Streets Of Gold

Our Lady of Lourdes

2012-02-11T10:27:00.000+03:00

The lady spoke to me

I had gone down one day with two other girls to the bank of the river Gave when suddenly I heard a kind of rustling sound. I turned my head toward the field by the side of the river but the trees seemed quite still and the noise was evidently not from them. Then I looked up and caught sight of the cave where I saw a lady wearing a lovely white dress with a bright belt. On top of each of her feet was a pale yellow rose, the same colour as her rosary beads.

At this I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things, and I put my hands into the fold of my dress where my rosary was. I wanted to make the sign of the cross but for the life of me I couldn’t manage it and my hand just fell down. Then the lady made the sign of the cross herself and at the second attempt I managed to do the same, though my hands were trembling. Then I began to say the rosary while the lady let her beads slip through her fingers, without moving her lips. When I stopped saying the Hail Mary, she immediately vanished.

I asked my two companions if they had noticed anything, but they said no. Of course they wanted to know what I was doing and I told them that I had seen a lady wearing a nice white dress, though I didn’t know who she was. I told them not to say anything about it, and they said I was silly to have anything to do with it. I said they were wrong and I came back next Sunday, feeling myself drawn to the place....

The third time I went the lady spoke to me and asked me to come every day for fifteen days. I said I would and then she said that she wanted me to tell the priests to build a chapel there. She also told me to drink from the stream. I went to the Gave, the only stream I could see. Then she made me realise she was not speaking of the Gave and she indicated a little trickle of water close by. When I got to it I could only find a few drops, mostly mud. I cupped my hands to catch some liquid without success and then I started to scrape the ground. I managed to find a few drops of water but only at the fourth attempt was there a sufficient amount for any kind of drink. The lady then vanished and I went back home.

I went back each day for two weeks and each time, except one Monday and one Friday, the lady appeared and told me to look for a stream and wash in it and to see that the priests build a chapel there. I must also pray, she said, for the conversion of sinners. I asked her many times what she meant by that, but she only smiled. Finally with outstretched arms and eyes looking up to heaven she told me she was the Immaculate Conception.

During the two weeks she told me three secrets but I was not to speak about them to anyone and so far I have not.

~From a letter by Saint Marie Bernadette Soubirous

Is it any wonder

2012-02-10T19:49:00.000+03:00

Is it any wonder
That the world is filled with pain,
When man sets aside its beauty,
For his own material gain?

Is it any wonder
That lovers' hearts grow dim,
When they do not hold in honour,
The love that's found within?

Is it any wonder
That the homeless often fail,
When they're forced out of house and home
To seek another trail?

Is it any wonder
That nature falls to ruin and rubble,
Because we drain it thoughtlessly,
Allowing it to crumble?

Is it any wonder
That children go astray,
Because we did not take the time,
To show them the proper way?

Is it any wonder
That evil's strong and bold,
When we can't see any goodness,
And we let our hearts grow cold?

Is it any wonder
Racism thrives, my friend,
When we cannot see the person,
Just the colour of his skin?

Is it any wonder
That friendships die and fade,
When we forget the reasons,
Why they first were made?

Is it any wonder
Our world has been polluted,
When we allow our industries,
To strip it and permute it?

Is it any wonder
There's so much grief and sorrow,
That we don't even seem to care,
What will take place tomorrow?

Is it any wonder
We see no value in our brothers,
And we hold ourselves too far above,
The many needs of others?

Is it any wonder
Our world is like it is,
When all we do is grumble,
And no action do we give?

Is it any wonder
We wait in fear of Judgement Day,
When we do the things we do,
Then forget the way to pray?

"Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!" (Mark 7:34)

2012-02-10T18:20:00.001+03:00

"He has done all things well." (Mark 7:37)

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a healing as dramatic as the one Mark described here? It would be amazing to see the look on a deaf woman’s face as she hears her first words or to see a blind man gaze in awe and wonder as his eyes are opened. It's too easy to confine God's mighty acts to extraordinary events long gone. He acts just as powerfully every day—and in lives just like ours!

Some of us have speech impediments that hinder how, and how often, and to whom we talk about God. Thought and speech freeze up when opportunities arise, and we say nothing, only to endure our own reproaches later: "I should have said.. Why didn't I tell them..." Somehow, the words just never make it into sound, and we feel powerless.

Some of us have deaf ears or blind eyes that keep us from hearing the good news or seeing the kingdom of God around us. All we can see are the mundane realities of life. Nothing exciting ever happens, and we see no sign of the kingdom among us. And hearing the good news is reserved for Sunday mornings.

Some of us walk with a pronounced limp, habits of sin that we continually struggle against: anger, gossip, jealousy, judgment, lust, and the like. We resist and strive and repent, only to fall again. In our hearts, we long to soar like eagles, but all we seem able to do is trudge along on the ground.

Sometimes we just don't look at ourselves and think: "God has done all things well, including me, with my own strengths, talents, and temperament." But no matter how unlikely it seems, it is still undeniably true: God has done all things well. He did a good job of creating you. He has a good plan for your life. He even has a really good future in store for you in heaven!

Look at yourself in the mirror today and declare it: "God has done all things well—including me!" And if you immediately begin to think of arguments to counter that truth, recall today’s Gospel.

"Jesus, you know my life better than I know it myself. Touch my heart today and heal me."

Liebster Blog Award

2012-02-10T00:24:00.005+03:00

Many thanks to Richard owner and blogger of LINEN ON THE HEDGEROW for nominating this blog-Streets Of Gold for the ‘Liebester Blog Award’ I am honoured and humbled by your kind gesture.

Evidently the Liebster Blog Award originated in Germany. Liebster is the German word for dearest or beloved, and Liebe means love. The award is to encourage readership of small, lovable blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

The rules are simple as all awards demand, paying it forward, I now have you nominate five lovable blogs. So here we go;

1. Traditional Latin Mass In Maryland - Why? The owner of the blog is a professor who painstakingly links up thought provoking articles, reflections, the Mass Propers, and the Latin Mass links from bloggers around the world. He does it at the 'Break of Day' 'Afternoon' and 'Evening.' I really appreciate his work and thank him for featuring Streets Of Gold in the Must Read listings.

2. Perpetual Learner - Why? This blog is actually a personal favourite of mine. It contains the Musings of Fr. Matthew Green. This blog is filled with his sermons, podcast, his artistic origami and the best of all his photography.

3. Musings - Why? Simply because I love Salesian blogs, I really do!! Okay, more about this blog, it's run by Fr. Ivo Coelho an Indian SDB who is right now based in Israel. He blogs about his travels, life in Israel, the flowers in his garden, philosophy of life, his reviews on books, and lots more.

4. Ranting on the bay - Why? As the name suggest the blogger does rant, but it's pleasant reading. Go check out the blog!

5. Life and God - Why? It's just 'lovable,' and the blog is true to it's name.

Those were my famous five nominees. Now go forth and pay it forward.

P.S.- Richard, I am sorry I was unable to post the "thank you" comment on your blog as well as mine. So would like to say thanks again for the award and the sweet words you've used to describe this blog.

Ever since blogger started redirecting blogs to local servers for certain countries, I've been facing the post comment issue, (which cannot be resolved according to the blogger team). Can't seem to post comments on any blogger sites, I hope you understand! Thanks and God Bless

Emergency Helplines To Heaven

2012-02-09T17:12:00.004+03:00

When in sorrow, …………………………………………………… call John 14.

When men fail you, ……………………………………………….. call Psalm 27.

If you want to be fruitful, ………………………………………… call John 15.

When you have sinned, ………………………………………….. call Psalm 51.

When you worry, …………………………………………… call Matthew 6:19-34.

When you are in danger, ………………………………………… call Psalm 91.

When God seems far away, ……………………………………. call Psalm 139.

When your faith needs stirring, ………………………………… call Hebrews 11.

When you are lonely and fearful, ……………………………… call Psalm 23.

When you grow bitter and critical, ……………………………. call I Corinthians 13.

For Paul’s secret to happiness, …………………………………. call Colossians 3:12-17.

For understanding of Christianity, …………………………….. call II Corinthians 5:15-19.

When you feel down and out, ………………………………….. call Romans 8:31.

When you want peace and rest, ……………………………….. call Matthew 11:25-30.

When the world seems bigger than God, ……………………. call Psalm 90.

When you want Christian assurance, …………………………. call Romans 8:1-30.

When you leave home for labor or travel, …………………… call Psalm 121.

When your prayers grow narrow or selfish,………………… call Psalm 67.

For a great invention/opportunity, ……………………………… call Isaiah 55.

When you want courage for a task, …………………………… call Joshua 1.

For how to get along with fellow men, ……………………….. call Romans 12.

When you think of investments and returns, ……………….. call Mark 10.

If you are depressed, …………………………………………….. call Psalm 27.

If your pocketbook is empty, …………………………………… call Psalm 37.

If you are losing confidence in people, ……………………….. call I Corinthians 13.

If people seem unkind, ……………………………………………. call John 15.

If discouraged about your work, ………………………………. call Psalm 126.

If you find the world growing small and yourself great, …. call Psalm 19.

Alternate numbers:

For dealing with fear, …………………………………………….. call Psalm 34:7.

For security, ………………………………………………………… call Psalm 121:3.

For assurance, ……………………………………………………… call Mark 8:35.

For reassurance, ……………………………………………………. call Psalm 145:18.

Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary.

All lines to Heaven are open 24 hours a day!

Feed your faith, and doubt will starve to death!

For saying this, you may go home happy (Mark 7:29)

2012-02-09T13:33:00.000+03:00

The demon has gone out of your daughter.” (Mark 7:29)

What a relief! Finally, after all her begging and pleading, this woman prevailed upon Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. She knew that according to social and ethnic conventions, she, a Gentile, had no business going to Jesus, a Jew, with her request. But her sense of desperation overpowered these concerns. Here was the one man who could heal her daughter.

We might think that this woman should be commended for her faith. And to a degree, we would be right. It took great confidence in Jesus for her to plead her case before the Lord. But faith is only part of the story. This woman could have believed all she wanted, but it would have gotten her nowhere if she didn’t push back against Jesus’ seeming reluctance. She needed determination as well. And she clearly had more than enough of that!

This story shows us that living in faith is not just a matter of resting peacefully in God’s loving arms. It’s not just a matter of trusting that everything will turn out all right. No, there are times when faith means having the determination to fight through obstacles until we see the outcome we believe God wants to give us. There are times when we need to couple faith with sheer willpower.

It doesn’t show a lack of faith, for instance, if we ask the Lord to give us a job, and then spend most of our day checking the want ads and going on interviews. Neither does it show spiritual weakness if we ask God to heal a relationship, and then take the first step toward reconciliation with an estranged friend. If anything, God applauds these efforts, because it shows that we are putting our faith into action. It shows that we are expecting that he will not leave us high and dry when we step out on our own.

We all have areas in our lives where we will need to take the first step, and the second and third step, before we will see God work. Let’s take those steps, firm in our faith and trusting in God’s provision.

“Jesus, help me to take those first steps in faith, confident that you will carry me the rest of the way.”

Cry of Jesus from the Cross

2012-02-08T17:53:00.001+03:00

Today I want to reflect with you on the cry of Jesus from the Cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

In our relationship with the Lord, in front of the most difficult and painful situations, when it seems that God does not listen, we need not fear to entrust to Him all the weight we carry in our hearts, we must not be afraid to cry out to Him in our suffering.

Jesus prays at the time of ultimate rejection by men, at the time of abandonment; he prays, however, aware of the presence of God the Father in this hour in which he feels the human drama of death. But we wonder: how could a God so powerful not intervene to save his Son from this terrible ordeal? It is important to understand that the prayer of Jesus is not the cry of one who goes to meet death with despair, nor is it the cry of one who knows himself to be abandoned. Jesus then makes his Psalm 22, the Psalm of the people of Israel that suffers, and in this way not only takes upon Himself the punishment of his people, but also that of all men who suffer from the oppression of evil and at the same time, brings all of this to the heart of God himself in the certainty that his cry will be heard in the resurrection.

This prayer of Jesus encloses the utmost confidence and abandonment in God's hands, even when He seems absent, even when He seems to remain silent, according to a design that is incomprehensible to us. His is a suffering in communion with us and for us, that comes from love and already carries within redemption, the victory of love.

Dear friends, in prayer we bring our daily crosses to God, in the certainty that He is present and hears us. The cry of Jesus reminds us that in prayer we must overcome the barriers of our "self" and our problems and open ourselves to the needs and suffering of others. The prayer of the dying Jesus on the Cross teaches us to pray with love for so many brothers and sisters who feel the weight of everyday life, who are experiencing difficult moments, who are in pain, without a word of comfort, so that they too can feel the love of the God who never abandons.

In recent weeks a wave of cold and frost has swept some regions of Europe causing great inconvenience and considerable damage. I wish to express my closeness to people affected by this intense bad weather, while I invite prayers for the victims and their families. At the same time I encourage solidarity so that those who are suffering from these tragic events are generously supported.

Whatever darkness you experience in your lives, may you always remain firm in faith, hope and love. May God bless all of you!

~Pope Benedict XVI
Paul VI Audience Hall
Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Verona carnival members attend the pontiff s audience

2012-02-08T17:41:00.001+03:00

Pope Benedict XVI is reflected on the costume of a member of Verona's carnival organization association attending the pontiff's weekly general audience on February 8, 2012 at Paul VI hall at the Vatican. (GETTY IMAGES)

Once a year, on the last Friday before Lent fast (different dates), Verona celebrates its carnival that preserves an ancient tradition of more than 470 years. The event marks the end of epidemic that killed, many of Verona's residents in hunger and illness way back in 1660.

Since its end Verona's residents indicate, once a year, the end of the stuffer's period by distribution of Gnocchi to the people.

Gnocchi is a local folk food that is made of mush potatoes and flour, cut into small pieces that are cooked in boiling water and served with variety of sauces.

Bands from the city and the nearby area add marvelous music to the carnival. All the city's quarters participate in the colorful mask parade that starts in Piazza Bra' lengthwise 6km course. The parade picks up uniquely disguised characters from every quarter. On the Adige River a cruising contest is held.

The climax of the events is the distribution of the Gnocchi (The Gran Gnocolada), which symbols the return of the plenty after the epidemic.

The distribution that takes place on Piazza San Zeno seals the carnival's events.

Verona's carnival is known as one of the most beautiful, traditional carnivals in Italy.

Our goal is God, the source of all good.

2012-02-08T09:16:00.001+03:00

Place your trust in God alone

Sons of the Society of the Servants of the Poor, and dearly beloved brothers in Christ: Greetings from your poor father. I urge you to persevere in your love for Christ and your faithful observance of the law of Christ. In word and work I set an example for you when I was with you. And so the Lord is glorified in you through me.

Our goal is God, the source of all good. As we say in our prayer, we are to place our trust in God and in no one else. In his kindness, our Lord wished to strengthen your faith, for without it, as the evangelist points out, Christ could not have performed many of his miracles. He also wished to listen to your prayer, and so he ordained that you experience poverty, distress, abandonment, weariness and universal scorn. It was also his desire to deprive you of my physical presence, even though I am with you in spirit as your poor, dear, beloved father.

God alone knows the reasons for all this, yet we can recognise three causes. In the first place, our blessed Lord is telling you that he desires to include you among his beloved sons, provided that you remain steadfast in his ways, for this is the way he treats his friends and makes them holy.

The second reason is that he is asking you to grow continually in your confidence in him alone and not in others. For God, as I said before, does not work in those who refuse to place all their confidence and hope in him alone. But he does impart the fullness of his love upon those who possess a deep faith and hope; for them he does great things. So if you have been endowed with faith and hope, he will do great things for you; he will raise up the lowly. In depriving you of myself and everyone else you have loved, he will offer you an opportunity to choose one of these alternatives: either you will forsake your faith and return to the ways of the world, or you will remain steadfast in your faith and pass the test.

Now there is a third reason. God wishes to test you like gold in the furnace. The dross is consumed by the fire, but the pure gold remains and its value increases. It is in this manner that God acts with his good servant, who puts his hope in him and remains unshaken in times of distress. God raises him up and, in return for the things he has left out of love for God, he repays him a hundredfold in this life and with eternal life hereafter.

This is the way God has dealt with all the saints. So it was with his people Israel after their period of trial in Egypt. He not only led them out of Egypt with many miracles and fed them with manna in the desert, he also gave them the promised land. If then you remain constant in faith in the face of trial, the Lord will give you peace and rest for a time in this world, and for ever in the next.

~Saint Jerome Emiliani

Look To Jesus

2012-02-07T22:54:00.001+03:00

Look To Jesus
Are you walking up high mountains?
Are you walking angry waves?
Are you searching for the sunshine
in a dark and dismal place?
Have you thought about the rainbow
and the promises of God?
Have you thought about my Savior,
Have you thought at all of God?
Look to Jesus, Faith moves mountains!
Look to Jesus, He calms the sea.
Look to Jesus, He is the Son-shine that you need.
Are you lonely and alone?
Look to Jesus, He is a Friend.
Are you sick, do you need healing?
Look to Jesus, He is the One.
Are you walking in darkness?
Look to Jesus, He is the Light.
Are you searching for a kingdom?
Look to Jesus, He is the King.
Sins forgiven, Peace within.
Joy and love are His to give.
Look to Jesus!
Look to Jesus!
He is the One!

Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

The peace and love of God!

2012-02-06T14:56:00.003+03:00

After a very long and boring sermon the parishoners filed out of the church saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons. "Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!" The pastor was thrilled. "No-one has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why." "Well - it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!"

St. Gonsalo Garcia, the first Indian saint

2012-02-06T11:53:00.000+03:00

Placing St Gonsalo on the Map
Fr Francis Correa

150 years have rolled by since India’s first-ever Saint was canonised in Rome on June 8, 1862, on the Feast of the Pentecost. It was a long-awaited day when the 26 martyrs of Nagasaki were canonised by Pope Pius IX. On this auspicious day, some professed religious as well as some lay
faithful were declared canonised and raised to the honour of the altar. It was quite a long list of martyrs who had shed their blood on the hill of Nagasaki. The said list consisted of three Jesuits, six Franciscans, two Franciscan tertians, three altar boys, a Korean layman in addition to 11 Japanese Catholic lay faithful.

These martyrs of Nagasaki were, all along, venerated on some of the altars as ‘Blessed’ and were gratefully remembered by the respective religious in some parts of the world, as special liturgical celebrations were allowed in their honour. The real devotion in their honour, however, spread all over when they were canonised. As far as we are concerned, St Gonsalo Garcia was honoured as India’s only Saint for almost 140 years, till we were recently privileged to have India’s beloved daughter, Sr Alphonsa, raised to the honour of the altar.

The people of Bombay did gratefully remember their first Saint, though little was known and published about his life and mission. The Archdiocese of Bombay celebrated the 4th centenary of the birth of this Saint with great pomp and fanfare. The faithful of India, however, failed to adequately celebrate the occasion of the centenary of his canonisation. As a matter of fact, there should have been a grand celebration to mark this momentous occasion. It is in the fitness of things that we, the people of India, rise to the occasion and celebrate the 150th Jubilee of his canonisation in a befitting manner.

Much more would have been published and many more shrines could have been raised to his honour, had Gonsalo been a Confessor. Usually, a Confessor is gratefully appreciated and imitated even before he is beatified and canonised, as his life and ministry is made widely known. In the case of the recent spiritual luminaries of our country such as Bl. Mother Teresa and St Alphonsa, many people wanted to gratefully remember them even before they were declared ‘Blessed’. Some parents started naming their children after these spiritual icons, even before they were beatified. It was, however, not to be the case with our martyr who had shed his blood, as his heroic sacrifice remained hidden from the public eye.

