Sunday, September 24, 2023
DAY 41 - MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS, PRAY FOR US
Join us for Rosary Coast to Coast!
In the Battle of Lepanto, the Turks believed Christianity had become so weak, it was time to move in and "deal the last blow." Outnumbered, Pope St. Pius V called upon the world to pray the rosary. Miraculously, victory was won on October 7, 1571, which brought the Feast of Our Lady of Victory.
Here we are again, my brothers and sisters. The enemy appears to be attempting to "deal the last blow." There is no doubt we are living in diabolically influenced times. This, while Godless leaders and influencers in our nation have usurped the phrase, “This is a battle for the soul of America,” as their evil abominations unto God easily become a “new normal” in the lives of our loved ones?! Those who choose to stand in the “Spirit of Truth” are mocked, persecuted, abandoned and put out?! The time is now to do the "Lepanto thing!"
PLEASE join us for Rosary Coast to Coast on the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, October 7, 2023 at 3:00pm CST to pray the Glorious Mysteries as a nation. It simply means to gather with a group of 2 or more outside (if possible) as we call upon the powerful intercession of Our Lady to Heal Our Land!!
Go to RosaryCoasttoCoast.com to find more information and register your group.
Let’s … UNITE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS!!
GOD STRONG
The U.S. Army ran a very effective “Army Strong” advertising campaign to recruit soldiers. The key message was: “There is strong, and then there is Army Strong.” The commercial goes on to say, “It is a strength like none other. It is a physical strength. It is an emotional strength. It is strength of character. It is strength of purpose. The strength to do good today, and the strength to do well tomorrow. The strength to obey, and the strength to command. The strength to build, and the strength to tear down. The strength to get yourself over, and the strength to get over yourself.”
These are warrior assets necessary to overcome the enemy. However, recall that our struggle is not against flesh and blood combatants, but against the much stronger and craftier spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm (Eph 6:11). This means it is not enough for you to possess the power of a warrior. You must discover what it means to be supernaturally empowered by God. You are to become not just Army Strong, but God Strong. You must know what it means to be in a state of grace. St. Ignatius of Loyola said, “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to him and if they were to allow his grace to mold them accordingly.”
Fr. John Hardon wrote: “St. Thomas Aquinas believed that man is more than a composite of body and soul, that his is nothing less than elevated to a supernatural order which participates, as far as a creature can, in the very nature of God. Accordingly, a person in the state of grace, or divine friendship, possesses certain enduring powers, the infused virtues and gifts, that raise him to an orbit of existence as far above nature as heaven is above earth, and that give him abilities of thought and operation that are literally born, not of the will of flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).
Abandon yourself to the Lord and become GOD STRONG!
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary.
In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
The Agony in the Garden – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Scourging at the Pillar – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Crowning with Thorns – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Carrying of the Cross – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Crucifixion – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Say: The Hail Holy Queen.
Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request, see below). Hail Mary …
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request, see below) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc.
PETITION: May our Church and our country find hope as we unite at the foot of the cross. (Please add your own petitions to this powerful novena)
All of the daily Novena Prayers and Reflections are found in this book: 54 Day Basic Training in Holiness
All of the daily Novena Prayers and Reflections are also posted at usgraceforce.com
You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group HERE, to receive the reflections each day.
Spanish language Novena prayers and reflections are available at https://rosarycoasttocoast.
Those who would like to pray with others via The Telephone Rosary, call 1-951-799-9866 daily at 6 pm Eastern.
Enroll in the worldwide Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary! Click here: https://championshrine.
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
YOM KIPPUR at sundown
Tobit, Chapter 14,
Verse 1-2
1
So the words of Tobit’s hymn of
praise came to an end. Tobit died in peace at the age of a hundred and twelve
and was buried with honor in Nineveh. 2 He was fifty-eight years old when
he lost his eyesight, and after he recovered it he lived in prosperity, giving
alms; he continued to FEAR God and
give thanks to the divine Majesty.
May
God in his grace open your eyes to your blessings! Tobit’s song of praise
focuses on giving praise to God who is all powerful and yet has a love for us
that grants us freedom and mercy.
