Sliney Central

Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

Christian, be aware of your dignity

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Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear Friends in Christ,

     “O Christian, be aware of your nobility- it is God’s own nature that you share; do not then, by an ignoble life, fall back into your former baseness.”  (Pope St. Leo the Great)

     Several years ago, a Georgetown University football player, who went through our LTP program, told me, “Fr. Michael, whenever I go into the chapel, I imagine myself as a knight before my King.  This helps keep me focused on who I am and where I am going.”   We are all knights serving Christ the King, and wherever we go people should notice that we are authentic Christians, truly “living it” and reflecting the nobility and dignity of Christ, our King! “Be aware of your nobility- it is God’s own nature that you share!”

God bless,

Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

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Strong marriages

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Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear Friends in Christ,

     “The love of husband and wife is the force that welds society together.”   St. John Chrysostom

     Your kids can tell…your friends can tell.  They can tell when a couple is at peace.  They can tell when a couple has learned to compromise and sacrifice for each other.  They can tell when Christ is at the center of a marriage.  They can tell when “good times and bad, sickness and health” has been tested and they have survived the test.  A special thank you to all those couples fighting to make it work…you are truly the most effective evangelizers out there!!

God bless,

Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

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Loving difficult people

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Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear Friends in Christ,

Tips for loving difficult people

  1. Spirit of Faith- to believe that God has providentially placed you together and is asking you to be an instrument of his love.
  2. Opportunity to grow- bending oneself to serve this person will force you to purify your intentions and grow in charity.
  3. Look hard for the good and try not to focus on what most bothers you in that person.
  4. Difficult people generally come from difficult backgrounds…they may actually be crying out for attention and love.
  5. Do not merely “endure” or “put up with” this person, but overcoming your natural animosity, make a conscious decision from the heart to love this person.   Offer this one up for a good intention!

God bless,

Fr. Michael Sliney, LC

Judging others

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Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear Friends in Christ,

     “Abstain from all thinking about other people’s faults, unless our duties as a teacher or parent make it necessary to think about them.  Whenever the thoughts come unnecessarily into one’s mind, why not simply shove them away?  And think of one’s own faults instead? For there, with God’s help, one can do something.”  (CS Lewis)

    We typically notice and get irritated by the same faults that we often struggle with ourselves.  Shove these critical thoughts away!  Try to see the good points in those around you.  Inspire others with your example of holiness and leave the judging to God.

Drinking too much?

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Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.” 

― G.K. Chesterton, Heretics: The Annotated

     How much is too much?  How often is too often?  It seems that too many people “need” to have 2 glasses of wine or a few beers after a long day at the office or with the kids.  Certain dinner parties can resemble more of a college fraternity party than a mature adult gathering.  Kids do notice and many assimilate this behavior.   Although this escape can provide a short term “fix”, it does not address the deeper needs of the soul.  Moderation and self control are critical habits for so many other aspects of our lives. Pray more, do physical exercise to burn off the stress,  and try to “offer up” the excess drinks for those you love; this will bring peace.