Due credit must, however, be given to the then Catholic Association of Bombay which, in spite of many difficulties, continued organising annual pilgrimages initially to Vasai Fort, and later on to Gass, where a magnificent shrine was raised in his honour and inaugurated in 1962. The information about the Saint was made known to the public as Fr Peter Fernandes of St Teresa’s Church, Girgaum wrote a series of articles in The Examiner in 1903, and later published a short biography of this saint: ‘The Life of St. Gonsalo Garcia’ (1924) to keep the flame of devotion alive in the hearts of many a faithful of Bombay. Fr Roque Pereira, also of the Archdiocese of Bombay, went all out to spread the devotion to this saint. Periodically, these priests printed pictures and distributed medals. Mention must be made of Jesuit scholars like Frs. J. H. Gense and A. Conti, who after a long research published their voluminous work in 1957 entitled: “In the Days of Gonzalo Garcia, 1557 – 1597”.

In spite of the pains taken and the projects undertaken by priests and lay faithful, efforts to make St Gonsalo known have fallen short. We were also not able to stir the devotion of the faithful towards this son of the soil and therefore, probably we were not able to achieve what was needed to place our St Gonsalo on the map.

But one does feel that justice is not done to this missionary hero of our land. Now as the 150th anniversary of his canonisation providentially coincides with the Year of Faith, India cannot have a greater leader than St Gonsalo Garcia who by shedding his blood on the Cross became India’s model of faith par excellence – in the perfect imitation of Christ who gave us the Faith. The visual media and the internet may do much to make the life and message of St Gonsalo Garcia known to the faithful. As far as the print media is concerned, The Examiner is privileged to dedicate this special issue to him.

(The Examiner - Mumbai)

Indian Communist Party [CPI (M)] blasphemes the Last Supper

2012-02-06T10:30:00.000+03:00

Chennai, India: February 06, 2012- Christian organisations in Kerala are up in arms over the the Communist Party of India’s (Marxist) portrayal of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. The party, known as CPI(M) had put up flex boards across Thiruvananthapuram city which depicted a different version of the meal.

Barely days after it faced flak for displaying a painting of Jesus alongside Communist icons at an exhibition, the CPI(M) in Kerala has landed itself in another soup after a billboard carrying a political spoof, allegedly put up by party workers, raised hackles here. A party official had describing Jesus Christ as a freedom fighter.

The billboard, put up at Thirkannapura area of the city, reads: "This is the Last Supper of Capitalism... Marxism is the only Hope." The picture, depicting US President Barack Obama at a table along with senior Congress and BJP leaders, was a takeoff on Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'The Last Supper', showing Jesus with his disciples.

The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus had with his Apostles, prior to his crucifixion.

Artist Leonardo da Vinci’s mural painting dating back to the 15th century has depicted the Last Supper. The historic painting specifically portrays reactions of each of Christ’s 12 apostles at the table when he announced that one of them would betray him.

Now, the CPI (M) version shows a morphed picture of US President Barack Obama instead in Christ’s place. Those shown in place of the apostles are political leaders Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul, French President Nicolas Sarkozy among others. The flex hoardings were put up in view of the CPI (M)’s state conference slated to begin on Tuesday.

Christians Up in arms

Christian organisations have slammed the CPI (M) for tweaking da Vinci’s Last Supper portrait. While Christians in Allapuzha held a protest rally on Sunday, spokesperson of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council Fr Stephen Alathara asked political parties to refrain from hurting religious sentiments.

Fr Paul Thelakkat of the Syro-Malabar Church decried the party’s ignorance.

Chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, said distorting 'The Last Supper' for political purposes could be seen only as a "heretical act" and the party would have to face the consequences for hurting the sentiments of the believers and hopes the CPI (M) apologises for its mistake.

State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said there was no justification for "vulgarisation" of 'The Last Supper'.

"Instead of trying to justify the fault, CPI(M) leaders should tender an unqualified apology to the people for hurting their sentiments," Chennithala said in a statement.

Meanwhile, ruling UDF trained its guns on the CPI(M) for displaying pictures of Jesus Christ and episodes from the Bible as political material, terming them as "blasphemous and heretical."

The party’s defence

When asked about the board, CPI(M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan claimed it was put up "without the knowledge of any responsible party functionary" and said his party had "no intention to belittle the ideals of Christ or Christianity."

"The moment the matter came to the notice of the local party leaders, it was removed," Vijayan said.

Reacting to the incident, the CPI(M) had defended itself saying Jesus was a "frontline soldier" for the liberation of the suppressed in human history. The party’s state secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, described the poster as the imagination of the artist.

Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

Martyrdom of Paul Miki and his companions

2012-02-06T05:02:00.001+03:00

You shall be my witnesses

The crosses were set in place. Father Pasio and Father Rodriguez took turns encouraging the victims. Their steadfast behaviour was wonderful to see. The Father Bursar stood motionless, his eyes turned heavenward. Brother Martin gave thanks to God’s goodness by singing psalms. Again and again he repeated: “Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my life.” Brother Francis Branco also thanked God in a loud voice. Brother Gonsalvo in a very loud voice kept saying the Our Father and Hail Mary.

Our brother, Paul Miki, saw himself standing now in the noblest pulpit he had ever filled. To his “congregation” he began by proclaiming himself a Japanese and a Jesuit. He was dying for the Gospel he preached. He gave thanks to God for this wonderful blessing and he ended his “sermon” with these words: “As I come to this supreme moment of my life, I am sure none of you would suppose I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way. My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me. I do gladly pardon the Emperor and all who have sought my death. I beg them to seek baptism and be Christians themselves.”

Then he looked at his comrades and began to encourage them in their final struggle. Joy glowed in all their faces, and in Louis’ most of all. When a Christian in the crowd cried out to him that he would soon be in heaven, his hands, his whole body strained upward with such joy that every eye was fixed on him.

Anthony, hanging at Louis’ side, looked toward heaven and called upon the holy names – “Jesus, Mary!” He began to sing a psalm: “Praise the Lord, you children!” (He learned it in catechism class in Nagasaki. They take care there to teach the children some psalms to help them learn their catechism).

Others kept repeating “Jesus, Mary!” Their faces were serene. Some of them even took to urging the people standing by to live worthy Christian lives. In these and other ways they showed their readiness to die.

Then, according to Japanese custom, the four executioners began to unsheathe their spears. At this dreadful sight, all the Christians cried out, “Jesus, Mary!” And the storm of anguished weeping then rose to batter the very skies. The executioners killed them one by one. One thrust of the spear, then a second blow. It was over in a very short time.

From an account of the martyrdom of Saint Paul Miki and his companions.

The Famous Vatican Snowman

2012-02-05T18:15:00.001+03:00

Woe To Me If I Do Not Preach It (1 Corinthians 9:16)

2012-02-05T07:58:00.005+03:00

Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

~ 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

I love the second reading of the Fifth Sunday in OT (Yr B). It's a passage of Scripture I hold, very dear to my heart. Especially the verse that says, "For an obligation has been imposed on me!"

Looking back, I remember how in the beginning this seemed as though a heavy burden was laid upon my shoulders, the weight of which made movement impossible. I was a Jonah-scripture-look-a-like (I know I've mentioned that before!) I tried very hard to eliminate that burden, not knowing it was a godly one. As time went by I realised that God often places a weight upon us to accomplish something important in our life. When we run away from God’s will for our life, we’re headed ninety miles an hour down a dead end street. We need to obey and submit to whatever God is calling us to do. God lays burdens upon our heart to guide us. Therefore, it’s very important to note that, not all burdens are bad—many of them direct us to God’s purpose for creating us.

Paul was imposed with preaching the Gospel, it was a godly-burden. To be a Christian is to be a missionary!

The definition of: mis·sion·ar·y

Noun: A person sent on a religious mission, esp. one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country.

Adjective: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a missionary or a religious mission: "missionary work".

According to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), each one of us is sent to preach the Good News. We are all pilgrims in this life–no matter our citizenship (1 Peter 2:11). Our destination is the Promised Land (Psalm 84:5). Every follower of Jesus is a citizen of heaven, not earth. We are aliens in a foreign land, forsaking all for the love of Christ. In short wherever we are, we are all missionaries of the Gospel of Christ!

Therefore we ought to preach the Gospel at all times through the lives we live, the work we do and the words we speak. For who knows, 'our life may be the only Bible some people will ever read.'

Jesus set me free

2012-02-05T06:40:00.002+03:00

There's not a craving of the mind
Which Jesus cannot fill;
There's not a pleasure I would seek
Aside from His dear will.
From hour to hour He fills my soul
With peace and perfect love;
While rich supplies for every need
He sendeth from above.

The joys which this vain world bestows,
Have lost their charms for me;
Once I enjoyed its trifles too,
But Jesus set me free.
Its joys will perish in a day,
Its pleasures quickly fly;
Its mirth like mists will pass away,
And all its honours die.

He stilled the angry tempest's power,
Which raged within my heart;
And bade each sinful passion there,
To speedily depart.
Yes, Jesus is my all in all,
He satisfies my soul,
For me he died on Calvary,
And now he makes me whole.

Yes, Jesus is my Saviour dear,
My Rock, my Strength, my Song;
My Wisdom, and my Refuge safe,
To Jesus I belong.
He is my Advocate with God,
My Way, my Life, my Light,
My Great Physician and my Friend,
My Guide by day and night

Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

Everything passes away! (1 John 2:17)

2012-02-04T20:50:00.001+03:00

A story is told about King Solomon, the son of David, and his arrogant advisor, Benaiah ben Yehudah. One spring, Solomon said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring I want you to bring me. I want it when my birthday arrives in the autumn, which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Now Solomon knew that no such ring existed, but he wanted to give his minister a taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and Benaiah had no idea where to find the ring. On the day before Solomon’s birthday-feast, he decided to take a walk through one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He came upon a merchant whose wares were displayed on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy person forget his joy and the broken-hearted person forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the merchant take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, he knew he had found the right ring.

That night the palace was full of guests ready to celebrate with the king. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found a ring that can make a happy man sad and a sad man happy?”

Everyone who knew about the search for the impossible ring laughed and Solomon himself smiled.
But to everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty! I found a ring with three Hebrew letters on it. The letters are gimel, zayin, yud, which begin the words "Gam zeh ya'avor -- This too shall pass."

As soon as Solomon heard the inscription, the smile vanished from his face.

He looked at the guests filling the banquet hall. He looked at the tables covered with shining serving pieces, silver goblets, and fine food. Then he read the inscription again “Gam zeh ya’aovr – This too shall pass,” and he knew the words were true.

With the passing of time or through poor decisions or bad luck or any combination of the three, his life, like all lives, came without guarantees. From riches to poverty, from poverty to riches. Who knows? Who controls? “This too shall pass.” There are no guarantees. Nothing lasts forever. And no matter what your age, it is never too late to start planning and investing for eternity. The daily choices we make have an eternal consequences, and God does not choose it for us. It's free will, hence we must choose wisely.

Our life on earth is loaned to us by God, it's a precious gift. It is ours to invest or to waste. In the Old Testament we see how God gifted Abraham and Sarah with a son as he had promised (Genesis 21:2). In Hebrew it says, “V'adonai pakad et-Sarah ka'asher amar – God remembered Sarah as He had promised.” “Pakad” has multiple definitions. The Talmud uses one form of the verb when it talks about someone lending something to a friend. Perhaps it could mean “pakad – God gave her the child – pakad - as a loan.” St James in his letter says, "Our life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone" (James 4:41).

Everything passes away-suffering, pain, hunger, pestilence and happiness too. There is nothing that we can cling on to. Fame, wealth, riches are all given to us by God, we are only stewards of his possessions. In a true story Chofetz Chaim Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan narrates about a visitor who once passed through the Polish town of Radin and was invited to visit the rabbi at his home. Entering the great teacher’s simple apartment, the visitor was struck by how sparsely it was furnished. “Where is your furniture,” the man asked. “Where is yours,” replied the Chafetz Chaim. “Oh, I am only passing through,” answered the tourist. To which the rabbi replied, “The same holds true for me. I too am only passing through.” True words of wisdom from the Chafetz Chaim.

We are only pilgrims moving on-wards to the Promised Land. A land where one can buy wine and milk without money and without cost (Isaiah 55:1). At the bottom of this blog I've inscribed the words of St. Augustine that says, "Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others." It's a reminder to me that there's not gonna be a hearse with a luggage rack! Truly God has been very generous with me and I'm grateful for my share of his goodness and kindness. Every thing there exists is ordained by God, whether happy moments, heartaches, worries, anxiousness. Most of these things are beyond our control and it surely does pass away. But through it all we can learn to live with an attitude of humility and meekness. Gratefulness and charity are the principles we should live by. Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies. Charity is born out of compassion. True charity is the desire to be useful to others without thought of recompense. And every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven our promised land.

A Yiddish proverb teaches “Tsu feel iz umgezunt – Too much is unhealthy.” Billy Graham once said, "God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with." There is another Sephardic saying that says, “Bread for two will also satisfy three.” So give, give of yourself, your love and concern, your time, your presence, your attention, not just your finances, but service too, for that would mean investing in eternity. The Lord gives more to those who prove faithful in using the little or whatever He has already given. And as the saying goes, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."

"Lord heal our aches and pains, our hurts and wounds, our anxieties and bad memories. Free us from depressions, habits of sin, and all evil. Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and increase our love. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Homily of Bl. John Paul II, on the feast of St.John de Britto, 1986 Madras

2012-02-04T00:35:00.047+03:00

APOSTOLIC PILGRIMAGE TO INDIA

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF ST JOHN DE BRITTO

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Madras
Wednesday, 5 February 1986

"Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you" .

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. With these words from today’s liturgy, I wish to give glory to God in this part of your native land. Today, during the course of my apostolic pilgrimage through India, the Lord gives me the privilege of being here in Madras, known for its rich culture and deep religious traditions. I am very pleased to celebrate this Holy Eucharist with you all, commemorating Saint John de Britto, the Saint who preached and was martyred in Tamil Nadu, the Saint known to you as Arul Anandar.

At this stage of my pilgrim journey I greet all of you present here: the bishops, priests, men and women religious, the laity, the young, the old, all of you who confess your faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I greet the civil authorities and the representatives of the world of art and culture, those engaged in public life, in industry, in education, in every service to their fellow citizens.

I wish to express my esteem for the members of the other Christian Churches and ecclesial Communities, for the representatives of all the religious traditions present in this region. May the words of the Responsorial Psalm be a joint invitation to us all: "Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!".

2. Brothers and sisters, we have heard the solemn words of Saint Paul re-echoing the central theme of his apostolic preaching: "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel".

In a sense, these words are a summary of the whole of the Church’s proclamation. In this place, at Madras, they draw our minds to another figure, an Apostle of Christ, Saint Thomas, whose ministry is linked precisely to this land. He too was convinced that the word of God – the word concerning Christ’s Resurrection – cannot be fettered . And so, as tradition tell us, he came to this region. Here he was a witness to Christ, to Christ’s saving Passion, Death and Resurrection.

3. This great country, and particularly Tamil Nadu, has had the singular privilege of receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ through three great Saints and other illustrious pioneers belonging to well-known religious congregation and missionary societies:

– Saint Thomas was martyred near this very city, and his tomb is venerated here;

– Saint Francis Xavier, according to history, worked at the Pearl Fishery Coast and stayed for some time near the tomb of the Apostle, and was here inspired with courage and strength to extend his labours to Japan;

– and finally, Saint John de Britto, whom we are remembering in today’s liturgical celebration, was born in Lisbon in 1647. After entering the Society of Jesus he followed the footsteps of Saint Francis Xavier to India where he chose to work for the humble and needy in what was then called the Madurai Mission. His patient labours, selfless zeal and genuine love for the poor won for him their confidence. Like Jesus he was "a sign of contradiction" and his success created jealousy and opposition. As a result, John de Britto died a martyr on 4 February 1693, bearing witness to Christ.

These saints and innumerable men and women of various religious congregations and societies have made Jesus Christ known and loved in this land. We gladly remember all of them today – especially those who have served even to the extent of laying down their lives for the Gospel, witnesses and martyrs, after the example of the Son of Man, who "came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" .

4. Christ, in fact, is described in today’s Gospel as the "Good Shepherd" who lays down his life for his sheep.

His sacrifice reveals the infinite mercy of God the Father who raised him from the dead. From death Christ came back to life! And in the triumph of life over death, the infinite love of the Father for the Son and of the Son for the Father is unveiled before our eyes. And in the Holy Spirit we are introduced to the mystery of eternal life itself, for as Jesus exclaimed at the Last Supper: "This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent".

This was the experience that transformed the disciples after the Resurrection. They saw the darkness of death swallowed up in the light of life. Illumined by this light they set out to proclaim to the whole world the message of God’s merciful love and his call to reconciliation and unity.

5. We too are called to become, like the Apostles, witnesses to this mystery. Witnesses to the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. Witnesses to the saving love of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We are called to this task first of all through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. The Apostle says: "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him". And it is precisely through Baptism that each of us "dies", together with Christ, to sin, in order to rise to new life with him: to the life of grace, to the life of divine sonship! After being "buried" in the waters of Baptism and purified by the power of the Holy Spirit, we emerge as bearers of the new life of Christ for the world.

6. The profound transformation that takes place in us through Baptism and Confirmation is the source and the foundation of every apostolate, and in particular of the apostolate of the laity. For we all become, first through Baptism and then in a new way through Confirmation, sharers in Christ’s threefold mission as Prophet, Priest and King .

Because of this, the principal duty of lay men and women – in the words of the Second Vatican Council – "is to bear witness to Christ, and this they are obliged to do by their life and words in the home, in their social group, and in their own professional circle". The Council goes on to insist that the apostolate of the laity takes place "in the social and cultural framework of their own national traditions. They must be acquainted with this culture. They must heal it and preserve it. They must develop it in accordance with modern conditions, and finally perfect it in Christ, so that the faith of Christ and the life of the Church may no longer be extraneous to the society in which they live".

This has been true in India for almost two thousand years and it continues to be true today. As I wrote recently in commemoration of the Apostles of the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius: "The Gospel does not lead to the impoverishment or extinction of those things which every individual, people and nation and every culture throughout history recognises and brings into being as goodness, truth and beauty. On the contrary it strives to assimilate and to develop all these values: to live them with magnanimity and joy and to perfect them by the mysterious and ennobling light of Revelation". The dialogue between faith and culture belongs in a special way to the laity, whose faith inspires their daily service to their fellow citizens and to their country.

7. Saint John de Britto’s life faithfully reflected the life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for it was a life of service unto death. Today it challenges all of us to continue with fresh vigour the Church’s role of loving service to humanity. The immense and tender love of Jesus Christ for the poor and the downtrodden, for sinners and the suffering, remains a challenge for every Christian. Christ’s unrelenting stand for truth is a compelling example. Above all, the generosity shown in his suffering and death, as the culmination of his service to humanity and the supreme act of Redemption, is the example for us. We are called to serve.

There can be no authentic Christian life without an effective love of our fellow human beings. At the closing of the Vatican Council Pope Paul VI affirmed that " if... in the face of every man, especially when this face is made transparent by his tears and suffering, we can and must recognise the face of Christ, ... and in the face of Christ we can and must recognise the face of our heavenly Father, ... then our humanism becomes a Christianity and our Christianity becomes theocentric. And thus we can also say: to know God it is necessary to know man".

Today we live at a time of history when peace and harmony between nations and races is constantly threatened. Division and hatred, fear and frustration – these are among the counter-values of our day. The message of love in Christ Jesus in urgently needed. Hence, the Church’s task of proclaiming the Gospel and of being at the service of society is supremely relevant in India today. This task requires the active collaboration of all sectors of the ecclesial community, especially the laity.

8. To each one of you who in a particular way takes part in the mission of Christ and of the Church I wish to repeat the conviction expressed by the Apostle Paul in the first reading of this Mass; "the word of God is not fettered"; indeed, it can never be fettered.

Through the testimony of your lives, through your words and deeds, the word of God is made known to the minds and hearts of others who seek him, so that "they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory" – that "they may obtain salvation"!

Brothers and sisters, if we die with Christ, we shall live also with him, "if we endure, we shall also reign with him".

Christ – Shepherd, Prophet and Priest – has sealed our hearts with his call just as he touched the hearts of the apostles, the hearts of Saint Thomas, Saint Francis Xavier and Saint John de Britto. May they intercede for the Church in India, for this beloved country and its people!

We will be happy if we remain faithful. For he, Christ, is faithful: "he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself".

