Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Thursday, November 29, 2012
plea for reverence
As some of them are still aware, I still check out what the Tumblr Catholics are up to every now and then.
So, a shout out to all of you; you're all, always, in my prayers.
Scrolling down Jess' tumblog, I cam across this post from a convert who is in the RCIA program; her name is Olivia. I've just copy-pasted the Original Post here. Since all my block quotes are italicised, I have changed what Olivia had in italics to this font instead.
Please, please, please heed what she's saying. Please. For the love of God. No, really, for the Love of God Incarnate, under the form of Bread.
Other Tumblr Catholics you should check out:
So, a shout out to all of you; you're all, always, in my prayers.
Scrolling down Jess' tumblog, I cam across this post from a convert who is in the RCIA program; her name is Olivia. I've just copy-pasted the Original Post here. Since all my block quotes are italicised, I have changed what Olivia had in italics to this font instead.
Please, please, please heed what she's saying. Please. For the love of God. No, really, for the Love of God Incarnate, under the form of Bread.
[original post, here]I’ve been sitting here for a good 5 minutes trying to think of a good way to lead into what I want to talk about….I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no easy way to say this.
We, as a people, as a Catholic people, are irreverent towards the blessed Sacrament. We are irreverent towards JESUS. I know what you’re thinking. Olivia, you’re not even Catholic yet, what could you possibly know about the Eucharist.
Well I will tell you what I know. I know that Jesus IS the Eucharist. I know that when I wake up on Sunday morning (or any morning I get to go to Mass) I’m going to a celebration. I’m going to experience the meeting of Heaven and Earth. I’m going to witness the most intimate of all encounters with Christ. I’m going to be in the presence of Jesus Christ, my friend, my savior, my love, my Father, my everything.
What is it that people don’t understand? It is physically painful for me at Mass to watch SO MANY people casually walk through the communion line, casually receive the Eucharist, casually consume it, and casually walk back to their seats. RECEIVING THE EUCHARIST IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE DONE CASUALLY. Do you realize that when you walk in that procession you are walking towards the living God? The creator of you, of the universe? You are walking towards He who suffered for you. He who weeped for your soul. He who gave his life so you could live more abundantly?!
Please, my dear friends, I am begging you, think about that next time you go to Mass. It is not your priest saying to you “body of Christ” it is Jesus offering his body to you just as he offered it to the disciples at the Last Supper.
I fear for the day we answer for our irreverence Again I beg you, spend time contemplating the Real Presence. I pray that it is your prayer for the Eucharist to become as real to you as your priest standing before you. Realize my brothers and sisters that when you go into a Church you are in the literal presence of Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, who is an endless font of Mercy, look upon your people with compassion and love. Help all of us to become aware of the reality of the Eucharist and of your REAL PRESENCE. Help each one of us to grow in reverance towards your most Holy body and blood.
Other Tumblr Catholics you should check out:
- Callum @ Catholic Splash
- Niko @ Niko's Nature
- Q @ Intellect & Romance
- Phillip @ Grace & Caffeine
- Catholic Soul @ Totus Tuus
- All About Mary
- Jean @ Signum Crucis
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
From America to Perth, via Rome
I like what Cardinal Dolan does. This address to his brother Bishops of the USCCB is all over the 'blogosphere.' Most people are commenting either on his call to return to the Sacrament of Penance or on his mention of the possible return of the US Church to abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year.
I, however, would like to mention this:
You can listen to the whole thing here, thanks to Fr Z.But I stand before you this morning to say simply: first things first. We gather as disciples of, as friends of, as believers in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, "the Way, the Truth and the Life," who exhorted us to "seek first the Kingdom of God."We cannot engage culture unless we let Him first engage us; we cannot dialogue with others unless we first dialogue with Him; we cannot challenge unless we first let Him challenge us.The Venerable Servant of God, Fulton J. Sheen, once commented, "The first word of Jesus in the Gospel was 'come'; the last word of Jesus was 'go'."
It reminds me a lot of a document - also from the USA - recently released by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious. An extract here for you, emphases added:
The Eucharist and the New Evangelization are intimately intertwined, since the New Evangelization has Christ at its center and the Eucharist is Christ. Further, the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life.” Christian life is lived in the Church, and “the Church exists in order to evangelize.” Therefore, the Eucharist is also “the source and the summit of all evangelization…” The truth of this statement is summarized by Blessed John Paul II’s statement, “…the Eucharist is at the center of the process of the Church’s growth.” One sees, then, a reciprocal relationship between the Eucharist and evangelization: the Eucharist nourishes evangelization, while evangelization leads to the Eucharist. Presbyterorum Ordinis accentuates this truth, explaining that “…all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it” and “No Christian community can be built up which does not grow from and hinge on the celebration of the most holy Eucharist.”
