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God's Living Light One e-mail sent to me this month was from "sunny Puerto Rico." It came from a kind woman who picked up on my seeing the Internet as a "positive force for good" and as an expression of God's loving presence around the world. "I, too, see the Internet as an extension of the Church," she affirmed. "We can communicate with our brothers and sisters around the world in a matter of minutes." The Internet can be an instrument for good or evil--for the "glory of God" or "the work of Satan," she added. Others commented on the potential of the Internet "to be God's 'body.'" But they also warned that we should be aware of the moral dangers. In this regard, pornography was mentioned or hinted at more than once in the e-mails sent to me. I think I can accurately express the sentiments of many of you by saying, "The God of light is everywhere, but anyone can chose to reject the Light." As part of my getting up routine most mornings, I try to cheer myself with the following exercise. I open my venetian blinds and "drink in" with my eyes the light of the morning sky, perhaps even the radiant sun. I let it invade my soul. I ask God to take away any darkness or gloom from my heart that I may try my best to serve God cheerfully and with an ever-lighter step. Light is such a wonderful symbol of God. It helps us see God not so much as a gloomy moralist, but primarily as our wonderful source of light and beauty and overflowing goodness--which is much closer to the truth and avoids being an insult to our All-Good Creator, who said "Let there be light!" St. Francis had a fascination with God's light. You'll find my reflection on Francis and light at the end of this e-mail, so read on. ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~ EVERYDAY CATHOLICS: * Casting their vote online to that month's poll question * Offering their insights into and answers to questions from Father Richard Rohr's Scripture article * Responding to Judith Dunlap's Family Corner, which includes activities for family members. Check it out by casting your vote online to this month's poll question: What story from Scripture has helped you deal with rejection in your life? http://www.EveryDayCatholic.org/ BLACK CATHOLICS: LEADERS TODAY AND YESTERDAY: By Mandy Erickson http://www.AmericanCatholic.org/Messenger/Feb2001/Feature1.asp PARISH WEB SITE PARADOX?: Also, John Bookser Feister thanks those of you who sent suggestions of great Catholic Web sites for consideration in his Web Catholic column. Send your new ideas to webcatholic@franciscanmedia.org. **<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<** MINISTERING IN A MEDIA AGE: **<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<**<<** SEND A VALENTINE FOR CHASTITY: CatholicGreetings.org is also offering several NEW Valentine's Day cards featuring the beautiful nature photography of Don Nesbitt: http://www.CatholicGreetings.org/Holiday/ QUESTIONS FOR LENT: MORE LENTEN RESOURCES: ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~
FRIAR JACK'S CHOSEN SITE: ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~ CONCLUSION TO FRIAR JACK'S MUSINGS: Open Like a Flower Open like a flower, Receive the morning sun; Let the light shine through Til the day is done. -- Helen M. Nowak "It is truly wonderful," Helen adds, "to let our Lord's light shine through us!" Join me in saying: Amen! --Friar Jack ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~ As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions via e-mail: friarjack@franciscanmedia.org. UNSUBSCRIBING: Send a blank message to:
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