Brothers and sisters: you are called to be living witnesses to Christ, living witnesses to God’s word, living witnesses to the saving message of love and mercy that Christ revealed to the world. Amen.

Prayers in honour of St. Blaise

2012-02-03T08:43:00.000+03:00

PREPARATORY PRAYER

Almighty and Eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping Thy Divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my intellect with a ray of Thy heavenly light and inflame my heart with the fire of Thy divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and merits of the saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his example imitate, like him, the life of Thy divine Son.

Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and intercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I humbly place before Thee, devoutly saving, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy greater glory and to the salvation of my soul. Amen.

Prayer in honour of St. Blaise

O GOD, deliver us through the intercession of Thy holy bishop and martyr Blase, from all evil of soul and body, especially from all ills of the throat; and grant us the grace to make a good confession in the confident hope of obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise with worthy lips Thy most holy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Invocation of St. Blaise

St. Blaise, gracious benefactor of mankind and faithful servant of God, who for the love of our Savior did suffer so many tortures with patience and resignation; I invoke thy powerful intercession. Preserve me from all evils of soul and body. Because of thy great merits God endowed thee with the special grace to help those that suffer from ills of the throat; relieve and preserve me from them, so that I may always be able to fulfill my duties, and with the aid of God's grace perform good works. I invoke thy help as special physician of souls, that I may confess my sins sincerely in the holy sacrament of Penance and obtain their forgiveness. I recommend to thy merciful intercession also those who unfortunately concealed a sin in confession. Obtain for them the grace to accuse themselves sincerely and contritely of the sin they concealed, of the sacrilegious confessions and communions they made, and of all the sins they committed since then, so that they may receive pardon, the grace of God, and the remission of the eternal punishment. Amen.

Prayer

My LORD and my God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the merits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of all the saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose honor I make this prayer.

Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously hear my petition. Amen.

Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

2012-02-03T05:25:00.003+03:00

SAINT BLAISE
Bishop and Martyr
(†316)

Saint Blaise (Armenian: Սուրբ Բարսեղ, Sourb Barsegh; Greek: Άγιος Βλάσιος, Agios Vlasios; Turkish: Aziz Vlas) was a physician, and bishop of Sebastea (modern Sivas, Turkey). According to his Acta Sanctorum, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded. He is known as San Biagio in Italy, San Blas in Spain and São Brás in Portugal.

In iconography, Blaise is often shown with the instruments of his martyrdom, steel combs. He blessed throats and effected many miracles, according to his hagiography. The similarity of these instruments of torture to wool combs led to his adoption as the patron saint of wool combers in particular, and the wool trade in general. He may also be depicted with crossed candles. Such crossed candles are used for the blessing of throats on the feast day of Blaise, which falls on 3 February, the day after Candlemas on the Roman Catholic calendar of saints. Blaise is traditionally believed to intercede in cases of throat illnesses, especially for fish-bones stuck in the throat.

Saint Blaise devoted the earlier years of his life to the study of philosophy, and afterwards became a physician. In the practice of his profession he saw so much of the miseries of life and the hollowness of worldly pleasures, that he resolved to spend the rest of his days in the service of God. From being a healer of bodily ailments, he became a physician of souls, then retired for a time, by divine inspiration, to a cavern where he remained in prayer.

When the bishop of Sebaste in Armenia died, Blaise, much to the gratification of the inhabitants of that city, was chosen to succeed him. Saint Blaise at once began to instruct his people, as much by his example as by his words, and the great virtues and sanctity of the servant of God were attested by many miracles. From all parts, the people came flocking to him for the cure of bodily and spiritual ills.

When the governor of Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia, Agricolaus, began a persecution by order of the Emperor Licinius, Saint Blaise was seized. After interrogation and a severe scourging, he was hurried off to prison. While he was under custody, a distraught mother, whose only child was dying of a throat disease, threw herself at his feet and implored his intercession. Touched at her grief, he offered up his prayers, and the child was cured.

The prisoner was brought before Agricolaus again for further questioning, and again was whipped while tied to a pillar. He was spared from drowning when thrown into a lake; the governor ordered then that he be beheaded. At the execution site he prayed aloud to God for his persecutors, and asked that in the future those who would invoke him might be aided, as he had been permitted to assist them during his lifetime. Our Lord appeared to him and said in a voice which all bystanders heard, that He granted his prayer. Since that time his intercession has often been effectually solicited, especially in cases of all kinds of throat problems.

I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand (Exodus 33:22)

2012-02-02T19:37:00.002+03:00

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

This hymn was written by Augustus Toplady on one stormy day somewhere in 1775. The young preacher was taking a walk through the English countryside when a sudden storm swept across the landscape. Augustus spotted a wide rock formation with an opening—a cleft—where he sought refuge until the storm passed. As he sat there through the deluge, he contemplated the connection between his shelter and God’s help in life’s storms.

Beautiful words began to rush through his mind, he hadn't any paper to write on except a playing-card which he spotted on the floor of the cave-like structure. There he penned this lovely hymn “Rock of Ages,” which has been a source of strength for Christians throughout the world.

Life is full of hardships and obstacles. But when we learn to trust in the Lord, and set our minds on him alone we will gain peace that is beyond comprehension. In moments of distress we need to run directly to the Lord and hide ourselves in him. The Lord is our strength, our Rock of Ages (Isaiah 26:4), our fortress and deliverer, our shield and the horn of our salvation. He is our stronghold, who is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:1-3). He will shelter us from life’s assaults just as Scripture says, "I will put you in a cleft in the rock" (Exodus 33:22). So, don’t go through life’s storms all alone, pray and ask the Rock of Ages to shield you from all turbulence that comes your way. For when the world around you is crumbling, the Rock of Ages, will cleft you in himself and hide you from the storm.

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

2012-02-02T13:31:00.000+03:00

O Virgin Theotokos, Hope of all Christians!
Protect, preserve and save those who hope in You.

We the faithful saw the figure in the shadow of the law and in the scriptures.
Every male child that opened the womb was Holy to God.
Therefore we honor the first-born Son of the Unbegotten Father,
The first-born Son of the Unwedded Mother,

O Virgin Theotokos, Good Help of the world!
Protect and guard us from all necessity and sorrow.

The people of old offered a pair of doves and two young pigeons.
In their place the godly Elder and the sober-spirited Prophetess,
Ministered and gave glory to the Virgin's Child,
The only-begotten Son of the Father,
As He is brought into the temple of God.
O Pure Virgin Mother! That which was fulfilled in You
Is beyond the understanding of angels and mortal men.

You have committed to me the exceeding great joy of Your salvation, O Christ!
Simeon cried: Take Your servant who is weary of the shadow,
And make him a new preacher of the mystery of grace,
As he magnifies You in praise!

The Pure Dove, the Mother Lamb without blemish,

Brings the Shepherd and Lamb into the temple of God.
Holy Anna, sober in spirit and venerable in years,
Reverently confessed the Master freely and openly in the temple,
And she proclaimed Mary the Theotokos,
Magnifying her in the presence of all.
O Maiden Mary! Enlighten my soul
Which is grievously darkened by the passions of this life.

He was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:6)

2012-02-01T13:32:00.000+03:00

"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place." (Mark 6:4)

There had been much talk about Jesus’ miraculous signs. Everywhere he went, people strained to get close to him and be healed. The crowds were so large in one place that Jesus had to sit in a boat on the shores of the lake just so he could teach unhindered (Mark 3:9). Yet here he was in his own hometown, and there are no crowds, no streets lined with the infirm, no rush to see him. Instead, Jesus is met with unbelief and doubt. What happened?

Their initially favorable feelings about a local boy making it big gave way to petty jealousy and a condescending attitude. “Not so fast!” they thought. “We remember this guy. He’s just the carpenter’s son. He’s nothing special after all.” They all thought they knew Jesus, and their human way of reasoning left no room for the possibility of the miraculous—or for the possibility that they didn’t really know Jesus at all.

We face the same choice today as the people of Nazareth. Will we allow our own limited, human reasoning to dominate our thoughts and keep us from recognizing Jesus? Or will we exercise our faith?

It's not always easy to step out in faith and believe that God will be there to catch you. And, frankly, it’s not always advisable to ignore the warnings that come through what seems like common sense. But there is a difference between “not always” and “never.” There is a difference between being cautious and shutting Jesus out, a difference between exercising hopeful discernment and living in a state of constant doubt. Most of the time, the difference is just a matter of letting down our defenses and giving the Lord a chance to prove himself. Try it today, and see what happens.

“Lord Jesus, right now I lay aside my doubts and hesitancies. I ask you to come into my heart and speak to me. Give me a renewed faith in you and your power to work in my life.”

We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future

2012-01-31T11:14:00.000+03:00

I have always laboured out of love

First of all, if we wish to appear concerned about the true happiness of our foster children and if we would move them to fulfil their duties, you must never forget that you are taking the place of the parents of these beloved young people. I have always laboured lovingly for them, and carried out my priestly duties with zeal. And the whole Salesian society has done this with me.

My sons, in my long experience very often I had to be convinced of this great truth. It is easier to become angry than to restrain oneself, and to threaten a boy than to persuade him. Yes, indeed, it is more fitting to be persistent in punishing our own impatience and pride than to correct the boys. We must be firm but kind, and be patient with them.

I give you as a model the charity of Paul which he showed to his new converts. They often reduced him to tears and entreaties when he found them lacking docility and even opposing his loving efforts.

See that no one finds you motivated by impetuosity or wilfulness. It is difficult to keep calm when administering punishment, but this must be done if we are to keep ourselves from showing off our authority or spilling out our anger.

Let us regard those boys over whom we have some authority as our own sons. Let us place ourselves in their service. Let us be ashamed to assume an attitude of superiority. Let us not rule over them except for the purpose of serving them better.

This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalised, and still others to hope for God’s mercy. And so he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.

They are our sons, and so in correcting their mistakes we must lay aside all anger and restrain it so firmly that it is extinguished entirely.

There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips. We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future, as is fitting for true fathers who are eager for real correction and improvement.

In serious matters it is better to beg God humbly than to send forth a flood of words that will only offend the listeners and have no effect on those who are guilty.

~ Saint John Bosco

Two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake and were drowned (Mark 5:13)

2012-01-30T13:30:00.000+03:00

Picture interpretation and Reflection from Perpetual Learner

What does the cartoon (above) depict?

First of all, you have this pig who is falling off a cliff, and discovers that she has the soul of a sky diver, or a base jumper (those people who leap off tall buildings or cliffs and wait until the last possible moment to open their parachute). People who do that say it gives them an incredible thrill and intense sense of being alive. So, this poor pig has discovered what she really enjoys in life (i.e. the sensation of free falling), has really become aware of her own vitality, and has forgotten that she is about to hit the water.

Now, here’s how I see a homily in this. The Gospel passage says that the pigs are happily grazing (or whatever pigs do) on the hillside, more or less obedient to their swineherds, until they are possessed by the devil. Then, they abandon the safety of their caretakers and plunge off the steep hillside and drown. The cartoonist imagines what the pigs might have felt in those moments between running free and drowning: freedom! No more swineherds telling them what to do! They have discovered their freedom and independence and are finally enjoying life, following their own feelings and instincts, ignoring or defying those who try to impose rules on them! Of course, this is leading to their imminent demise, but they are blissfully unaware of that.

All to often this is what happens when people reject God and His laws. They might have a feeling of freedom and independence, but without divine guidance in the various ways it comes to us (through reason which discovers meaning and order in nature, through the Scriptures, through the guidance of pastors, etc.), they often end up running themselves off the cliff of hedonism, pride, etc., which leads to their spiritual – and sometimes material – destruction.

At times, it seems like this is what we are doing as a nation. We have embraced moral relativism and rejected any objective standard of behavior beyond the consensus of public sentiment (often manipulated by the media) or the ideology of whatever interest groups happen to have the power to influence legislation and the judiciary. This means we have largely rejected the guidance of divine revelation and even, in many cases, right reason. The more we give in to our base impulses and irrational emotional tendencies, the more we become like the possessed herd that races towards destruction, all the while rejoicing in our freedom and our absolute right to determine the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

If we don’t want to be like this cute little piggy who is happily plunging towards a murky death in the water, we need to turn to objective moral truths to guide us, both from a sound rational approach to reality (rooted in a solid philosophical realism with metaphysical foundations) and from the revealed truths taught in the Scripture and Tradition and explained in the Magisterium of the Church.

That’s oversimplifying things a little, but I think you get what I mean. The cartoon has an initial irony and incongruity that made me smile, but it also can be read as a commentary on the situation of modern post-Christian, morally relativistic society. ~ Fr. Matthew Green

Where is the BC located?

2012-01-30T09:15:00.002+03:00

There was a nice lady, a minister's widow, who was a little old fashioned. She was planning a week's vacation in California at Skylake Yosemite campground (Bass Lake, to the uninitiated), but she wanted to make sure of the accommodations first. Uppermost in her mind were bathroom facilities, but she couldn't bring herself to write "toilet" in a letter. After considerable deliberation, she settled on "bathroom commode," but when she wrote that down, it still sounded too forward, so, after the first page of her letter, she referred to the bathroom commode as "BC." "Does the cabin where I will be staying have its own 'BC'? If not, where is the 'BC' located?" is what she actually wrote.

The campground owner took the first page of the letter and the lady's check and gave it to his secretary. He put the remainder of the letter on the desk of the senior member of his staff without noticing that the staffer would have no way of knowing what "BC" meant. Then the owner went off to town to run some errands.

The staff member came in after lunch, found the letter, and was baffled by the euphemism, so he showed the letter around to several counselors, but they couldn't decipher it either. The staff member's wife, who knew that the lady was the widow of a famous Baptist preacher, was sure that it must be a question about the local Baptist Church. "Of course," the first staffer exclaimed, "'BC' stands for 'Baptist Church.' " And he sat down and wrote:

Dear Madam,

I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take the pleasure in informing you that the BC is located nine miles north of the campground and is capable of seating 250 people at one time. I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly, but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along and make a day of it. They usually arrive early and stay late.

The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that right now there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats. They are going to hold it in the basement of the 'BC.'

I would like to say that it pains me very much not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely no lack of desire on my part. As we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort, particularly in cold weather. If you decide to come down to our campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time, sit with you, and introduce you to all the folks. Remember, this is a friendly community.

Be Quiet! (Mark 1:25)

2012-01-29T08:50:00.001+03:00

"Here is a teaching that is new-and with authority behind it!" (Mark 1:27)

Today's Gospel warns us to be on guard because evil spirits are constantly at work tempting us and harassing us. This warning is even more urgent today, as the world has practically dismissed the reality of evil spirits.

Evil spirits are always on the prowl. They whisper lies and half-truths to us and try to confuse us. They try to influence us to do things we know are wrong—even things we don’t want to do. We have all felt their influence at different times. We know how they have tried to sow division, to make us fearful, to get us down on ourselves, to lie, to manipulate people, or to doubt God’s love.

Yes, we have a free will. Yes, we make the final choices for our lives. But these choices are never made in isolation. They are always influenced by the people around us, by the media, by the Holy Spirit, and by Satan.

All this may sound intimidating, but we shouldn't be afraid. Jesus overcame one evil spirit in today's Gospel, and he overcame them all on the cross. We just have to be more alert to what is coming into our minds, especially more alert to the devil's tactics.

Another thing we can do is begin every day by praying for protection against evil spirits. All we have to do is say the words that Jesus taught us: "Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Finally, we should believe in the power of the name of Jesus. Scripture tells us how St. Paul, in dealing with an evil spirit that was harassing a woman, commanded: "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And the spirit left immediately (Acts 16:18). Likewise, we need to call on the name of Jesus throughout the day, especially when we are feeling tempted or harassed.

"In the name of Jesus, I command all evil spirits to be quiet and to depart from me and from every member of my family. Lord, deliver us from the lies of the evil one and help us to be ever more alert."

Christ’s patience on the cross was great

2012-01-28T05:02:00.001+03:00

The Cross exemplifies every virtue

Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.

It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.

If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.

If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ's patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.

If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.

If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.

If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.

Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honours, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

~Saint Thomas Aquinas

Return Of The Lover (Take My Heart)

2012-01-27T12:25:00.000+03:00

For a long time, I’ve been waiting for You
You have won my heart, and I am following
For a long time, I’ve been crying out for You
Tears make my heart soft
And I am ready for the return of the Lover

Fashioned from the very fabric of God
At the start of time, set free to decide
I will love You, ’cause You’re the One who loved me first
Just one look from Your eyes
I’m captivated by the eyes of the Lover

Take my heart, my mind and strength too
I was made for loving You
I will wait, and I’ll be faithful
I was made for loving You

Bowing low in the presence of the One
At the end of time, I’ll hear the bells chime for our wedding
It will wait no longer now
Oh how I love You
I’ll finally fall into the arms of the Lover

Take my heart, my mind and strength too
I was made for loving You
I will wait, and I’ll be faithful
I was made for loving You

With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my strength
And all I know

Take my heart, my mind and strength too
I was made for loving You
I will wait, and I’ll be faithful
I was made for loving You

I was made for loving You

Playing God???

2012-01-26T12:23:00.000+03:00

Food for thought: Playing God

Here is a thought provoking conversation a priest friend (Fr. Ashley, SDB) had with a foreman who was repairing the bathrooms in his house. The foreman is a Philosophy Grad, and well versed in computers. Fr. Ashley on the other hand is a Philosophy professor to young seminarians at the Divyadaan, Salesian Institute of Philosophy (Nashik, India). In short Ash is a very enthu -“philosophical-historian,” a true Salesian.

Reading through the conversation "Playing God", what struck me most was that parents sometimes do play God. I’ve heard the phrase "Parents take the place of God," been said so many times, that now I fire a Scripture verse or two to the one saying it. No one can take God’s place. The Lord himself says, "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:8). Translated-, "I will not allow it to ascribe to another I will not allow another to assume or receive the honor which is due to me." Of course there is a different kind of honour that is due to parents, which the fourth commandment commands. Children are to obey parents for that pleases the Lord! (Colossians 3:20) Besides we ought to respect them, show kindness, be patient with them, care for their needs, and above all not leave them in old-aged homes / centers when they are feeble and fragile. Failing to accomplish this will result is breaking the fourth commandment, which is the first commandment with a promise! (Ephesians 6:2-3)

I don't want to side track the post, those were MY thoughts and I will end my comments here!!! When you read the post remember it’s an Indian scenario, which is a lot different from what happens elsewhere in the world…and Indian parents are over protective!!! So just read on:

"We are getting the bathrooms in our house repaired and as a result over the last month we have had many plumbers and other workmen moving in and out of our house. They are mostly migrants from the north of India, tough, hardworking, rustic, men of few words. I got talking to the foreman of the group this morning. After discussing the weather, rising costs, the falling quality of education, corruption and other such matters, we ended up talking about the meaning of life. Even though I am the talkative kind this time I did most of the listening. I discovered that this not very sophisticated looking foreman was a graduate in philosophy and also well versed in computers. I also discovered that he could give many of us a run for our money [which we do not have too much of] with the depth of his knowledge of philosophy in general and Indian Philosophy in particular.

Speaking to me about taking care of children, he explained to me that we adults are called to be parents to our children but we try to play God. It is the role of parents to take care of, protect and nourish children when they are young. Parents must seek to prepare children for the great adventure of life. The parent can’t and must not seek to insulate and protect children from all the hard knocks of life. Parents must seek to shape the character of their children in such a manner that they may be able to face life and its uncertainties with courage and hope. Instead, parents seek to be God to their children. They want to make sure that they are protected from every hardship, suffering and inconvenience. As a result they tend to be overprotective and stiflingly over caring. As a result, instead of strengthening their children and helping them grow, parents make them dependent and insecure.

