Sunday, April 16, 2023
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples
were, for FEAR of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said
to them, “Peace be with you.”
Life
begins at the end of our comfort zone. Do you live in fear of failure or are
you locking the doors of your heart to new opportunities? When you let in the
spirit of Christ you open yourself to empowerment.
The Law
of Empowerment[1]
The
job of leadership is to lead with the intent to work yourself out of a job. Imagine what would happen if our politicos
did this! This is what Jesus did. After Christ gave His Peace to the
apostles he breathed on them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and thus
empowered them to live the supernatural life. We in turn by the power of the
successors of the apostles are heirs to this. Christ wants us to be change
agents to bring about the Kingdom. How can we begin? What steps can we take to
mentor and empower others?
1.
Pray
for conviction and vision.
2.
Select
a person or group from your sphere of influence to mentor.
3.
Meet
and discuss expectations and goals.
4.
Cast
a vision to them for spiritual reproduction.
5.
Ask
for commitment.
6.
Determine
what tools or resources you will use together.
7.
Prepare
yourself and set goals for each meeting.
8.
Meet
regularly for a set time.
9.
Discuss
and apply the truths you learn together.
10. Invest yourself in the person, the
process, and the purpose.
11. Help them find a potential person
to mentor.
12. Evaluate and launch them to try the
process themselves.
ON KEEPING
THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
CHAPTER III
DIES ECCLESIAE
The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday
The Eucharistic assembly
32. The Eucharist is not only a
particularly intense expression of the reality of the Church's life, but also
in a sense its "fountain-head". The Eucharist feeds and forms the
Church: "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we
all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor 10:17). Because of this vital
link with the sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord, the mystery of the
Church is savoured, proclaimed, and lived supremely in the Eucharist.
This ecclesial dimension intrinsic to
the Eucharist is realized in every Eucharistic celebration. But it is expressed
most especially on the day when the whole community comes together to
commemorate the Lord's Resurrection. Significantly, the Catechism of the
Catholic Church teaches that "the Sunday celebration of the Lord's Day and
his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life".
[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership Bible.
[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=419
Not coming to the church for all your spiritual needs is like eating street food vs home cooked meals from Mom.
Orthodox Easter[1]
Orthodox Easter commemorates Jesus' resurrection three days after his crucifixion and death. Following his death, he was removed from the cross and hastily buried in a tomb. On Sunday, it was discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty and angels informed onlookers that Jesus had risen. Throughout the next 40 days, Jesus appears to his apostles and disciples before finally ascending to heaven. Orthodox Easter is the highest and holiest of holidays in the Christian Orthodox faith. Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar and must take place after the Jewish Passover. For these reasons, Orthodox Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox and always after Jewish Passover.
Orthodox Easter Facts
· Easter is often called Pascha in the Orthodox tradition. Pascha normally falls either one or five weeks later than the feast as observed by Christians who follow the Gregorian calendar. However, occasionally the two observances coincide, and on occasion they can be four weeks apart.
· Eggs represent new life as well as Jesus' tomb. In some Orthodox church’s eggs are dyed red to symbolize either the blood of Christ or the red cloak Roman soldiers put on Jesus as they tortured him.
· In the Orthodox tradition, the Easter season lasts for 100 days. It begins as a time of preparation, 49 days before the holiday. The proceeding 50 days after Easter is dedicated for strengthening faith in Jesus Christ.
· The final worship service of Pascha is usually held at noon on Sunday. Called the Agape Vespers, the service highlights St. Thomas' encounter with the risen Jesus. Thomas doubted that the resurrection was real until Jesus told him to touch his wounds. Thomas' story is usually read in a number of languages to emphasize the universal nature of Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
Orthodox Easter Top Events and Things to Do
· Stay up late and go to an Orthodox vigil service. Bringing light into the church is a dramatic and joyous occasion.
· Wear some new clothes to church. This is an ancient tradition that goes back to the early church when newly baptized persons were given a white gown to wear on Easter.
· Take an Easter basket to an Orthodox church and have it blessed. Some Eastern Orthodox Church members put together special baskets with particular items that symbolize different aspects of their faith. These items often include bread, wine, salt, cheese, ham, and horseradish.
