Sliney Central

Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

Father Michael Blog

Smelling the roses…

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“If, then, I were asked for the most important advice I could give, that which I considered to be the most useful to the men of our century, I should simply say: in the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.”  Leo Tolstoy

Radio Maria next Monday

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Dear Friends, in Christ,     I am excited to have the Daboub family as guests on my Radio Maria program next Monday, October 19th at 7 pm.  Juan Jose, as the former Treasury Secretary in El Salvador and Managing Director of the World Bank under Paul Wolfowitz, was not afraid to share his Catholic faith and pro-life positions in these important assignments. Juan Jose is also an active member of the Lumen Institute here in DC.   His wife, Glorybell, graduated from MIT, yet discerned to become a “professional mom”and impart her wisdom and Faith to her amazing 4 children, two of whom I will be honored to interview on my program, Juan Jose and Sofia.  Please join us for an interesting show!
God bless,Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

My 5 takeaways from this pandemic

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1. Let go, let God.   Losing control is not a bad thing.  We are used to managing our lives, our schedules and our routines.  This pandemic reminds us that we cannot control everything, and there is a peace and emotional calm that comes from accepting and adapting to what life throws our way.  A deeper resilence also forms when you “improvise, adapt and overcome.” You can’t control the wind, but you can control the sails!
2. Efficiency at all costs? We have all been forced slow down and reflect on what matters.  Our tightly packed schedules, with little time for family or prayer, created a frenetic pace that was not healthy and often did not allow the necessary space and silence for the Holy Spirit to work.  Time to ponder, time to read, time to exercise, time to hang out and talk, time to pray…all really good things for our soul.  
3. Spiritual health?? I have always been a little concerned with the over emphasis our culture has placed on physical health and appearance…all good things, but they fit into a much bigger picture.  If only Catholics were just as concerned about “catching” the virus of mortal sin, of being “contaminated” by unhealthy friendships, and of taking the “vaccination” of daily mass and regular confession to protect them from their natural tendencies of pride, vanity and laziness. 
4.  What really matters??  Fears of unemployment and financial insecurity are things you should be concerned about, but is it your “number one” concern?  You may have to sell your house and downsize, you may have to change your lifestyle and give up a few things, you may have to move your kids into a public school or homeschool…but I feel that if your marriages and your Faith remains solid, you will live an extremely fulfilled and happy life.  This is what matters!
5. Followers of Jesus? It’s in times like these that Jesus walks with us, as he did with the disciples of Emmaus, and He gently reminds us, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things before entering into his glory?”  (Luke 24:26).  There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday, and no joy in the heart of a human being who does accept and embrace the sufferings of life with love and for love of Christ.  These are the golden opportunities that Jesus gives us to grow and to offer up the gift of our suffering for good intentions.  The greatest blessings in life can often be the heaviest crosses!
God bless,Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

Time to adjust your sails!

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“Bad times, hard times, this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times.” St. Augustine
Adjust your sails. Allow your Faith and trust in God to kick in…turn on the selflessness and turn off the self-absorption. Lean into Christ and ask Him to man the helm!!