He explained to me that in India in particular the tendency of parents to play God is seen in how they are not satisfied with saving for their children’s education or for some unforeseen eventuality like a sickness or accident. Instead many today, especially, the rich and also government officials, and politicians, want to make sure that not only their children but also their descendents over the next seven generations would not have to fear any calamity or tragedy. [And in order to do so they end up pursuing wealth by fair means and foul. It is this that gives rise to the kind of mammoth corruption that we have in India. ]

Our philosopher foreman went on to say that if we only were intelligent enough to accept that money cannot – no matter how huge the sum – keep us from death and the glorious uncertainties of life perhaps we would be less corrupt. Even rich people die. Even the wealthy get sick and suffer loss. To be human is to accept uncertainty. We could even perhaps say that without ups and down, without uncertainty, our lives would cease to be human." – Fr. Ashley Miranda, SDB

Fan into a flame the gift that God gave you (2 Timothy 1:6)

2012-01-26T11:51:00.002+03:00

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-disciple." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Today is the feast of two of our first bishops, Sts. Timothy and Titus, who were loyal companions of St. Paul. The memorial of theses saints appear a day after we commemorate the Conversion of St Paul. It's obvious that Paul was personally involved in the lives of these saints. Paul had met Timothy on his first missionary journey (Acts 16). Timothy may have witnessed the stoning of Paul at Lystra. In the epistles we read how Paul always spoke of Timothy as his own son in Christ Jesus. It was from this position of friendship and mutual love that Paul was able to recognise Timothy's talents and encourage him to use them. His friendship with Timothy also gave Paul the freedom to help him set the unshakable truths of the gospel as the foundation for his life.

Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and a Gentile father, and undoubtedly knew the ways of each people. He traveled a great deal with Paul. Another of Paul's trust worthy traveling companions was Titus. Titus was the non-circumcised, Gentile Christian (as we know from Galatians) at the Council of Jerusalem. He, too, was a reconciler in the Corinthian turmoil. Later, in Crete, it was his charge to organize and civilize an unstable and endangered, neophyte Church, to refute opponents, and to insist upon faithful word.

So, if Paul's conversion sets the Gentile mission in motion and thus becomes the channel by which—the vessel from which God pours out his elective grace indiscriminately upon the world, Timothy and Titus are living expressions of that grace. Tradition has it, that Timothy died when he rushed into the portico of a pagan temple to plead with a procession bearing idols to cease a lewd dance in honor of their god. Outraged, the dancers beat him to death with sticks and stones. On this day, January 26, the Anglican, Lutheran and Roman churches commemorate the companions of Paul, Timothy and Titus.

Like Timothy and Titus we are coworkers in this great mission of preaching, a mission which stretches down through the ages and covers every time and place—yet, a mission never finished until the Son of Man will at last send his angel harvesters to gather in all that is his. Until then, it is now still the "proper time"; and God continues to manifest his word by the same perennial proclamation. Every Christian is a bearer of the Gospel and must continually reveal the saving will of God by our preaching. Our charism is, like Timothy and Titus, to be specialists in the mission. There will be challenges, heartbreaks, and enemies to be faced, but the more we rely on Jesus our burden bearer greater will be our joy in the manifestation of his kingdom.

"Lord, help me fan the flame of encouragement and keep burning the gifts you’ve bestowed upon me. Let its warmth be a blessing and comfort to those around me and may I burn bright for you."

The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

2012-01-25T01:55:00.003+03:00

For love of Christ, Paul bore every burden

Paul, more than anyone else, has shown us what man really is, and in what our nobility consists, and of what virtue this particular animal is capable. Each day he aimed ever higher; each day he rose up with greater ardour and faced with new eagerness the dangers that threatened him. He summed up his attitude in the words: I forget what is behind me and push on to what lies ahead. When he saw death imminent, he bade others share his joy: Rejoice and be glad with me! And when danger, injustice and abuse threatened, he said: I am content with weakness, mistreatment and persecution. These he called the weapons of righteousness, thus telling us that he derived immense profit from them.

Thus, amid the traps set for him by his enemies, with exultant heart he turned their every attack into a victory for himself; constantly beaten, abused and cursed, he boasted of it as though he were celebrating a triumphal procession and taking trophies home, and offered thanks to God for it all: Thanks be to God who is always victorious in us! This is why he was far more eager for the shameful abuse that his zeal in preaching brought upon him than we are for the most pleasing honours, more eager for death than we are for life, for poverty than we are for wealth; he yearned for toil far more than others yearn for rest after toil. The one thing he feared, indeed dreaded, was to offend God; nothing else could sway him. Therefore, the only thing he really wanted was always to please God.

The most important thing of all to him, however, was that he knew himself to be loved by Christ. Enjoying this love, he considered himself happier than anyone else; were he without it, it would be no satisfaction to be the friend of principalities and powers. He preferred to be thus loved and be the least of all, or even to be among the damned, than to be without that love and be among the great and honoured.

To be separated from that love was, in his eyes, the greatest and most extraordinary of torments; the pain of that loss would alone have been hell, and endless, unbearable torture.

So too, in being loved by Christ he thought of himself as possessing life, the world, the angels, present and future, the kingdom, the promise and countless blessings. Apart from that love nothing saddened or delighted him; for nothing earthly did he regard as bitter or sweet.

Paul set no store by the things that fill our visible world, any more than a man sets value on the withered grass of the field. As for tyrannical rulers or the people enraged against him, he paid them no more heed than gnats. Death itself and pain and whatever torments might come were but child’s play to him, provided that thereby he might bear some burden for the sake of Christ.

~Saint John Chrysostom

An Act of Abandonment

2012-01-24T06:37:00.002+03:00

O my God, I thank you and I praise
you for accomplishing your holy
and all-lovable will without any regard for mine.
With my whole heart,
in spite of my heart,
do I receive this cross I feared so much!

It is the cross of Your choice,
the cross of Your love.
I venerate it;
nor for anything in the world
would I wish that it had not come,
since You willed it.

I keep it with gratitude and with joy,
as I do everything that comes from Your hand;
and I shall strive to carry it without letting it drag,
with all the respect
and all the affection which Your works deserve.

Amen.

(By Saint Francis De Sales)

Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven (Mark 3:29)

2012-01-23T23:54:00.000+03:00

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24)

"Let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of eternal sin" (Mark 3:29). This is a very stark statement coming from a loving and forgiving God. Can it be that he who comes in flesh and blood to proclaim God's liberality to all of us sets limits to God's mercy and forgiveness? Haven't we been told time and again that, no matter what offences we have committed God is faithful and just and will grant us his forgiveness and purify us from all unrighteousness if we confess our sins? (1 John 1:9). So what is Jesus trying to say here? The next line of Scripture explains why Jesus made this statement, it is because the scribes were saying, 'An unclean spirit is in him' (Mark 3:30). They called love "hate" and goodness "evil." They saw the goodness of Jesus but they refused to accept and follow it, they chose to remain rigid to the working of the Holy Spirit.

There have been numerous misconceptions concerning the 'unpardonable sin'. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, that "there are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss" –CCC 1864. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture explains, "Unlike other blasphemies or sins which might be partially excused by ignorance, passion or inadvertence, this was[/is] a sin of willful malice and blindness to the light. As long as such a mentality persists, pardon is impossible, not because of any limitation of God, but because those who are guilty of this sin refuse to respond to the promptings of grace" (p.912). Simply put, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the attitude of willful rejection of God's grace and forgiveness.

While we will probably never commit this dreadful sin of denying Christ and his mercy, we are still guilty of rejecting God's command to 'love one another'. Jesus tells us, that it is not enough to say, "I haven't killed anyone” but "whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement." If this is the case with us, then surely we have some repenting to do. Thankfully there is available to us the beautiful sacrament of reconciliation, where we can ask pardon for sins committed repeatedly or knowingly and accept God’s saving help. We constantly need to implore God’s mercy and humbly acknowledge our sinfulness, only then will we be able to leave this world in a state of grace!

"Heavenly Father, I acknowledge my sinfulness, my pride and my ego that takes me further away from your divine grace. Lord, I pray that you may break down every barrier that keeps me away from you."

Acts 2:38 Turn away from all your offenses

2012-01-23T00:45:00.000+03:00

The Power Of Scripture

An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of religious service when she was startled by an intruder. As she caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, she yelled, "Stop - Acts 2:38!" (..turn from your sin...) The burglar stopped dead in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you." "Scripture?" replied the burglar, "She said she had an AXE and two 38's!"

The Lord is my Shepherd

2012-01-22T23:45:00.000+03:00

The Lord is my Shepherd! He's all that I need.
I rest peacefully among lush green meadows
You’ll find me there, near the brook called ‘River of Life’
Refreshing my weary soul with ‘Living Waters’

He leads me on a well beaten path
Paved by His footprints alone.
Where the Master is, there I shall follow.
I’m not afraid of the dark
To me they are only harmless fleeting shadows
I gaze upon what lies up ahead, the ‘Light of Life’
I bask in His warmth that comforts and shields me.

Down the valleys and up the hills
Across plains and rocky crags I go
Leaving all my foes far behind
I’m headed to the banquet of the Lord
Where a table is set for me,
With the best of foods and clear aged-wines.

I radiate with the oil of gladness
A perfume emits the air
My cup of blessings runs over
A royal garment and a crown I wear
The Lord has been true to his promises
I’ve reached the place that is empty of worldly care.

~Olivia

Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

Judges of the Sacra Rota

2012-01-22T00:57:00.001+03:00

Pope Benedict XVI (C) poses with judges to mark the start of the judiciary year of the Sacra Rota at the Vatican. (Reuters Pictures)

Pope marks the feast of St. Agnes

2012-01-22T00:46:00.001+03:00

Pope Benedict XVI marked the Feast of St. Agnes Saturday with a centuries-old rite: the blessing of the lambs from whose wool the Pallium will be made. Two small lambs were carried to the Pope in baskets, as per tradition, by the Canons Regular of the Lateran Basilica.

Agnes means “lamb” in Latin. The saint of the same name was a martyr of the early 4th century, known for her consecrated virginity, who was killed for refusing to worship pagan gods.
To symbolize St. Agnes’ purity, one of the lambs wears a crown of white flowers, while the other wears a red floral wreath to recall her faithful witness even unto death.

Reared in the convent instead of Tre Fontane in Rome, come Summer these same two lambs will be brought to the monastery of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere where in a custom that has remained in tact down through the centuries, they will be shorn to supply the wool from which the religious sisters will weave the Pallium.

These white stoles are worn by metropolitan archbishops around their necks as a symbol of their authority and unity with the pope. The Holy Father presents them to newly-appointed metropolitan archbishops each year on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

(Getty Images)

It Takes Courage

2012-01-21T21:34:00.000+03:00

It takes courage to answer a call,
It takes courage to give your all.
It takes courage to risk your name,
It takes courage to be true.

It takes courage to dare what no other would share,
To be standing alone, one whom no one will own,
To be ready to stake, to be loyal not fake,
It takes courage to be true.

It takes courage to answer a call,
It takes courage to give your all.
It takes courage to risk your name,
It takes courage to be true.

It takes courage to say what you know will not pay,
To give each one a share though there’ll be less to spare,
To be seeking no more than the neighbour next door,
It takes courage to be true.

It takes courage to answer a call,
It takes courage to give your all.
It takes courage to risk your name,
It takes courage to be true.

It takes courage to leave what good fortune can give,
And to go to a land where the poor need a hand
To be spending one’s days in less leisurely ways,
It takes courage to be true.

In the midst of tears, she sheds no tears herself

2012-01-21T05:15:00.001+03:00

Too young to be punished, yet old enough for a martyr's crown

Today is the birthday of a virgin; let us imitate her purity. It is the birthday of a martyr; let us offer ourselves in sacrifice. It is the birthday of Saint Agnes, who is said to have suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve. The cruelty that did not spare her youth shows all the more clearly the power of faith in finding one so young to bear it witness.

There was little or no room in that small body for a wound. Though she could scarcely receive the blow, she could rise superior to it. Girls of her age cannot bear even their parents’ frowns and, pricked by a needle, weep as for a serious wound. Yet she shows no fear of the blood-stained hands of her executioners. She stands undaunted by heavy, clanking chains. She offers her whole body to be put to the sword by fierce soldiers. She is too young to know of death, yet is ready to face it. Dragged against her will to the altars, she stretches out her hands to the Lord in the midst of the flames, making the triumphant sign of Christ the victor on the altars of sacrilege. She puts her neck and hands in iron chains, but no chain can hold fast her tiny limbs.

A new kind of martyrdom! Too young to be punished, yet old enough for a martyr’s crown; unfitted for the contest, yet effortless in victory, she shows herself a master in valour despite the handicap of youth. As a bride she would not be hastening to join her husband with the same joy she shows as a virgin on her way to punishment, crowned not with flowers but with holiness of life, adorned not with braided hair but with Christ himself.

In the midst of tears, she sheds no tears herself. The crowds marvel at her recklessness in throwing away her life untasted, as if she had already lived life to the full. All are amazed that one not yet of legal age can give her testimony to God. So she succeeds in convincing others of her testimony about God, though her testimony in human affairs could not yet be accepted. What is beyond the power of nature, they argue, must come from its creator.

What menaces there were from the executioner, to frighten her; what promises made, to win her over; what influential people desired her in marriage! She answered: “To hope that any other will please me does wrong to my Spouse. I will be his who first chose me for himself. Executioner, why do you delay? If eyes that I do not want can desire this body, then let it perish.” She stood still, she prayed, she offered her neck.

You could see fear in the eyes of the executioner, as if he were the one condemned; his right hand trembled, his face grew pale as he saw the girl’s peril, while she had no fear for herself. One victim, but a twin martyrdom, to modesty and to religion; Agnes preserved her virginity, and gained a martyr’s crown.

(From a treatise On Virgins by Saint Ambrose)

Martyrdom of Saint Fabian

2012-01-20T07:10:00.001+03:00

Fabian shows us an example of faith and strength

When St Cyprian had learnt of Pope Fabian’s death, he sent this letter to the presbyters and deacons of Rome (250AD):

When the report of the departure of the excellent man, my colleague, was still uncertain among us, my beloved brethren, and I was wavering doubtfully in my opinion on the matter, I received a letter sent to me from you by Crementius the sub-deacon, in which I was fully informed of his glorious end; and I rejoiced greatly that the integrity of his administration had been matched by the nobility of his end.

I greatly congratulate you that you honour his memory with so public and illustrious a testimony, through which you have made known to me not only the memory of your bishop, which confers glory upon you, but also an example of faith and strength that I should follow.

For just as the fall of a bishop tends to bring about the ruinous fall of his followers, so it is a useful and helpful thing when, by the firmness of his faith, a bishop becomes manifest to his brethren as an object of imitation.

Before receiving the above letter, the Church of Rome wrote to Cyprian, bearing witness to its steadfastness in persecution:

The church stands in faith, even though some have been driven to fall by sheer terror, whether because they were people of some eminence or that, when they were seized, they were overwhelmed by the fear of man. We did not abandon these people, although they were separated from us, but exhort them, and exhort them still, to repent, so that they may somehow receive pardon from Him who is able to pardon them, and so that they should not, by being deserted by us, become worse.

So you see, brethren, that you ought to do the same, so that even those who have fallen may be brought to their senses by your exhortation, and confess, if they are seized once more, and so make amends for their former sin. You have other duties too, which we have added here. For example, if anyone who has fallen into this temptation begins to be taken with sickness, and repents of what he has done, and desires communion, it must be granted to them in any case. And if you have widows or bedridden people who cannot maintain themselves, or people who are in prison or otherwise excluded from their own dwellings, they must always have someone to minister to them. Moreover, catechumens who are taken ill should not be disappointed in their hopes, but should also be given help.

The brethren who are in chains greet you, as do the elders and the whole Church, which also, with the deepest anxiety, keeps watch over all who call on the Lord. And we too ask that you in your turn should remember us.

(Letters of St Cyprian)

The persecutors who are visible are not the only ones.

2012-01-20T00:15:00.001+03:00

Faithful witnessing to Christ

To enter the kingdom of God we must endure many tribulations. If there are many persecutions, there are many testings; where there are many crowns of victory, there are many trials of strength. It is then to your advantage if there are many persecutors; among many persecutions you may more easily find a path to victory.

Take the example of the martyr Sebastian, whose birthday in glory we celebrate today. He was a native of Milan. At a time when persecution either had ceased or had not yet begun or was of a milder kind, he realised that there was only slight, if any, opportunity for suffering. He set out for Rome, where bitter persecutions were raging because of the fervour of the Christians. There he endured suffering; there he gained his crown. He went to the city as a stranger and there established a home of undying glory. If there had been only one persecutor, he would not have gained a martyr’s crown.

The persecutors who are visible are not the only ones. There are also invisible persecutors, much greater in number. This is more serious. Like a king bent on persecution, sending orders to persecute to his many agents, and establishing different persecutors in each city or province, the devil directs his many servants in their work of persecution, whether in public or in the souls of individuals. Of this kind of persecution Scripture says: All who wish to live a holy life in Christ Jesus suffer persecution. “All” suffer persecution; there is no exception. Who can claim exemption if the Lord himself endured the testing of persecution? How many there are today who are secret martyrs for Christ, giving testimony to Jesus as Lord! The Apostle knew this kind of martyrdom, this faithful witnessing to Christ; he said: This is our boast, the testimony of our conscience.

(From an exposition of psalm 118 by Saint Ambrose)

All Are To Be Loved!

2012-01-19T13:50:00.000+03:00

"Disturbers are to be rebuked,
the low-spirited to be encouraged,
the infirm to be supported,
objectors confuted,
the treacherous guarded against,
the unskilled taught,
the lazy aroused,
the contentious restrained,
the haughty repressed,
the poor relieved,
the oppressed liberated,
the good approved,
the evil borne with,
and all are to be loved!"

Augustine, Sermo CCIX

The first Indo-Mohawkian Saint to be canonised

2012-01-18T18:26:00.001+03:00

Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th century Mohawkian (mohican) woman who the Vatican will canonise later this year, seen in St. Peter's Chapel at the National Kateri Shrine in Fonda, New York. Kateri will become the first Native American saint in the Catholic church.

The framed painting is attributed to Father Claude Chauchetiere, a French missionary, in 1681, a year after her death.

(Getty Images)

The 700-year-old letter from King Philip

2012-01-18T18:02:00.001+03:00

A 700-year-old letter, believed to have been in the possession of William Wallace, is seen displayed at the National Records of Scotland January 12, 2012.

The letter from King Philip of France to his officials at the Vatican will go on display until 2014.

(Getty Images)

How Long Will You Mourn (1 Samuel 16:1)

2012-01-17T22:33:00.004+03:00

"Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way." (1 Samuel 16:1)

The prophet Samuel loved King Saul dearly and prayed for him daily over a span of forty years (1 Samuel 12:23). He wished to see Saul as a mature spiritual leader for the people of Israel. On the other hand Saul was everything but godly and so the Lord decided to remove him from kingship. Samuel was overcome with grief. In the earlier chapter we read, he "was troubled and cried out to God all night," about Saul (1 Samuel 15:1-11). God allowed Samuel to mourn Saul's defeat for some time. However the Lord had already made up his mind, Samuel's tears were not going to change the Lord's plans. But yet there was hope! The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you go on mourning over Saul?" I have better plans and I want to make you part of the new thing that I’ve in mind. Be on your way for I will lead you to the new king.

Samuel was grieved and afraid. Grief always comes with fear!!! Fear of the unknown... the "what if's." What if he obeyed God, and anointed the new king, he would have to pay with his life (1 Samuel 16:2). What if this new king turned out to be like Saul? Would the Israelites reject him as prophet, accusing him of disloyalty and vacillation? Samuel had a lot to lose and very little to gain. His response would determine the history of God's people. Surely he must have mourned over and over again. Thinking to himself, "if only," Saul "could have done this and this," then maybe "it would have been." And wept over all those wasted years, forty to be precise.

We have all faced the "Sauls" and "Samuels" in life. The times when we came across the "could have been" and the "should have been" and yes we have mourned over the wasted years and said the "if only's." It is but natural to brood over missed opportunities, weak decisions, lost relationships, the demise of a loved one, or failures, nonetheless we must learn to move forward. It is the Lord who asks us the same question, "How long will you go on mourning???" For in situations like these we must forget what lies behind and press forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13).We have to let go. There is a time for healing, which only the Lord knows. But we must remember to never let the oil of gladness run dry. We need to release the un-forgiveness, the broken heartedness, the un-cried tears, and the pains that were buried alive and fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit. We can never know where the Lord is leading us to, we can only keep guessing just as Samuel did with the sons of Jesse but we’ve got to stay deeply rooted in faith. When we let go of things beyond our control the Lord will help us see things the way he sees them, all we ought to do is trust and obey.