The Eucharist is the source of evangelization, because the encounter with Christ leads one to proclaim Him to others. This is seen in a simple way in the Gospel pericope recounting the journey to Emmaus of the disciples who are unsuspectingly joined by the risen Christ. The two disciples have spent the whole day journeying towards their destination, seeking to unpack the events of the preceding days. Undoubtedly their own fatigue and the unusual attractiveness of their enigmatic companion inspire the compassion with which they invite the hidden Lord Jesus, “stay with us, for it is growing dark.” However, all sentiments of weariness melt away and are supplanted by evangelical zeal when “their eyes were opened and they recognized Him” in the breaking of the bread. They immediately undo the day’s journey, hastening to proclaim their encounter with the risen Christ to the Apostles in Jerusalem.
My own Archbishop - Arch+ Timothy Costelloe SDB - addressed [also here] the recent Synod on New Evangelisation thus:
Let me paraphrase the paraphrase.In Christifidelis laici Pope John Paul II spoke of the need to "remake the fabric of the ecclesial community" if we are to remake the fabric of the society in which we live. To do this we must recover the ecclesiology of the Church as the Body of Christ, with Christ as its life-giving head.The first chapter of the Instrumentum laboris stresses this by focusing our attention on Christ and reminding us that the goal of all evangelisation is to foster an encounter between the person and Christ.
The time has come for us as bishops to place Christ at the heart of our preaching and teaching, and encourage our priests and deacons to do the same. We must help people to be captured by the fascination which the Jesus of the gospels exerts on hearts and minds.
To paraphrase the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco who made a similar remark about contemporary religious life: The greatest challenge facing the Church today is to return the Church to Christ and to return Christ to the Church - not to become other than we are but to become more fully who and what we are.
The greatest challenge facing the Church today is to return the Church to the Eucharist and to return the Eucharist to the Church - not to become other than we are, but to become more fully who and what we are.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Cross or Crucifix?
The following is a post I wrote for the Tumblog Introibo Ad Altari Dei
Why do we need a Crucifix in Churches and Chapels, rather than an empty Cross?
Sometimes we see Churches and Chapels without a Crucifix.
Niko, from Niko' s Nature said about a week ago that, “the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism is the difference between a cross and a crucifix.” This is so true. Not only do we - unlike our Protestant brothers and sisters - have the grace to be able t receive the actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because we have the continuity of the Episcopy and the Presbyteriate, we also are the True Church, the Body of Christ; the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ who is the Head of the Body, as St Paul tells us. (Col 1:8)
Why then, is it important to have a Crucifix. Well, the Crucifix instead of just the Cross reminds us that our sufferings aren’t just on our own; that when I suffer the Body of Christ suffers and when the Body of Christ suffers, I suffer. An empty Cross implies that I have to take up my own Cross separate of apart from Christ when this is not the case. In fact, when I take up my own cross, in a sense it’s not my cross that I’m taking up but Christ’s. Just as when Christ took up His Cross, He took up mine.
The Eucharist, Sacrosanctum Concilium tells us, is the source and summit of our Christian life. The Eucharist is none other than the Body of Christ; “the Body, Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,” as the Council of Trent put it. (Session XIII, Canon I)
Sometimes in order to justify why there’s an empty Cross instead of a Crucifix people say, “Well, we believe in the Resurrection, not just the Crucifixion.” Quite frankly, I’m hurt by that. The Church has always believed in the Resurrection; I have believed in it ever since I entered the Church. The Resurrection doesn’t come without the Crucifixion; yet, the Crucifixion doesn’t happen without the Resurrection. To say either would be akin to blasphemy.
This saying, “We believe in the Resurrection and therefore need an empty Cross instead of a Crucifix,” is in a sense saying that we want to ignore the suffering of Jesus Christ. It was by His sacrifice on the Cross, St Paul tells us, that Christ redeemed us. “Dying He destroyed our death.” It is true that, “rising He restored our life,” yet, we know and can see this in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We know that although the Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross, a re-presentation of Calvary to the Father, it does not and cannot exclude the Resurrection. In the same way, the Crucifix reminds us of this: the Crucifixion does not and cannot exclude the resurrection, in the same way that the Mass can’t because they are inextricably linked.