Tobit[1]
- Tobit took the
angel’s words seriously. He prayed out loud and long, proclaiming
God’s great mercy to anyone who would listen. He also prayed for his
countrymen. If God could bring about such healing in Tobit’s life,
what more could he do for the people of Israel!
- Before he
died, he called Tobias (who now had seven sons) and told him to leave
Nineveh and to return to Media. He predicted the destruction of the
temple in Jerusalem as well as its restoration. When the temple
would be rebuilt, people would see and be converted to the one God.
- He made Tobias
promise that he would leave the day his mother was buried.
A
Grateful Heart
Having
and retaining a grateful heart is the key to making right judgments and being a
person of character. John McCain highlights in his book, “Character is Destiny”
the life of the Native American war Chief Tecumseh as an example of a man that
never lost his gratitude in life. Tecumseh was a great Indian leader who lost a
war but taught even his enemies how to live. Everyone knew that the great
Tecumseh, fearless warrior and visionary, steadfast leader, did not tolerate
torture or murder, or suffer intentional harm to be done to innocents. He was a
man of honor. Even his enemies knew that, especially the man who had fought him
the longest, William Henry Harrison. However, as a youth Tecumseh was unnerved
in his first encounter with organized bloodletting and fled the battle. It was
the only time in his life his courage failed him. In a later raid near the end
of the war, the Shawnees attacked the crew of a flatboat on the Ohio River. All
but one of the crew was killed in the encounter. The lone survivor was dragged
ashore and burned at the stake. The atrocity left a deep mark on Tecumseh, who,
though he was too young to intervene in the victim’s behalf, denounced the
murder after it occurred, and swore he would never again remain silent in the
face of such an injustice. He would live and die determined to defend Indian
land from the insatiable appetites of American settlers. In the course of his
crusade, he became the greatest Indian leader of his time. Many would argue,
including Americans who fought him, that he was the greatest war chief of all
time. Raised by his older brother Chiksika, he took special care of his younger
brother Tecumseh. He taught him to hunt and fish, and to learn the fighting
skills of a Shawnee brave. He raised him to revere the memory of their
courageous father, and the virtues he had exemplified as a warrior who
preferred death to dishonor. There
was something in his character that repelled despair, finding in life, with all
its many tragedies, a reason to be thankful for the very fact that he could
remain true to himself. He was the kind of person for whom life was a gift that
could not be diminished by suffering, and it gave him a unique strength, a confidence
that was superior to most people. Tall and sinewy, with an erect bearing, a
superior skill at arms, exuding a sense of command, and possessing a gift for
oratory that earned him admirers even among his enemies, he was renowned as a
capable provider and protector of his clan, whose leadership had an
ever-broadening appeal to neighboring tribes. Tecumseh delivered an address to
his people as he prepared them for the coming struggle that has become famous
not only as a measure of his own character, but as a code of honor that merits
respect and emulation.
So live your life that the fear of
death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect
others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life,
perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life
long and its purpose in the service of your people. Always give a word or a
sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a
lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in
the morning give thanks for the food and the joy of living. If you see no
reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no
thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with
the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a
little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your
death song and die like a hero going home.
On
the day of his final battle never having despaired over the vicissitudes of
life, he would not do so now. He arose in the morning and gave thanks for the
joy of living. At the Battle of the Thames in Ontario on October 5, 1813,
British General Procter and his soldiers fled the field after the first volley
was fired. Tecumseh dispensed with his sword and British officer’s jacket, and
charged, as always, into the thick of the battle. When a musket ball shattered
his right leg, he told his braves to leave him. He kept fighting until a crowd
of American soldiers surrounded him.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
My esteemed Brothers in the
Episcopate
and the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Introduction
4. Until quite recently, it was easier in traditionally
Christian countries to keep Sunday holy because it was an almost universal
practice and because, even in the organization of civil society, Sunday rest
was considered a fixed part of the work schedule. Today, however, even in those
countries which give legal sanction to the festive character of Sunday, changes
in socioeconomic conditions have often led to profound modifications of social
behavior and hence of the character of Sunday. The custom of the "weekend"
has become more widespread, a weekly period of respite, spent perhaps far from
home and often involving participation in cultural, political or sporting
activities which are usually held on free days. This social and cultural
phenomenon is by no means without its positive aspects if, while respecting
true values, it can contribute to people's development and to the advancement
of the life of society as a whole. All of this responds not only to the need
for rest, but also to the need for celebration which is inherent in our
humanity. Unfortunately, when Sunday loses its fundamental meaning and becomes
merely part of a "weekend", it can happen that people stay locked
within a horizon so limited that they can no longer see "the heavens".