· Russian Orthodox believers often visit the cemetery on Easter, placing a dyed red egg on each loved one's grave. The eggs are dyed red because of a tradition that says Roman soldiers put on Jesus' red cloak after he was crucified. Consider paying homage to your deceased loved ones on Easter.
Candles[2]
When the people of Israel offered worship, in the Old Testament they did son amid the flicker of many lights. So important were these lights that the main one, the temple menorah became the most recognizable symbol of Judaism. The Christian church is a temple and as such lights play an important part in worship. In fact, lamps and candles are a symbol of the person of Christ. “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12) At the church’s greatest celebration on the Easter Vigil the priest holds the paschal candle aloft and proclaims, “Christ our light!” three times. The lamp is a symbol of Christ, God’s presence among us. The lighting of votive candles is the “offering” of the faithful.
The Use of Candles in the Orthodox Church[3]
Question: Why do we light candles in the Orthodox Church?
Answer: There are typically two types of candles that Orthodox are familiar with. First there are the genuine pure beeswax candles made from the combs of hives. Secondly, there are the paraffin wax candles made from petroleum. When the Fathers of the Church speak of the Orthodox use of candles, they are referring to the pure beeswax candles and not the latter. Paraffin wax produces carcinogens and soot when burned. In fact, one air quality researcher stated that the soot from a paraffin candle contains many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel. With this information in mind, we can better understand the six symbolic representations of lit candles handed down to us by Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki:
· As the candle is pure (pure beeswax), so also should our hearts be pure.
· As the pure candle is supple (as opposed to the paraffin), so also should our souls be supple until we make it straight and firm in the gospel.
· As the pure candle is derived from the pollen of a flower and has a sweet scent, so also should our souls have the sweet aroma of Divine Grace.
· As the candle, when it burns, mixes with and feeds the flame, so also, we can struggle to achieve theosis (union with God).
· As the burning candle illuminates the darkness, so must the light of Christ within us shine before men that God's name be glorified.
· As the candle gives its own light to illuminate a person in the darkness, so also must the light of the virtues, the light of love and peace, characterize a Christian. The wax that melts symbolizes the flame of our love for our fellow men.
Besides the six symbolic representations above, Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite gives us six different reasons why Orthodox light candles:
1. To glorify God, who is Light, as we chant in the Doxology: "Glory to God who has shown forth the light..."
2. To dissolve the darkness of the night and to banish away the fear which is brought on by the darkness.
3. To manifest the inner joy of our soul.
4. To bestow honor to the saints of our Faith, imitating the early Christians of the first centuries who lit candles at the tombs of the martyrs.
5. To symbolize our good works, as the Lord said: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens." The priest also gave us this charge following our baptism.
6. To have our own sins forgiven and burned away, as well as the sins of those for whom we pray.
For all these reasons cited by our Holy Fathers, let us often light our candles and make sure as much as possible that they be pure candles. We should abstain from all corruption and uncleanness, so that all of the above symbolism is made real in our Christian lives. At one point during the Presanctified Divine Liturgy the liturgist holds a lit candle, and facing the people he proclaims: "The light of Christ shines on all". Christ is "the true light who enlightens and sanctifies all men". Are we worthy recipients of this light? The saints themselves constantly sought after this light. Let us then also imitate the saints and like Saint Gregory Palamas continuously supplicate the Lord in the following words: "Enlighten my darkness".
Question: Is there any other reason why we light our candle in church?
Answer: Besides the higher spiritual reasons mentioned above for why we light candles, there is another simpler and practical reason: to make a financial offering to the church. When we go to light our candle, we should also give an offering for the various services and expenses of the church. The church gives us the candle as a blessing for our offering and allows us to ignite the flame of the symbolisms mentioned above.
Question: Should we light candles outside the church as well?
Answer: It is good and laudable to light candles at home when we pray, when the priest visits for a house blessing with Holy Water or Holy Unction, and even light a candle when we visit the grave of a loved one.
Question: Is there any other purpose to the candle?
Answer: When we light a candle in the church, we are making an offering to the church or to a particular icon to beautify it and show through physical light the symbolization of the uncreated light of God's house or the saint depicted in the icon. It is also customary for the faithful to offer pure beeswax candles at the Consecration of a new church.
[1]http://www.wincalendar.com/Christian-Orthodox-Easter
[2] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 24. Candles.
