Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: Lord, give me the spirit of zeal that inflamed the hearts of the Apostles.
The Idea: "You are the light of the world," Christ said. And a light has to shine so that others can see. A Catholic who does not help spread Christ's Faith is a living contradiction. In the same way it is a contradiction to be a Catholic and not be active in some way - prayer, parish projects, or other activities for the Church. Christ needs a specially devoted army of helpers. He depends on us to do His work today. That is how much He trusts us. The communists worked so hard to spread their diabolical doctrine of hatred, as do today's enemies of Christ and His Church; can we be indifferent to spreading the word and work of Christ?
My Personal Application: What is my zeal in Catholic activities? Do I have the spirit that filled the hearts of the early Christians? Do I cooperate in all the jobs that go into planning an activity, even down to collecting tickets or decorating? Do I give my full attention and energy to my prayer, to spiritual projects proposed for the whole parish and Church? This is the way I show my love for Christ: by doing the work of the Church in love and zeal and devotion. Does the zeal of the Christ's enemies put me to shame? The chain is as strong as its weakest link. Am I the weakest link?
I Speak to God: Lord, give me strength to do my part in spreading your kingdom. If I have been lazy in the past, I will work all the harder in the future - in prayer, projects, and all the jobs where my help is needed, for you and for our Mother.
Thought for Today: My love for Christ is shown more by what I do than by what I merely say.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Gospel for Saturday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
From: Luke 6:43-49
Integrity (Continuation)
(Jesus said to his disciples,) [43] "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; [44] for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
[46] "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? [47] Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: [48] he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. [49] But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
________________________
Commentary:
43-44. To distinguish the good tree from the bad tree we need to look at the fruit the tree produces (deeds) and not at its foliage (words). "For there is no lack of people here on earth who, on being approached, turn out to be nothing but large, shiny, glossy leaves. Foliage, just foliage and nothing more. Meanwhile, many souls are looking at us hoping to satisfy their hunger, which is a hunger for God. We must not forget that we have all the resources we need. We have sufficient doctrine and the grace of God, in spite of our wretchedness" ([St] J.Escriva, "Friends of God", 51).
45. Jesus is giving us two similes--that of the tree which, if it is not good, produces good fruit, and that of the man, who speaks of those things he has in his heart. "The treasure of the heart is the same as the root of the tree," St Bede explains. "A person who has a treasure of patience and of perfect charity in his heart yields excellent fruit; he loves his neighbor and has all the other qualities Jesus teaches; he loves his enemies, does good to him who hates him, blesses him who curses him, prays for him who calumniates him, does not react against him who attacks him or robs him; he gives to those who ask, does not claim what they have stolen from him, wishes not to judge and does not condemn, corrects patiently and affectionately those who err. But the person who has in his heart the treasure of evil does exactly the opposite: he hates his friends, speaks evil of him who loves him and does all the other things condemned by the Lord" ("In Lucae Evangelium Expositio", II, 6).
46. Jesus asks us to act in a way consistent with being Christians and not to make any separation between the faith we profess and the way we live: "What matters is not whether or not we wear a religious habit; it is whether we try to practice the virtues and surrender our will to God and order our lives as His Majesty ordains, and not want to do our will but his" (St Teresa of Avila, "Interior Castle", II, 6).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Integrity (Continuation)
(Jesus said to his disciples,) [43] "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; [44] for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
[46] "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? [47] Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: [48] he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. [49] But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
________________________
Commentary:
43-44. To distinguish the good tree from the bad tree we need to look at the fruit the tree produces (deeds) and not at its foliage (words). "For there is no lack of people here on earth who, on being approached, turn out to be nothing but large, shiny, glossy leaves. Foliage, just foliage and nothing more. Meanwhile, many souls are looking at us hoping to satisfy their hunger, which is a hunger for God. We must not forget that we have all the resources we need. We have sufficient doctrine and the grace of God, in spite of our wretchedness" ([St] J.Escriva, "Friends of God", 51).
45. Jesus is giving us two similes--that of the tree which, if it is not good, produces good fruit, and that of the man, who speaks of those things he has in his heart. "The treasure of the heart is the same as the root of the tree," St Bede explains. "A person who has a treasure of patience and of perfect charity in his heart yields excellent fruit; he loves his neighbor and has all the other qualities Jesus teaches; he loves his enemies, does good to him who hates him, blesses him who curses him, prays for him who calumniates him, does not react against him who attacks him or robs him; he gives to those who ask, does not claim what they have stolen from him, wishes not to judge and does not condemn, corrects patiently and affectionately those who err. But the person who has in his heart the treasure of evil does exactly the opposite: he hates his friends, speaks evil of him who loves him and does all the other things condemned by the Lord" ("In Lucae Evangelium Expositio", II, 6).
46. Jesus asks us to act in a way consistent with being Christians and not to make any separation between the faith we profess and the way we live: "What matters is not whether or not we wear a religious habit; it is whether we try to practice the virtues and surrender our will to God and order our lives as His Majesty ordains, and not want to do our will but his" (St Teresa of Avila, "Interior Castle", II, 6).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Mental Prayer for September 16-What Is a School?
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: The grace to see why and how I must work at what I want to be.
The Idea: In the U. S. military academies - West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs - men are being taught the high standards expected of them if they want to serve their country in a special way. The uniforms they wear, the subjects they take, the traditions among which they live - all remind them every day of what they are to become; all help them to prepare themselves for their special career.