Why, then, can’t we just have a blank Cross? Because the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross I primary; it is God and Man suffering together in order to bring about Salvation. St Paul says to the Galatians, “Was it not before your eyes that Christ was publicly portrayed, and Him Crucified?” It does not say “and Him Resurrected,” but “Him Crucified.” As Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Very simply, what the Mass is, reaching to Calvary and laying hold with your hands the Cross of Christ with Christ on it and you plant it down here, today.” For this reason, the General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) states that “Also on or close to the altar, there is to be a cross with a figure of Christ crucified.” (117) This is to remind both the Faithful and the Priest what it is that is happening on the Altar, to Whom the Sacrifice is being directed and why; Who it is that’s being offered and Who it is that is doing the offering. It is easy with a blank Cross to forget Whom it is that is doing the offering. It is much easier to think, “Well I’m taking up my Cross and I’m offering it to the Father,” or, “I’m offering Jesus to the Father.” It’s simply not the case.
Jesus Christ is offering Himself - His Whole Self - to the Father. Christ the Head is expressed with Christ the Body; Christ the Priest and Christ the Victim. This must be remembered. For this reason, Holy Church mandates a Crucifix on or near the Altar; not a blank Cross.
Pax Christi vobiscum.
-Kelly (doubleplusgoodful)
*** *** ***
Sometimes we see Churches and Chapels without a Crucifix.
Niko, from Niko' s Nature said about a week ago that, “the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism is the difference between a cross and a crucifix.” This is so true. Not only do we - unlike our Protestant brothers and sisters - have the grace to be able t receive the actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because we have the continuity of the Episcopy and the Presbyteriate, we also are the True Church, the Body of Christ; the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ who is the Head of the Body, as St Paul tells us. (Col 1:8)
Why then, is it important to have a Crucifix. Well, the Crucifix instead of just the Cross reminds us that our sufferings aren’t just on our own; that when I suffer the Body of Christ suffers and when the Body of Christ suffers, I suffer. An empty Cross implies that I have to take up my own Cross separate of apart from Christ when this is not the case. In fact, when I take up my own cross, in a sense it’s not my cross that I’m taking up but Christ’s. Just as when Christ took up His Cross, He took up mine.
The Eucharist, Sacrosanctum Concilium tells us, is the source and summit of our Christian life. The Eucharist is none other than the Body of Christ; “the Body, Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,” as the Council of Trent put it. (Session XIII, Canon I)
Sometimes in order to justify why there’s an empty Cross instead of a Crucifix people say, “Well, we believe in the Resurrection, not just the Crucifixion.” Quite frankly, I’m hurt by that. The Church has always believed in the Resurrection; I have believed in it ever since I entered the Church. The Resurrection doesn’t come without the Crucifixion; yet, the Crucifixion doesn’t happen without the Resurrection. To say either would be akin to blasphemy.
This saying, “We believe in the Resurrection and therefore need an empty Cross instead of a Crucifix,” is in a sense saying that we want to ignore the suffering of Jesus Christ. It was by His sacrifice on the Cross, St Paul tells us, that Christ redeemed us. “Dying He destroyed our death.” It is true that, “rising He restored our life,” yet, we know and can see this in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We know that although the Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross, a re-presentation of Calvary to the Father, it does not and cannot exclude the Resurrection. In the same way, the Crucifix reminds us of this: the Crucifixion does not and cannot exclude the resurrection, in the same way that the Mass can’t because they are inextricably linked.
Why, then, can’t we just have a blank Cross? Because the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross I primary; it is God and Man suffering together in order to bring about Salvation. St Paul says to the Galatians, “Was it not before your eyes that Christ was publicly portrayed, and Him Crucified?” It does not say “and Him Resurrected,” but “Him Crucified.” As Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Very simply, what the Mass is, reaching to Calvary and laying hold with your hands the Cross of Christ with Christ on it and you plant it down here, today.” For this reason, the General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) states that “Also on or close to the altar, there is to be a cross with a figure of Christ crucified.” (117) This is to remind both the Faithful and the Priest what it is that is happening on the Altar, to Whom the Sacrifice is being directed and why; Who it is that’s being offered and Who it is that is doing the offering. It is easy with a blank Cross to forget Whom it is that is doing the offering. It is much easier to think, “Well I’m taking up my Cross and I’m offering it to the Father,” or, “I’m offering Jesus to the Father.” It’s simply not the case.
