Friday In the Third Week of Lent
FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION-TOLKIEN
Luke, Chapter 1,
verse 30:
30 Then
the angel said to her, “Do not be AFRAID, Mary, for you have found favor
with God.
Mary had no fear of the world or man, yet,
when the angel appeared she was immersed in holy fear. Let us follow Mary’s
example and bravely face the day saying YES to God.
Feast
of the Annunciation[1]
The feast commemorates the
most sublime moment in the history of time, the moment when the Second Divine
Person of the most Holy Trinity assumed human nature in the womb of the Virgin
Mary. Thus, it is a feast of our Lord, even as it is of Mary, although the
liturgy centers wholly around the Mother of God. — The Church's Year
of Grace,
Pius Parsch
969 "This motherhood of Mary
in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she
loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering
beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to
heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession
continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. . .. Therefore, the
Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper,
Benefactress, and Mediatrix."
973 By pronouncing her
"fiat" at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation,
Mary was already collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish.
She is mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body.
Things to Do[2]
·
This
feast is very important in the defense of the life of unborn children. Even
with small children, this is a good day to begin teaching about the high value
God places on human life. He loved us so much that he became one of us, took on
our human nature and became an innocent, completely dependent infant.
·
This
is a Solemnity, so when this feast falls during the Lenten season, our Lenten
penance obligations are lifted. We should celebrate by some special food or
dinner. This feast day forecasts the blessed event of Christmas and illustrates
how the liturgical year is an endless circle of days. To celebrate this circle
or cycle, serve a cake, coffee rings, or wreath-shaped cookies, or foods shaped
in ring molds for this feast day. A perfect symbolic food would be an angel
food cake for the archangel Gabriel, baked in a tube pan for the endless
circle, decorated with the frosting highlighted with blue for Mary.
·
A
traditional food for this day is waffles. "Lady Day" or Annunciation
is the only feast of Mary that Sweden still celebrates since the Lutheran faith
became the state religion in 1593. In most of Europe, waffles are a traditional
feast day food, but on the feast of the Annunciation in Sweden this is THE
"Waffle Day" (Vaffeldagen), where waffles are served either for
breakfast, lunch or dinner, with lingonberries or cloudberries.
Feast
of the Annunciation[3]
THIS
feast is so called from the announcement to the Blessed Virgin, by the
archangel Gabriel, that she was to be the mother of the Messias. In the Introit
of the Mass the Church refers to this high dignity of Mary’s: All the rich
shall entreat thy countenance; after her shall virgins be brought to the King;
her neighbors shall be brought to thee in gladness and rejoicing. My heart hath
uttered a good word, I speak my works to the King.
Prayer.
O
God, Who didst please that Thy Word should take flesh, at the message of an
angel, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant to Thy suppliants that we,
who believe her to be truly the Mother
of God, may be blessed by her intercession with Thee.
EPISTLE.
Isaias vii. 10-15.
In those days the Lord spoke to
Achaz, saying: Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of
hell, or unto the height above. And Achaz said I will not ask, and I will not
tempt the Lord. And he said: Hear ye therefore, O house of David: Is it a small
thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are grievous to my God also?
Therefore, the Lord Himself shall
give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and His name
shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that He may know to
refuse the evil and to choose the good.
Instruction on The Angelic Salutation, Or Hail Mary.
Why
is this prayer called the Hail Mary, Angelic Salutation?
Because
it begins with the words which the archangel Gabriel addressed to the Blessed
Virgin when he announced to her that she should be the Mother of God.
Of what does the Angelic Salutation
consist?
1. Of the words of
the archangel Gabriel.
2. Of the words of
St. Elizabeth.
3. Of words which
have been added thereto by the Catholic Church.
Which
are the words of the archangel Gabriel? Hail [Mary], full of grace, the
Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women.
