I'm in line for Confession at my parish one recent Saturday morning; doing an examination of conscience and praying before the Blessed Sacrament, which is now exposed at the church after morning Mass and during Confession.

I look to the other side of the sanctuary and noticed a Carmelite nun in line for Confession as well.

I couldn't help but think of  the classic Fulton Sheen line, "Hearing nuns confess is like getting stoned to death with popcorn" and laughing internally.  

I refocused on my preparation, as the line moved forward and I was next. 

After a short while, I see the door opening to the sacristy, where they have been holding Confessions because of social distancing. 

The woman who went before me leaves.

“The greatest need of our time is to clean out the enormous mass of mental and emotional rubbish that clutters our minds”

― Thomas Merton, world traveling intellectual and man-of-the-world turned Trappist Monk, mystic and social activist, who became one of the most influential Christian authors of the 20th Century.  He wrote over 70 books, including his best selling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain.

"If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

"All my life I heard about believing in God but God believes in us, in you, in me.  Faith in Jesus is important.  But how about Jesus' faith in us?," the man asked in the video.

That concept had never occurred to me.  Jesus has faith in us?  He believes in me?  Why?

Let's face it, despite good intentions and earnest effort (most of the time), it's not like I am the poster child for holiness or righteousness.
2

Towards the end of the fight scene in Rocky (the original), after being knocked down by heavyweight champion Apollo Creed and floundering on the mat, as Mickey his trainer yells at him to stay down and The Final Bell musical score starts getting louder, Rocky Balboa musters up whatever energy he has left after 14 rounds of pounding, lifts himself up by the ropes, and gets to his feet, insisting to the ref that he was alright. 

Rocky is all bloody and has a broken nose.
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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
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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
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