It's easy to see, in a school like that, that everything is aimed directly at making the students into what they want to be - professional officers of the U. S. Army, Navy, Air Force. But really, every school is aimed at getting its students ready for the life they want in the best possible way. One's own school may not be perfect, but here and now, it may be the best way of preparing that one has. Hopefully, it offers one many more helps than one could ever find on his own.
My Personal Application: I have a life to live. I want that life to turn out well; it's the only one I have. Then I have to prepare myself for the future as well as I can right now. I have to use all of the opportunities I have - the chances to learn, the occasions to get to know others, the possibilities to develop my talents in different activities and areas, the times I have to avail myself of the Sacraments and to pray.
I Speak to God: My God, am I dreaming about a great tomorrow and not doing today what I can to build toward the tomorrow? Help me to open my eyes that I might see, help me to be receptive to Your grace and assistance.
Thought for Today: God helps first those who help themselves.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: The grace to see why and how I must work at what I want to be.
The Idea: In the U. S. military academies - West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs - men are being taught the high standards expected of them if they want to serve their country in a special way. The uniforms they wear, the subjects they take, the traditions among which they live - all remind them every day of what they are to become; all help them to prepare themselves for their special career.
It's easy to see, in a school like that, that everything is aimed directly at making the students into what they want to be - professional officers of the U. S. Army, Navy, Air Force. But really, every school is aimed at getting its students ready for the life they want in the best possible way. One's own school may not be perfect, but here and now, it may be the best way of preparing that one has. Hopefully, it offers one many more helps than one could ever find on his own.
My Personal Application: I have a life to live. I want that life to turn out well; it's the only one I have. Then I have to prepare myself for the future as well as I can right now. I have to use all of the opportunities I have - the chances to learn, the occasions to get to know others, the possibilities to develop my talents in different activities and areas, the times I have to avail myself of the Sacraments and to pray.
I Speak to God: My God, am I dreaming about a great tomorrow and not doing today what I can to build toward the tomorrow? Help me to open my eyes that I might see, help me to be receptive to Your grace and assistance.
Thought for Today: God helps first those who help themselves.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
From TFP: Finding Trans-Intolerance
Should parents have a say about who educates their children?Click here to read “Finding Trans-Intolerance.”
Now, a “transgendered” teacher with an officially recognized mental disorder returns to class dressed as a woman and no one can opt out.
Calling out to Allah in Milwaukee Cathedral
The sound of cannons will explode tonight from within the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.Too much for words...Isn't Archbishop Dolan in charge?
. . .
The performance of "The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace," by the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra and the Milwaukee archdiocesan and St. Sebastian choirs will commemorate Sept. 11, 2001, in a powerful and different way.
Perhaps the most appropriate soloist is Amjad Khleifat, who was approached by Milwaukee Archdiocesan Choir Director Jeff Honore and Kamenski to perform the second movement's "Adhaan" or "Call to Prayers," which Jenkins indicated should be recited in its native Arabic.
From the marbled ambo in the center of the cathedral Sunday, Khleifat covered his ears and rehearsed, calling out to Allah in a sweeping, sitar-like voice..."Lord grant us strength to die!"
California Bishop Tod Brown Responds to Lay Group
From Matt Abbott at RenewAmerica:
In the ongoing saga in the Diocese of Orange, Calif., Bishop Tod Brown has formally responded to the Catholic lay group Restore the Sacred. The text of the bishop's letter (dated September 6, 2006), which was sent to a member of Restore the Sacred, is as follows:
The Future for Missouri's Deceptive "Cloning" Amendment?
The folks responsible for attempting to hoodwink the citizens of the State of Missouri with deception, doublespeak, and outright lies, may be encouraged that, while implantantion in utero of cloned embryos is "banned" in the amendment, there are other sorts of macabre possibilities for them on the horizon.
Notwithstanding the fact that the proponents of embryonic research and killing have redefined a scientific term to be something else for political and monetary purposes as noted here,:
The St. Louis Review has an article today by Jennifer Brinker which brings the future eerily into focus:
May God help us in overcoming this hideous attack on the unborn, on life itself, and on ethics and common sense.
Notwithstanding the fact that the proponents of embryonic research and killing have redefined a scientific term to be something else for political and monetary purposes as noted here,:
(2) “Clone or attempt to clone a human being” means to implant in a uterus or attempt to implant in a uterus anything other than the product of fertilization of an egg of a human female by a sperm of a human male for the purpose of initiating a pregnancy that could result in the creation of a human fetus, or the birth of a human being. [Sect 6, "Meanings"]...the opportunity may exist for demented and diabolical "researchers" to use "artificial wombs" thereby avoiding the restrictions of their new definition of "cloning".
The St. Louis Review has an article today by Jennifer Brinker which brings the future eerily into focus:
It sounds like a scene from a science fiction movie, but using artificial wombs to conduct embryonic stem-cell research may soon be a reality...Certainly, one would be safe in assuming that the proponents of the Missouri "Cloning for Killing" amendment knew of this and other research and employed the best legal wordsmiths to develop a legal document which would provide them public funding for all of their ghoulish and morbid "research"...
Jim Cole, volunteer legal counsel for Missouri Right to Life, has detailed that in a new paper he wrote on the issue. Cole has penned several articles on the possible effects of Amendment 2, the Nov. 7 ballot initiative that seeks to constitutionally protect embryonic stem-cell research and human cloning in Missouri.
"Note well that it [the amendment] says ‘to implant in a uterus,’" said Cole. "An artificial womb is not a uterus."