What
is the meaning of these words? The words; Hail Mary
indicate that profound veneration for the Blessed Virgin which was felt by the
archangel Gabriel, and which we, in imitation of his example, ought also to
cherish. The words full of grace remind us that God bestowed upon the
Blessed Virgin greater graces than upon all men and angels together; and that
not for herself alone, but for us also; they therefore encourage us to pray to
Mary with fervor and confidence, that by her powerful intercession she will
obtain for us the graces necessary for our salvation. The Lord is with thee;
these words express the peculiar complacency with which God has regarded her,
on account of which He wrought in her special miracles of wisdom, omnipotence,
and benignity. Let us rejoice with Mary over these prerogatives, and implore
her to intercede for us, that God may be with us also, to sustain us by His
almightiness, to govern us by His wisdom, to incite us to all that is good by
the fire of His infinite love. Finally, the words Blessed art thou among
women are as much as to say: Thou art the happiest of all women, since thou
alone of them all hast no stain of sin on thee; thou art chosen to be the
Mother of God; thou shalt conceive Him by the Holy Ghost, and shalt bring Him
forth without losing thy virginity. Thus, it was that the angel saluted the
most blessed Virgin, and yet there are men who are ashamed thus to salute Mary,
and to give praise for the graces which God conferred upon her.
Which
are the words of Elizabeth, and what do they mean?
And
blessed is the fruit of thy womb; the word blessed is equivalent to
praised. In saying these words, therefore, we desire that the fruit of Mary’s
womb, Jesus, may be worshipped and praised by all men.
Which
are the words which the Catholic Church has added? To the words
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb she has added; Jesus; in order thereby
to explain them, and to indicate that this prayer is to be offered in the name
of Jesus. There upon follow the words, Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
What
do these words mean? With the words, Holy Mary, we apply to her who
is full of grace as our intercessor, and thereby are reminded to strive to
imitate her holiness, if we would be sure of her intercession, and of being
heard before God. We call her Mother of God, because she brought forth Jesus,
the Son of God. Thereby we at the same time remind her that she is our mother
also, and pray her to care for us as a mother; not as though we believed she
could of herself help us, but with the design that she should offer to God her
all-prevailing prayers for us; hence we say, Pray for us, adding, sinners.
By these words we remind Mary of our misery, and ourselves of our powerlessness
for good, and of our guiltiness in the sight of God, praying her to procure for
us the grace of God to do true penance, to acquire virtues, and to gain true
peace, and that; now, inasmuch as at every moment, and throughout our whole
life, we have so many dangers to meet, so many virtues to gain; and at the hour
of our death, that we may overcome the temptations of the last decisive hour,
and stand complete victors before the throne of the eternal Judge. Amen,
so may it be, is, as it were, to repeat and make stronger the whole prayer.
GOSPEL.
Luke i. 26-38.
At
that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called
Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David, and the virgin s name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her:
Hail, full of grace: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who
having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner
of salutation this should be?
And
the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call His name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father: and
He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be
no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
And
the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore, also the Holy
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy Cousin
Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth
month with her that is called barren: because no word shall be impossible with
God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according
to thy word.
Salutation
to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.
Hail,
Mary, full of grace! I rejoice, and give joy to thee, that thou hast been chosen
the Mother of the Most High, and the queen of heaven and earth. With thee is
the Father Who begot, from all eternity, Him Whom thou didst bring forth as
God-man in time; with thee is the Son, Whom thou didst bear in thy virginal womb;
with thee is the Holy Ghost, overshadowed by Whose power thou didst become the
Mother of the Redeemer of the world. Praised, therefore, be thou, thou blessed
among women; thou daughter of the Most High; thou bride of the Holy Ghost; thou
joy of heaven; thou ornament of the Church of God; thou honor of Christians.
Oh, pray God for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Solemnize
the Day[4]
Therefore, is it that we, the children
of Adam, who have been snatched by Mary's obedience from the power of hell,
solemnize this day of the Annunciation. Well may we say of Mary those words of
Debbora, when she sang her song of victory over the enemies of God's people:
‘The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel, until Debbora arose, a mother
arose in Israel. The Lord chose new wars, and He Himself overthrew the gates of
the enemies.’ Let us also refer to the holy Mother of Jesus these words of
Judith, who by her victory over the enemy was another type of Mary: 'Praise ye
the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in Him. And by me, His
handmaid, He hath fulfilled His mercy, which He promised to the house of
Israel; and He hath killed the enemy of His people by my hand this night. . ..
