Sunday, June 17, 2007
PILGRIMAGE SLIDE SHOW. . .
For those that might have missed the "slide show" post... I've finally added the link to it on our link list:
ROME PILGRIMAGE SLIDE SHOW
Enjoy the show with some Italian music and vino! There's over 900 photos so you can hunker down for a while.
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
And how many times did I hear it said over the years away from the Catholic Church that, "Catholics don't 'read' the bible" or "Catholics don't get much of the bible." Well, to some extent that may be true, maybe not every single Catholic reads the bible as much as he or she should. BUT...let's not be too hasty to judge that they don't "get much of the 'Word' in the Catholic Church" as some mistakenly believe, voice and even teach from other more "vociferous bible-believing" or "bible toting" fellowships.
Here below are the readings for today's celebration of the Mass. Hmm, not much bible? Let me just say that for 26 years I was in bible-believing, bible-toting churches. Yes, we got "a lot of scripture" I concur. However, we also got a lot of "man-made" tradition and "man-made" doctrine because what we heard for the most part was one man's opinion of the verse or verses he would read and then comment on for the next 45 minutes to an hour (or more.) Yes, there were some great sermons preached and eloquent expository teaching. However, that is not the Fullness of Truth that Christ gives us at the Mass. I'm not putting people down here, and nothing personal is implied or insinuated about the fine preachers out there and ministers with great sermons. But let me ask you this, how can it be that these 'evangelical' bible believing, God-fearing and sincere people think that they have it now, in 2007, just like the 'early Church' was when they've put the Early Church down, and her Fathers down, and Jesus' own Mother aside? I know they think they're right...but what if they don't agree with the bible-believing, bible-toting church down the street? The truth is, they don't agree with them on many issues and doctrines or "they'd be them."
Well, I've digressed and got onto a rant again. Sorry 'bout that. But now that I'm Catholic and know the truth about the Catholic Church, it's hard to listen to misinformed, misguided people say "this and that" about the CC, thinking they're so wise, when they're as ignorant as could be about Her!
Not much scripture in the CC? Well, read below and see if this isn't more than a verse or two or three that is usually all you hear, laced throughout a typical sermon elsewhere. BTW, our priest, Fr. Shane, at St. Robert Bellarmine gave a most brilliant homily today. No, it didn't go on for 45 minutes, and no tape is available for 2.00 in the book/gift store. WHY? Because it's not about him! It's not about the priest, or his homily at all! It's about CHRIST, VICTIM AND PRIEST, giving us his own flesh and blood to eat and drink to receive LIFE and grace and be transformed in this life to be Christ to others and join him forever in Heaven. The cliche "Less is MORE" applies to homilies/sermons if you ask me. I've been touched and profoundly changed by a poignant 2 or 3 minute homily, getting right to the heart of the matter, than many 45 min. sermons that lost me after 20 minutes or less. I might suggest Jeff Cavins's c.d. "I'm Not Being Fed" the number one Catholic eating disorder for some "Food for thought."
Peace,
susie
Reading 1
2 Sm 12:7-10, 13
Nathan said to David:
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘I anointed you king of Israel.
I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.
I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
Why have you spurned the Lord and done evil in his sight?
You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;
you took his wife as your own,
and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have despised me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’
Then David said to Nathan,
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David:
“The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Reading II
Gal 2:16, 19-21
Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.
Gospel
Lk 7:36—8:3 or 7:36-50
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher, ” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.
Here below are the readings for today's celebration of the Mass. Hmm, not much bible? Let me just say that for 26 years I was in bible-believing, bible-toting churches. Yes, we got "a lot of scripture" I concur. However, we also got a lot of "man-made" tradition and "man-made" doctrine because what we heard for the most part was one man's opinion of the verse or verses he would read and then comment on for the next 45 minutes to an hour (or more.) Yes, there were some great sermons preached and eloquent expository teaching. However, that is not the Fullness of Truth that Christ gives us at the Mass. I'm not putting people down here, and nothing personal is implied or insinuated about the fine preachers out there and ministers with great sermons. But let me ask you this, how can it be that these 'evangelical' bible believing, God-fearing and sincere people think that they have it now, in 2007, just like the 'early Church' was when they've put the Early Church down, and her Fathers down, and Jesus' own Mother aside? I know they think they're right...but what if they don't agree with the bible-believing, bible-toting church down the street? The truth is, they don't agree with them on many issues and doctrines or "they'd be them."