One such example of using artificial wombs comes from Dr. Hung-Ching Liu of Cornell University’s Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility. Liu and her team of researchers have been working on developing artificial wombs for about the last decade.
According to a 2002 article in The Observer, sister publication to British-based newspaper The Guardian, Liu’s research team removed endometrial cells from wombs and grew layers of them on scaffolds of biodegradable material formed into the interior of a uterus....
"Clearly, an artificial womb that depends on biodegradable scaffolding, the cultivation of endometrial cell layers, the artificial addition of nutrients and hormones and the constant attention of scientists during gestation is not a ‘uterus,’" said Cole.
Amendment 2, he said, only forbids the implantation of cloned embryos into a uterus. Therefore, the proposed amendment would allow the implantation of cloned embryos into these artificial wombs, "where they can be gestated into any stage that scientists have the ability to maintain them," said Cole.
May God help us in overcoming this hideous attack on the unborn, on life itself, and on ethics and common sense.
St. Gianna Parish planning Sept. 23-24 for first Masses
The new St. Gianna Parish in St. Charles County will celebrate its first Masses the weekend of Sept. 23 and 24.
The parish earlier received a special-use permit and occupancy permit for a temporary church in a warehouse building in Lake St. Louis. The building is about a mile from the permanent site of the parish.
Since the permits were issued, the parish has been busy converting the building for use as a church. Father Timothy Elliott, pastor of St. Gianna, said besides the area for the church and meeting space, the building has been adapted to include three offices, restrooms, a cry room, confessional and other modifications.
"They’ll be building it to the very last day," he said. Once the building is complete, the pastor, parish secretary and PSR director will come there during office hours.
In another big step for the parish, the Wentzville School District has given approval for the parish to use classrooms at South Middle School for the parish school of religion. The PSR will open Oct. 16.
Father Elliott has been attending neighborhood meetings with parishioners. "It’s very encouraging. There’s a lot of enthusiasm," he said.
Islamofacists Are Never Satisfied
Pope's speech sparks Muslim anger
Members of Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (MLJK) shout slogans during a demonstration in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 15, 2006. Police detained dozen of members of MLJK after they took out a protest demonstration against Pope Benedict XVI for making what it called 'derogatory' comments about Islam, and seeking an apology from him for hurting the sentiments of Muslims. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Is it even possible to comment on Mohammed or Mohammedanism without being critical, objectively speaking?
What the Holy Father was discussing was faith and reason or, in this case, that acting contrary to reason is contrary to God's nature.
The Holy Father was also critical of the West for removing that which is spiritual from reason.
There is plenty to ponder for those who wish to read and understand the Pope's words.
The Pope's address can be read here.
Angry protests against Pope Benedict XVI erupted in the Islamic world today as the Vatican struggled to explain a reference by the Pontiff to the Prophet Mohammad’s “evil and inhuman” contribution to religion.
Muslim students burn an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI at a protest rally in Allahabad, India, Friday, Sept. 15, 2006. A growing chorus of Muslim leaders has called on the Pope to apologize for the alleged derogatory comments made by him about Islam. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
In a speech on Tuesday at Regensburg University in his native Germany Pope Benedict analysed a conversation between Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus and a Persian scholar after the siege of Constantinople in 1391.
He quoted the emperor as saying: “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
Pope Benedict went on to question as “unreasonable” Muslim adherence to Jihad, a holy war to propagate the faith.
Members of Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (MLJK) shout slogans during a demonstration in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 15, 2006. Police detained dozen of members of MLJK after they took out a protest demonstration against Pope Benedict XVI for making what it called 'derogatory' comments about Islam, and seeking an apology from him for hurting the sentiments of Muslims. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Is it even possible to comment on Mohammed or Mohammedanism without being critical, objectively speaking?
What the Holy Father was discussing was faith and reason or, in this case, that acting contrary to reason is contrary to God's nature.
The Holy Father was also critical of the West for removing that which is spiritual from reason.
There is plenty to ponder for those who wish to read and understand the Pope's words.
The Pope's address can be read here.
Gospel for Sept 15, Memorial: Our Lady of Sorrows
From: John 19:25-27
The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (Continuation)
[25] So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" [27] Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
__________________
Commentary:
25. Whereas the Apostles, with the exception of St. John, abandon Jesus in the hour of His humiliation, these pious women, who had followed Him during His public life (cf. Lk 8:2-3) now stay with their Master as He dies on the cross (cf. note on Mt 27:55-56).
Pope John Paul II explains that our Lady's faithfulness was shown in four ways: first, in her generous desire to do all that God wanted of her (cf. Lk 1:34); second, in her total acceptance of God's will (cf. Lk 1:38); third, in the consistency between her life and the commitment of faith which she made; and, finally, in her withstanding this test. "And only a consistency that lasts throughout the whole of life can be called faithfulness. Mary's 'fiat' in the Annunciation finds its fullness in the silent 'fiat' that she repeats at the foot of the Cross" ("Homily in Mexico Cathedral", 26 January 1979).
The Church has always recognized the dignity of women and their important role in salvation history. It is enough to recall the veneration which from the earliest times the Christian people have had for the Mother of Christ, the Woman "par excellence" and the most sublime and most privileged creature ever to come from the hands of God. Addressing a special message to women, the Second Vatican Council said, among other things: "Women in trial, who stand upright at the foot of the cross like Mary, you who so often in history have given to men the strength to battle unto the very end and to give witness to the point of martyrdom, aid them now still once more to retain courage in their great undertakings, while at the same time maintaining patience and an esteem for humble beginnings" (Vatican II, "Message To Women", 8 December 1965).