The almighty Lord hath struck him, and hath delivered him into the hands of a
woman, and hath slain him.'
Excerpted
from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.
Lenten
Calendar[5]
Read: Exactly nine months
before we celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord.
Reflect: In today’s Gospel,
we hear how Mary answered God’s call to bear his only Son. How are you called
to serve the Lord in your daily life? Are you paying attention to what God is
asking of you?
Pray: Add the Angelus to your daily
prayer today.
Act: Say the Hail Mary
before your mealtime prayer today with your family.
Let
us honor and reflect on the Mother of Christ by creating a peaceful garden in
our home (temple) in which to reflect on this.
Mary
Garden[6]
The joy over the appearance of new plants and flowers in
spring prompted man to attribute to them a special power of protection and
healing. People planted special spring flower gardens; they brought branches of
early-blossoming plants, like pussy willows, into their homes; they decorated
themselves and their living rooms with wreaths of flowers and clusters of
blossoms. A striking Christian variation of these nature rites was the medieval
custom of planting "Mary gardens," which were made up of all the
flowers and herbs that are ascribed by love and legend as a special tribute to
the Blessed Virgin. This charming and inspiring tradition has been revived in
many places in Europe and more recently in this country.
Directions
In a typical Mary Garden, the statue of the Madonna
occupies a place of honor, either in the center or in a grotto against the
wall, with, usually, a birdbath or bubbling fountain built in front of it. Some
of the more familiar plants of the many that belong in a typical Mary Garden
are:
·
Columbine and Trefoil are said to
have sprung forth at the touch of Mary's foot, and consequently bear the
popular names Our Lady's shoes or Our Lady's slippers.
·
Marigold (Mary's bud) has bell-shaped
blossoms of vivid yellow. An old legend says, "Her dresses were adorned
with Marigold." This flower was used to decorate her shrines for the Feast
of the Annunciation (March 25) and during the month of May.
·
Lily-of-the-valley (Our Lady's tears).
This delicate flower is still widely used in Germany, there it is called Maiglockchen
(May bells), to decorate the Mary shrines in churches and homes during the
Virgin's month (May).
·
Foxgloves thrive in moist and shaded
places; they blossom in many colors and present a most attractive sight with
their clusters of little bells, which were called Our Lady's thimbles in
medieval times.
·
Snowdrop. This charming flower is the
first herald of spring in Europe. It often blossoms as early as Candlemas
(February 2) between batches of melting snow, hence the name. In Germany it is
called "Snow bell" (Schneeglocklein). Little bouquets of
snowdrops are the first floral tribute of the year at the shrines of the
Madonna on Candlemas. It is a popular emblem of Mary's radiant purity and of
her freedom from any stain of sin.
·
Lily. This stately and dignified flower
has been associated from ancient times with Jesus and Mary, and is called
Madonna lily in many parts of Europe. At Easter its brilliant and fragrant
blossoms symbolize the radiance of the Lord's risen life. Later in the year it
is used to decorate the shrines of Mary, especially on July 2, the Feast of the
Visitation. It also is an old and traditional symbol of innocence, purity, and
virginity.
·
Rosemary produces delicate and fragrant
blossoms of pale blue color in early spring. according to legend, the plant
originally bloomed in white; however, it turned blue (Mary's color) in reward
for the service it offered when Our Lady looked for some bush on which to
spread her Child's tiny garments after having washed them on the way to Egypt.
The bushes do not grow very tall but as they grow older, they spread out and
thicken, forming a dense bush. There is an old superstition that "the
rosemary passeth not commonly the height of Christ when he was on earth."
· Violets are dedicated to Mary as symbols of her humility. They are said to have blossomed forth outside her window when she spoke the words, "Behold, I am a handmaid of the Lord." Leaving her, the angel of God blessed the little flowers in passing, thus endowing them with the tenderest and most beautiful fragrance of all plants.
