God loves me and you

23/04/2026

John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.

23/04/2026

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
🙏❤️

23/04/2026

23/04/2026

Indeed

The cross shows us the worst side of humanity.

Not just sin in a distant sense, but cruelty up close. The lashes that tore Him open. The mocking, the spitting, the laughter. The kind of darkness that can rise in people when a crowd turns.

If I’m honest, it’s hard to sit with.

It doesn’t sit right with a soft heart, so we soften it. We skip ahead to the empty tomb, to the part that feels lighter, safer, easier to hold.

But He didn’t skip it.

He stayed in it. In the pain. In the shame. In the full weight of it.

And right there, in the middle of the worst humanity had to offer, was a love that stayed anyway.

Not when we had it all together. Not when we deserved it. Right there.

So if you’ve ever wondered if you’ve gone too far, if your life feels too messy, too broken, too much…

He already knew.

And He stayed anyway.

I wrote this from a really honest place. You can read it here ❤️
https://littlesparrowloved.substack.com/p/the-cross-was-not-tame-love

If it speaks to you, share it. Someone else might need this today too.

23/04/2026

True

An honest study of Sacred Scripture and the writings of the early Christians often leads people to the Catholic Church. The New Testament itself shows that Jesus Christ founded a visible and historical Church, not merely an invisible community of believers. In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus says, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church… I will give you the keys of the kingdom.” In 1 Timothy 3:15, the Church is called “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” And in Acts 2:42, the first Christians devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayers.

When we read the writings of the early Church, we see these same beliefs already present. Around A.D. 107, Ignatius of Antioch emphasized unity with the bishop and referred to the Church as the Catholic Church. Justin Martyr described the Eucharist as truly the body and blood of Christ. Irenaeus of Lyons defended apostolic succession and pointed to the Church of Rome as having a special authority because of its apostolic foundation.

Throughout history, many people who honestly study the Bible and the history of the early Church discover this continuity and come to recognize the truth of the Catholic faith. Their journey shows that when Scripture and Christian history are examined sincerely, they often point to the same historic Church founded by Christ.
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23/04/2026

April 23 | Memorial of St. George
O God, who were pleased to give light to your Church by adorning blessed George with the victory of martyrdom, graciously grant that, as he imitated the Lord's Passion, so we may, by following in his footsteps, be worthy to attain eternal joys. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
LEARN MORE: ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/george-583

23/04/2026

Yesterday was the Feast of St. Bernadette Soubirous. But did you know? In 1909, thirty years after her death, her body was exhumed as part of her beatification process—and to the astonishment of all present, it was found to be remarkably well preserved…
..There was no unpleasant odor, her skeleton was intact, her muscles and ligaments remained supple, and even her internal organs (including the liver) were in an extraordinary condition, despite having been buried for decades in a damp coffin.

Medical experts described it as “not a natural phenomenon.” Further exhumations in 1919 and 1925 confirmed the same remarkable state of preservation.

Today, more than 145 years after her death, St. Bernadette’s incorrupt body still lies peacefully in a glass reliquary in the chapel of the Convent of St. Gildard in Nevers, France. Visible to pilgrims, she appears almost as if she is simply sleeping.

What is incorruptibility in the Catholic Church?

Incorruptibility refers to the extraordinary preservation of a saint’s body from the usual process of decay after death. The Church sees it as a supernatural sign of holiness, purity, and God’s special favor.

While not all saints are incorrupt, and it is no longer a requirement for canonization, it serves as a powerful reminder of the promise of bodily resurrection and eternal life — a visible testimony that death has no final victory over those united with Christ. It is regarded as a miraculous grace that cannot be fully explained by embalming or natural mummification.

St. Bernadette’s preserved body stands as a quiet yet profound witness to her complete trust in God and her fidelity to the messages of Our Lady of Lourdes: prayer, penance, and conversion. It is a beautiful encouragement for us to live with the same humility and faithfulness.

St. Bernadette, pray for us!

23/04/2026

UPDATE: This photo was taken after the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. No photographs exist from the actual apparitions.