26-27. "The spotless purity of John's whole life makes him strong before the Cross. The other apostles fly from Golgotha: he, with the Mother of Christ, remains. Don't forget that purity strengthens and invigorates the character" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 144).
Our Lord's gesture in entrusting His Blessed Mother to the disciple's care, has a dual meaning (see p. 19 above and pp. 35ff). For one thing it expresses His filial love for the Virgin Mary. St Augustine sees it as a lesson Jesus gives us on how to keep the fourth commandment: "Here is a lesson in morals. He is doing what He tells us to do and, like a good Teacher, He instructs His own by example, that it is the duty of good children to take care of their parents; as though the wood on which His dying members were fixed were also the chair of the teaching Master" (St Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 119, 2).
Our Lord's words also declare that Mary is our Mother: "The Blessed Virgin also advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross, where she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of His suffering, associating herself with His sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim who was born of her. Finally, she was given by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross as a mother to His disciple" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 58).
All Christians, who are represented in the person of John, are children of Mary. By giving us His Mother to be our Mother, Christ demonstrates His love for His own to the end (cf. Jn 13:1). Our Lady's acceptance of John as her son show her motherly care for us: "the Son of God, and your Son, from the Cross indicated a man to you, Mary, and said: 'Behold, your son' (Jn 19:26). And in that man He entrusted to you every person, He entrusted everyone to you. And you, who at the moment of the Annunciation, concentrated the whole program of your life in those simple words: 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word' (Lk 1:38): embrace everyone, draw close to everyone, seek everyone out with motherly care. Thus is accomplished what the last Council said about your presence in the mystery of Christ and the Church. In a wonderful way you are always found in the mystery of Christ, your only Son, because you are present wherever men and women, His brothers and sisters, are present, wherever the Church is present" (John Paul II, "Homily in the Basilica of Guadalupe", 27 January 1979).
"John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, brought Mary into his home, into his life. Spiritual writers have seen these words of the Gospel as an invitation to all Christians to bring Mary into their lives. Mary certainly wants us to invoke her, to approach her confidently, to appeal to her as our mother, asking her to 'show that you are our mother'" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 140).
John Paul II constantly treats our Lady as his Mother. In bidding farewell to the Virgin of Czestochowa he prayed in this way: "Our Lady of the Bright Mountain, Mother of the Church! Once more I consecrate myself to you 'in your maternal slavery of love'. 'Totus tuus!' I am yours! I consecrate to you the whole Church--everyone to the ends of the earth! I consecrate to you humanity; I consecrate to you all men and women, my brothers and sisters. All peoples and all nations. I consecrate to you Europe and all the continents. I consecrate to you Rome and Poland, united, through your servant, by a fresh bond of love. Mother, accept us! Mother, do not abandon us! Mother, be our guide!" ("Farewell Address" at Jasna Gora Shrine, 6 June 1979).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (Continuation)
[25] So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" [27] Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
__________________
Commentary:
25. Whereas the Apostles, with the exception of St. John, abandon Jesus in the hour of His humiliation, these pious women, who had followed Him during His public life (cf. Lk 8:2-3) now stay with their Master as He dies on the cross (cf. note on Mt 27:55-56).
Pope John Paul II explains that our Lady's faithfulness was shown in four ways: first, in her generous desire to do all that God wanted of her (cf. Lk 1:34); second, in her total acceptance of God's will (cf. Lk 1:38); third, in the consistency between her life and the commitment of faith which she made; and, finally, in her withstanding this test. "And only a consistency that lasts throughout the whole of life can be called faithfulness. Mary's 'fiat' in the Annunciation finds its fullness in the silent 'fiat' that she repeats at the foot of the Cross" ("Homily in Mexico Cathedral", 26 January 1979).
The Church has always recognized the dignity of women and their important role in salvation history. It is enough to recall the veneration which from the earliest times the Christian people have had for the Mother of Christ, the Woman "par excellence" and the most sublime and most privileged creature ever to come from the hands of God. Addressing a special message to women, the Second Vatican Council said, among other things: "Women in trial, who stand upright at the foot of the cross like Mary, you who so often in history have given to men the strength to battle unto the very end and to give witness to the point of martyrdom, aid them now still once more to retain courage in their great undertakings, while at the same time maintaining patience and an esteem for humble beginnings" (Vatican II, "Message To Women", 8 December 1965).
26-27. "The spotless purity of John's whole life makes him strong before the Cross. The other apostles fly from Golgotha: he, with the Mother of Christ, remains. Don't forget that purity strengthens and invigorates the character" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 144).
Our Lord's gesture in entrusting His Blessed Mother to the disciple's care, has a dual meaning (see p. 19 above and pp. 35ff). For one thing it expresses His filial love for the Virgin Mary. St Augustine sees it as a lesson Jesus gives us on how to keep the fourth commandment: "Here is a lesson in morals. He is doing what He tells us to do and, like a good Teacher, He instructs His own by example, that it is the duty of good children to take care of their parents; as though the wood on which His dying members were fixed were also the chair of the teaching Master" (St Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 119, 2).
Our Lord's words also declare that Mary is our Mother: "The Blessed Virgin also advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross, where she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of His suffering, associating herself with His sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim who was born of her. Finally, she was given by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross as a mother to His disciple" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 58).