·
Roses were associated with Mary from
early times. Saint Dominic (1221) is credited with the spreading of the
familiar devotion called the "Rosary (rosarium) of the Blessed
Virgin Mary." The word "rosary" originally meant a rose garden
but was later used in the sense of "rose garland." Three colors are
especially consecrated to Mary: white roses as symbols of her joys, red roses
as emblems of her sufferings, and yellow (golden) roses as heralds of her
glories.
Tolkien Reading Day[7]
Although founded in 2002, the First Tolkien Reading Day wasn’t until March 25th, 2003. This is because a journalist from New York enquired as to whether or not there was such an event for Tolkien in January 2002 and the society liked the idea so much, they adopted it – although they didn’t have time to prepare anything for that year and postponed it. The society chose an important date from the book for the reading day. March 25th is the Downfall of Sauron.
In recent years The
Tolkien Society have provided information packs, bookmarks and posters for
schools taking part in this event. They have also provided free posters for
events held by libraries and the general public taking place near to the event,
rather than on the 25th.
Observances
With the popularity of the
Lord of The Rings film trilogy firmly influencing the popularity of the books,
Tolkien Reading Day was set up with hopes of getting even more people reading
and discovering that there is much more to Tolkien than just The Lord of the
Rings.
Typical events consist of
readings and discussions, but some groups re-enact scenes from the Lord of the
Rings books.
Lord
of the Rings[8]
A
battle against evil alone does not make The Lord of the Rings fundamentally
Christian and Catholic; and yet there are many ways that it is.
Here are some of the ways The
Lord of the Rings is a Christian myth.
1.
Darkness pervades Middle
earth where man, beast and nature are called to an adventure full of peril and
hope. Here is how Elijah Wood explains the film's dominant theme: No matter how
bad things are, no matter how much evil there is in this world, there is always
some good worth fighting for, worth standing up for, and worth some effort in
carrying on.
2.
The One Ring
illustrates how evil can entice and enslave. Beautiful gold rings are enticing
to wear. But when we slip them on our fingers, we announce our devotion and
loyalty to their owner.
3.
Gandalf and Saruman,
while not analogous, have traits, goals, and experiences similar to those of
Jesus and Satan. Gandalf is even tempted in a battle with Saruman not unlike
Christ is tempted by Satan in the wilderness.
4.
Evil is parasitic and
can only destroy that which was created. Everything that (God) created in
Middle-earth (and in our world) is good. It is the perversion and corruption of
what was created that is evil. Good can exist on its own. Evil can only live
off what is good.
5.
Like all Christians,
Frodo is called to risk his life through great peril to save others. Frodo,
like us, does not appear to be up to the task. He does not have any obvious
talent suited for war. But he is chosen, as we are. We are all necessary for
God's grand plan to be fulfilled; and even the most unlikely and disgusting
Gollum-like beast in our life is necessary. And when Frodo asks, "What can
a little hobbit do?" — Isaiah answers, "A little child will lead
them" (11:6).
6.
In the Shire, the
Hobbits come naturally to living a beatific life that Christ calls Christians
to live by. The Hobbits are the meek that inherit the earth, the merciful who
receive mercy, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. (Mt. 5:3-12)
7.
Like all Christians,
Tolkien's characters are called to play roles in a story that is much greater
and more important than they are aware. Just as we are not aware of all that
has happened before us, so Gandalf, at the end of The Hobbit, says to
Bilbo, "You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and
escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? "you are
only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"
8.
There is a longing for
the return of the king. As Christians long for the return of Christ the King,
so the free people of Middle-earth long for their kingdoms to be once more
united in peace and justice under the rightful heir. Did I mention that Aragorn
looks like Christ?
9.
The Fellowship of the
Ring is constituted of different characters with different gifts suited for
battling evil — the diversity keeps them united. This is not unlike the
diversity of spiritual gifts and temporal talents given to the different
members of the Christian community for the unity of the body — so that we might
be dependent on each other.
10. Upon leaving Lorien, each of the Fellowship members are
given custom fitted Elvish hooded cloaks not unlike St. Paul's armor in
Ephesians 6:10-17. Again, Tolkien disliked allegory; so, the cloaks are not
exactly like St. Paul's armor of salvation. But they do have mystical traits of
great aid that keep them safe in their battle with evil.
