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(My reflection is at the bottom! Also, this is the short version of the gospel.The full version is on the USCCB website.) The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 This passage leaves me in awe every time I read it. Let's think about this.... This same man who raises men from the dead, loves us and longs to have a relationship with us. That's crazy!!! We should feel so privileged that this all-powerful, amazing God has selected us from billions of people to have a relationship with. He wants us specifically! He wants all of us. Our hopes, our dreams, our joys, and our sorrows. I feel so blessed to be "counted among the flock of those he has chosen." While reading this familiar Bible story, something other than the miracle of Lazarus' rising from the dead stuck out to me. I focused on Jesus' words when he found out that Lazarus was ill. Specifically: “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” How can we tie this back to what is happening in our world today? Well, for one thing, the Corona virus is running rampant all over the world. Perhaps this illness that so many are suffering from has a greater purpose or greater meaning than we see on the surface. Maybe God is allowing this to happen in order to show us that we need to slow down, take a break from the craziness and business of everyday life, and pay more attention to him. If this is the meaning of the virus, then this illness really IS for the glory of God! I think we can already see how this time is effecting the spiritual lives of our world in lots of different ways. People are praying!! Maybe it is more out of fear than out of love and surrender to God, but it's still amazing! Millions and millions of people prayed the Rosary with Pope Francis on March 19th, asking the intercession of the Blessed Mother during this time. On Wednesday the 25th, Pope Francis asked all Christians to pray the Lord's Prayer (Our Father) for the world. Yesterday, the 27th, our Holy Father gave a special Urbi et Orbi blessing to the world and granted a plenary indulgence to all those who received the blessing and participated in at least one of the following actions: spending a half- hour in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a half hour of prayer with scripture, or the praying of the Rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the world. The blessing is given on solemn occasions and literally means, "to the city (of Rome) and to the world". Pope Francis also gave a meditation on the story of Jesus calming the sea and there was a period of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament- it was beautiful! Here's the link to watch the blessing: https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/videos/288387819839 For those of us out of school or work, this time may seem boring and difficult to endure. When you feel these feelings of boredom, loneliness, or discouragement, ask Jesus to take them from you. You can also use that time to just sit and be with him. Call a friend and pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet with them. Sit silently and listen with an open mind and see what God has to say to you. You could also read and reflect on the daily readings or sit before the Blessed Sacrament in live-streamed Eucharistic Adoration! You could check out some good spiritual books (more book recommendation posts coming soon!). As you can see, there are many things to do to keep busy in your newfound free time that you ordinarily couldn't seem to make the time for. Use this time to slow down. Use it for the glory of God! Remember that everything, all circumstances, even ones where we can't immediately see what good could possibly come of them, can be used to glorify the Lord. “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

LifeTeen prayer books- LifeTeen has numerous prayer books that cover topics such as going to Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, praying the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy chaplet. They explain the topic you're reading about in an engaging way and make you want to learn more and participate in it. All of these books can be found on the LifeTeen website or you can ask your youth minister about getting them for your entire youth group! Here's the LifeTeen website: https://lifeteen.com/ Check out LifeTeen's blog too!! Pure Faith- This prayer book is my absolute favorite! It's published by Catholic Answers (so of course it's amazing!) and is very popular in the Catholic Teen world right now. The book includes guides to praying the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, and going to Confession. Along with these, the book gives many prayers for during Mass, to Mary and the Holy Spirit, and for all sorts of special intentions. There are quotes from saints and popes all throughout the book as well. It would make a great Confirmation gift if you're looking for ideas :-) https://www.google.com/amp/s/shop.catholic.com/amp/pure-faith-a-handbook-of-prayer-for-teens/ A Daily Defense- This book is by very famous apologist, Jimmy Akin, from Catholic Answers. The description on the front of the book is "365 days (plus one) to becoming a better apologist). The book is an excellent resource for those of us who love to defend our Catholic faith, or have questions about it and want to learn more. The book is set up in a way that for each day there is a common objection to Catholicism and Jimmy Akin's explanation on how to defend the Church's teaching on the topic. It's easy to understand and definitely worth the 5 minutes per day that it takes to read. This would be a great read for someone going off to college or just for anyone who is often put in situations where they need to defend their Catholic faith. https://www.google.com/amp/s/shop.catholic.com/amp/a-daily-defense-365-days-plus-one-to-becoming-a-better-apologist/ Of course there are many more devotionals and prayer books out there for teens, but these are just a few of my favorites. I'd love to hear your suggestions! Let me know in the comments section of this page.