Second Sunday
after Easter
SAINT BERNADETTE
Deuteronomy, Chapter
1, Verse 19
Then we set out from Horeb and
journeyed through that whole vast and FEARFUL
wilderness that you have seen, in the direction of the hill country of the
Amorites, as the LORD, our God, had commanded; and we came to Kadesh-barnea.
|
Chapel of Holy Cross |
In the desert we can search for God; avoid of our
distractions and find Him. In the desert we can write out our sins and confess
them to God. In the desert we can shed our old lives like the snake sheds its
skin and find a new perspective for life. It is during this time alone with; He
that IS; we make a spiritual change of clothes. In the desert we can make an
all-night vigil and with the coming of the new day we can proclaim as in the
Negro spiritual: When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O
Lord, have mercy on me. For it is in the desert that we can quit deluding
ourselves and be doers of the word and not hearers only. For it is in the
desert with can find the strength to keep ourselves unstained by the world and
find that pure and undefiled religion is to care for others in their
afflictions.
Chapel of the Holy Cross[2]
The chapel was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, who had been inspired in 1932 by the newly constructed Empire State Building to build such a church. After an attempt to do so in Budapest, Hungary (with the help of Lloyd Wright, son of noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright) was aborted due to the outbreak of World War II, she decided to build the church in her native region. The chapel is built on Coconino National Forest land; the late Senator Barry Goldwater assisted Staude in obtaining a special-use permit. The construction supervisor was Fred Courkos, who built the chapel in 18 months at a cost of US$300,000. The chapel was completed in 1956. The American Institute of Architects gave the Chapel its Award of Honor in 1957. In the sculptor's words, “Though Catholic in faith, as a work of art the Chapel has a universal appeal. Its doors will ever be open to one and all, regardless of creed, that God may come to life in the souls of all men (and women) and be a living reality.” In 2007, Arizonans voted the Chapel to be one of the Seven Man-Made Wonders of Arizona, and it is also the site of one of the so-called Sedona vortices (New Age Pagan stuff).
Today
go on a hike pray for those afflicted with the Spirit of the world and for our
Priests and religious. Below is the link for my hiking meditation: feel free to
use it to go out to a deserted place to pray for those you care about.
Second Sunday after Easter[3]
Called Dominica in Albis, or Low Sunday.
WHY is this Sunday called Dominica in Albis, (White Sunday)? Because,
in the earlier times, those who had been baptized on Holy Saturday on this day
laid aside the white garments which they had then received, and put on their
necks an, “Agnus Dei” made of white wax, and blessed by the Pope, to remind
them continually that they were bound to preserve that innocence unstained. The
Church therefore sings, at the Introit of the Mass, as new-born babes,
alleluia, desire the rational milk without guile, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
(1 Pet. ii. 2). Rejoice to God our helper; sing aloud to the God of Jacob. Ps.
Ixxx. 1).
Prayer. Grant,
we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have performed the paschal
solemnities, may, by Thy grace, preserve them in our life and conduct.
EPISTLE,
i. John v. 4-10.
Dearly Beloved: Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who
is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God?
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus
Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which
testifieth, that Christ is the truth. And there are three Who give testimony in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And
there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and
the blood, and these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the
testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is
greater, because He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth in the Son of
God, hath the testimony of God in himself.
Explanation.
By loving faith in Jesus as the Son of God, we can surely overcome the
world, because that faith shows us in God, our Father; in the world to come,
our true country; in Jesus, our example; teaching us to love God above all
things, to disregard the world, and worldly goods, and to strive for the
eternal. That Jesus is the Son of God, St. John shows:
1. By the threefold testimony on earth, of the water
at the baptism in Jordan, of the blood at the death on the cross, of the spirit
in the miraculous effects wrought in those that believed.
2. By the threefold testimony from heaven of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Aspiration.
O Jesus, I believe in Thee, as the Son of the living God! Grant that
through this faith I may victoriously combat the flesh, the world, the devil,
and every inclination to evil, and obtain everlasting life.
GOSPEL.
John xx. 19-31.
At
that time: When it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors
were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when
He had said this, He showed them His hands, and His side. The disciples therefore
were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: Peace be to
you. As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you. When He had said this, He
breathed on them; and He said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins
you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain,
they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was
not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: We
have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my
hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His
disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. Then He saith to
Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands; and bring hither thy hand,
and put it into My side: and be not faithless but believing. Thomas answered,
and said to Him: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen
Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and have
believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of His disciples, which
are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in
His name.