A Catholic Core The Lord of the Rings is also Catholic.
11. There are sacraments not symbols. For their journey,
Galadriel graciously bestows upon the Fellowship — a representation of the
church — seven mystical gifts: no mere symbols these, but glimmering
reflections of the Church's seven sacraments — the conveying of spiritual grace
through temporal rites. And at her Mirror, Galadriel derides the Reformers'
taunt of Eucharistic magic in the Mass when she says: "For this is
what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly
what they mean; and they seem to use the same words for the deceits of the
enemy."
12. As grace and creation is experienced through a sacrament,
so control and destruction is experienced through an anti-sacrament — the One
Ring. The ring that Frodo bears is not symbolic, but rather operates as an
anti-sacrament. Dependent on a person's spiritual disposition, a sacrament
literally allows grace and life to flow into a person through the physical
realm. Likewise, in Middle-earth, the characters' spiritual disposition makes
them more or less susceptible to the anti-sacrament power of the ring, which if
worn, literally brings evil and destruction upon the bearer.
13. The protagonists pursue absolutes, rejecting any
willingness to compromise or relativize. In Middle earth there is an
absoluteness of what is right and wrong. There is no hint of moral relativism
that separates the different peoples, races, or creators of the freelands.
Aragorn says to Eomer: "Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear;
nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among men."
14. The protagonists embrace suffering as a requirement of
working out their salvation. It isn't enough to simply believe or have faith to
be free of the tyranny of evil each of our protagonists must sacrifice and work
hard through great peril to secure their salvation and the right ordering of
their world.
15. The Shire, described as the ideal community, reflects the social
teachings of Catholicism. The Hobbits benefit from a community structure with
little formal organization and less conflict. They work only enough to survive
and otherwise enjoy each other's company. There is no jealousy, no greed, and
rarely does anyone do anything unexpected. There is a wholeness and
graciousness about it that seems to come naturally out of selflessness.
16. Gandalf, the steward of all things good in the world,
reflects the papacy. Gandalf is leader of the free and faithful. He is steward
of all things good in the world, but he claims rule over no land. As the Popes
of history did with kings and emperors of our world, so Gandalf crowns the king
and blesses him to rule with justice and peace.
17. Middle-earth ideology reflects a corporate moral hierarchy
and not individualism. There is no democracy or republic in Middle-earth. There
are spiritual leaders like Gandalf, and Kings like Theoden and Elessar with
lords and vassals. There is no defense of individualism, no claim of choice,
and no justification for an individual to follow his conscience.
18. There is a mystical Lady, like The Blessed Mother, who
responds miraculously to pleas for help. The Lady is named Varda (or in Elvish,
Elbereth or star-queen) and although she is never seen, she's is
described as holy and queenly; and when her name is invoked — "O Elbereth!
Gilthoniel! — as Frodo and Sam do on occasion, miracles follow that protect the
quest and defeat the present enemy.
19. The sign of the cross. At the end of the first movie (and
the beginning of the second book) Aragorn kneels beside the mortally wounded
Boromir — and as he dies, Aragorn makes a rudimentary sign of the cross
touching first his forehead and then his lips. It is a salute to Avatar, the
One who created all.
20. There is a last sharing of cup and bread, not unlike O.T.
manna and its fulfillment in The Eucharist.Before the Fellowship departs from
Lorien, Galadriel bids each to participate in a farewell ritual and drink from
a common cup. More significant is the mystical Elvish food given to the
fellowship — lembas or waybread. A small amount of this supernatural
nourishment will sustain a traveler for many days.
All of this should make viewing or reading The Lord of the Rings a more
interesting and insightful experience for both Christians and Catholics.
Fitness Friday
Recognizing
that God, the Father created man on Friday the 6th day I propose in
this blog to have an entry that shares on how to recreate and renew yourself in
strength, mind, soul and heart.