Jesus Christ is offering Himself - His Whole Self - to the Father. Christ the Head is expressed with Christ the Body; Christ the Priest and Christ the Victim. This must be remembered. For this reason, Holy Church mandates a Crucifix on or near the Altar; not a blank Cross.
Pax Christi vobiscum.
-Kelly (doubleplusgoodful)
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Metaphor
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| http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/metaphor?s=t&ld=1089 |
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um. Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?"Obviously, Jesus is speaking metaphorically. That's why He says "Truly, truly;" twice.
I mean, He was clearly mucking around and everyone knew it. That's why they "disputed among themselves," and said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to is?"
Indeed! Who can listen to this outrageous statement that Jesus is "the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is [Jesus'] flesh?"
Here's the thing, all snark aside: Jesus was serious and not speaking in metaphor when He said that "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you," and everyone around him knew it. When Jesus says that He is the Vine (John 15), no one asks how He could be a plant; when He says that He is the Door by which the sheep enter (John 10), no one asked how He could be made of wood.
No, instead, they wondered how a fellow Jew could command that they drink blood when God, through Noah, commands them the exact opposite (Gen 9:3-6)
"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it and of man; of every man's brother I will require the life of man.Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.Do you think Christ, who willed all to be saved (cf 2 Pet 3:9; 1 Tim 2:3-4) would let a whole bunch of people just walk away from Him, whose name is the only one "under heaven given among men by which we must be saved?"
It is an utterly outrageous thing to say that we must eat the flesh of a Man in order to live "because of [Him]." What makes this even more outrageous is that this Man is God. Surely no where else in the history of world religions has a a religion's founder and very God (or god) commanded that their followers eat their flesh!
Yet, the earliest theologian of Christianity, Saint Paul, clearly states in 1 Corinthians 11 that
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.Not only then, did those around Him know that Jesus was not speaking in metaphor, but His earliest followers figured it out, too. Similarly, a host of Church Fathers believed that Jesus was being serious when He said it.
Now, if Jesus wasn't speaking metaphorically and He really does want all men to be saved, then He must have left a way for us to eat His Body and drink His Blood.
There must be some historical link between Sts Paul, Peter, James, John and the other 'apostolic men' (that is to say, men both who were Apostles and who were around at the same time as them) and now. This historical link must be more than superficial and it must contain the ability to 'confect' Jesus' body and blood.
Where can this be found?
Eucharist in Scripture http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/scrip/a6.html
RSV Bible translations http://www.antioch.com.sg/cgi-bin/bible.pl
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Father's Love Letter
My Child,You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14I knit you together in your mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6I have been misrepresented
by those who don’t know me.
John 8:41-44I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4And I’ll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Dad
Almighty God
Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com
Sunday, June 17, 2012
How to become a Saint. (Desire it!)
Lord, please, please, give me the desire to become a Saint.
Please let me want to desire to be a Saint.
Jesus, who commands me to be holy,
Set me apart for you.
Make me desire to give you all that I have
all that I am
all that I think
and feel
and love.
Be my only love, oh Sweet Jesus!
You, who are my merciful Saviour, it is You that I beg:
Allow me to dwell forever in Your Most Amiable Heart.
Keep me there, close to you, for all eternity.
Sanctify me; live in me so that I can live in You;
Wash me and fill me with your love.
Protect me from Your enemy and mine.
Jesus, hear my prayer! Listen to me, Lord!
Now, oh my Jesus, and forever, my Beloved.
You are my Beloved and I am yours:
be my vision, my stronghold, my strength, my physician.
I love you. Make me love you more.
I want to be a Saint: make me desire You more.
Lord I believe: help my unbelief.
And I pray the prayer of the Dying Thief.
Please let me want to desire to be a Saint.
Jesus, who commands me to be holy,
Set me apart for you.
Make me desire to give you all that I have
all that I am
all that I think
and feel
and love.
Be my only love, oh Sweet Jesus!
You, who are my merciful Saviour, it is You that I beg:
Allow me to dwell forever in Your Most Amiable Heart.
Keep me there, close to you, for all eternity.