Hence, though ready to celebrate, they are really incapable of doing so.
The disciples of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy, and the "weekend", understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation. This will require a genuine spiritual maturity, which will enable Christians to "be what they are", in full accordance with the gift of faith, always ready to give an account of the hope which is in them (cf. 1 Pt 3:15). In this way, they will be led to a deeper understanding of Sunday, with the result that, even in difficult situations, they will be able to live it in complete docility to the Holy Spirit.
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost[3]
This Sunday recognizes the double
love of God and neighbor.
IN
the Introit of the Mass, the justice and mercy of God are praised. Thou are
just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right. Deal with Thy servant according to Thy
mercy. Blessed are the undefiled who walk in the law of the Lord (Ps. cxviii.).
Prayer.
Grant to Thy people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to avoid
the contagion of the devil, and with a pure mind to seek Thee, the only God.
EPISTLE. Eph. iv. 1-6.
Brethren:
I, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in
which you are called, with all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting
one another in charity, careful to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of
peace. One body and one spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is above all,
and through all, and in us all, Who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.
Practice.
The
words, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, confound
those who assert that a man may be saved in any belief. There can be but one
true religion; they who profess it should be united by the bond of
charity, and their lives be worthy of their vocation to the true faith.
GOSPEL. Matt. xxii. 35-46.
At that time
the Pharisees came nigh to Jesus, and one of them, a doctor of the law, asked
Him, tempting Him: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus
said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with
thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind; This is the greatest and the first
commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying: What think
you of Christ? Whose son is He? They say to Him: David’s. He saith to them: How
then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit
on My right hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool? If David then call
Him Lord, how is He his son? And no man was able to answer Him a word: neither
durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.
Why is this
commandment to love God and our neighbor called the great commandment?
Because
in these two are contained all the others, so that he who fulfils these fulfils
the whole law. For whoever loves God with his whole heart does not murmur
against God; does not dishonor His name by cursing and swearing; does not
desecrate the Sabbath-day, because he knows that all this is offensive to God.
On the contrary, he hopes in God; gives thanks and praise to God; sanctifies
the Sundays and holy-days, because he knows this to be pleasing to God;
observes the precepts of the Church, because he knows it to be the will of God
that he should hear the Church; honors his parents; does no injury to his
neighbor; does not commit adultery; does not steal; slanders no one; bears no
false witness; pronounces no unjust judgment; is not envious, malicious,
unmerciful, but rather practices towards every one the corporal and spiritual
works of mercy; and all this because, out of love to God, he loves his neighbor
as himself. Thus, love fulfils all the commandments.
What is the
meaning of the question, “What think you of Christ?”
Christ
put this question to the Pharisees in order that, by their own answer, He might
convince them that He was not merely a lineal son of David, but that He was the
Son of God, begotten from eternity, on which account He called Himself David’s
Lord. That Christ is the Son of God, our Lord, our Teacher, our Lawgiver, our
Redeemer and Savior, we Christians know well, for we daily profess it; but how
many of us, in deeds, deny it, since we do not follow His teaching nor observe
His commandments! What, then, will Christ one day be to such? What but a judge
to condemn, and a God to punish?
Why must we
love our neighbor?