"Heavenly Father, I may never see things the way you see them. At times I fail to understand why you do not satisfy the longings of my heart. Lord, I lift up these moments to you and pray for trust in your unfathomable wisdom and obedience to your divine plan."

Life of Saint Anthony, Abbot

2012-01-17T11:54:00.001+03:00

Saint Anthony receives his vocation

When Anthony was about eighteen or twenty years old, his parents died, leaving him with an only sister. He cared for her as she was very young, and also looked after their home.

Not six months after his parents’ death, as he was on his way to church for his usual visit, he began to think of how the apostles had left everything and followed the Saviour, and also of those mentioned in the book of Acts who had sold their possessions and brought the apostles the money for distribution to the needy. He reflected too on the great hope stored up in heaven for such as these. This was all in his mind when, entering the church just as the Gospel was being read, he heard the Lord’s words to the rich man: If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor – you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.

It seemed to Antony that it was God who had brought the saints to his mind and that the words of the Gospel had been spoken directly to him. Immediately he left the church and gave away to the villagers all the property he had inherited, about 200 acres of very beautiful and fertile land, so that it would cause no distraction to his sister and himself. He sold all his other possessions as well, giving to the poor the considerable sum of money he collected. However, to care for his sister he retained a few things.

The next time he went to church he heard the Lord say in the Gospel: Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Without a moment’s hesitation he went out and gave the poor all that he had left. He placed his sister in the care of some well-known and trustworthy virgins and arranged for her to be brought up in the convent. Then he gave himself up to the ascetic life, not far from his own home. He kept a careful watch over himself and practised great austerity. He did manual work because he had heard the words: If anyone will not work, do not let him eat. He spent some of his earnings on bread and the rest he gave to the poor.

Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, he prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, his memory served him in place of books.

Seeing the kind of life he lived, the villagers and all the good men he knew called him the friend of God, and they loved him as both son and brother.

(From the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius)

Shirley & Marcy

2012-01-16T13:31:00.001+03:00

A young mother was very concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him.

She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.

So she had an idea of how to handle it.

She asked a neighbour if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance,
So he probably wouldn't notice her.

The neighbour agreed and said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well.

The next school day, the neighbour and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbour girl he knew.

She did this for the whole week. As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs.

Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.

Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?'

Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.'

The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'

'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'

'Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?'

'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mum makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cause she worries about me so much...And in the Psalm, it says, "Shirley Goodnest (surely goodness ) and Marcy (mercy) shall follow me all the days of my life," so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'

*******************

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always!"

The Power of Three

2012-01-16T00:03:00.001+03:00

+ There are THREE persons in the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

+ God made man in His own image. Man has THIRTY-THREE vertebrae in his spine.

+ Man has THIRTY- THREE joints on each foot.

+ There are THREE sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japet (and their THREE families that were saved from the flood).

+ There are THREE members of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

+ When baby Jesus was born, THREE Magi came to honour him with gifts.

+ In his youth, Jesus was lost for THREE days and was found in the temple.

+ Jesus preached for THREE years in his ministry.

+ There are THREE parables of God’s mercy: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Drachma and the Lost Son (The Prodigal Son)

+ When Jesus went to pray in the desert, he was tempted by the devil THREE times.

+ Jesus spoke THREE times about the prophecy of the passion and His death; around the villages of Caesarea Philippi, on the way to Galilee, and on the road to Jerusalem.

+During the agony in the garden, Jesus went to pray THREE times while his THREE friends, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, slept.

+ Jesus was denounced THREE times by Peter.

+ Judas betrayed Jesus for THIRTY pieces of silver.

+ Jesus was unjustly judged by THREE judges.

+ THREE guards watched over Jesus.

+ Pilate asked the angry crowd THREE times what he should do with Jesus.

+ Jesus was nailed to the Cross in THREE places.

+ There were THREE crosses on Calvary.

+ There were THREE women with the name, Mary, at the foot of the Cross: Mary, the Mother of Jesus; Mary Magdalene; and Mary, the wife of Cleophas.

+ Jesus suffered on the Cross for THREE hours.

+ Jesus died on the Cross at THREE o’clock.

+ Jesus died at the age of THIRTY- THREE.

+ Jesus was in the tomb for THREE days.

+ Jesus rose on the THIRD day.

+ After the Resurrection, Jesus met Simon Peter, and asked him THREE times, "Do you love me?" (the THIRD appearance of Jesus).

+ At the transfiguration, the THREE disciples: Peter, James and John, witnessed the conversation of these THREE persons: Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

+ Saul who was converted to Paul was blind for THREE days.

+ There are THREE theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love.

+ There are THREE elements to a person: Body, Soul, and Spirit.

+ There are THREE elements of faith: Knowledge, Assent, and Confidence.

+ There are THREE evangelical counsels: Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience.

+ There are THREE notable duties: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.

+ There are THREE realms of the afterlife: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory (Limbo is regarded as hypothetical)

~Olivia

Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

Here I Am, Since You Called Me (1 Samuel 3:5)

2012-01-15T15:09:00.002+03:00

"Here I am Lord, I come to do your will." (Psalm 40:7-8)

The reason we assemble together in Church is because in some way or the other we have heard the call of God and have decided to follow him. If you paid careful attention to the readings today, you will realize that the central theme is based on discipleship. However, responding to the call means that we have to be available 24 x 7 to the promptings of the Spirit. In the first reading we hear how the Lord called young Samuel while he was serving in the temple. Even though Samuel was lying in the sanctuary where the Divine ark was, he could not perceive the presence of God because according to Scripture, "the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." In fact he thought it was Eli the High priest that was calling out to him. When the Lord called, 'Samuel!, Samuel!' notice what Scripture says, "Then he ran to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you called me,'" he does it not once but three times. If it were one of us, would we be ready to serve the call? Or would we yell, "What?" the first time, "Don't disturb me!" the second, and maybe go absolutely mute the third time and pretend to be asleep. Samuel was an obedient servant to Eli and followed his instructions in responding to the Lord's persistent call by saying: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." Because of his readiness to carry out God's plans, he was chosen to be a prophet and later a judge over God’s people.

The call of Samuel and his answer to it is a living example to all of us. Just as he grew in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord, we too are called to live in obedience, faith, service and love of the Lord. In the Second Reading we are reminded that our bodies belong to the Lord (1 Cor. 6:13-15, 17-20). By the Sacrament of Baptism, we became temples of the Holy Spirit. Each one of us is a part of the mystical Body of Christ, and anyone who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. Therefore how can we abuse this temple with worldly desires and pleasures that do not glorify God? We have been bought and paid for by the Blood of the Lamb. When we realized this heavy price that was paid, we will be able to live more fully as holy children of a loving Father. It is only through our thoughts, words and actions that witnessing to Christ could continue to manifest.

Today's Gospel passage describes the call of the first disciples. John the Baptiser points to Jesus as the 'Lamb of God'. The 'lamb' that is led to the slaughter is connected with Isaiah's 'suffering servant' (Chapter 53) and refers to Jesus who gives his life as a ransom for all. On hearing John's witness two of his disciple leave him and follow Jesus. One of them curiously asks Jesus, 'Rabbi, where do you live?' Jesus replies, "Come and see." It was a direct invitation by Jesus, "Come and See". It was the Lord saying to them, 'come experience for yourselves the life I live and the work I do. Spend a hassle free day with me and then decide'. If you want to know somebody or something you've got to spend time with them or in that place. There is nothing like first - hand information! In the Book of Ezekiel, just before he was made watchman for the house of Israel, the Spirit of the Lord took him to Tel Abib to feel what the exiles felt. Remember this: Jesus Christ loved us so much that he was willing to come to earth to sit where we sit and to feel what we feel. Compassion is the result of our relationship with God. John 3:16 sums it up.

The two disciples followed Jesus and their lives were never the same again. The encounter makes one of the followers, Andrew by name, assert "We have found the Messiah!" Moreover, he brings his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. By the testimony of John the Baptist two disciples answered the call. By the testimony of Andrew, Peter answered the call. The Lord yet calls, sometimes it's a persistent ringing in the ears and sometimes it just points to the task. But he keeps calling until we answer it. It all depends on what our response is, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening," or will it be "Please Do Not Disturb! We're too disturbed, already!!!"

"Heavenly Father, help us embrace your will, and give us the strength to follow your call, so that your truth may live in our hearts and reflect peace to those who believe in your love."

Why God? Why?

2012-01-14T12:43:00.001+03:00

Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor

2012-01-13T09:24:00.004+03:00

Hilary was born in the beginning of the 4th century at Pictavium, Gaul (modern-day Poitiers, France) to wealthy pagan parents. He married early in life and had a daughter Saint Abra. After receiving a thorough education in Greek and Latin classics, he became an orator. He studied the Old and New Testament writings and at the age of about 35, he rejected his Neo-Platonism and became a Christian through a long process of study and thought. In 353 he received the sacrament of baptism along with his wife and his daughter.

So great was the respect in which he was held by the citizens of Poitiers that he was elected bishop, although still a married man (clerical celibacy was not required by the church until the late Middle Ages). Hilary is the first Bishop in that region of whom we have authentic information, he became an outspoken champion of orthodoxy against the Arians heresy (A heresy that denied the divinity of Jesus Christ). St Augustine praised him as "the illustrious teacher of the churches." St Jerome wrote that Hilary was "a most eloquent man, and the trumpet of the Latins against the Arians." Hilary acquired the name "Athanasius of the West."

Almost immediately upon assuming the office of bishop, St Hilary became active in the debate over the Trinity then dividing the church. At that time, the defenders of the Council of Nicaea suffered official disfavour: Emperor Constantius, son and successor of Constantine the Great, supported the pro-Arian bishops. Hilary refused the emperor’s demand to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, whereupon Constantius exiled him to Phyrgia. Hilary made good use of his time in exile. He met with Greek-speaking church leaders and theologians and wrote important works on church doctrine. While in exile, St Hilary publicly and forcefully defended Nicene orthodoxy at church synods and councils in 356 and 359. The emperor decided that Hilary was causing too much trouble for Arians in the eastern church and so in 360 ordered him to return from exile to Poitiers. He was received back home in Gaul with great rejoicing and thanksgiving. When Constantius died in 361, official support for Arianism ended. Hilary's eloquent defence of orthodoxy was decisive in removing or converting remaining Arian bishops, and he is recognised for the great achievement of restoring order to the church of his time.

His most celebrated book is On the Trinity, a twelve-volume work written in 359 and 360, in which Hilary refuted Arianism by proving the consubstantiality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (De trinitate libri XII). Quoting St. Hilary: "For one to attempt to speak of God in terms more precise than he himself has used: -- to undertake such a thing is to embark upon the boundless, to dare the incomprehensible. He fixed the names of His nature: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever is sought over and above this is beyond the meaning of words, beyond the limits of perception, beyond the embrace of understanding."

St Hilary believed that the only way to learn about God was through adoration and devotion. God must be approached with a devout mind. True knowledge of God comes only through thinking with understanding formed by piety. Theology therefore requires the warmth of faith. He began writing hymns after seeing that Arians used hymns to spread their false doctrines. Deciding that orthodox Christians should popularise their beliefs in the same way, he became the first Latin hymn-writer of the Church.

St. Hilary died in the year 368 and was raised to the rank of Doctor of the Church in the year 1851 by Pope Pius IX.

Honored in :- Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church, Oriental Orthodoxy

Canonized :- Pre-Congregation

Feast :- January 13, January 14 (in some local calendars and pre-1970 General Roman Calendar)

Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

Grant That We May Express What We Believe.

2012-01-12T23:10:00.002+03:00

May I serve you by making you known

I am well aware, Almighty God and Father, that in my life I owe you a most particular duty. It is to make my every thought and word speak of you.

In fact, you have conferred on me this gift of speech, and it can yield no greater return than to be at your service. It is for making you known as Father, the Father of the only-begotten God, and preaching this to the world that knows you not and to the heretics who refuse to believe in you.

In this matter the declaration of my intention is only of limited value. For the rest, I need to pray for the gift of your help and your mercy. As we spread our sails of trusting faith and public avowal before you, fill them with the breath of your Spirit, to drive us on as we begin this course of proclaiming your truth. We have been promised, and he who made the promise is trustworthy: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Yes, in our poverty we will pray for our needs. We will study the sayings of your prophets and apostles with unflagging attention, and knock for admittance wherever the gift of understanding is safely kept. But yours it is, Lord, to grant our petitions, to be present when we seek you and to open when we knock.

There is an inertia in our nature that makes us dull; and in our attempt to penetrate your truth we are held within the bounds of ignorance by the weakness of our minds. Yet we do comprehend divine ideas by earnest attention to your teaching and by obedience to the faith which carries us beyond mere human apprehension.

So we trust in you to inspire the beginnings of this ambitious venture, to strengthen its progress, and to call us into a partnership in the spirit with the prophets and the apostles. To that end, may we grasp precisely what they meant to say, taking each word in its real and authentic sense. For we are about to say what they already have declared as part of the mystery of revelation: that you are the eternal God, the Father of the eternal, only-begotten God; that you are one and not born from another; and that the Lord Jesus is also one, born of you from all eternity. We must not proclaim a change in truth regarding the number of gods. We must not deny that he is begotten of you who are the one God; nor must we assert that he is other than the true God, born of you who are truly God the Father.

Impart to us, then, the meaning of the words of Scripture and the light to understand it, with reverence for the doctrine and confidence in its truth. Grant that we may express what we believe. Through the prophets and apostles we know about you, the one God the Father, and the one Lord Jesus Christ. May we have the grace, in the face of heretics who deny you, to honour you as God, who is not alone, and to proclaim this as truth.

(From the treatise on the Trinity by Saint Hilary of Poitiers)

And The Sparkling Floor

2012-01-12T00:13:00.000+03:00

Pope Benedict XVI (2nd R) and Msgr Georg Gänswein (3rd R) leave the Aula Paolo VI at the Vatican at the end of the weekly general audience on January 4, 2012. (Getty Images)

The Pope does get some rare gifts..a croc???

2012-01-11T23:55:00.000+03:00

A member of Rome's Biopark zoo holds a baby crocodile as he presents it to Pope Benedict XVI during his Wednesday general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican January 11, 2012. (Reuters Pictures)

Nuns pose with a circus performer

2012-01-11T23:40:00.000+03:00

Nuns pose with the clown of an Italian circus after Pope Benedict XVI's Wednesday general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican January 11, 2012. (Photo credit AP Photo, Reuters Pictures, Getty Images)

What is it which upsets your mind?

2012-01-11T18:45:00.001+03:00

Come now let me relieve the wound of thy despondency, and disperse the thoughts which gather this cloud of care around you. For what is it which upsets your mind, and why are you sorrowful and dejected?

When you look at calamities do not abandon the hope of better things, considering as to who the Pilot is in all this — not One who gets the better of the storm by His art, but calms the raging waters by His rod.

But if He does not effect this at the outset and speedily, such is His custom — He does not at the beginning put down these terrible evils, but when they have increased, and come to extremities, and most persons are reduced to despair, then He works wondrously, and beyond all expectation, thus manifesting His own power, and training the patience of those who undergo these calamities. Do not therefore be cast down. For there is only one thing, which is really terrible, only one real trial, and that is sin! But as for all other things, plots, enmities, frauds, calumnies, insults, accusations, confiscation, exile, the keen sword of the enemy, the peril of the deep, warfare of the whole world, or anything else you like to name, they are but idle tales. For whatever the nature of these things may be they are transitory and perishable, and operate in a mortal body without doing any injury to the vigilant soul.

Therefore the blessed Paul, desiring to prove the insignificance both of the pleasures and sorrows relating to this life, declared the whole truth in one sentence when he said — "For the things which are seen are temporal" (2 Cor.4:18). Why then do you fear temporal things which pass away like the stream of a river. For such is the nature of present things whether they be pleasant or painful. And another prophet compared all human prosperity not to grass, but to another material even more flimsy, describing the whole of it "as the flower of grass."

Do you see the abundance of resource belonging to God? His wisdom, His extraordinary power, His loving-kindness and care? Be not therefore dismayed or troubled but continue to give thanks to God for all things, praising, and invoking Him; beseeching and supplicating; even if countless tumults and troubles come upon you, even if tempests are stirred up before your eyes let none of these things disturb you.

For our Master is not baffled by the difficulty, even if all things are reduced to the extremity of ruin. For it is possible for Him to raise those who have fallen, to convert those who are in error, to set straight those who have been ensnared, to release those who have been laden with countless sins, and make them righteous, to quicken those who are dead, to restore lustre to decayed things, and freshness to those which have waxen old. For if He makes things which are not, come into being, and bestows existence on things which are nowhere by any means manifest, how much more will He rectify things which already exist.

(Adapted from a letter to Olympias by St. John Chrysostom)

Here I Am, Lord

2012-01-11T17:35:00.002+03:00

Here am I, Lord. It is I, Lord
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.

I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here am I, Lord. It is I, Lord
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here am I, Lord. It is I, Lord
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide,
'Til their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here am I, Lord. It is I, Lord
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

God's wisdom in creation

2012-01-11T11:51:00.000+03:00

Wisdom in creation and in the history of Israel

Wisdom speaks her own praises,

in the midst of her people she glories in herself.

She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High,

she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One;

‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,

and I covered the earth like a mist.

I had my tent in the heights,

and my throne in a pillar of cloud.

Alone I encircled the vault of the sky,

and I walked on the bottom of the deeps.

Over the waves of the sea and over the whole earth,

and over every people and nation I have held sway.

Among all these I searched for rest,

and looked to see in whose territory I might pitch camp.

Then the creator of all things instructed me,

and he who created me fixed a place for my tent.

He said, “Pitch your tent in Jacob,

make Israel your inheritance.”

From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,

and for eternity I shall remain.

I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle,

and thus was I established on Zion.

In the beloved city he has given me rest,

and in Jerusalem I wield my authority.

I have taken root in a privileged people,

in the Lord’s property, in his inheritance.

I have grown tall as a cedar on Lebanon,

as a cypress on Mount Hermon;

I have grown tall as a palm in Engedi,

as the rose bushes of Jericho;

as a fine olive in the plain,

as a plane tree I have grown tall.

I have exhaled a perfume like cinnamon and acacia,

I have breathed out a scent like choice myrrh,

like galbanum, onycha and stacte,

like the smoke of incense in the tabernacle.

I have spread my branches like a terebinth,

and my branches are glorious and graceful.

I am like a vine putting out graceful shoots,

my blossoms bear the fruit of glory and wealth.

Approach me, you who desire me,

and take your fill of my fruits,

for memories of me are sweeter than honey,

inheriting me is sweeter than the honeycomb.

They who eat me will hunger for more,

they who drink me will thirst for more.

Whoever listens to me will never have to blush,

whoever acts as I dictate will never sin.’

All this is no other than the book of the covenant of the Most High God,

the Law that Moses enjoined on us,

an inheritance for the communities of Jacob.

Ecclesiasticus 24:1-33

Oops! Google Chrome could not find [name of website]

2012-01-10T20:57:00.002+03:00

As compared to the articles published on this blog, this post... I must say, is totally out of proportion. The only reason it's featuring here is to help those who where exiled by Chrome like I was .. (not kidding!) Google Chrome was driving me nuts for a couple of days. Every time I tried to load a website it said "Oops! Google Chrome could not find [name of website] Try reloading: [name of website]…. Or access a cached version." Oddly enough this happened while I was still able to access certain other sites. Later I realised it wasn't just Chrome, but Mozilla, IE and Safari were throwing up the same error message.

oops google chrome could not connect to

After a little research this is what I found (but it did not help me one bit, you could try it anyways) :-

Okay, the majority of page loading problems are a result of the DNS Fetching in Google Chrome. DNS Pre-fetching stores information in the browser to speed up the loading of websites in Chrome. It can, under certain circumstances, result in connection problems...(that can make you curse your laptop/computer). This can happen if a wrong or outdated DNS is stored in the browser for the website in question. You can try emptying the cache, clearing the history files, emptying the %temp% and temp files... but it's useless.