Sanctify me; live in me so that I can live in You;
Wash me and fill me with your love.
Protect me from Your enemy and mine.
Jesus, hear my prayer! Listen to me, Lord!
Now, oh my Jesus, and forever, my Beloved.
You are my Beloved and I am yours:
be my vision, my stronghold, my strength, my physician.
I love you. Make me love you more.
I want to be a Saint: make me desire You more.
Lord I believe: help my unbelief.
And I pray the prayer of the Dying Thief.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Flags
I'm really not sure what I think about having the national flag in a Chapel / Church... particularly in the Sanctuary.
Like, to be honest, I'm not entirely comfortable with the Vatican Flag being in the Sanctuary.
Perhaps, as in maybe, have the Vatican flag at the back of the Church.
But your national flag? I really don't know.
It's a good reminder to pray for your country, I guess.
But, like, countries rise and fall.
Only the Body of Christ lives and reigns forever.
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat!
Then again, maybe it only grates against me because it's not something I often see in li'l Australia.
\
Like, to be honest, I'm not entirely comfortable with the Vatican Flag being in the Sanctuary.
Perhaps, as in maybe, have the Vatican flag at the back of the Church.
But your national flag? I really don't know.
It's a good reminder to pray for your country, I guess.
But, like, countries rise and fall.
Only the Body of Christ lives and reigns forever.
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat!
Then again, maybe it only grates against me because it's not something I often see in li'l Australia.
\
Monday, April 23, 2012
Catholic Women! There is something you MUST know.
You are amazing, and beautiful
and Our Lord and God, our Brother and our Spouse
considers you His own beloved
individually and coroprately
He wants nothing other than your happiness
Supreme and Eternal
Give Him what He desires
Give Him yourself
So that He can transform you into Himself
and, thus,
make you infintiely happy
and happy in the finite, too.
and Our Lord and God, our Brother and our Spouse
considers you His own beloved
individually and coroprately
He wants nothing other than your happiness
Supreme and Eternal
Give Him what He desires
Give Him yourself
So that He can transform you into Himself
and, thus,
make you infintiely happy
and happy in the finite, too.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Litany to 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.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, most worthy of our veneration, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, called “the Holy Family” from all time, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, son, mother, and head of the Holy Family, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, divine child, pure spouse, and chaste spouse, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, restorers of fallen families, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image of the Blessed Trinity here on earth, Pray for us.
Holy Family, tested by the greatest of difficulties, Pray for us.
Holy Family, with much suffering on the journey to Bethlehem, Pray for us.
Holy Family, without a welcome in Bethlehem, Pray for us.
Holy Family, visited by the poor shepherds, Pray for us.
Holy Family, obliged to live in a stable, Pray for us.
Holy Family, praised by the Angels, Pray for us.
Holy Family, venerated by the wise men from the East, Pray for us.
Holy Family, greeted by the pious Simeon in the temple, Pray for us.
Holy Family, persecuted and exiled to a foreign country, Pray for us.
Holy Family, hidden and unknown in Nazareth, Pray for us.
Holy Family, faithful in the observance of divine laws, Pray for us.
Holy Family, perfect model of the Christian family, Pray for us.
Holy Family, center of peace and concord, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose protector is a model of paternal care, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose mother is a model of maternal diligence, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose Divine Child is a model of filial obedience, Pray for us.
Holy Family, poor in material goods, but rich in divine blessings, Pray for us.
Holy Family, as nothing in the eyes of men, but so great in heaven, Pray for us.
Holy Family, our support in life and our hope in death, Pray for us.
Holy Family, patron and protector of our Congregation, Pray for us.
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, graciously 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.
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.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, most worthy of our veneration, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, called “the Holy Family” from all time, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, son, mother, and head of the Holy Family, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, divine child, pure spouse, and chaste spouse, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, restorers of fallen families, Pray for us.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image of the Blessed Trinity here on earth, Pray for us.
Holy Family, tested by the greatest of difficulties, Pray for us.
Holy Family, with much suffering on the journey to Bethlehem, Pray for us.
Holy Family, without a welcome in Bethlehem, Pray for us.
Holy Family, visited by the poor shepherds, Pray for us.
Holy Family, obliged to live in a stable, Pray for us.
Holy Family, praised by the Angels, Pray for us.
Holy Family, venerated by the wise men from the East, Pray for us.
Holy Family, greeted by the pious Simeon in the temple, Pray for us.