I've compiled a list of some of the best apps that provide online resources to Catholics all over the world. Here are just a few: Holy Bible App- This app is one of the better Bible apps out there. It contains the entire Bible all in one app and you can download it to read it offline. You can select a Bible reading plan that has a theme. These themes include love, forgiveness, joy doubt, anxiety, and many others. The plan leads you to passages that may help with what you are trying to achieve through your plan. The app also includes devotionals and a prayer list. You can connect with friends on both Android and iOS phones. Here's the link to both app stores: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sirma.mobile.bible.android iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible/id282935706 Formed- This website/app is basically Catholic Netflix. It has tons of videos, movies, audio, and books about the Catholic faith. The topics vary from sacramental prep materials, to Saint movies, to Bible studies, and they even have shows and movies specifically for kids! It does cost some money, but it's definitely worth it in the long run. Here's the website: https://formed.org/ They also have an app that can be accessed from the website. Catholic Answers Live- Personally, this is one of my top 2 favorite Catholic Apps. It enables listeners to tune in to radio programs (or listen after they've aired) given by the apologists at Catholic Answers- some of the best in the world! They cover all sorts of topics including the sacrements, pro-life issues, and Church teachings on all sorts of issues. It's also good for those who haven't yet come home to the Church! There are numerous episodes where the apologists will open up the phone lines only to those who aren't Catholic so that they can ask questions. The programs consist of the apologists answering questions posed by callers who call in with questions about whatever the given topic is. It is a really great resource for those of us who enjoy evangelizing and apologetics. Here's the link to the Android and iOS app stores so you can download the app: Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.calive.playstore iOS- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/catholic-answers-live/id971611664 Catholify- This ties with Catholic Answers Live for my favorite app. It includes the entire Bible and Catechism, virtual Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, prayer requests, Pope tweets, Mass and Confession times, tons of prayers, and the coolest part about it is that it even has live-streamed Eucharistic Adoration 24/7!! You can go to Adoration in your bedroom! How cool is that?! My favorite part is the prayer groups that include Catholics from all over the world. Here are the links: Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.igdit.catholify iOS- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/catholify/id738897570 Let me know in the comments section if you have a favorite Catholic app or if you try any of these ones! Keep an eye out for more posts like these coming soon...

"In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." (Luke 1:26-38) Happy feast of the Annunciation! Today is the day that the Church celebrates the day that Jesus was conceived in His mother's womb. This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It gives us one of the best examples of saying "yes" to God's plan for our lives. Notice that the Angel Gabriel does not ask Mary if she will accept God's plan for her life, he tells her. Can you imagine being a 14-year-old girl and suddenly finding out that you, a lowly peasant girl, are going to be the Mother of the savior of the world that your people had been waiting for, for thousands of years? I know I would definitely be scared, and maybe even not believe what the angel was telling me. Mary's "yes", when she says "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word", is a great example for us and a great prayer. This girl, out of her great love for God, has just agreed to bear the son of God. She is probably terrified by this (and also by the fact that an angel just appeared to her). Most of us probably would've asked more questions than Mary did. We probably would've been hesitant to say yes. But Mary's "yes" came seemingly easier to her because she had said yes to God her entire life! When we sin, we stray from the path that God has designed specifically for us, but when we return to full communion with God and the Church through the sacrament of reconciliation, that amazing unity is restored. Mary was without sin, so she couldn't stray from the path that God had made for her life. This solemnity gives us the opportunity to reflect on our lives and seek out the areas where we can say yes to God. God has a perfect plan for our lives. From the moment that we are conceived, and even before that, the Lord has a special purpose in mind for each of us. Our ultimate goal in life should be to love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls, and minds in this life so that we can be happy with Him in the next and lead others to do so as well. The way that we can do this best is different for everyone. Some people spread the love of God through music, others through their words, and some through their service and love of others. It's different for everyone! God has a magnificent plan for each of our lives, and it is only by sticking to this plan that we will achieve true happiness. We will come to know this plan by praying that the Lord will reveal it to us. Following His will requires us to carry our crosses. These crosses can come in many forms, but through all of these struggles, we need to remember that God has a plan for the suffering. Bearing our crosses, just as Christ did for us, will make us stronger and better Christians, and more aware of how much Christ suffered for our sake. "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10) Good can be found in every situation, even if it is not immediately realized by us. And where there is goodness, there is God. My prayer for you today, on this great feast day in our Church, is that you will always have the courage to say "yes" to God's plan for your life, just as Mary did. Let Him take over. Let Him have control. Surrender your life to Him. He will take you and mold you into the person you were always meant to be.