What DNS Fetching does is, it speeds up page loading by about 250ms. Chrome users who experience connection difficulties regularly might want to try turning the feature off to see if it resolves the issues.

How to turn off the feature :

In the Chrome options. A click on the Wrench icon in the upper extreme right corner of the page and the selection of Options opens, See the image below for the settings window of the web browser

Predict network (DNS pre-fetching)

Keep only phishing and malware protection checked [uncheck the others].
Close Options, and restart the web browser.

Sometimes this function works and the websites are able to load without any problem. ... well it didn't work for me!!! Arrrrgh !!!!!! But that of course only solves the Chrome issue, if IE, Mozilla, Safari yet shows you the error, and if you see this “Oops! Google Chrome could not find [name of website] Try reloading: [name of website]” in Chrome, this is what you need to do >>>> "Change the DNS settings." Period!!! It is much safer than resetting the router as some do suggest. Also it improves your internet Security.

For those unaware, there are many different providers of DNS (Domain Name Servers) available on the Internet, most of them are paid servers. You could try out Google, UltraDNS, OpenDNS etc.

Below are the instruction on how to change your DNS settings in XP, and use a universal IP no matter which DNS provider you choose.

Changing DNS settings

Click Start-Button and Open The Control Panel.
Locate and open Network Connections
Double-Click your default Network Connection from the available list
Click Properties
Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on Properties again
Click on: “Use the following DNS server addresses”
The text fields below will be enabled
Type in DNS IP addresses you have obtained from the DNS provider
(you can also use the DNS port numbers as displayed in the image)
Example:
Preferred DNS server address for Open DNS is: 208.67.222.222
Alternate DNS server address for Open DNS is: 208.67.220.220
Click OK
Close any open dialogue window and Control Panel
Restart all Browsers

Facing the East

2012-01-09T12:03:00.000+03:00

The Unreachable Star

2012-01-08T23:41:00.009+03:00

The wise men wandered in a trance in search of the greatest Treasure this world has ever known. The sight of that Treasure filled them with such delight, that they fell on their knees to do Him homage.
(see Matthew 2:1-12)

The joy of life not only flows from our personal discoveries, but also from learning the solutions offered by others. The beautiful poem that follows is from Man Of La Mancha, a favourite of mine.. and it speaks of the unreachable Star.

To dream ... the impossible dream
To fight ... the unbeatable foe
To bear ... with unbearable sorrow
To run ... where the brave dare not go
To right ... the unrightable wrong
To love ... pure and chaste from afar
To try ... when your arms are too weary
To reach ... the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right, without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell, for a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach, the Unreachable Star!

The Impossible Dream
(The Quest)

Published by Olivia
Copyright© 2012 All rights reserved

When they saw the star they were overjoyed (Matthew 2:10)

2012-01-08T23:36:00.000+03:00

"Go and find out all about the child" (Matthew 2:8)

Every human is born with a gift that drives us beyond the known towards the unknown. From the cradle to the grave man has been on a journey to solve the intangible mysteries. The power that drives us to explore things, places and even the utmost bounds of the universe is nothing ordinary. It is a sacred gift and it's called "curiosity." According to Einstein it is a "holy" gift. He said, "Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity."

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, meaning the Manifestation of Christ to the World. In the Gospel we hear of the Wise Men or Magi who came from the east to pay homage to the Lord and offered him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We are told that these magi followed a star. Over the years there have been many discussions as to whether the so called "star" of Bethlehem was a comet, a supernova or the morning star or a rare planet. But whatever it might have been, it traced itself back to the stable where it’s Creator lay. We don't really know who these three wise men were? Whether they were really kings or simple astrologers searching the night sky for signs and wonders? I suppose they might have been astrologers who kept a close watch, awaiting the birth of the Great One that would be accompanied by rejoicing in the heavens. But one thing is for sure, that these men were curious to find out what this great sign in the sky meant. Leaving their lands and all comforts, they journeyed to Jerusalem to find the great King whose birth was announced by the star. They were men in search of the promise, in search of God. The star represents the Light of Christ which drew the Wise Men to the truth. It is a light that has never ever faded. When they announced the news to king Herod "he was perturbed and so was the whole of Jerusalem with him." The surprising thing is that the inhabitants of Jerusalem also might have noticed the great phenomenon in the sky, we are told that the shepherds knew the same, but none thought it worth bothering about. Not even in Bethlehem did anyone seem to take any notice of the birth of this Baby, called King of the Jews by the Magi.

It is a sad reality that so many cradle Catholics who have been taught the faith from infancy have broken away into other sects. Christ elected St. Peter as the head of the Holy Church, today the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI sits on that very same seat. Bl. Pope Pius IX once said, "Neither the true faith nor eternal salvation is to be found outside the Holy Catholic Church." Furthermore Pope Pius XI had this to say, "Faith in Christ cannot be maintained pure and unalloyed when it is not protected and supported by faith in the Church. Faith in Christ and faith in the Church stand together. Whenever a person obstinately separates himself from the infallible teaching of the Church, he gradually loses the certain and true doctrine about Jesus Christ. If we should ask the many different sects, especially those dating from the 16th and 17th centuries and still bearing the honoured name of "Christian," what they now believe concerning Him, we would receive varying and often conflicting answers. They present Jesus Christ as man, very similar to God, but they are far removed from a full and sincere profession of Catholic faith. Hence, it appears that all these heretics wish by rash endeavor to dissolve Christ and therefore, according to the Apostle John, "are not of God" (1 John 4:3). From the exalted summit of this Apostolic See, We therefore call with fatherly spirit upon all individuals and groups who glory in being disciples of Christ and who place in Him their hope of salvation, always to cling ever firmly to the Roman Church in which belief in Christ is maintained with one entire and perfect faith, worshipped with sincere adoration, and loved with undying charity. Let those who govern flocks separated from us remember how their forerunners solemnly professed the faith, and how in the past as in the present, this same faith has been preserved and earnestly defended by this supreme Chair of Truth. Let them remember that this genuine unity of faith rests only on the One Rock established by Christ and, further, that it has been preserved safe and secure by the supreme authority of the successors of blessed Peter."

Yet there are those who like the wise men recognize the hidden message of the Star, and make great efforts to stay on the right path. They have undergone great difficulties and overcome obstacles just so that they can profess their faith in God and find their true home in the Church. They are the ones who have been enlightened by the great light and found the way to reach Him. Each one of them in their own way lives the experience of the Magi. May the lives of these saints reflect the true light of Bethlehem and may it continue to shine throughout the world. Amen.

“Dear Lord, I place before you the gold – of my talents and strengths, the frankincense- of my prayer and worship, the myrrh – of my faith and dependence on You. Lord, accept my homage as you once accepted the gifts of the Magi from the east.”

Look to Jesus, the Author and Preserver of faith

2012-01-07T10:31:00.000+03:00

May the God of love and peace set your hearts at rest

The preacher of God’s truth has told us that all who want to live righteously in Christ will suffer persecution. If he spoke the truth and did not lie, the only exception to this general statement is, I think, the person who either neglects, or does not know how, to live temperately, justly and righteously in this world.

May you never be omitted from the number of those whose house is peaceful, quiet and free from care; those on whom the Lord’s chastisement does not descend; those who live out their days in prosperity, and in the twinkling of an eye will go down to hell.

Your purity of life, your devotion, deserve and call for a reward; because you are acceptable and pleasing to God your purity of life must be made purer still, by frequent buffetings, until you attain perfect sincerity of heart. If from time to time you feel the sword falling on you with double or treble force, this also should be seen as sheer joy and the mark of love.

The two-edged sword consists in conflict without, fears within. It falls with double or treble force within, when the cunning spirit troubles the depths of your heart with guile and enticements. You have learned enough already about these kinds of warfare, or you would not have been able to enjoy peace and interior tranquillity in all its beauty.

The sword falls with double and treble force externally when, without cause being given, there breaks out from within the Church persecution in spiritual matters, where wounds are more serious, especially when inflicted by friends.

This is that enviable and blessed cross of Christ, which Andrew, that manly saint, received with joyful heart: the cross in which alone we must make our boast, as Paul, God’s chosen instrument, has told us.

Look then on Jesus, the author and preserver of faith: in complete sinlessness he suffered, and at the hands of those who were his own, and was numbered among the wicked. As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!), give thanks to the Lord, the giver of all blessings.

May the God of love and peace set your hearts at rest and speed you on your journey; may he meanwhile shelter you from disturbance by others in the hidden recesses of his love, until he brings you at last into that place of complete plenitude where you will repose for ever in the vision of peace, in the security of trust and in the restful enjoyment of his riches.

~Saint Raymond of Peñafort

Homily of Benedict XVI on the Epiphany of the Lord

2012-01-06T16:08:00.003+03:00

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

Vatican Basilica
Friday, 6 January 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The Epiphany is a feast of light. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Is 60:1). With these words of the prophet Isaiah, the Church describes the content of the feast. He who is the true light, and by whom we too are made to be light, has indeed come into the world. He gives us the power to become children of God (cf. Jn 1:9,12). The journey of the wise men from the East is, for the liturgy, just the beginning of a great procession that continues throughout history. With the Magi, humanity’s pilgrimage to Jesus Christ begins – to the God who was born in a stable, who died on the Cross and who, having risen from the dead, remains with us always, until the consummation of the world (cf. Mt 28:20). The Church reads this account from Matthew’s Gospel alongside the vision of the prophet Isaiah that we heard in the first reading: the journey of these men is just the beginning. Before them came the shepherds – simple souls, who dwelt closer to the God who became a child, and could more easily “go over” to him (Lk 2:15) and recognize him as Lord. But now the wise of this world are also coming. Great and small, kings and slaves, men of all cultures and all peoples are coming. The men from the East are the first, followed by many more throughout the centuries. After the great vision of Isaiah, the reading from the Letter to the Ephesians expresses the same idea in sober and simple terms: the Gentiles share the same heritage (cf. Eph 3:6). Psalm 2 puts it like this: “I shall bequeath you the nations, put the ends of the earth in your possession” (v. 8).

The wise men from the East lead the way. They open up the path of the Gentiles to Christ. During this holy Mass, I will ordain two priests to the episcopate, I will consecrate them as shepherds of God’s people. According to the words of Jesus, part of a shepherd’s task is to go ahead of the flock (cf. Jn 10:4). So, allowing for all the differences in vocation and mission, we may well look to these figures, the first Gentiles to find the pathway to Christ, for indications concerning the task of bishops. What kind of people were they? The experts tell us that they belonged to the great astronomical tradition that had developed in Mesopotamia over the centuries and continued to flourish. But this information of itself is not enough. No doubt there were many astronomers in ancient Babylon, but only these few set off to follow the star that they recognized as the star of the promise, pointing them along the path towards the true King and Saviour. They were, as we might say, men of science, but not simply in the sense that they were searching for a wide range of knowledge: they wanted something more. They wanted to understand what being human is all about. They had doubtless heard of the prophecy of the Gentile prophet Balaam: “A star shall come forth out of Jacob and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Num 24:17). They explored this promise. They were men with restless hearts, not satisfied with the superficial and the ordinary. They were men in search of the promise, in search of God. And they were watchful men, capable of reading God’s signs, his soft and penetrating language. But they were also courageous, yet humble: we can imagine them having to endure a certain amount of mockery for setting off to find the King of the Jews, at the cost of so much effort. For them it mattered little what this or that person, what even influential and clever people thought and said about them. For them it was a question of truth itself, not human opinion. Hence they took upon themselves the sacrifices and the effort of a long and uncertain journey. Their humble courage was what enabled them to bend down before the child of poor people and to recognize in him the promised King, the one they had set out, on both their outward and their inward journey, to seek and to know.

Dear friends, how can we fail to recognize in all this certain essential elements of episcopal ministry? The bishop too must be a man of restless heart, not satisfied with the ordinary things of this world, but inwardly driven by his heart’s unrest to draw ever closer to God, to seek his face, to recognize him more and more, to be able to love him more and more. The bishop too must be a man of watchful heart, who recognizes the gentle language of God and understands how to distinguish truth from mere appearance. The bishop too must be filled with the courage of humility, not asking what prevailing opinion says about him, but following the criterion of God’s truth and taking his stand accordingly – “opportune – importune”. He must be able to go ahead and mark out the path. He must go ahead, in the footsteps of him who went ahead of us all because he is the true shepherd, the true star of the promise: Jesus Christ. And he must have the humility to bend down before the God who made himself so tangible and so simple that he contradicts our foolish pride in its reluctance to see God so close and so small. He must devote his life to adoration of the incarnate Son of God, which constantly points him towards the path.

The liturgy of episcopal ordination interprets the essential features of this ministry in eight questions addressed to the candidates, each beginning with the word “Vultis? – Do you want?” These questions direct the will and mark out the path to be followed. Here I shall briefly cite just a few of the most important words of this presentation, where we find explicit mention of the elements we have just considered in connection with the wise men of today’s feast. The bishops’ task is praedicare Evangelium Christi, it is custodire et dirigere, it is pauperibus se misericordes praebere, it is indesinenter orare. Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, going ahead and leading, guarding the sacred heritage of our faith, showing mercy and charity to the needy and the poor, thus mirroring God’s merciful love for us, and finally, praying without ceasing: these are the fundamental features of the episcopal ministry. Praying without ceasing means: never losing contact with God, letting ourselves be constantly touched by him in the depths of our hearts and, in this way, being penetrated by his light. Only someone who actually knows God can lead others to God. Only someone who leads people to God leads them along the path of life.

The restless heart of which we spoke earlier, echoing Saint Augustine, is the heart that is ultimately satisfied with nothing less than God, and in this way becomes a loving heart. Our heart is restless for God and remains so, even if every effort is made today, by means of most effective anaesthetizing methods, to deliver people from this unrest. But not only are we restless for God: God’s heart is restless for us. God is waiting for us. He is looking for us. He knows no rest either, until he finds us. God’s heart is restless, and that is why he set out on the path towards us – to Bethlehem, to Calvary, from Jerusalem to Galilee and on to the very ends of the earth. God is restless for us, he looks out for people willing to “catch” his unrest, his passion for us, people who carry within them the searching of their own hearts and at the same time open themselves to be touched by God’s search for us. Dear friends, this was the task of the Apostles: to receive God’s unrest for man and then to bring God himself to man. And this is your task as successors of the Apostles: let yourselves be touched by God’s unrest, so that God’s longing for man may be fulfilled.

The wise men followed the star. Through the language of creation, they discovered the God of history. To be sure – the language of creation alone is not enough. Only God’s word, which we encounter in sacred Scripture, was able to mark out their path definitively. Creation and Scripture, reason and faith, must come together, so as to lead us forward to the living God. There has been much discussion over what kind of star it was that the wise men were following. Some suggest a planetary constellation, or a supernova, that is to say one of those stars that is initially quite weak, in which an inner explosion releases a brilliant light for a certain time, or a comet, etc. This debate we may leave to the experts. The great star, the true supernova that leads us on, is Christ himself. He is as it were the explosion of God’s love, which causes the great white light of his heart to shine upon the world. And we may add: the wise men from the East, who feature in today’s Gospel, like all the saints, have themselves gradually become constellations of God that mark out the path. In all these people, being touched by God’s word has, as it were, released an explosion of light, through which God’s radiance shines upon our world and shows us the path. The saints are stars of God, by whom we let ourselves be led to him for whom our whole being longs. Dear friends: you followed the star Jesus Christ when you said “yes” to the priesthood and to the episcopacy. And no doubt smaller stars have enlightened and helped you not to lose your way. In the litany of saints we call upon all these stars of God, that they may continue to shine upon you and show you the path. As you are ordained bishops, you too are called to be stars of God for men, leading them along the path towards the true light, towards Christ. So let us pray to all the saints at this hour, asking them that you may always live up to this mission you have received, to show God’s light to mankind.

[My emphasis in bold]

The Epiphany of the Lord

2012-01-06T12:14:00.000+03:00

Water and Spirit

That Jesus should come and be baptized by John is surely cause for amazement. To think of the infinite river that gladdens the city of God being bathed in a poor little stream of the eternal; the unfathomable fountainhead that gives life to all men being immersed in the shallow waters of this transient world! He who fills all creation, leaving no place devoid of his presence, he who is incomprehensible to the angels and hidden from the sight of man, came to be baptized because it was his will. And behold, the heavens opened and a voice said: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

The beloved Father begets love, and spiritual light generates light inaccessible. In his divine nature he is my only Son, though he was known as the son of Joseph. This is my beloved Son. Though hungry himself, he feeds thousands; though weary, he refreshes those who labor. He has no place to lay his head yet holds all creation in his hand. By his passion [inflicted on him by others], he frees us from the passions [unleashed by our disobedience]; by receiving a blow on the cheek he gives the world its liberty; by being pierced in the side he heals the wound of Adam.

I ask you now to pay close attention, for I want to return to that fountain of life and contemplate its healing waters at their source.

The Father of immortality sent his immortal Son and Word into the world; he came to us men to cleanse us with water and the Spirit. To give us a new birth that would make our bodies and souls immortal, he breathed into us the spirit of life and armed us with incorruptibility. Now if we become immortal, we shall also be divine; and if we become divine after rebirth in baptism through water and the Holy Spirit, we shall also be coheirs with Christ after the resurrection of the dead.

Therefore, in a herald’s voice I cry: Let peoples of every nation come and receive the immortality that flows from baptism. This is the water that is linked to the Spirit, the water that irrigates Paradise, makes the earth fertile, gives growth to plants, and brings forth living creatures. In short, this is the water by which a man receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptized, the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.

Whoever goes down into these waters of rebirth with faith renounces the devil and pledges himself to Christ. He repudiates the enemy and confesses that Christ is God, throws off his servitude, and is raised to filial status. He comes up from baptism resplendent as the sun, radiant in his purity, but above all, he comes as a son of God and a coheir with Christ. To him and to his most holy and life-giving Spirit be glory and power now and for ever. Amen.

~ Saint Hippolytus

Jesus the radiance of the Father's glory

2012-01-05T13:34:00.001+03:00

The birth of Jesus should be one of joy, in the knowledge that God has assumed our humanity in order to make us sharers in his own divine life. The contemplation of this "wondrous exchange", which we experience most powerfully in the Eucharist, invites us to recognize our lofty dignity as God's adopted sons and daughters.

The liturgy teaches us that Christmas is a feast of light, for Christ, the light of the world and the radiance of the Father's glory, has brought us from darkness into his Kingdom of light and called us to bring the light of the Gospel to every creature.

During this Christmas season, may we welcome the Newborn Saviour into our hearts and may our lives be transformed by his gifts of joy, newness and light.

~Pope Benedict XVI

(Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, 4 January 2012)

* * * * * * * * * *

World Day Of Peace, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

2012-01-04T23:25:00.000+03:00

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
WORLD DAY OF PEACE

1 JANUARY 2012

EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE

1. The beginning of a new year, God’s gift to humanity, prompts me to extend to all, with great confidence and affection, my heartfelt good wishes that this time now before us may be marked concretely by justice and peace.

With what attitude should we look to the New Year? We find a very beautiful image in Psalm 130. The Psalmist says that people of faith wait for the Lord "more than those who watch for the morning" (v. 6); they wait for him with firm hope because they know that he will bring light, mercy, salvation. This waiting was born of the experience of the Chosen People, who realized that God taught them to look at the world in its truth and not to be overwhelmed by tribulation. I invite you to look to 2012 with this attitude of confident trust. It is true that the year now ending has been marked by a rising sense of frustration at the crisis looming over society, the world of labour and the economy, a crisis whose roots are primarily cultural and anthropological. It seems as if a shadow has fallen over our time, preventing us from clearly seeing the light of day.

In this shadow, however, human hearts continue to wait for the dawn of which the Psalmist speaks. Because this expectation is particularly powerful and evident in young people, my thoughts turn to them and to the contribution which they can and must make to society. I would like therefore to devote this message for the XLV World Day of Peace to the theme of education: "Educating Young People in Justice and Peace", in the conviction that the young, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to the world.