Because
we are all, not merely by descent from Adam, but much more through the grace of
Jesus, children of God and members of one family. As children of God, we bear
in us the likeness of God. But God loved and still loves all men; for the
salvation of all He has given up His only Son, that all may be saved; shall we
then love one and hate another, and yet think to be like God? Through the grace
of Jesus, we are all redeemed, made members of His body, yes, partakers of His
body and blood. Therefore St. Paul admonishes us: “You are all one in Christ”
(Gal. iii. 28), be therefore careful to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace” (Ephes. iv. 3). How natural is it for the members of one body
not to wound each other! Jesus, our Redeemer, gave His life for us when we were
His enemies, and even on the cross prayed for His murderers. We are His
disciples. But can we be allowed to call ourselves so without possessing this
mark of His discipleship? (John xiii. 15.) Thus, everything incites us to love:
the law of nature and of revelation, the example of Christ, all the promises and
hopes that we have. In truth, how, without love, could we hope to enter the
kingdom of love? There can be no answer to this reasoning: “Would you be a
disciple of Jesus, an heir of His kingdom? then love like Him; and He has shed
His blood for His mortal enemies.
Yom
Kippur[4]
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is the last day to atone our sins of the Ten Days of Repentance, which start on the New Year (Rosh Hashanah). This is a fast mentioned in the Bible and the punishment mentioned for not keeping this fast is excommunication. Jews seek to 'purify their souls' on this day, by abstaining from common pleasures. Yom Kippur is celebrated by most all Jewish denominations. It is a fast day from the eve until the next day nightfall (twenty-five hours). No food or drink is permissible. It is a day on which Jews 'afflict the soul', which includes wearing only non-leather shoes, not combing one's hair and no marital relations. For many Orthodox Jews, most of Yom Kippur is spent in prayer in the Synagogue. Five prayer services are held (as opposed to the normal three daily prayers).
Yom Kippur Facts
·
It is customary to eat a festive meal on the Eve
of Yom Kippur with round challah bread, a meat meal and sustaining foods. One
is not allowed to risk one's life and thus anyone in danger of life from
fasting, including the young and sick are not allowed to fast. Yom Kippur is
the only Jewish fast observed on a Sabbath, due to its importance.
·
It is customary to wear white on the holiday,
which symbolizes purity and calls to mind the promise that our sins shall be
made as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). Some people wear a Kittel, the white robe
in which the dead are buried.
·
Yom Kippur Liturgy in Orthodox and most
Traditional communities include Kol Nidre prayer in which Jews
annul all their vows and Avinu Malkeinu, 'Our father our King'.
·
The last of the Orthodox and traditional five
Synagogue services for Yom Kippur is the Neilah service (final 'closing
of the gates'). It is considered particularly heart-rendering and people
often cry during the service. At the end of the service, a Shofar (ram's
horn) is blown and the end of the day is pronounced.
·
Jews ask the Lord to be considered both as a
child and as a servant. They request from God that as a father of a
child, God have mercy as a father does over his child.
Rest[5]
On Yom Kippur, I’ll skip my physical workout for
a spiritual one instead. In fact, Yom Kippur is all about getting beyond our
physical selves, so we can focus solely on doing the difficult, sacred work the
High Holidays demand of us, free from the distractions of our bodies and their
needs. “When we refrain from indulging our physical appetites for a limited
period, in order to devote ourselves for a time more exclusively to demands
that rank higher in our hierarchy of values, we are not denying the physical
appetites their just place in life; we are simply recognizing the need of
putting them in their place.” Although many Jews expect to fast on Yom Kippur,
to help ensure we devote ourselves to a most accurate cheshbon hanefesh
(accounting of the soul), it is customary to refrain from five specific
activities related to our bodies throughout the holiest day of the Jewish year:
1.
Eating and drinking:
The majority of our lives take place in our physical selves, which require
sustenance to function optimally. In an effort to get beyond our corporeal body
on this day, we forego
food and drink. Of course, you should only do what your body can manage in
a healthy way. Those who are sick, pregnant, elderly, or otherwise unable
to fast should not do so or should do so only in a modified way.
2.
Wearing leather: In an
earlier era, leather shoes often were among our most comfortable. If we’re
focused on our personal comfort, we can’t also be fully attentive to our
spiritual selves. For this reason, you may notice clergy or other worshippers
sporting canvas sneakers in lieu of leather shoes on Yom Kippur.
3.
Bathing and shaving:
Because we are engaging with our souls on this day, cleaning and grooming our
bodies can take a backseat on Yom Kippur.
4.