Let's face it. Our world as we know it has been flipped upside down in the past month. School has been cancelled in many places, people are frantically buying toilet paper and Lysol wipes, and some of us even find ourselves not being able to attend Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These are hard times, which means that we need to "lean on God" more than ever, even if we can't do it in the way that we're accustomed to. Here are some things you can do to keep your spiritual life going in the right direction while in isolation... 1. Watch Mass on YouTube. Bishop Robert Barron ( as well as countless other priests ) are recording their private Masses and posting them on YouTube since many people are unable to attend Mass in real-life during this time of isolation. This is the link to Bishop Barron's Mass on the Word On Fire website: https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass/ 2. Make a spiritual communion. Since some of us cannot physically be at Mass to receive Christ in the Blessed sacrament, we can make a spiritual communion. Saint Thomas Aquinas defines spiritual communion as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the most holy sacrament and in lovingly embracing him as if we had received him." Here is the prayer for spiritual communion taken from https://ourcatholicprayers.com: My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen. 3.Pray the Rosary. Pope Francis has asked us all to pray the Rosary for the healing of the world. Mary told Blessed Alan de la Roche, "You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary." This is so powerful!! Mary is the Great mediatrix and will intercede for us before God. Since it is Lent, we meditate on the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. (The Agony in the Garden, The Scourging at the Pillar, The Crowning with Thorns, The Carrying of the Cross, and The Crucifixion.) Here is a video giving an overview of the rosary: https://youtu.be/GuT7HI7ZvfA And here is a website that explains how to pray it: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/rosaries/how-to-pray-the-rosary.cfm 4.Pray The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a prayer that was given to Sister Faustina Kowalska by Jesus in the early 1900s. The Lord told Sister Faustina, "At the hour of their death, I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this chaplet; or when others say it for a dying person, the indulgence is the same" (Diary, 811). This is so important, especially right now. People who were fine last week are now dying because of the corona virus. We can help them get to Heaven by praying this chaplet!! Here's a website explaining how to pray it: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/pray-the-chaplet 5.Participate in Project YM Live. This is an amazing resource for teens during the corona virus isolation. Since many youth group events have been cancelled, some pretty amazing adults decided to start an online youth group complete with games, worship, "Catholic Famous" speakers, and prayer. It takes place every Sunday night at 8 p.m. Eastern time until further notice. All you have to do is ask a youth minister, parent or priest to sign up you or your parish. It's super easy to do and a really cool experience! Thousands of teens are coming together to participate in this. 9 thousand people were watching at one point in the program on Sunday night! It was really amazing :-) Here's the link to participate: https://projectym.com/live/ We have no idea what is going to happen in these next few weeks/months and virtually no control over it. The biggest thing we can do right now to stop this pandemic is pray... And of course wash our hands :-) Keep a lookout for more posts about apps and other things that can strengthen our prayer life in this time of uncertainty. God bless you!

Hi! Welcome to the Catholic Teen Life Blog. This blog is meant to be a resource for teens trying to live out their beautiful Catholic faith in our ever more secularized world. My goal is to provide scripture reflections, stories of saints, media recommendations, vocations resources, and tools for living out your faith. It is difficult to live an authentically Catholic life as a teenager in our world. Trust me, I understand - I'm living it! I hope this blog will help and encourage you to persevere in the faith, even when our world makes it so difficult. Please join me in praying for fellow teens and brothers and sisters in Christ. May God bless you on your journey towards living your life totally for Him and with Him! -Catholic Teen