St. Bernadette's Feast day is April 16

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

O ever Immaculate Virgin,
Mother of mercy, Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted,
you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings.

Look upon me with mercy.
When you appeared in the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes,
you made it a privileged sanctuary
where your favors are dispensed,
and already many sufferers
have obtained the cure of their infirmities,
both spiritual and physical.

I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence
to implore your maternal intercession.
Obtain for me, O loving Mother,
the request which I make to you
according to God’s holy will.

If it be for the good of my soul,
strengthen me to bear my sufferings with patience
and increase my love of God and trust in Him.

O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to you.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

(Here, offer your intention.)

Amen.

23/04/2026

SIGNS That You Are Ashamed of Being Catholic

Being ashamed of one's faith is often seen in actions that show a lack of courage to stand up for what you believe in front of others or in public.

Here are some common signs:

1) Hiding the Cross or the Sign of the Cross
Refusing to make the "Sign of the Cross" in public places (such as before eating in a restaurant or passing by a church) because you are afraid of being laughed at or judged by others.

2) Staying Silent Against False Accusations
Failing to defend the teachings of the Church when they are mocked or criticized in conversation, even though you know what the other person is saying is wrong.

3) Denying Your Identity
Avoiding admitting that you are Catholic when asked about your religion, or simply saying "I'm just Christian" so you won't be associated with Catholic traditions.

4) Following the Flow of the World
Choosing to do things that go against the Church's teachings (for example: immoral talk or actions) just to be seen as "cool" or to be accepted by a group of friends who do not believe in God.

5) Hiding Sacramentals
Not wearing or showing religious symbols like rosaries or scapulars because you feel they are "tacky" or old-fashioned in the eyes of others.



DO NOT BE ASHAMED TO BE CATHOLIC!

Romans 1:16
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God
that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

23/04/2026

She was young.
Beautiful.
Faithful.

And completely devoted to Christ.

And she died in boiling pitch.

The Church remembers her as St. Potamiena,
a martyr of Alexandria.

Potamiena lived in Alexandria, Egypt in the early 3rd century during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Empire.

She was a young Christian woman known for her purity and strong faith.

But her beauty drew dangerous attention.

Her master desired her.

He demanded that she abandon her faith and give herself to him.

Potamiena refused.

Not once.
Not twice.

Every threat, every temptation, every promise of freedom — she rejected them all.

Her loyalty belonged to Christ.

Furious at her refusal, her master accused her of being a Christian.

In those days, that accusation was a death sentence.

Potamiena and her mother were arrested and brought before the Roman authorities.

The governor offered her a chance to save her life.
Renounce Christ.

Offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.

She refused again.

Calmly. Firmly.

The punishment was meant to be terrifying.

She was condemned to die by boiling pitch.

As she was led to ex*****on, a Roman soldier named Basilides was assigned to es**rt her.
Seeing her courage and serenity, he was deeply moved.

Along the way, when the crowd insulted and mocked her, Basilides defended her.

Potamiena thanked him.

And she made him a promise.

She told him that after her death, she would pray for him before God.

Moments later, she was slowly lowered into the boiling pitch.

She died calling upon Christ.

Her mother suffered the same fate soon after.

A few days later, something extraordinary happened.

Basilides began refusing to swear oaths by pagan gods.

When questioned, he declared that Potamiena had appeared to him in a vision, placing a crown upon his head.

She told him she had prayed for him — and that he too would soon be with Christ.

Basilides openly declared himself a Christian.

For that confession, he was arrested.

And shortly afterward, he too was executed.

The soldier who once guarded the martyr became a martyr himself.

St. Potamiena reminds us that courage can change hearts.

Her faith did not end at her death.
It ignited faith in another soul.

Holiness is powerful.
Even from the flames.

If you feel pressured to compromise your faith…
If the world demands what your conscience cannot give…
If courage seems impossible…

Remember Potamiena.

A young woman who chose Christ over everything.
And whose witness led another soul to heaven.

St. Potamiena, pray for us. ✝️

17/04/2026

PROVERBS 3:6
In all your ways be mindful of him,
and he will make straight your paths.