Why does
Jesus so often say, Peace be to you?
To signify that He had
restored peace between God and man; to show how men might know His disciples;
and how necessary to salvation the preservation of peace is.
Why did
God permit Thomas to disbelieve the appearance of Christ to the other
disciples?
That we might thereby be
strengthened in faith, for as Christ took away all doubt from Thomas, by
appearing again, the resurrection of Christ by that means becomes, as St.
Gregory says, so much the more credible and certain.
What is
it to believe in God?
To receive as immovably
certain what God has revealed to us, although we cannot understand it.
What must
we, therefore, believe?
All that God has revealed.
Why must
we believe all this?
Because God, the infallible
truth, has revealed it. This belief is as necessary to salvation as it is
reasonable in itself.
How can
we certainly know what God has or has not revealed, and which this one true
faith is?
Through His Church, which is
guided by the Holy Ghost to all truth, and in which Jesus Christ dwells till
the end of time.
How can
we know the Church of Christ?
By this, that, like the truth,
she is one, holy, apostolic, and catholic.
Which is
this true Church of Christ?
The Roman Catholic, since
she alone possesses the abovementioned marks of the true Church. She alone has
preserved unity in faith and in the holy sacraments, and is subordinate to one
visible head, the Pope. She alone can trace her derivation from the apostles to
the present day, and can demonstrate this origin as well by her doctrine, as by
the succession of her popes and bishops. She alone has all the means of
salvation, and she alone has produced saints. Finally, she alone embraces all
ages, and shines, as St. Augustine says, from one end of the world to the
other, in the splendor of one and the same faith, inviting all to her bosom, to
bring them to Jesus.
What answer
should a Catholic make to objections against the Mass, purgatory, and such like?
He should say, I believe
these and the like matters of faith, because God, Who is Truth, has revealed
them: I believe that He has thus revealed them, because the Roman Catholic
Church, which teaches them to me, has all the marks of the true Church of
Christ, guided by God, and cannot therefore deceive me.
Is it sufficient for salvation to have the true faith, and to belong to
the true Church?
No; we
must live according to that faith, that is, we must observe what it commands,
avoid what it forbids, and often, particularly in temptation, make an act of
faith.
Divine
Mercy Sunday[4]
Reflect what it took to
make Christ the gentle shepherd of our souls: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
Come to the Feast of Divine Mercy! Calling all Catholics, come to the
Feast of Mercy on the Sunday after Easter. Did you know that the Lord said that
this feast would one day be the “last hope of salvation”? Have you considered
what would happen to you if you suddenly died in the state of mortal sin? Did
you know that in the 1930’s Our Lord Jesus, Himself requested through St.
Faustina that a very special Feast of Divine Mercy be established in His Church
and solemnly celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter every year?
In
the Jubilee Year 2000, after many years of study, Saint Pope John Paul II
fulfilled the will of Christ by establishing this special Feast of Divine Mercy
in the Catholic Church and gave it the name of Divine Mercy Sunday! By God’s
Providence, Saint John Paul II died on this feast in 2005. What is so special
about this new Feast of Divine Mercy you might be asking yourself?
It
is the promise of the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment for any soul
that would go to Confession and then receive Jesus in Holy Communion on that
very special Feast of Divine Mercy! Why would Jesus offer us something so great
at this time?
Jesus
told St. Faustina that she was to prepare the world for His Second Coming and
that He would be pouring out His Mercy in very great abundance before He comes
again as the Just Judge and as the very last hope of salvation. If you have
been away from the practice of your Catholic faith, and if you would like to
come back into the, one, true Catholic Church, then this is the most perfect
opportunity for you, if you are prepared to repent and turn from sin. Many
former fallen-away Catholics have taken advantage of this great Feast of Mercy
to get a brand-new start in life and to be totally prepared to stand before the
Lord.