Anointing ourselves with oil,
cream, cologne, perfume, or other balms and salves for physical pleasure
diverts our attention from the spiritual reckoning for which Yom Kippur is
intended. Thus, using lotions and the like also is an activity from which we abstain
on this sacred day.
5.
Sexual relations: For all
the reasons noted above, refraining from sexual relations on Yom Kippur turns
our attention away from our bodies, centering it instead on our actions and
misdeeds of the past year.
By
abstaining from these activities for the day, we set ourselves up to truly
examine our innermost, intimate beings in a most meaningful way, giving
ourselves an opportunity to explore what we can do differently in the coming
year to tip the balance toward good. When the sun sets on the Sabbath of
Sabbaths, we slowly ease back into our physical selves – returned, revived,
refreshed. Mishkan HaNefesh, the new Reform machzor (High
Holiday prayer book), eloquently petitions:
May
this long day of fasting and self-denial
inspire acts of creativity, generosity, and joy.
May we go from strength to strength.
Yes,
throughout the coming year and beyond, may it be our bodies that feed the
hungry, comfort the bereaved, clothe the naked, and bring justice and humanity
to the places they are needed most.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE-THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION
Article 1-THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
VII. The Grace of Baptism
1262 The different effects of
Baptism are signified by the perceptible elements of the sacramental rite.
Immersion in water symbolizes not only death and purification, but also
regeneration and renewal. Thus the two principal effects are purification from
sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit.
For the forgiveness of sins . . .
1263 By Baptism all sins are
forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for
sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their
entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the
consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.
1264 Yet certain temporal
consequences of sin remain in the baptized, such as suffering, illness, death,
and such frailties inherent in life as weaknesses of character, and so on, as
well as an inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence, or
metaphorically, "the tinder for sin" (fomes peccati); since
concupiscence "is left for us to wrestle with, it cannot harm those who do
not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ." Indeed,
"an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the
rules."
"A new creature"
1265 Baptism not only purifies from
all sins, but also makes the neophyte "a new creature," an adopted
son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature," member
of Christ and coheir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.
1266 The Most Holy Trinity gives
the baptized sanctifying grace, the grace of justification:
- enabling them to believe in God, to hope in him, and to love him through the
theological virtues;
- giving them the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit
through the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
- allowing them to grow in goodness through the moral virtues.
Thus the whole organism of the Christian's supernatural life has its roots in
Baptism.
Incorporated into the Church, the
Body of Christ
1267 Baptism makes us members of
the Body of Christ: "Therefore . . . we are members one of another." Baptism
incorporates us into the Church. From the baptismal fonts is born the one
People of God of the New Covenant, which transcends all the natural or human
limits of nations, cultures, races, and sexes: "For by one Spirit we were
all baptized into one body."
1268 The baptized have become
"living stones" to be "built into a spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood." By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ,
in his prophetic and royal mission. They are "a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that [they] may declare the
wonderful deeds of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvelous
light." Baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all
believers.
1269 Having become a member of the
Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died
and rose for us. From now on, he is called to be subject to others, to
serve them in the communion of the Church, and to "obey and submit"
to the Church's leaders, holding them in respect and affection. Just
as Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, the baptized person
also enjoys rights within the Church: to receive the sacraments, to be
nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps
of the Church.
1270 "Reborn as sons of God,
[the baptized] must profess before men the faith they have received from God
through the Church" and participate in the apostolic and missionary
activity of the People of God.
The sacramental bond of the unity
of Christians
1271 Baptism constitutes the
foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet
in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ
and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion
with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are
incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians,
and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic
Church." "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of
unity existing among all who through it are reborn."
An indelible spiritual mark . . .
1272 Incorporated into Christ by
Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the
Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to
Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the
fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.
1273 Incorporated into the Church
by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that
consecrates them for Christian religious worship. The baptismal seal
enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the
holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the
witness of holy lives and practical charity.
1274 The Holy Spirit has marked us
with the seal of the Lord ("Dominicus character") "for the day
of redemption." "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal
life." The faithful Christian who has "kept the seal" until
the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to
depart this life "marked with the sign of faith," with his
baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation
of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.
Sunday Family Dinner
·
Thompson seedless
grapes in sour cream
Daily Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End to
the use of Contraceptives
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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