All Christians, who are represented in the person of John, are children of Mary. By giving us His Mother to be our Mother, Christ demonstrates His love for His own to the end (cf. Jn 13:1). Our Lady's acceptance of John as her son show her motherly care for us: "the Son of God, and your Son, from the Cross indicated a man to you, Mary, and said: 'Behold, your son' (Jn 19:26). And in that man He entrusted to you every person, He entrusted everyone to you. And you, who at the moment of the Annunciation, concentrated the whole program of your life in those simple words: 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word' (Lk 1:38): embrace everyone, draw close to everyone, seek everyone out with motherly care. Thus is accomplished what the last Council said about your presence in the mystery of Christ and the Church. In a wonderful way you are always found in the mystery of Christ, your only Son, because you are present wherever men and women, His brothers and sisters, are present, wherever the Church is present" (John Paul II, "Homily in the Basilica of Guadalupe", 27 January 1979).
"John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, brought Mary into his home, into his life. Spiritual writers have seen these words of the Gospel as an invitation to all Christians to bring Mary into their lives. Mary certainly wants us to invoke her, to approach her confidently, to appeal to her as our mother, asking her to 'show that you are our mother'" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 140).
John Paul II constantly treats our Lady as his Mother. In bidding farewell to the Virgin of Czestochowa he prayed in this way: "Our Lady of the Bright Mountain, Mother of the Church! Once more I consecrate myself to you 'in your maternal slavery of love'. 'Totus tuus!' I am yours! I consecrate to you the whole Church--everyone to the ends of the earth! I consecrate to you humanity; I consecrate to you all men and women, my brothers and sisters. All peoples and all nations. I consecrate to you Europe and all the continents. I consecrate to you Rome and Poland, united, through your servant, by a fresh bond of love. Mother, accept us! Mother, do not abandon us! Mother, be our guide!" ("Farewell Address" at Jasna Gora Shrine, 6 June 1979).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
More Helps to Pray
Suppose that you begin your mental prayer - you remember God is present; you ask His helpand then you can't seem to think of anything in particular to say.
What then?
That is what the daily "Mental Prayer" posts are for. Each day's "meditation" suggests things it might be good for you to talk over with God - or at least to think over, in God's presence - on that day.
The words in the posts are to help you get started. The real praying, of course, is always your own talking with God: your own thinking, speaking, loving, being sorry, asking help - or just listening - as you kneel before Him.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
What then?
That is what the daily "Mental Prayer" posts are for. Each day's "meditation" suggests things it might be good for you to talk over with God - or at least to think over, in God's presence - on that day.
The words in the posts are to help you get started. The real praying, of course, is always your own talking with God: your own thinking, speaking, loving, being sorry, asking help - or just listening - as you kneel before Him.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Dr Edward Peters: Vatican II, Canon 1262, and chapel veils
I recently saw an advertisement for chapel veils. The ad features a lovely young lady wearing a handmade veil, and presents the following text: "Did you know that nothing in Vatican II changes the practice of headcoverings for women and that Canon 1262 is still in force?" Assertions about canon law always get my attention, so I wondered, is Canon 1262 still in force?Hmmmm...The answer to that question is here.
Mental Prayer for September 15-Getting Started in Prayer
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To pray well.
The Idea: The first step in talking to God is as easy as saying hello. I go to meet God by stopping to remember one true fact - the fact that I am alone in His presence. He is here, and I am here alone with Him. And I recall what I am here for: to talk with Him, with God. Have I done this today? Slowly, carefully? Next I ask Him to help me spend this time well. This can be the most important 15 minutes in my day. And only a fool starts anything really important without asking God's help first.
And now, thinking of God here present, I say to Him first whatever I most feel: my own thoughts, the ones that come naturally to me, the ones God sends me - those are best. I will stay kneeling here before Him and think about those things.
My Personal Application: Do I really want to learn to pray? Then I must take the steps: daily practice, start right, ask God's help. Then talk to Him sincerely and honestly; no one can fool God.
I Speak to God: My God, you are here with me. You have plans for me. Help me to know you better every day so that I may come to see what you want - and may have the strength to do it.
Thought for Today: Lord, teach me to pray.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To pray well.
The Idea: The first step in talking to God is as easy as saying hello. I go to meet God by stopping to remember one true fact - the fact that I am alone in His presence. He is here, and I am here alone with Him. And I recall what I am here for: to talk with Him, with God. Have I done this today? Slowly, carefully? Next I ask Him to help me spend this time well. This can be the most important 15 minutes in my day. And only a fool starts anything really important without asking God's help first.
And now, thinking of God here present, I say to Him first whatever I most feel: my own thoughts, the ones that come naturally to me, the ones God sends me - those are best. I will stay kneeling here before Him and think about those things.
My Personal Application: Do I really want to learn to pray? Then I must take the steps: daily practice, start right, ask God's help. Then talk to Him sincerely and honestly; no one can fool God.
I Speak to God: My God, you are here with me. You have plans for me. Help me to know you better every day so that I may come to see what you want - and may have the strength to do it.
Thought for Today: Lord, teach me to pray.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Kueng Criticizes Pope during German Visit
Tuebingen, Germany- Hans Kueng, the Swiss-born Catholic theologian who has been a long-time critic of the Vatican, slammed Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday for not offering dialogue during a six-day visit to Germany. There had not been "a single future-oriented signal" from the pope, nor were there any suggestions of reforms on the way, Kueng told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in an interview.That is, the Holy Father did not offer Kueng the papacy...