If you have been away from the
Catholic faith and
if you have any questions about coming back home, then come in and talk to a
priest at any Catholic Church. The beauty of the Catholic Church is that its
teachings and practices are the same at all the parishes. You may have
concerns, such as: marriage outside of the Church; un-confessed abortions; or
other issues that could be preventing you from receiving Holy Communion or you
may have questions about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Don’t remain in
doubt. Call your local parish office to find out the necessary steps to come
back to the Catholic faith. Don’t consider yourself as without hope. Our Lord
Jesus wants to pardon completely even the worst sinners possible. Remember,
Jesus has come for sinners, not the righteous. Jesus said that even if our sins
were as numerous as the grains of sand, they would be lost in His Ocean of
Mercy. If you are truly repentant of your sins and are well prepared to confess
your sins in the Sacrament of Confession, you’ll experience a tremendous peace.
You’ll experience a great weight lifted from you and get a brand-new start in
life! Once you have confessed your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation,
then you must continue to practice your faith as a good Catholic. This involves
attending Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation, supporting your
local parish, and confessing your serious sins at least once a year. In
Confession, you must be truly sorry for your sins and you must intend to
continue to practice your faith.
Jesus is in the
Confessional
One
of the most reassuring things Our Lord Jesus revealed to us through Saint
Faustina includes the several times when He indicated to her that He is really
there in the Confessional when we are making our individual Confessions to the
priests. Jesus said that every time we enter the Confessional, that He Himself
is there waiting for us, and that He is only hidden by the priest. Jesus said
never to analyze what sort of a priest that He is making use of, but for us to
reveal our souls to Him and that He will fill us with His peace and light. Some
have wondered why Jesus would want us to confess our sins to a priest, but the
answer is in the very first instruction that Jesus gave to His Apostles
directly after His Resurrection from the dead. On the evening of the
Resurrection, Jesus walked through the door of the Upper Room where the
Apostles were hiding and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit, what sins you
forgive are forgiven them, what sins you retain are retained”. This was the
start of Confessions. For sure, that command was not only for the Apostles to
be able to forgive sins, and then to be forgotten, but for that power to be
passed on to all the ordained priests of today in the Catholic Church. Jesus
said that the greater the sinner, the greater the right they have to His mercy!
Don’t continue to carry your sins, Jesus forgives!
To properly celebrate the Feast of
Divine Mercy and
to receive the forgiveness of all sins and punishment, you must go to
Confession to a Catholic priest within 20 days before or after Divine Mercy
Sunday. Or if you are in the state of very serious or mortal sin, you must
always confess them before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, or you will also
commit a sacrilege, which is also a very serious sin. If you haven’t been going
to Sunday Mass without any good reason, you may be in a state of serious sin
and you must confess before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. For more
information about the Feast of Divine Mercy and a Confession Guide, go to: http://www.DivineMercySunday.com or call 772-873-4581.
Jesus to Sr. Faustina[5]
On
one occasion, I heard these words: "My daughter, tell the whole world
about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and
shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very
depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon
those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to
Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins
and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow
are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as
scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be
able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come
forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation
to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of
Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be
solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have
peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.
"From all My wounds,
like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the
fountain of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces for souls.
The flames of compassion burn Me. I desire greatly to pour them out upon souls.
Speak to the whole world about My mercy."
Excerpted
from Diary of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska.
Things to
Do:
- Read
the Apostolic
Penitentiary Decree on the Indulgences attached to devotions in honor of
Divine Mercy
- Read
Dives
in misericordia, the encyclical Letter of John Paul II on Mercy.
STOP
and PRAY[6]
At
3:00 o'clock we can pray:
In His Revelations to
Blessed Faustina, Jesus asked for special, daily remembrance at three o'clock,
the very hour He died for us on the cross:
DIRECTIONS
"At three o'clock,
implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and if only for a brief moment,
immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of
agony: This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to
enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul
that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion." (Diary, 1320).
At
3:00 o'clock we can pray:
You
expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of
mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine
Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary, 1319).