My Message is also addressed to parents, families and all those involved in the area of education and formation, as well as to leaders in the various spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life and in the media. Attentiveness to young people and their concerns, the ability to listen to them and appreciate them, is not merely something expedient; it represents a primary duty for society as a whole, for the sake of building a future of justice and peace.

It is a matter of communicating to young people an appreciation for the positive value of life and of awakening in them a desire to spend their lives in the service of the Good. This is a task which engages each of us personally.

The concerns expressed in recent times by many young people around the world demonstrate that they desire to look to the future with solid hope. At the present time, they are experiencing apprehension about many things: they want to receive an education which prepares them more fully to deal with the real world, they see how difficult it is to form a family and to find stable employment; they wonder if they can really contribute to political, cultural and economic life in order to build a society with a more human and fraternal face.

It is important that this unease and its underlying idealism receive due attention at every level of society. The Church looks to young people with hope and confidence; she encourages them to seek truth, to defend the common good, to be open to the world around them and willing to see "new things" (Is 42:9; 48:6).

Educators

2. Education is the most interesting and difficult adventure in life. Educating – from the Latin educere – means leading young people to move beyond themselves and introducing them to reality, towards a fullness that leads to growth. This process is fostered by the encounter of two freedoms, that of adults and that of the young. It calls for responsibility on the part of the learners, who must be open to being led to the knowledge of reality, and on the part of educators, who must be ready to give of themselves. For this reason, today more than ever we need authentic witnesses, and not simply people who parcel out rules and facts; we need witnesses capable of seeing farther than others because their life is so much broader. A witness is someone who fi rst lives the life that he proposes to others.

Where does true education in peace and justice take place? First of all, in the family, since parents are the first educators. The family is the primary cell of society; "it is in the family that children learn the human and Christian values which enable them to have a constructive and peaceful coexistence. It is in the family that they learn solidarity between the generations, respect for rules, forgiveness and how to welcome others." (1) The family is the first school in which we are trained in justice and peace.

We are living in a world where families, and life itself, are constantly threatened and not infrequently fragmented. Working conditions which are often incompatible with family responsibilities, worries about the future, the frenetic pace of life, the need to move frequently to ensure an adequate livelihood, to say nothing of mere survival – all this makes it hard to ensure that children receive one of the most precious of treasures: the presence of their parents. This presence makes it possible to share more deeply in the journey of life and thus to pass on experiences and convictions gained with the passing of the years, experiences and convictions which can only be communicated by spending time together. I would urge parents not to grow disheartened! May they encourage children by the example of their lives to put their hope before all else in God, the one source of authentic justice and peace.

I would also like to address a word to those in charge of educational institutions: with a great sense of responsibility may they ensure that the dignity of each person is always respected and appreciated. Let them be concerned that every young person be able to discover his or her own vocation and helped to develop his or her God-given gifts. May they reassure families that their children can receive an education that does not conflict with their consciences and their religious principles.

Every educational setting can be a place of openness to the transcendent and to others; a place of dialogue, cohesiveness and attentive listening, where young people feel appreciated for their personal abilities and inner riches, and can learn to esteem their brothers and sisters. May young people be taught to savour the joy which comes from the daily exercise of charity and compassion towards others and from taking an active part in the building of a more humane and fraternal society.

I ask political leaders to offer concrete assistance to families and educational institutions in the exercise of their right and duty to educate. Adequate support should never be lacking to parents in their task. Let them ensure that no one is ever denied access to education and that families are able freely to choose the educational structures they consider most suitable for their children. Let them be committed to reuniting families separated by the need to earn a living. Let them give young people a transparent image of politics as a genuine service to the good of all.

I cannot fail also to appeal to the world of the media to offer its own contribution to education. In today’s society the mass media have a particular role: they not only inform but also form the minds of their audiences, and so they can make a significant contribution to the education of young people. It is important never to forget that the connection between education and communication is extremely close: education takes place through communication, which influences, for better or worse, the formation of the person.

Young people too need to have the courage to live by the same high standards that they set for others. Theirs is a great responsibility: may they find the strength to make good and wise use of their freedom. They too are responsible for their education, including their education in justice and peace!

Educating in truth and freedom

3. Saint Augustine once asked: "Quid enim fortius desiderat anima quam veritatem? – What does man desire more deeply than truth?"(2) The human face of a society depends very much on the contribution of education to keep this irrepressible question alive. Education, indeed, is concerned with the integral formation of the person, including the moral and spiritual dimension, focused upon man’s final end and the good of the society to which he belongs. Therefore, in order to educate in truth, it is necessary first and foremost to know who the human person is, to know human nature. Contemplating the world around him, the Psalmist reflects: "When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?" (Ps 8:4-5). This is the fundamental question that must be asked: who is man? Man is a being who bears within his heart a thirst for the infinite, a thirst for truth – a truth which is not partial but capable of explaining life’s meaning – since he was created in the image and likeness of God. The grateful recognition that life is an inestimable gift, then, leads to the discovery of one’s own profound dignity and the inviolability of every single person. Hence the first step in education is learning to recognize the Creator’s image in man, and consequently learning to have a profound respect for every human being and helping others to live a life consonant with this supreme dignity. We must never forget that "authentic human development concerns the whole of the person in every single dimension" (3), including the transcendent dimension, and that the person cannot be sacrificed for the sake of attaining a particular good, whether this be economic or social, individual or collective.

Only in relation to God does man come to understand also the meaning of human freedom. It is the task of education to form people in authentic freedom. This is not the absence of constraint or the supremacy of free will, it is not the absolutism of the self. When man believes himself to be absolute, to depend on nothing and no one, to be able to do anything he wants, he ends up contradicting the truth of his own being and forfeiting his freedom. On the contrary, man is a relational being, who lives in relationship with others and especially with God. Authentic freedom can never be attained independently of God.

Freedom is a precious value, but a fragile one; it can be misunderstood and misused. "Today, a particularly insidious obstacle to the task of educating is the massive presence in our society and culture of that relativism which, recognizing nothing as definitive, leaves as the ultimate criterion only the self with its desires. And under the semblance of freedom it becomes a prison for each one, for it separates people from one another, locking each person into his or her own self. With such a relativistic horizon, therefore, real education is not possible without the light of the truth; sooner or later, every person is in fact condemned to doubting the goodness of his or her own life and the relationships of which it consists, the validity of his or her commitment to build with others something in common" (4).

In order to exercise his freedom, then, man must move beyond the relativistic horizon and come to know the truth about himself and the truth about good and evil. Deep within his conscience, man discovers a law that he did not lay upon himself, but which he must obey. Its voice calls him to love and to do what is good, to avoid evil and to take responsibility for the good he does and the evil he commits(5). Thus, the exercise of freedom is intimately linked to the natural moral law, which is universal in character, expresses the dignity of every person and forms the basis of fundamental human rights and duties: consequently, in the final analysis, it forms the basis for just and peaceful coexistence.

The right use of freedom, then, is central to the promotion of justice and peace, which require respect for oneself and others, including those whose way of being and living differs greatly from one’s own. This attitude engenders the elements without which peace and justice remain merely words without content: mutual trust, the capacity to hold constructive dialogue, the possibility of forgiveness, which one constantly wishes to receive but finds hard to bestow, mutual charity, compassion towards the weakest, as well as readiness to make sacrifices.

Educating in justice

4. In this world of ours, in which, despite the profession of good intentions, the value of the person, of human dignity and human rights is seriously threatened by the widespread tendency to have recourse exclusively to the criteria of utility, profit and material possessions, it is important not to detach the concept of justice from its transcendent roots. Justice, indeed, is not simply a human convention, since what is just is ultimately determined not by positive law, but by the profound identity of the human being. It is the integral vision of man that saves us from falling into a contractual conception of justice and enables us to locate justice within the horizon of solidarity and love (6).

We cannot ignore the fact that some currents of modern culture, built upon rationalist and individualist economic principles, have cut off the concept of justice from its transcendent roots, detaching it from charity and solidarity: "The 'earthly city' is promoted not merely by relationships of rights and duties, but to an even greater and more fundamental extent by relationships of gratuitousness, mercy and communion. Charity always manifests God’s love in human relationships as well, it gives theological and salvific value to all commitment for justice in the world" (7).

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Mt 5:6). They shall be satisfied because they hunger and thirst for right relations with God, with themselves, with their brothers and sisters, and with the whole of creation.

Educating in peace

5. "Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity." (8) We Christians believe that Christ is our true peace: in him, by his Cross, God has reconciled the world to himself and has broken down the walls of division that separated us from one another (cf. Eph 2:14-18); in him, there is but one family, reconciled in love.

Peace, however, is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God", as Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:9).

Peace for all is the fruit of justice for all, and no one can shirk this essential task of promoting justice, according to one’s particular areas of competence and responsibility. To the young, who have such a strong attachment to ideals, I extend a particular invitation to be patient and persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the tide.

Raising one’s eyes to God

6. Before the difficult challenge of walking the paths of justice and peace, we may be tempted to ask, in the words of the Psalmist: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains: from where shall come my help?" (Ps 121:1).

To all, and to young people in particular, I wish to say emphatically: "It is not ideologies that save the world, but only a return to the living God, our Creator, the guarantor of our freedom, the guarantor of what is really good and true … an unconditional return to God who is the measure of what is right and who at the same time is everlasting love. And what could ever save us apart from love?" (9) Love takes delight in truth, it is the force that enables us to make a commitment to truth, to justice, to peace, because it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (cf. 1 Cor 13:1-13).

Dear young people, you are a precious gift for society. Do not yield to discouragement in the face of difficulties and do not abandon yourselves to false solutions which often seem the easiest way to overcome problems. Do not be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, to choose the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication. Be confident in your youth and its profound desires for happiness, truth, beauty and genuine love! Live fully this time in your life so rich and so full of enthusiasm.

Realize that you yourselves are an example and an inspiration to adults, even more so to the extent that you seek to overcome injustice and corruption and strive to build a better future. Be aware of your potential; never become self-centred but work for a brighter future for all. You are never alone. The Church has confidence in you, follows you, encourages you and wishes to offer you the most precious gift she has: the opportunity to raise your eyes to God, to encounter Jesus Christ, who is himself justice and peace.

All you men and women throughout the world, who take to heart the cause of peace: peace is not a blessing already attained, but rather a goal to which each and all of us must aspire. Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace. With these thoughts I offer my reflections and I appeal to everyone: let us pool our spiritual, moral and material resources for the great goal of "educating young people in justice and peace".

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Jesus The Name Above All Names

2012-01-03T12:13:00.000+03:00

The name of Jesus is the cure for all diseases of the soul.

The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. All spiritual food leaves the soul dry, if it contain not that penetrating oil, the Name Jesus. When you take your pen, write the Name Jesus: if you write books, let the Name of Jesus be contained in them, else they will possess no charm or attraction for me; you may speak, or you may reply, but if the Name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and without charm. Jesus is honey in our mouth, light in our eyes, a flame in our heart.

This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds disperse, and peace descends anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish.

Never yet was human being in urgent need, and on the point of perishing, who invoked this help-giving Name, and was not powerfully sustained. It was given us for the cure of all our ills; to soften the impetuosity of anger, to quench the fire of concupiscence, to conquer pride, to mitigate the pain of our wounds, to overcome the thirst of avarice, to quiet sensual passions, and the desires of low pleasures. If we call to our minds the Name of Jesus, it brings before us His most meek and humble heart, and gives us a new knowledge of His most loving and tender compassion.

The Name of Jesus is the purest, and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of names, the Name of all blessings and of all virtues; it is the Name of the God-Man, of sanctity itself. To think of Jesus is to think of the great, infinite God Who, having given us His life as an example, has also bestowed the necessary understanding, energy and assistance to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts, inclinations, words and actions. If the Name of Jesus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there. We say, therefore, with our great master, St. Paul the Apostle: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.

~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Jesu, Dulcis Memoria

2012-01-03T12:05:00.000+03:00

Most Holy Name of Jesus

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy Presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' Name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
O joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity.

(Latin text)

Jesu, Dulcis Memoria

Jesu, dúlcis memória,
Dans véra córdis gáudia:
Sed super mel et ómnia
Ejus dúlcis præséntia.

Nil cánitur suávius,
Nil audítur jucúndius,
Nil cogitátur dúlcius,
Quam Jésus Déi Fílius.

Jésu, spes pæniténtibus,
Quan píus es peténtibus!
Quan bónus te quæréntibus!
Sed quid inveniéntibus?

Nec língua válet dícere,
Nec líttera exprímere:
Expértus pótest crédere,
Quid sit Jésum dilígere.

Sis, Jésu, nóstrum gáudium,
Qui est futúrus praémium
Sit nóstra in te glória,
Per cúncta semper saécula

~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

I've Arrived

2012-01-02T23:42:00.001+03:00

A Minnesota couple decided to vacation to Florida during the winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday. His wife would fly down the following day.

The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an e-mail to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her e-mail address, and without realizing his error, he sent the e-mail.

Meanwhile.....somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a minister of many years who was called home to glory following a sudden heart attack. The widow decided to check her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she fainted.

The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I've Arrived
Date: 16 June 2011
I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is not as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. Sure is hot down here!

Saint John the Baptist

2012-01-02T19:40:00.001+03:00

HYMN OF PRAISE: SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

O Saint John, wonderful Baptizer,
Of the Savior, you were the glorious Forerunner,
You, with your purity, touched human souls
And, as an awesome trumpet, from the Jordan resounded
From sleep and idle vices, awakening men,
When the axe was near to the root.

To you I bow, to you I pray:
Every temptation, help me to resist.
Prophet most powerful, to you I bow,
And before you kneel and before you I weep:
From your heart, grant me the strength of a lion,
From your spirit, grant me angelic whiteness.

Grant me your strength that by practice to attain
To God be submissive and to rule over myself,
To baptize by fasting, to purify by all-night vigils,
To sweeten by prayer and heavenly vision,
And to every martyrdom, walk without fear
With your courage and with a strong faith.

O Saint John, God's chosen one,
And glorious martyr for supreme justice,
You, of whom the godless armies are afraid
To my prayers, do not turn a deaf ear,
But, strengthen me by your prayers,
That as a true candle before the Lord, I stand.

~St. Nikolai Velimirovich

I am not the Christ (John 1:20)

2012-01-02T11:28:00.002+03:00

"A voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord" (John 1 :23)

In today's Gospel John the Baptist is questioned by the messengers who were sent by the Jewish leaders. The questioning was more like a 'rapid fire round' with one question after another. "Who are you?" "Are you Elijah?" "Are you the Prophet?" "What have you to say about yourself?" "Why are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah?" Initially John tells them who he is not. He declares, "I am not the Christ" (John 1:20) and for the first and last time quotes Scripture, 'I am', he says, "a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord" (John 1:23). From this we know that John was an honest man. Even though he was the center of attraction and had visitors from all over the place, he was humble enough to direct the attention to Christ. For he says, "there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap" (John 1:26-27).

John knew his place in God's eternal plan and he was obedient to his call. He preached that the kingdom of God was close at hand and one had to repent and make amends to draw nearer to God. John’s witness to the Messiah was in keeping with Scripture. Every Christian is called to be a voice that proclaims Jesus as Lord and Master. As followers of the Lord our identity lies in Him alone. Like John our witness too must be effective and soundly based. The first reading says, we are anointed with truth, not with a lie and therefore we must stay in Christ who is the fullness of truth so that when he comes again we may have full confidence in our witnessing, and not turn away from him in shame. Our lives then, must be lived in purity and faithfulness. We need to be reminded that Christ yet walks among us, in the poor, the needy and the suffering. Let us make the path straight for the Lord, lest we fail to recognize him in our lives. And unless we turn from our wicked and selfish ways the growth of God’s kingdom will be stunted.

There is a brand new year ahead of us, and it's the perfect time for new beginnings. What better way to make Christ the priority of our lives from start to finish? May the work we do and words we speak direct the attention to the Lord. Like the Baptist may we decrease and may Jesus increase. John worked no miracles yet Christ called him the greatest of all prophets. May our lives be the pulpit for great witnessing, so that when Jesus comes again we may not shudder with shame, but rather be jubilant and rejoice in his presence. Amen

“Heavenly Father, there are times when the praise and acknowledgement I receive diverts my attention from you. There are moments when people laud over me and I fail to glorify you. Forgive me Lord for doing so, and help me lose myself entirely in You.”

Pope's Sermon on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

2012-01-01T19:36:00.001+03:00

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
45th WORLD DAY OF PEACE

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Vatican Basilica
Sunday, 1st January 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

On the first day of the year, the liturgy resounds in the Church throughout the world with the ancient priestly blessing that we heard during today’s first reading: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Num 6:24-26). This blessing was entrusted by God, through Moses, to Aaron and his sons, that is, to the priests of the people of Israel. It is a triple blessing filled with light, radiating from the repetition of the name of God, the Lord, and from the image of his face. In fact, in order to be blessed, we have to stand in God's presence, take his Name upon us and remain in the cone of light that issues from his Face, in a space lit up by his gaze, diffusing grace and peace.

This was the very experience that the shepherds of Bethlehem had, who reappear in today's Gospel. They had the experience of standing in God’s presence, they received his blessing not in the hall of a majestic palace, in the presence of a great sovereign, but in a stable, before a "babe lying in a manger" (Lk 2:16). From this child, a new light issues forth, shining in the darkness of the night, as we can see in so many paintings depicting Christ’s Nativity. Henceforth, it is from him that blessing comes, from his name – Jesus, meaning “God saves” – and from his human face, in which God, the almighty Lord of heaven and earth, chose to become incarnate, concealing his glory under the veil of our flesh, so as to reveal fully to us his goodness (cf. Tit 3:4).

The first to be swept up by this blessing was Mary the virgin, the spouse of Joseph, chosen by God from the first moment of her existence to be the mother of his incarnate Son. She is the "blessed among women" (Lk 1:42) – in the words of Saint Elizabeth's greeting. Her whole life was spent in the light of the Lord, within the radius of his name and of the face of God incarnate in Jesus, the "blessed fruit of her womb." This is how Luke's Gospel presents her to us: fully intent upon guarding and meditating in her heart upon everything concerning her son Jesus (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). The mystery of her divine motherhood that we celebrate today contains in superabundant measure the gift of grace that all human motherhood bears within it, so much so that the fruitfulness of the womb has always been associated with God's blessing. The Mother of God is the first of the blessed, and it is she who bears the blessing; she is the woman who received Jesus into herself and brought him forth for the whole human family. In the words of the liturgy: "without losing the glory of virginity, [she] brought forth into the world the eternal light, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Preface I of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

Mary is the mother and model of the Church, who receives the divine Word in faith and offers herself to God as the "good soil" in which he can continue to accomplish his mystery of salvation. The Church also participates in the mystery of divine motherhood, through preaching, which sows the seed of the Gospel throughout the world, and through the sacraments, which communicate grace and divine life to men. The Church exercises her motherhood especially in the sacrament of Baptism, when she generates God's children from water and the Holy Spirit, who cries out in each of them: "Abba, Father!" (Gal 4:6). Like Mary, the Church is the mediator of God's blessing for the world: she receives it in receiving Jesus and she transmits it in bearing Jesus. He is the mercy and the peace that the world, of itself, cannot give, and which it needs always, at least as much as bread.

Dear friends, peace, in the fullest and highest sense, is the sum and synthesis of all blessings. So when two friends meet, they greet one another, wishing each other peace. The Church too, on the first day of the year, invokes this supreme good in a special way; she does so, like the Virgin Mary, by revealing Jesus to all, for as Saint Paul says, "He is our peace" (Eph 2:14), and at the same time the "way" by which individuals and peoples can reach this goal to which we all aspire. With this deep desire in my heart, I am glad to welcome and greet all of you who have come to Saint Peter's Basilica on this 45th World Day of Peace: Cardinals, Ambassadors from so many friendly countries, who more than ever on this happy occasion share with me and with the Holy See the desire for renewed commitment to the promotion of peace in the world; the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, who with the Secretary and the officials of the Dicastery (Departments of the Roman Curia) work in a particular way towards this goal; the other Bishops and Authorities present; the representatives of ecclesial Associations and Movements and all of you, brothers and sisters, especially those among you who work in the field of educating the young. Indeed – as you know – the role of education is what I highlighted in my Message for this year.