German Volume
Training[9]
It's brutally hard, but I've found it to be an effective way to pack on muscle fast! In strength-coaching circles, this method is often called the Ten Sets Method. Supersets and trisets allow you to perform a lot of work in a short period of time. The rest-pause method allows you to use heavier weights, so you can recruit the higher threshold muscle fibers, and eccentric training enables you to overcome strength plateaus. The bottom line is that almost any training method will work—provided you do it with intensity—at least for the few weeks it takes for your body to adapt to it. There is, however, one training system that stands above all the rest. It's brutally hard, but I've found it to be a very effective way to pack on muscle fast! In strength-coaching circles, this method is often called the Ten Sets Method. Because it has its roots in German-speaking countries, I like to call it German Volume Training. To the best of my knowledge, this training system originated in Germany in the mid-'70s and was popularized by Rolf Feser, who was then the National Coach of Weightlifting. A similar protocol was promoted by Vince Gironda in the U.S., but regardless of who actually invented it, it works. In Germany, the Ten Sets Method was used in the off-season to help weightlifters gain lean body mass. It was so efficient that lifters routinely moved up a full weight class within 12 weeks. It was the base program of Canadian weightlifter Jacques Demers, Silver Medallist in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Jacques was known in weightlifting circles for his massive thighs, and he gives credit to the German method for achieving such a spectacular level of hypertrophy. The same method was also used by Bev Francis in her early days of bodybuilding to pack on muscle.
The program works because
it targets a group of motor units, exposing them to an extensive volume of
repeated efforts, specifically, 10 sets of a single exercise. The body adapts
to the extraordinary stress by hypertrophying the targeted fibers. To say this
program adds muscle fast is probably an understatement. Gains of 10 pounds or
more in six weeks are not uncommon, even in experienced lifters!
Goals
& Guidelines
The goal of the German
Volume Training method is to complete ten sets of ten reps with the same weight
for each exercise. You want to begin with a weight you could lift for 20 reps
to failure if you had to. For most people, on most exercises, that would
represent 60% of their 1RM load. Therefore, if you can bench press 300 pounds
for 1 rep, you would use 180 pounds for this exercise.
For lifters new to this
method, I recommend using the following body-part splits:
Body-Part
Splits
·
Day 1: Chest & Back
·
Day 2: Legs & Abs
·
Day 3: Off
·
Day 4: Arms & Shoulders
·
Day 5: Off
When using this program or
any other, you should keep a detailed journal of the exact sets/reps and rest
intervals performed, and only count the repetitions completed in strict form.
Preparing for Battle[10]
Know Your Weapons-fasting
When God’s
people fast, the power of their prayers is increased, especially when they are
engaged in spiritual warfare.
In response to
Daniel’s fasting and prayer, God had sent the Archangel Michael to battle a
demonic power (called “the prince of the kingdom of Persia”)
If prayer is a
spiritual weapon, fasting is the spiritual whetstone on which it is sharpened.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART ONE:
THE PROFESSION OF
FAITH
SECTION
ONE
"I
BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER ONE
MAN'S CAPACITY FOR GOD
IV. How Can We Speak about
God?
39 In defending the ability of
human reason to know God, the Church is expressing her confidence in the
possibility of speaking about him to all men and with all men, and therefore of
dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with
unbelievers and atheists.
40 Since our knowledge of God
is limited, our language about him is equally so. We can name God only by
taking creatures as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited
human ways of knowing and thinking.
41 All creatures bear a certain
resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of
God. the manifold perfections of creatures - their truth, their goodness, their
beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently we can name God
by taking his creatures" perfections as our starting point, "for from
the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of
their Creator".
42 God transcends all
creatures. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in
it that is limited, imagebound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image
of God --"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the
ungraspable"-- with our human representations. Our human words always
fall short of the mystery of God.
43 Admittedly, in speaking
about God like this, our language is using human modes of expression;
nevertheless it really does attain to God himself, though unable to express him
in his infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Creator
and creature no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater
dissimilitude"; and that "concerning God, we cannot grasp what
he is, but only what he is not, and how other beings stand in relation to
him."
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
54 Day Rosary
for Priest’s and Religious Day 33
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 5 day 6
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Get
to Mass as today is a Solemnity
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 6
[1]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-03-25
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[7]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/tolkien-reading-day/
[8]https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/art/20-ways-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-both-christian-and-catholic.html
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