of working on Capitol Hill in our nation's capitol.

And just last year, as a Christmas gift, I was given a book of transcripts of father Leo's, short messages. And throughout the year, in reading them, a flood of memories came back to me as I went through each of those episodes. And you can now view many of them on YouTube, which I'll put a link in the show notes for you.

But I do have a few favorites, and I just wanted to share one of them with you. It's titled, this is your life. Quote. Today is a lovely day, the sun is shining in God's world. It is good to be alive. Today is the last day for millions of people all over the world. This is the day written down by God in love before they were ever born.

And then he goes on. Before we ever left God's hands, he allotted a certain time to me and to you in love. And when that time runs out is his secret, which he will not share with us. He expects us to trust him. But my dear friends, as today is the last day for 1000s and 1000s. It is also the first day all over the world children who will be born in your neighborhood in mine overseas, and the five continents. Can you go back in imagination to the morning of the day that you were born?

The University of Chicago revealed some facts that are amazing. Can you imagine yourself above the clouds with all the other unborn babies waiting to be parachuted down to earth? And you would say to the one next to you, where are you going? And they would say to you where are you going? And neither of you knew there was only one chance and 20 that you would be born in the United States.  You have the same chance of being born in Soviet Russia.
You probably you will probably be born into a non Christian family. Confucian Buddhist or Muslim you  If you were born in India, you only had one in four chance of living more than a year. And if you do survive babyhood, the chances are overwhelming that you will be sick all of your life from intestinal parasites, tuberculosis, malaria or leprosy.

This is the fate of most of the children who were born the day you and I were born.
Why have we been so favored? So spoiled by the Lord? I don't know. It is a great mystery, the answer to which we will only discover and heaven and at the mass we bring ourselves as we are to him, he takes us and changes us into himself, making of your offering and mine a thing of infinite beauty. Because He's God, He can do everything. And he's madly in love with you.
And finally, Father Leo closes with this.

You and I go to Mass not to get something out of it, but to put something into it ourselves. And then, when we have made our offering, the mystery of mysteries, he comes to live in us to share our loneliness in the trivia of the passing hour. To give us the strength we need to make our lives something worthwhile.

My dear friend, when you go to Mass tomorrow, or the next time you go,
if you offer yourself as you are to Christ, He will be given great glory. And you will have the peace that he alone can give you listening to me, and I speaking to you this day, will not have been in vain. Unquote.

So you can see from just those few selected excerpts
of father Leo's book, reflections, how good father Leo Clifford was in framing and offering these incredible spiritual nuggets of wisdom.

So in this Catholic corner, perhaps we can reflect with Father Leo, on how we approach the mass. Do we bring ourselves without any mortal sins, cleaning ourselves up, if needed with the Sacrament of Confession? First, before coming to mask mass, and then do we offer ourselves up like father Leo encouraged us knowing that our Lord in His infinite power, will infuse his body blood Soul and Divinity into us.

Our faith finds its great beauty in the Catholic mass, the Holy Mass.
And finally, it is my sincere hope that you listening to me and I speaking to you will not have been in vain.  For I know our Lord, and our God is madly in love with you and with me.
And he has said so. And not only that he put theory into action, and gave his life for you and for me.  Let us seek out that great author of love   that can only be repaid with love today.
Thank you, Father, Leo, for your example and bringing countless souls closer to Christ.
And folks, I hope you enjoy his book.
And may God bless you.

Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at T Mojo academy.com where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on