He did it again.

After showing up unexpectedly and performing last Easter, internationally renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, considered by many the greatest voice of our time, made another surprise appearance at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Miami Beach during an afternoon Christmas Mass.

The Catholic raised blind superstar, who has sold over 80 million records worldwide and sung for Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, sang Silent Night during Communion and O Come All Ye Faithful at another point in the liturgy.

Although not exactly the decorum you would want displayed at Mass, many star-struck parishioners were quick to whip out their smart phones and tablets to capture the emotional moment...

Then again, I should speak.

There we were opening up our presents on Christmas Day and our astute 9-year-old daughter makes a great observation. 

She says matter-of-factly with a smile on her face, "Look, Santa wrapped Mommy's gifts just like Daddy does."

It seems she has taken notice of the way I try to make the wrapping paper look seamless by folding it at the edge of the box, instead of in the middle, like I've seen professional wrappers do it in stores!

Do you think she's catching on?...

“Men are like wine-some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.”  

-- Bl. Pope John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was Roman Pontiff from 1958 to 1963.  Affectionally called the "Happy" or "Good Pope," John XXIII is best known for convening the Second Vatican Council in 1962.  He was a man of wit, good humor, passion, zeal and many surprises, similar to current Pope Francis.

Legendary football coach John Wooden once said, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”  

Of course, making the best of the way things turn out is not always easy, especially, when those things hurt the people we love.

This has been a very rough week for me.

Each one of us, no matter how genuine and sincere we claim to be, is a sign of contradiction.

We may yell at our kids to pick up their room, but keep our own room a mess, or complain about overspending to our spouses, then frivolously spend like there's no tomorrow (You probably guessed, I'm talking from experience!).  Or, we may want to do good for others but then make any and every excuse not to do it when it's inconvenient, which reminds me of the St.

In 1863, at the height of the most divisive and devastating period in American history, where brother fought brother and our country was being torn apart, amidst bloodshed, suffering, grief and despair, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of thanksgiving to pause and give thanks for all the blessings God bestows on us each day.

We have been celebrating this day of "Thanksgiving" on the fourth Thursday of November ever since.

"I am created to do or to be something for which no one else is created:  I have a place in God's counsels, in God's world, which no one else has.  Whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man, God knows me and calls me by my name."

Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman, 19th Century bishop, theologian, author and Oxford scholar, who is  renown as one of the most influential Christian writers in history and his literary works are still impacting Christians today.

This week, as the Official Relic of the Postulation of Bl. Pope John Paul II, which is a vial of his blood taken days before his death, arrived in South Florida, and the news department I work for decided to do special coverage to get us out into the community we serve, I had an interesting conversation with a Protestant friend of mine about faith and the Church.
3

Although I don't always think so, because I want to get back to a TV show or ball game as soon as possible, one of the highlights of my day is praying with my children.

Every night, before our three kids go to bed, I blessed them with holy water and lead them in the "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer and a Hail Mary.  You can say it's my one-on-three time, as I often tell friends. 

But, lately my 6-year-old son has added a new twist to our nightly routine.

After winning their first game, following an 0 and six start, the New York Giants are probably feeling more like David than Goliath these days, just two years removed from a Super Bowl Championship.
Popular Posts
Popular Posts
Welcome to Living the Faith on a High Wire...
Welcome to Living the Faith on a High Wire...
This blog is basically what the title suggests, my attempts at living the Catholic faith to the best of my abilities.
I write about my struggles as a husband, father, son, brother and Christian man.
From a faith standpoint, I also write about my observations, interests, videos, and things that catch my attention, as well as, celebrities that are trying to live their religious beliefs in the public eye.
I refer to it as life on a high wire because those of us who are trying to live our faith in today's culture are are walking a fine line over a precipice between two worlds; what our faith teaches and we know in our hearts and what the society accepts and expects us to accept.
God, religion and Christianity, especially Catholicism, have been under constant attack and this is my small way of fighting back.
I often use humor and poke fun at myself but am also serious when I have to be.
I'm not an expert or pretend to be. I'm just a lay Catholic who is living and learning, as I go, like many others.
So, feel free to browse, get to know me better and, if you feel compelled, leave a comment...

About Me
About Me
My Photo
Born in Oriente, Cuba, raised in Hialeah, Fl and graduated from The U. I’m a husband, father, son and older brother. I was a lapsed Catholic for most of my life until attending a men’s spiritual retreat in April 2006, which totally changed my perspective on life. That weekend, the emptiness I had always tried to fill with the things our culture promises will make us happy (wealth, pleasure, power and honor; St. Thomas Aquinas’ 4 substitutes for God), was filled with the love of God. I have been passionately studying my faith and, hopefully, drawing closer to God ever since. Now, I see my purpose in life is to become a saint and to lead my wife and kids to heaven. It’s not easy! I am no expert by any means. I'm just learning and trying to live my faith to the best of my abilities.
Blog Archive
Blog Archive
Books I Have Recently Read...
Books I Have Recently Read...
  • Long Shot by Mike Piazza with Lonnie Wheeler
  • The Protestant's Dilemma by Devin Rose
  • Jacob's Ladder; 10 Steps to Truth by Peter Kreeft
  • Absolute Relativism: The New Dictatorship and What to do About it by Chris Stefanick
  • Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love by Bret Baier
  • The Church and New Media by Brandon Vogt
  • The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
  • Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor by Allen Hunt
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Be A Man! Becoming The Man God Created You to Be by Fr. Larry Richards
  • Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living Our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life by Charles J. Chaput
  • Raising Good Kids Back to Family Basics by Ray Guarendi
  • The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
  • The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J. M. Nouwen
  • How Firm a Foundation by Marcus Grodi
  • First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity by Scott Hahn
Loading
Dynamic Views theme. Powered by Blogger. Report Abuse.