Holy Family, persecuted and exiled to a foreign country, Pray for us.
Holy Family, hidden and unknown in Nazareth, Pray for us.
Holy Family, faithful in the observance of divine laws, Pray for us.
Holy Family, perfect model of the Christian family, Pray for us.
Holy Family, center of peace and concord, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose protector is a model of paternal care, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose mother is a model of maternal diligence, Pray for us.
Holy Family, whose Divine Child is a model of filial obedience, Pray for us.
Holy Family, poor in material goods, but rich in divine blessings, Pray for us.
Holy Family, as nothing in the eyes of men, but so great in heaven, Pray for us.
Holy Family, our support in life and our hope in death, Pray for us.
Holy Family, patron and protector of our Congregation, Pray for us.
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, graciously 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.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Make Me So Aware (Our Union)
My heart, oh Lord, it aches.
But it is a dull ache.
I feel but do not feel.
I yearn to yearn, but do not.
Christ Jesus, you were forsaken
yet not alone. Desolate
but not abandoned. Struck down
but not destroyed.
Consume me, as I consume You...
As I approach You,very You run to meet me.
Make me into Yourself.
As bread becomes part of me,
it becomes Wholly You. This Bread
Come down from Heaven
Enters me, that I mat enter
Him. You.
Jesus, may I be so enthralled
by the mystery of your Body and Blood
by the Passion of Your Sacred Heart
that I will always be
aware
and feel
in my poor heart
the effects of Your Redemption
the affects of York Redemption.
Our union.
Make me a log in the furnace of Your love.
Consume me.
Make me one with You.
Make me burn with the fire of Your love.
Make me the fire of Your love.
Make me.
Remake me.
Create a new heart for me.
Jesus, make my heart like Yours. Make my heart Yours.
The Mass is ended. It Missal Est.
Let me be so aware of our union, Jesus,
that I am, that I become, that I
am
You, Your love, Your Heart
to the world.
Amen
But it is a dull ache.
I feel but do not feel.
I yearn to yearn, but do not.
Christ Jesus, you were forsaken
yet not alone. Desolate
but not abandoned. Struck down
but not destroyed.
Consume me, as I consume You...
As I approach You,very You run to meet me.
Make me into Yourself.
As bread becomes part of me,
it becomes Wholly You. This Bread
Come down from Heaven
Enters me, that I mat enter
Him. You.
Jesus, may I be so enthralled
by the mystery of your Body and Blood
by the Passion of Your Sacred Heart
that I will always be
aware
and feel
in my poor heart
the effects of Your Redemption
the affects of York Redemption.
Our union.
Make me a log in the furnace of Your love.
Consume me.
Make me one with You.
Make me burn with the fire of Your love.
Make me the fire of Your love.
Make me.
Remake me.
Create a new heart for me.
Jesus, make my heart like Yours. Make my heart Yours.
The Mass is ended. It Missal Est.
Let me be so aware of our union, Jesus,
that I am, that I become, that I
am
You, Your love, Your Heart
to the world.
Amen
Nil hoc verbo Veritatis verius. (Truth Himself speaks truly, or there's nothing true.)
I.
You are my Beloved, Kelly.
Kelly, Kelly. Listen to Me.
I love you. You are my prized possession.
More than that: I love you so very much.
Can't you see?
You look at My Sacred Heart and see
only a refuge.
It is a refuge
but a refuge of love,
for love
for my beloved.
Kelly,
for you.
I love you.
You are My Beloved.
What can I do to show you this?
Listen, oh listen!
Kelly!
I call you My Beloved
and so you are.
You don't know words greater than
Beloved
if you did, I could express myself with them
Oh My Beloved!
Behold! Look! I come!
Running to you,
My Beloved.
Why do you turn from Me?
Do you not love Me?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Catholicism: You're doing it wrong.
 | |||||
| Statue of Gandhi at Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry |
There is a link attached to this post of The Vortex episode for the 8th of April. It's on how not to be Catholic.
Only watch it if you have a strong stomach. It is actually sickening.
Much, much more sickening than the video that you can find here.<-- that video, btw, is Cazza's favourtive clip ever. Everytime she goes on a YouTube binge, this clip comes up. I think that 9 or the 10 million views are hers. That's all.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Lost Flock
I am part of a lost flock
And I refuse to believe that
I can be saved
I realise this may come as a shock but
“Salvation comes through the Church”
Is a lie, and
“Morality is subjective.”