"He didn't fulfil any of the hopes of reform-oriented Catholics. "
Wishful Thinking
Rentapriest.com aims to put married priests back to work
Of course it does...
Of course it does...
Todd and Rebecca Malek were not religious, but her parents insisted on a priest to officiate their wedding. The Maleks made a family compromise through Rentapriest.com. They found a former Catholic priest to marry them at a Melbourne Holiday Inn, a place not allowed in the Catholic Church for weddings, but it was where the couple wanted to say their vows.As long is it "felt" real, that's all that matters to many these days. Many lack the fundamental capacity to use their intellects - their minds seems to have been shutdown, replaced by emotion and feelings...But we know that "feeling" like they are married does not make them married although, in the eyes of the state, they are. In the eyes of the Church, however, they are, objectively, in grave sin for a number of reasons, not the least of which is fornication, since there is no sacramental bond of matrimony. And the facilitators of these sham "marriages" are even more culpable, objectively, for perpetrating frauds in the form of invalid sacraments.
"It was a wonderful experience," said Malek, a 1991 graduate of Seabreeze High School. The religious tone was just right, he added. "It felt like a real wedding, not like going to a justice of the peace."
In the words of [ex-priests, Paul] Roma and [Jim] Peterman, the married priests are just no longer part of the "corporation.""Corporation" = Church, "Managers" = Pope and bishops. So, who exactly is the "Boss"? I think everyone knows.
"I work directly for the boss," said Peterman, who lives in Viera. "I skip all the managers."
Diary of a Pilgrimage of Faith
September 14, 2006
Munich, Altötting, Regensburg: Diary of a Pilgrimage of Faith
An anthology of the homilies and speeches delivered by Benedict XVI during his trip to Bavaria. “Faith’s vision embraces heaven and earth, past, present and future, eternity. And yet it is simple...”
by Sandro Magister
Munich, Altötting, Regensburg: Diary of a Pilgrimage of Faith
An anthology of the homilies and speeches delivered by Benedict XVI during his trip to Bavaria. “Faith’s vision embraces heaven and earth, past, present and future, eternity. And yet it is simple...”
by Sandro Magister
Archbishop Burke Helps St. Joseph's Conclude Centennial
Archbishop Raymond Burke came to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial Sunday to mark the end of the church's yearlong centennial celebration by celebrating Mass. Approximately 500 people, mostly church members, gathered to worship, pray and reflect in their octagonal church.This is something that many will remember for years to come.
When nearly 50 members of the church's Life Teen group swarmed the Archbishop after Mass to get their picture taken with him, there was enough energy in the sanctuary to power the church for another 100 years.
"He's the first one (Archbishop) I've met," said 16-year-old Katie Hentrich of Imperial... "It's cool, it's neat."The vitality and enthusiasm of younger Catholics is certainly inspiring, and there can be no doubt that Archbishop Burke elicits this kind of response because of his fatherly love and devotion to his people.
...
As the Archbishop began to speak, some snapped pictures with their cell phones.
Pastor [John] Brennell said that commitment one year ago by the Archbishop afforded the church the opportunity to celebrate each month during the year and for the lead-up to the Archbishop's visit. "So, Archbishop, you were worth waiting for," he said. The congregation applauded.The congregation applauded...As do most of the faithful of St. Louis.
Post Dispatch story link here.
Missouri Supreme Court to Hear Former Priest's Appeal (Post-Dispatch)
*** Updated ***
As I had previously thought, Fr. Graham is not an "ex-priest" or "former priest" as the Post asserts...:
As I had previously thought, Fr. Graham is not an "ex-priest" or "former priest" as the Post asserts...:
Father Graham remains a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Archbishop Raymond Burke continues to have an obligation under canon law to provide necessary support for him.Source: Archdiocese of St. Louis Communications Office (PDF File)
Gospel for Sept 14, Feast: Exaltation of the Holy Cross
From: John 3:13-17
The Visit of Nicodemus (Continuation)
(Jesus said to Nicodemus,) [13] "No one has ascended into Heaven but He who descended from Heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." [16] For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God sent the Son into world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
______________________
Commentary:
13. This is a formal declaration of the divinity of Jesus. No one has gone up into Heaven and, therefore, no one can have perfect knowledge of God's secrets, except God Himself who became man and came down from Heaven--Jesus, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of Man foretold in the Old Testament (cf. Daniel 7:13), to whom has been given eternal lordship over all peoples.
The Word does not stop being God on becoming man: even when He is on earth as man, He is in Heaven as God. It is only after the Resurrection and the Ascension that Christ is in Heaven as man also.
14-15. The bronze serpent which Moses set up on a pole was established by God to cure those who had been bitten by the poisonous serpents in the desert (cf. Numbers 21:8-9). Jesus compares this with His crucifixion, to show the value of His being raised up on the cross: those who look on Him with faith can obtain salvation. We could say that the good thief was the first to experience the saving power of Christ on the cross: he saw the crucified Jesus, the King of Israel, the Messiah, and was immediately promised that he would be in Paradise that very day (cf. Luke 23:39-43).
The Son of God took on our human nature to make known the hidden mystery of God's own life (cf. Mark 4:11; John 1:18; 3:1-13; Ephesians 3:9) and to free from sin and death those who look at Him with faith and love and who accept the cross of every day.