O
Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of
mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary, 84
St. Bernadette[7]
Marie Bernarde ('Bernadette') Soubirous was the eldest child of an impoverished miller. At the age of fourteen she was ailing and undersized, sensitive and of pleasant disposition but accounted backward and slow. Between 11 February and 16 July 1858, in a shallow cave on the bank of the river Gave, she had a series of remarkable experiences. On eighteen occasions she saw a very young and beautiful lady, who made various requests and communications to her, pointing out a forgotten spring of water and enjoining prayer and penitence. The lady eventually identified herself as the Virgin Mary, under the title of 'the Immaculate Conception'. Some of these happenings took place in the presence of many people, but no one besides Bernadette claimed to see or hear 'the Lady', and there was no disorder or emotional extravagance. After the appearances ceased, however, there was an epidemic of false visionaries and morbid religiosity in the district, which increased the reserved attitude of the church authorities towards Bernadette's experiences. For some years she suffered greatly from the suspicious disbelief of some and the tactless enthusiasm and insensitive attentions of others; these trials she bore with impressive patience and dignity. In 1866 she was admitted to the convent of the Sisters of Charity at Nevers. Here she was more sheltered from trying publicity, but not from the 'stuffiness' of the convent superiors nor from the tightening grip of asthma. 'I am getting on with my job,' she would say. 'What is that?' someone asked. 'Being ill,' was the reply. Thus, she lived out her self-effacing life, dying at the age of thirty-five. The events of 1858 resulted in Lourdes becoming one of the greatest pilgrim shrines in the history of Christendom. But St Bernadette took no part in these developments; nor was it for her visions that she was canonized, but for the humble simplicity and religious trustingness that characterized her whole life.
Patron: Bodily ills; illness; Lourdes,
France; people ridiculed for their piety; poverty; shepherdesses; shepherds;
sick people; sickness
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION ONE-PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER THREE-THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Article 2-THE BATTLE OF PRAYER
III.
Filial Trust
2734 Filial trust is tested - it proves itself - in
tribulation. The principal difficulty concerns the prayer of petition, for
oneself or for others in intercession. Some even stop praying because they
think their petition is not heard. Here two questions should be asked: Why do
we think our petition has not been heard? How is our prayer heard, how is it
"efficacious"?
Why do we complain of not being heard?
2735 In the first place, we ought to be astonished by this
fact: when we praise God or give him thanks for his benefits in general, we are
not particularly concerned whether or not our prayer is acceptable to him. On
the other hand, we demand to see the results of our petitions. What is the
image of God that motivates our prayer: an instrument to be used? or the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ?
2736 Are we convinced that "we do not know how to pray as
we ought"? Are we asking God for "what is good for us"? Our
Father knows what we need before we ask him, but he awaits our petition
because the dignity of his children lies in their freedom. We must pray, then,
with his Spirit of freedom, to be able truly to know what he wants.
2737 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly,
to spend it on your passions." If we ask with a divided heart, we are
"adulterers"; God cannot answer us, for he desires our well-being,
our life. "Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the scripture says,
'He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us?'" That
our God is "jealous" for us is the sign of how true his love is. If
we enter into the desire of his Spirit, we shall be heard.
Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from
God what you ask him; for he desires to do something even greater for you,
while you cling to him in prayer.
God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer,
that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give.
How is our
prayer efficacious?
2738 The revelation of prayer in the economy of salvation
teaches us that faith rests on God's action in history. Our filial trust is
enkindled by his supreme act: the Passion and Resurrection of his Son.
Christian prayer is cooperation with his providence, his plan of love for men.
2739 For St. Paul, this trust is bold, founded on the prayer of
the Spirit in us and on the faithful love of the Father who has given us his
only Son. Transformation of the praying heart is the first response to our
petition.
2740 The prayer of Jesus makes Christian prayer an efficacious
petition. He is its model, he prays in us and with us. Since the heart of the
Son seeks only what pleases the Father, how could the prayer of the children of
adoption be centered on the gifts rather than the Giver?
2741 Jesus also prays for us - in our place and on our behalf.
All our petitions were gathered up, once for all, in his cry on the Cross and,
in his Resurrection, heard by the Father. This is why he never ceases to
intercede for us with the Father. If our prayer is resolutely united with
that of Jesus, in trust and boldness as children, we obtain all that we ask in
his name, even more than any particular thing: the Holy Spirit himself, who
contains all gifts.
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The
Lord’s Prayer[8]
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom
come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
'The
Lord's Prayer 'is truly the summary of the whole gospel.' 'Since the Lord...
after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will
receive, ' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his
circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said
first, as the foundation of further desires.'
-
Tertullian, De orat.
from the
Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: For the
Poor and Suffering
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 29
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