My friends will know that
I have my priorities straight because
Everything else
Is more important than
Jesus
I tell you this
Once upon a time
The Church offered hope
But this will not be true in my era
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, we will be celebrating the end of the Catholic Church
I do not concede that
No one will worship in a church of their own making
In the future
Liturgical abuses will be the norm
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about the Church
It will be evident that
My generation is heretical and heterodox
It is foolish the presume that
There is hope.
Unless this is reversed.
There is hope.
It is foolish the presume that
My generation is heretical and heterodox
It will be evident that
My peers and I care about the Church
Liturgical abuses will be the norm
In the future
No one will worship in a church of their own making
I do not concede that
30 years from now, we will be celebrating the end of the Catholic Church
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
But this will not be true in my era
The Church offered hope
I tell you this
Jesus
Is more important than
Everything else
I have my priorities straight because
My friends will know that
“Morality is subjective.”
Is a lie, and
“Salvation comes through the Church”
I realise this may come as a shock but
I can be saved
And I refuse to believe that
I am part of a lost flock.
This is a rewording of Jonathan Reed's "The Lost Generation" which, to the best of my knowledge is in public domain.
You can find the video of "The Lost Generation" here.
[Update: There's a cooler version of this, not by me, here. Thanks to Fr Larry at Ubi Perus, Ibi Ecclesia for sharing it.]
And I refuse to believe that
I can be saved
I realise this may come as a shock but
“Salvation comes through the Church”
Is a lie, and
“Morality is subjective.”
My friends will know that
I have my priorities straight because
Everything else
Is more important than
Jesus
I tell you this
Once upon a time
The Church offered hope
But this will not be true in my era
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, we will be celebrating the end of the Catholic Church
I do not concede that
No one will worship in a church of their own making
In the future
Liturgical abuses will be the norm
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about the Church
It will be evident that
My generation is heretical and heterodox
It is foolish the presume that
There is hope.
Unless this is reversed.
There is hope.
It is foolish the presume that
My generation is heretical and heterodox
It will be evident that
My peers and I care about the Church
Liturgical abuses will be the norm
In the future
No one will worship in a church of their own making
I do not concede that
30 years from now, we will be celebrating the end of the Catholic Church
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
But this will not be true in my era
The Church offered hope
I tell you this
Jesus
Is more important than
Everything else
I have my priorities straight because
My friends will know that
“Morality is subjective.”
Is a lie, and
“Salvation comes through the Church”
I realise this may come as a shock but
I can be saved
And I refuse to believe that
I am part of a lost flock.
This is a rewording of Jonathan Reed's "The Lost Generation" which, to the best of my knowledge is in public domain.
You can find the video of "The Lost Generation" here.
[Update: There's a cooler version of this, not by me, here. Thanks to Fr Larry at Ubi Perus, Ibi Ecclesia for sharing it.]
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Many Parts.
Today it the Third Day in the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity.
I could write about, or I could deffer to the Successor of Peter. I will do the latter.
I could write about, or I could deffer to the Successor of Peter. I will do the latter.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Discipleship
Two priests within the past week have each said something hat has made me sit back and consider what being a Catholic means.
"Really, the only sin is not being open to God's Grace."
-Fr Bill
"Christianity is not a sentimental philosophy that we turn to only when things become difficult for us."
-Fr Roman
-Fr Roman
Not accepting our Lord's Grace is, indeed, the root of all sin; for, without Grace, we can not Love; and since Love is His Way and sin is, by nature, against the Way, sin must be cause by a lack of Grace. Given that Grace is always suffcient and that the only way we can not have the Grace we need to follow Christ is by rejecting - not accepting - it.
This is by no means easy, but it is the only Way to the Father.
I feel so sorry for those people who have never asked themselves why they are Christians. I feel even sorrier for those who have and who can't find an answer they find saisfactory. If eiher of these are you, know that you're in my prayers. I pity those who, in all things, have to see to believe: they will not see the mercy of God, they will not see LoveItself.
I feel so sorry for those people who have never asked themselves why they are Christians. I feel even sorrier for those who have and who can't find an answer they find saisfactory. If eiher of these are you, know that you're in my prayers. I pity those who, in all things, have to see to believe: they will not see the mercy of God, they will not see LoveItself.
A very wise boy once said to me, "Sometimes you have to believe to see."