The faith of which our Lord speaks is not just intellectual acceptance of the truths He has taught: it involves recognizing Him as Son of God (cf. 1 John 5:1), sharing His very life (cf. John 1:12) and surrendering ourselves out of love and therefore becoming like Him (cf. John 10:27; 1 John 3:2). But this faith is a gift of God (cf. John 3:3, 5-8), and we should ask Him to strengthen it and increase it as the Apostles did: Lord "increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5). While faith is a supernatural, free gift, it is also a virtue, a good habit, which a person can practise and thereby develop: so the Christian, who already has the divine gift of faith, needs with the help of grace to make explicit acts of faith in order to make this virtue grow.
16-21. These words, so charged with meaning, summarize how Christ's death is the supreme sign of God's love for men (cf. the section on charity in the "Introduction to the Gospel according to St. John": pp. 31ff above). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for its salvation. All our religion is a revelation of God's kindness, mercy and love for us. `God is love' (1 John 4:16), that is, love poured forth unsparingly. All is summed up in this supreme truth, which explains and illuminates everything. The story of Jesus must be seen in this light. `(He) loved me, St. Paul writes. Each of us can and must repeat it for himself--`He loved me, and gave Himself for me'(Galatians 2:20)" (Paul VI, "Homily on Corpus Christi", 13 June 1976).
Christ's self-surrender is a pressing call to respond to His great love for us: "If it is true that God has created us, that He has redeemed us, that He loves us so much that He has given up His only-begotten Son for us (John 3:16), that He waits for us--every day!--as eagerly as the father of the prodigal son did (cf. Luke 15:11-32), how can we doubt that He wants us to respond to Him with all love? The strange thing would be not to talk to God, to draw away and forget Him, and busy ourselves in activities which are closed to the constant promptings of His grace" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 251).
"Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This [...] is why Christ the Redeemer `fully reveals man to himself'. If we may use the __expression, this is the human dimension of the mystery of the Redemption. In this dimension man finds again the greatness, dignity and value that belong to his humanity.[...] The one who wishes to understand himself thoroughly [...] must, with his unrest and uncertainty and even his weakness and sinfulness, with his life and death, draw near to Christ. He must, so to speak, enter into Him with all his own self, he must `appropriate' and assimilate the whole of the reality of the Incarnation and Redemption in order to find himself. If this profound process takes place within him, he then bears fruit not only of adoration of God but also of deep wonder at himself.
How precious must man be in the eyes of the Creator, if he `gained so great a Redeemer', ("Roman Missal, Exultet" at Easter Vigil), and if God `gave His only Son' in order that man `should not perish but have eternal life'. [...]
`Increasingly contemplating the whole of Christ's mystery, the Church knows with all the certainty of faith that the Redemption that took place through the Cross has definitively restored his dignity to man and given back meaning to his life in the world, a meaning that was lost to a considerable extent because of sin. And for that reason, the Redemption was accomplished in the paschal mystery, leading through the Cross and death to Resurrection" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 10).
Jesus demands that we have faith in Him as a first prerequisite to sharing in His love. Faith brings us out of darkness into the light, and sets us on the road to salvation. "He who does not believe is condemned already" (verse 18).
"The words of Christ are at once words of judgment and grace, of life and death. For it is only by putting to death that which is old that we can come to newness of life. Now, although this refers primarily to people, it is also true of various worldly goods which bear the mark both of man's sin and the blessing of God.[...] No one is freed from sin by himself or by his own efforts, no one is raised above himself or completely delivered from his own weakness, solitude or slavery; all have need of Christ, who is the model, master, liberator, savior, and giver of life. Even in the secular history of mankind the Gospel has acted as a leaven in the interests of liberty and progress, and it always offers itself as a leaven with regard to brotherhood, unity and peace" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 8).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
The Visit of Nicodemus (Continuation)
(Jesus said to Nicodemus,) [13] "No one has ascended into Heaven but He who descended from Heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." [16] For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God sent the Son into world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
______________________
Commentary:
13. This is a formal declaration of the divinity of Jesus. No one has gone up into Heaven and, therefore, no one can have perfect knowledge of God's secrets, except God Himself who became man and came down from Heaven--Jesus, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of Man foretold in the Old Testament (cf. Daniel 7:13), to whom has been given eternal lordship over all peoples.
The Word does not stop being God on becoming man: even when He is on earth as man, He is in Heaven as God. It is only after the Resurrection and the Ascension that Christ is in Heaven as man also.
14-15. The bronze serpent which Moses set up on a pole was established by God to cure those who had been bitten by the poisonous serpents in the desert (cf. Numbers 21:8-9). Jesus compares this with His crucifixion, to show the value of His being raised up on the cross: those who look on Him with faith can obtain salvation. We could say that the good thief was the first to experience the saving power of Christ on the cross: he saw the crucified Jesus, the King of Israel, the Messiah, and was immediately promised that he would be in Paradise that very day (cf. Luke 23:39-43).
The Son of God took on our human nature to make known the hidden mystery of God's own life (cf. Mark 4:11; John 1:18; 3:1-13; Ephesians 3:9) and to free from sin and death those who look at Him with faith and love and who accept the cross of every day.
The faith of which our Lord speaks is not just intellectual acceptance of the truths He has taught: it involves recognizing Him as Son of God (cf. 1 John 5:1), sharing His very life (cf. John 1:12) and surrendering ourselves out of love and therefore becoming like Him (cf. John 10:27; 1 John 3:2). But this faith is a gift of God (cf. John 3:3, 5-8), and we should ask Him to strengthen it and increase it as the Apostles did: Lord "increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5). While faith is a supernatural, free gift, it is also a virtue, a good habit, which a person can practise and thereby develop: so the Christian, who already has the divine gift of faith, needs with the help of grace to make explicit acts of faith in order to make this virtue grow.