"Educating Young People in Justice and Peace" is a task for every generation, and thanks be to God, after the tragedies of the two great world wars, the human family has shown increasing awareness of it, as we can witness, on the one hand, from international statements and initiatives, and on the other, from the emergence among young people themselves, in recent decades, of many different forms of social commitment in this field. For the ecclesial community, educating men and women in peace is part of the mission received from Christ, it is an integral part of evangelization, because the Gospel of Christ is also the Gospel of justice and peace. But the Church, in recent times, has articulated a demand that affects everyone with a sensitive and responsible conscience regarding humanity’s future; the demand to respond to a decisive challenge that consists precisely in education. Why is this a "challenge?" For at least two reasons: in the first place, because in the present age, so strongly marked by a technological mentality, the desire to educate and not merely to instruct cannot be taken for granted, it is a choice; in the second place, because the culture of relativism raises a radical question: does it still make sense to educate? And then, to educate for what?

Naturally now is not the time to address these fundamental questions, which I have tried to answer on other occasions. Instead I would like to underline the fact that, in the face of the shadows that obscure the horizon of today’s world, to assume responsibility for educating young people in knowledge of the truth, in fundamental values and virtues, is to look to the future with hope. And in this commitment to a holistic education, formation in justice and peace has a place. Boys and girls today are growing up in a world that has, so to speak, become smaller, where contacts between different cultures and traditions, even if not always direct, are constant. For them, now more than ever, it is indispensable to learn the importance and the art of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, dialogue and understanding. Young people by their nature are open to these attitudes, but the social reality in which they grow up can lead them to think and act in the opposite way, even to be intolerant and violent. Only a solid education of their consciences can protect them from these risks and make them capable of carrying on the fight, depending always and solely on the power of truth and good. This education begins in the family and is developed at school and in other formative experiences. It is essentially about helping infants, children and adolescents to develop a personality that combines a profound sense of justice with respect for their neighbour, with a capacity to address conflicts without arrogance, with the inner strength to bear witness to good, even when it involves sacrifice, with forgiveness and reconciliation. Thus they will be able to become people of peace and builders of peace.

In this task of educating young generations, a particular responsibility lies with religious communities. Every pathway of authentic religious formation guides the person, from the most tender age, to know God, to love him and to do his will. God is love, he is just and peaceable, and anyone wishing to honour him must first of all act like a child following his father's example. One of the Psalms says: "The Lord does deeds of justice, gives judgment for all who are oppressed ... The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy" (Ps 102:6,8). In God, justice and mercy come together perfectly, as Jesus showed us through the testimony of his life. In Jesus, "love and truth" have met, "justice and peace" have embraced (cf. Ps 84:11). In these days, the Church is celebrating the great mystery of the Incarnation: God’s truth has sprung from the earth and justice looks down from heaven, the earth has yielded its fruit (cf. Ps 84:12,13). God has spoken to us in his Son Jesus. Let us hear what God has to say: "a voice that speaks of peace" (Ps 84:9). Jesus is a way that can be travelled, open to everyone. He is the path of peace. Today the Virgin Mary points him out to us, she shows us the Way: let us walk in it! And you, Holy Mother of God, accompany us with your protection. Amen.

Thank You Lord!

2011-12-31T23:55:00.000+03:00

Almighty God, I thank and praise you for all the graces, mercies, and blessing that have adorned my path this past year. I also thank you for the events that shook me and made my grasp on you tighter. I thank you for the lessons I’ve learnt and the falls that brought me to my knees before your throne. Thank you for the happy moments that have etched my life’s diary.

Thank you for the relationships that remind me of your everlasting love. Thank you for all the joy and laughter that brightens my world. Thank you for unending hope that keeps my gaze fixed on you. Thank you for the love and support of those dearest to me. Thank you for the love I receive and the love I share.

Lord, thank you for your peace that sustains me amidst all chaos. Yes, Lord for serenity during the raging storms. Thank you for being the hull that keeps me afloat through trouble waters. Thank you for being the rudder at decisive times. Thank you for giving me a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Thank you for the ability to rise above despair and walk in fullness of joy. Thank you for intervening on my behalf and turning curses into blessings. With you O Lord, I am more than a conqueror. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that guides and counsels me. Thank you for sending me people for ministry. Thank you for flooding my mind with thoughts of eternal happiness. Thank you for being the Light in my darkest hour and foggiest days.

I thank you Lord for opening the floodgates of heaven and pouring out abundant blessings. Thank you for my cup of happiness always runs over. Thank you for carrying me onwards when my feet seem too heavy to move. Thank you for always providing all my needs in accordance with your riches in glory. You O Lord have been faithful to me. You have been my closest friend. You let me know you care. And now I rest knowing I’ll never be alone for you have always been there.

Amen

~Olivia

Copyright© 2011 All rights reserved

These Are The Last Days (1 John 2:18)

2011-12-31T06:36:00.003+03:00

"We know from this that these are the last days." (1 John 2:18)

Finally we have made it to the last day of the year. In a few hours a New Year will dawn on the dark horizon of a dying 2011. For some this passing year might have been memorable, for others maybe melancholic. It depends on how we spent our days. Maybe this year had moments we would love to cling onto, or traumatic regrets, whatever it maybe, it’s passing away! Yet we don’t know what the coming year will hold. But whatever the future has in store for us, we know that darkness will never overcome the light of Christ! As Scripture says, “The light has come into the world, and the darkness cannot overcome it” (John 1:5).

The first reading starts with a frightful warning, “these are the last days” and again, “we know from this that these are the last days.” Yet the reading affirms that we as a community have the perfect knowledge of the truth. And what is this truth? The answer lies in today’s Gospel passage, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh and He lived among us.” Jesus Christ, the Word of God, has existed since even before the beginning of creation. “Through Him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him” (John 1:3). Stay focused on Christ for he is the eternal constant in our lives, outlasting every evil the world could ever devise. There will be ups and downs in life, sometimes when things are going well, tragedy can strike. However, remember that God has enfolded us in his plan and He is closest to us in moments like these. Have faith, and trust his eternal wisdom to carry you through the challenges that lie ahead.

On this last day of the year, spend time with the Lord. Go to him in adoration. Today’s psalm says, “Bless his name” (Psalm 96:2). So, thank Him for his blessings, graces and mercies. Thank Him for all the good things that happened, and the events that made you stronger. Thank Him for being there through your darkest days. Thank Him for friends, family, and neighbours. Thank Him for good health, employment and all sources of income. Thank Him for always providing for your needs. Thank Him for never letting you down. Thank Him especially for coming to know the One true God. Thank Him for sending his Son Jesus to save us. Now, with a sincere heart ask God for forgiveness of sins of commission and sins of omission, for doubting his presence and not trusting him completely. And as one year ends and another begins, may we always remember that we are children of a loving Father and his Spirit that dwells in us will lead us on the right path.

“Heavenly Father, I can never thank you enough for all your blessings and grace upon grace bestowed on me. Without your good Spirit life itself, would cease to exist. I thank you for your son Jesus, who came into the world to save a sinner like me.”

Litany of the Holy Family

2011-12-30T11:10:00.000+03:00

Litany of the Holy Family

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

("Pray for us" is repeated as indicated by "...")

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, most worthy of our veneration, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, called “the Holy Family” from all time, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, son, mother, and head of the Holy Family, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, divine child, pure spouse, and chaste spouse, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, restorers of fallen families, ...
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image of the Blessed Trinity here on earth, ...
Holy Family, tested by the greatest of difficulties, ...
Holy Family, with much suffering on the journey to Bethlehem, ...
Holy Family, without a welcome in Bethlehem, ...
Holy Family, visited by the poor shepherds, ...
Holy Family, obliged to live in a stable, ...
Holy Family, praised by the Angels, ...
Holy Family, venerated by the wise men from the East, ...
Holy Family, greeted by the pious Simeon in the temple, ...
Holy Family, persecuted and exiled to a foreign country, ...
Holy Family, hidden and unknown in Nazareth, ...
Holy Family, faithful in the observance of divine laws, ...
Holy Family, perfect model of the Christian family, ...
Holy Family, center of peace and concord, ...
Holy Family, whose protector is a model of paternal care, ...
Holy Family, whose mother is a model of maternal diligence, ...
Holy Family, whose Divine Child is a model of filial obedience, ...
Holy Family, poor in material goods, but rich in divine blessings, ...
Holy Family, as nothing in the eyes of men, but so great in heaven, ...
Holy Family, our support in life and our hope in death, ...
Holy Family, patron and protector of our Congregation, ...

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Let us pray.
O God of infinite goodness and kindness, who has deigned to call us to this Congregation, give us the grace to venerate Jesus, Mary and Joseph, so that, imitating them in this life, we may enjoy with them the life to come. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Holy Family Prayer

2011-12-30T10:54:00.000+03:00

For the Protection of the Holy Family

Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

The Holy Family Prayer

JESUS, Son of God and Son of Mary, bless our family. Graciously inspire in us the unity, peace, and mutual love that you found in your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

MARY, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, nourish our family with your faith and your love. Keep us close to your Son, Jesus, in all our sorrows and joys.

JOSEPH, Foster-father to Jesus, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm. Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.

HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH, make our family one with you. Help us to be instruments of peace. Grant that love, strengthened by grace, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass. May we always have God at the center of our hearts and homes until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with you. Amen.

Invocation to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind,
Bless us now and in death's agony.

Consecration to the Holy Family

2011-12-30T10:43:00.000+03:00

Consecration to the Holy Family

O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home in Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be (three times each)

The Holy Family is a model of life

2011-12-30T10:31:00.000+03:00

The Gospel according to Luke recounts that when the shepherds of Bethlehem had received the Angel's announcement of the Messiah’s birth "they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger" (2:16). The first eyewitnesses of Jesus’ birth therefore beheld a family scene: a mother, a father and a newborn son. For this reason the Liturgy has us celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family on the First Sunday after Christmas. This year it occurred the very day after Christmas, and, taking precedence over the Feast of St Stephen, invites us to contemplate this "icon" in which the little Jesus appears at the centre of his parents’ affection and care.

In the poor grotto of Bethlehem — the Fathers of the Church wrote — shines a very bright light, a reflection of the profound mystery which envelopes that Child, which Mary and Joseph cherish in their hearts and which can be seen in their expression, in their actions, and especially in their silence. Indeed, they preserve in their inmost depths the words of the Angel's Annunciation to Mary: "the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Lk 1:35).

Yet every child's birth brings something of this mystery with it! Parents who receive a child as a gift know this well and often speak of it in this way. We have all heard people say to a father and a mother: "this child is a gift, a miracle!". Indeed, human beings do not experience procreation merely as a reproductive act but perceive its richness and intuit that every human creature who is born on earth is the "sign" par excellence of the Creator and Father who is in Heaven.

How important it is, therefore, that every child coming into the world be welcomed by the warmth of a family! External comforts do not matter: Jesus was born in a stable and had a manger as his first cradle, but the love of Mary and of Joseph made him feel the tenderness and beauty of being loved. Children need this: the love of their father and mother. It is this that gives them security and, as they grow, enables them to discover the meaning of life. The Holy Family of Nazareth went through many trials, such as the "massacre of the innocents" — as recounted in the Gospel according to Matthew — which obliged Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt (cf. 2:13-23). Yet, trusting in divine Providence, they found their stability and guaranteed Jesus a serene childhood and a sound upbringing.

The Holy Family is of course unique and unrepeatable, but at the same time it is a "model of life" for every family because Jesus, true man, chose to be born into a human family and thereby blessed and consecrated it. Let us therefore entrust all families to Our Lady and to St. Joseph, so that they do not lose heart in the face of trials and difficulties but always cultivate conjugal love and devote themselves with trust to the service of life and education.

~Pope Benedict XVI
(26 Dec.2010)

Nazareth, the simple yet profound school

2011-12-30T10:19:00.000+03:00

The example of Nazareth

Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and even to understand his Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder the simple appeal of the way God’s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. And gradually we may even learn to imitate him.

Here we can learn to realise who Christ really is. And here we can sense and take account of the conditions and circumstances that surrounded and affected his life on earth: the places, the tenor of the times, the culture, the language, religious customs, in brief, everything which Jesus used to make himself known to the world. Here everything speaks to us, everything has meaning. Here we can learn the importance of spiritual discipline for all who wish to follow Christ and to live by the teachings of his Gospel.

How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths. But here we are only on pilgrimage. Time presses and I must set aside my desire to stay and carry on my education in the Gospel, for that education is never finished. But I cannot leave without recalling, briefly and in passing; some thoughts I take with me from Nazareth.

First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers. Nazareth can teach us the value of study and preparation, of meditation, of a well-ordered personal spiritual life, and of silent prayer that is known only to God.

Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society: a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings, in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children – and for this there is no substitute.

Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would especially like to recognise its value – demanding yet redeeming – and to give it proper respect. I would remind everyone that work has its own dignity. On the other hand, it is not an end in itself. Its value and free character, however, derive not only from its place in the economic system, as they say, but rather from the purpose it serves.

In closing, may I express my deep regard for people everywhere who work for a living. To them I would point out their great model, Christ their brother, our Lord and God, who is their prophet in every cause that promotes their well being

~ Pope Paul VI

A Light to enlighten the pagans (Luke 2:32)

2011-12-29T11:40:00.000+03:00

"The Holy Spirit was upon him." (Luke 2:25)

Does the way God works ever surprise you? If not, read this passage more closely. No doubt, Simeon was surprised when he came to the Temple that day, saw Jesus, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the unexpected fulfillment of a long-awaited prophecy that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. We might be a bit surprised too if we realize that Simeon became a “Spirit-filled” believer while Jesus was still an infant, well before the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles at Pentecost.

Simeon certainly wasn't the only figure in the New Testament who was touched by the Spirit outside of normal channels. Cornelius, a centurion from Rome, was an upright and God-fearing man who had not been baptized nor heard the complete gospel, yet the Spirit fell on him and he began to praise God and speak in tongues (Acts 10:44-46)! There are dozens of Old Testament figures as well whom the Spirit used powerfully: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samson, David, and Daniel, not to mention the prophets—all before the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost!

God is not bound by our limited expectations or by our opinion of how he should act. It can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking that he works only in certain ways, or only for those who are spiritually “mature.” Often, however, he is waiting for us to admit our weakness and to cry out: "I can't do it, Lord!" before he will move. Humility is the key, for it is only when we are weak that we are open to his strength. It is only when we see our need that we are able to surrender to his Spirit.

Christmas Day may have passed, but God still wants to bless us— maybe even surprise us with an unexpected outpouring of the Holy Spirit. What do you really need? Maybe you know someone with a serious illness who needs healing. Maybe you've been praying for years that a relative would give his or her heart to the Lord. Or maybe you are hoping for victory over a sinful area that keeps tripping you up. Don't box God in. Instead, expect the unexpected—just as Simeon did.

"Holy Spirit, thank you for showing me your love. I give you my whole heart, and I believe that you can move any mountain in my life!"

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

2011-12-28T11:22:00.003+03:00

When the Magi from the east did not return to Jerusalem from Bethlehem to inform Herod about the newborn King but rather, at the angel's command, returned to their homeland another way, Herod became as enraged as a wild beast and ordered all the children two years old and under in Bethlehem and its surroundings to be killed.

This frightening command of the king was carried out to the letter. His soldiers beheaded some of the children with swords, smashed others against stones, trampled others underfoot, and strangled others with their hands. And the cries and wails of the mothers rose to heaven, lamentation, and bitter weeping; "Rachel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:18), as had been prophesied.

This crime against the multitude of innocent children was carried out a year after the birth of Christ, at the time when Herod was seeking to find the Divine Child. He asked Zacharias about his son John, so that he might kill him, since he naturally thought that John was the new king. As Zacharias did not turn John over, he was slain in the Temple by order of Herod. St. Symeon the God-Receiver would also have been murdered soon after the Presentation in the Temple, had he not already reposed in God.

After murdering the children of Bethlehem, Herod turned against the Jewish elders who had revealed to him where the Messiah would be born. He then killed Hyrcanes, the high priest, and the seventy elders of the Sanhedrin. Thus, they who had agreed with Herod that the new Child-king must be killed came to an evil end. After that, Herod murdered his brother, sister, wife and three sons.

Finally, God's punishment came to him: he began to tremble, his legs became swollen, the lower part of his body became putrid, and worms came out of the sores; his nose became blocked and an unbearable stench emanated from him. Before his last breath, he remembered that there were many captive Jews in prison, and he ordered that they all be killed so that they would not rejoice in his death. Thus, this terrible ruler gave up his inhuman soul and handed it over to the devil for eternal possession.

~ St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist

2011-12-27T12:14:00.002+03:00

St. John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James the Great. They were originally fishermen. He was first a disciple of John the Baptist before he was called by the Lord to be an Apostle. John and his brother James were often referred to “Boanerges” translated “Sons of thunder” by the Lord.

According to Scripture John was present during most of the recorded miracles of Jesus. He was there at the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark1, 29), and at the raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark 5, 37; Luke 8, 51). He was also present, at the Transfiguration of our Lord, and again, in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26, 37; Mark 14, 33). James and John are specifically mentioned as being present at one of the post-resurrection appearances (John 21, 2), on the lakeshore of Tiberias; and among those gathered in the upper room after the Ascension (Acts 1, 13). He was the so called ‘beloved disciple of the Lord’ who did not forsake Jesus in his Passion, but stood beside Him while he hung on the Cross.

The Church Fathers generally identify him as the author of several New Testament works: the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation. All three are very different in nature from the synoptic gospels. For one, the author of Revelation identifies himself as "John" several times, but the author of the Gospel of John never identifies himself directly. Some scholars state that "vocabulary, grammar, and style make it doubtful that the book could have been put into its present form by the same person(s) responsible for the fourth gospel. Hence there is an on-going scholarly debate.

However, Roman Catholic tradition states that after the Assumption, John went to Ephesus and from there wrote the three epistles traditionally attributed to him. John was allegedly banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos, where some believe that he wrote the Book of Revelation. According to Tertullian (in The Prescription of Heretics) John was banished (presumably to Patmos) after being plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffering nothing from it. It is said that all in the entire Colosseum audience were converted to Christianity upon witnessing this miracle. This event would have occurred during the reign of Domitian, a Roman emperor who was known for his persecution of Christians in the late 1st century.

Tradition as has it that when John was en route to preach in Asia, his ship was wrecked in a storm; all but John were cast ashore. John was assumed dead, but two weeks later the waves cast him ashore alive at the feet of his disciple Prochoros (the Deacon).

Another story says that when John denounced idol worship as demonic, followers of Artemis stoned him; the rocks turned and hit the throwers.

When John was aged, he trained St. Polycarp who later became Bishop of Smyrna. This was important because Polycarp was able to carry John's message to future generations. Polycarp taught St. Irenaeus, and passed on to him stories about John. In Against Heresies, Irenaeus relates how Polycarp told a story of 'John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within." '

It is traditionally believed that John survived his contemporary apostles and lived to an extreme old age, dying naturally at Ephesus in about AD 100. John's traditional tomb is thought to be located at Selçuk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus (modern day Turkey), where it is believed that once a year his grave gives off a fragrant dust that cures the sick. A church was built over his tomb, but was later converted to a mosque.

In art, John as the presumed author of the Gospel is often depicted with an eagle, which symbolizes the height he rose to in the first chapter of his gospel. In Orthodox icons, he is often depicted looking up into heaven and dictating his Gospel (or the Book of Revelation) to his disciple, traditionally named St. Prochorus (the deacon).

Honored in: - All Christianity

Feast: - December 27 (Western Christianity) September 26 & May 8 (Eastern Christianity)

Attributes: - book, a serpent in a chalice, cauldron, eagle

Patronage: - Authors, burns, poisoning, theologians, publishers, booksellers, editors, friendships, and painters.

"Tomb of St. John the Apostle"