16-21. These words, so charged with meaning, summarize how Christ's death is the supreme sign of God's love for men (cf. the section on charity in the "Introduction to the Gospel according to St. John": pp. 31ff above). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for its salvation. All our religion is a revelation of God's kindness, mercy and love for us. `God is love' (1 John 4:16), that is, love poured forth unsparingly. All is summed up in this supreme truth, which explains and illuminates everything. The story of Jesus must be seen in this light. `(He) loved me, St. Paul writes. Each of us can and must repeat it for himself--`He loved me, and gave Himself for me'(Galatians 2:20)" (Paul VI, "Homily on Corpus Christi", 13 June 1976).
Christ's self-surrender is a pressing call to respond to His great love for us: "If it is true that God has created us, that He has redeemed us, that He loves us so much that He has given up His only-begotten Son for us (John 3:16), that He waits for us--every day!--as eagerly as the father of the prodigal son did (cf. Luke 15:11-32), how can we doubt that He wants us to respond to Him with all love? The strange thing would be not to talk to God, to draw away and forget Him, and busy ourselves in activities which are closed to the constant promptings of His grace" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 251).
"Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This [...] is why Christ the Redeemer `fully reveals man to himself'. If we may use the __expression, this is the human dimension of the mystery of the Redemption. In this dimension man finds again the greatness, dignity and value that belong to his humanity.[...] The one who wishes to understand himself thoroughly [...] must, with his unrest and uncertainty and even his weakness and sinfulness, with his life and death, draw near to Christ. He must, so to speak, enter into Him with all his own self, he must `appropriate' and assimilate the whole of the reality of the Incarnation and Redemption in order to find himself. If this profound process takes place within him, he then bears fruit not only of adoration of God but also of deep wonder at himself.
How precious must man be in the eyes of the Creator, if he `gained so great a Redeemer', ("Roman Missal, Exultet" at Easter Vigil), and if God `gave His only Son' in order that man `should not perish but have eternal life'. [...]
`Increasingly contemplating the whole of Christ's mystery, the Church knows with all the certainty of faith that the Redemption that took place through the Cross has definitively restored his dignity to man and given back meaning to his life in the world, a meaning that was lost to a considerable extent because of sin. And for that reason, the Redemption was accomplished in the paschal mystery, leading through the Cross and death to Resurrection" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 10).
Jesus demands that we have faith in Him as a first prerequisite to sharing in His love. Faith brings us out of darkness into the light, and sets us on the road to salvation. "He who does not believe is condemned already" (verse 18).
"The words of Christ are at once words of judgment and grace, of life and death. For it is only by putting to death that which is old that we can come to newness of life. Now, although this refers primarily to people, it is also true of various worldly goods which bear the mark both of man's sin and the blessing of God.[...] No one is freed from sin by himself or by his own efforts, no one is raised above himself or completely delivered from his own weakness, solitude or slavery; all have need of Christ, who is the model, master, liberator, savior, and giver of life. Even in the secular history of mankind the Gospel has acted as a leaven in the interests of liberty and progress, and it always offers itself as a leaven with regard to brotherhood, unity and peace" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 8).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Mental Prayer for September 14-My Need of Prayer
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To understand why I need mental prayer.
The Idea: Why must I make mental prayer every day in order to be a more faithful Catholic? First, because a faithful Catholic is trying to do great things for God. He wants to win souls; he wants to be with God in heaven; he wants to change the world. But only a person very close to God can do these things, only a person with God's strength and God's help, only a person who prays.
Second, a Catholic should want to live as good a life as possible. Now two things that cannot mix are frequent mental prayer and frequent serious sin. I cannot come before God, day after day, look at Him, talk to Him, and keep on being His enemy, knowing that if I died at that moment I'd be separated from Him forever. So a Catholic makes mental prayer - to stay faithful and in a state of grace.
My Personal Application: God is calling me to pray - now - and every day. Can I turn my back on Him? All He has done for me up to now is nothing compared to what He will do in the future - if I am faithful in my mental prayer.
I Speak to God: My God, there must be a reason why all the great saints, all the great Catholics who have done outstanding work in your service, all backed up their work with prayer. There must be a connection between prayer and real success. Help me to see it - and to live it.
Thought for Today: I want to learn to pray.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To understand why I need mental prayer.
The Idea: Why must I make mental prayer every day in order to be a more faithful Catholic? First, because a faithful Catholic is trying to do great things for God. He wants to win souls; he wants to be with God in heaven; he wants to change the world. But only a person very close to God can do these things, only a person with God's strength and God's help, only a person who prays.
Second, a Catholic should want to live as good a life as possible. Now two things that cannot mix are frequent mental prayer and frequent serious sin. I cannot come before God, day after day, look at Him, talk to Him, and keep on being His enemy, knowing that if I died at that moment I'd be separated from Him forever. So a Catholic makes mental prayer - to stay faithful and in a state of grace.
My Personal Application: God is calling me to pray - now - and every day. Can I turn my back on Him? All He has done for me up to now is nothing compared to what He will do in the future - if I am faithful in my mental prayer.
I Speak to God: My God, there must be a reason why all the great saints, all the great Catholics who have done outstanding work in your service, all backed up their work with prayer. There must be a connection between prayer and real success. Help me to see it - and to live it.
Thought for Today: I want to learn to pray.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
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