Well, I've digressed and got onto a rant again. Sorry 'bout that. But now that I'm Catholic and know the truth about the Catholic Church, it's hard to listen to misinformed, misguided people say "this and that" about the CC, thinking they're so wise, when they're as ignorant as could be about Her!
Not much scripture in the CC? Well, read below and see if this isn't more than a verse or two or three that is usually all you hear, laced throughout a typical sermon elsewhere. BTW, our priest, Fr. Shane, at St. Robert Bellarmine gave a most brilliant homily today. No, it didn't go on for 45 minutes, and no tape is available for 2.00 in the book/gift store. WHY? Because it's not about him! It's not about the priest, or his homily at all! It's about CHRIST, VICTIM AND PRIEST, giving us his own flesh and blood to eat and drink to receive LIFE and grace and be transformed in this life to be Christ to others and join him forever in Heaven. The cliche "Less is MORE" applies to homilies/sermons if you ask me. I've been touched and profoundly changed by a poignant 2 or 3 minute homily, getting right to the heart of the matter, than many 45 min. sermons that lost me after 20 minutes or less. I might suggest Jeff Cavins's c.d. "I'm Not Being Fed" the number one Catholic eating disorder for some "Food for thought."
Peace,
susie
Reading 1
2 Sm 12:7-10, 13
Nathan said to David:
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘I anointed you king of Israel.
I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.
I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
Why have you spurned the Lord and done evil in his sight?
You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;
you took his wife as your own,
and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have despised me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’
Then David said to Nathan,
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David:
“The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Reading II
Gal 2:16, 19-21
Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.
Gospel
Lk 7:36—8:3 or 7:36-50
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher, ” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Regarding "inclusive, tolerant language"
Inclusive language is nauseating. There's no more talk of hell or sin. I over-heard one woman rather whining about a new crucifix in their parish saying, "I don't need to see that, I just don't think we need to see [that]" then added, "we had a perfectly nice Jesus on the cross that was dressed, he was glorified... wearing a robe and a pink sash, and he wasn't naked!" I'll pass on posting her thoughts about The Passion of the Christ....
"Cafeteria Catholics" want a cozy, soft, pastel God, a God they can "form in their own image," and who thinks just like they do! That's the 'new atheism' that' s rampant all over Christendom and it's most chilling! The God who was hanged on a cross, naked and bloody is not what they "care to see." Hmm...They don't believe there's a hell, because that's so intolerant, but they DO want a Heaven, only one that never costs a Calvary. Well, I hate to pop that "tolerant bubble" but guess what...that AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!
Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." Some would obviously think he was being too harsh and intolerant, no doubt. Man, if Jesus was only more like Oprah......or that most tolerant of all women, Rosie O'Donnell.
Wow... I've just succeeded in making myself wanna puke!
Pastel God
We’ve painted God a soft pastel
To blend with our décor
His eyes no longer burn with fire
We don’t fear Him anymore
No more talk of blood-red sin
No more talk of hell
No fear of God resides in us
His commandments we dispel
The bloody path to Calvary
We’ve chosen to ignore
Material gain we gladly embrace
While our crosses remain on the floor
Allured by New Age philosophies
Which exalt and esteem only self
We leave the Truth for hollow lies
While His Word gathers dust on the shelf
The promises of God are packaged
And sold, like charms in a pastel box
We quote them proudly and they tickle us pink
While we blindly forget what they cost
In believing only part of the Truth
What we fail to fully perceive
Is the dangerous trade, we have just made
And in the end it’s a lie we believe
We’ve painted God a soft pastel
To blend with our décor
His eyes no longer burn with fire
We don’t fear Him anymore
© Susie Melkus
05.06.06
"Cafeteria Catholics" want a cozy, soft, pastel God, a God they can "form in their own image," and who thinks just like they do! That's the 'new atheism' that' s rampant all over Christendom and it's most chilling! The God who was hanged on a cross, naked and bloody is not what they "care to see." Hmm...They don't believe there's a hell, because that's so intolerant, but they DO want a Heaven, only one that never costs a Calvary. Well, I hate to pop that "tolerant bubble" but guess what...that AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!
Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." Some would obviously think he was being too harsh and intolerant, no doubt. Man, if Jesus was only more like Oprah......or that most tolerant of all women, Rosie O'Donnell.
Wow... I've just succeeded in making myself wanna puke!
Pastel God
We’ve painted God a soft pastel
To blend with our décor
His eyes no longer burn with fire
We don’t fear Him anymore
No more talk of blood-red sin
No more talk of hell
No fear of God resides in us
His commandments we dispel
The bloody path to Calvary
We’ve chosen to ignore
Material gain we gladly embrace
While our crosses remain on the floor
Allured by New Age philosophies
Which exalt and esteem only self
We leave the Truth for hollow lies
While His Word gathers dust on the shelf
The promises of God are packaged
And sold, like charms in a pastel box
We quote them proudly and they tickle us pink
While we blindly forget what they cost
In believing only part of the Truth
What we fail to fully perceive
Is the dangerous trade, we have just made
And in the end it’s a lie we believe
We’ve painted God a soft pastel
To blend with our décor
His eyes no longer burn with fire
We don’t fear Him anymore
© Susie Melkus
05.06.06
Faith and Reason....They're NOT antonyms!. . .
If you have a while, visit here and read the conversion story of Stan Williams Ph.D. He has me laughing out loud in a few places where I can concur with everything he's writing as I had so similar an experience being "prayed over" at least 2 times for the Holy Spirit to "give her tongues!" The first time I didn't fall off the chair, or roll, or jump, or babble, or dance or shake, so they had to "pump up the volume" to perhaps get the Holy Spirit's attention and "give her tongues!" You'll surely recognize what he's written in this paragraph if any of you went through this.Stan writes: "Still, I sat, respectfully, and let these dear men pray over me. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps I would speak in tongues. I was trying to be obedient to those under whose authority I had placed myself. But nothing was happening, and the prayers become more urgent and insistent. In their eyes, I am sure, I was like a pagan bump on the log, a hollowed out knothole into which only slimy toads would dare to dawdle. I wasn't jumping up and down. I wasn't crying. I wasn't even sobbing. A wretch was I. A hard case, indeed! At last, a third prayer warrior came and put her hands on my back and shoulders. They would have pushed me over onto my face except that I was sitting in a steel chair, bent forward, with my elbows firmly planted in the hollow of my knees."
I emphasized with the bold type only because of the same thing I went through almost to the letter! If any of you have similar experiences and would like to share them, please feel free to comment. Also, Stan has a great blog and other sites worth your time that you can find there.
Bless you Stan and thank you for your story! I can't get enough of these conversion/reversion stories. They're wonderful and delight my soul. We're all in this tapestry and woven into the Church's history. I'm just elated!
PAX,
susie
We all sin. . .if anyone's trapped in sin's grasp. . .
For those trapped and enslaved by mortal sin. . .please go to this place, read and be comforted by the God who loves you. He loves you so much he can't leave you the way you are, and if you want to change but are afraid, please read this and let Divine Mercy wash you clean. One thing about our Abba Father, our Daddy in Heaven is he's right near your heart...a whispered prayer away, if all you can muster is a desperate plea, or a groan or even just tears...He's right there, ready to welcome you with open arms, not condemnation. He did not come to condemn the world but to save all.
Come, taste and see and let him give you LIFE to the Full!
Come, taste and see and let him give you LIFE to the Full!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Ascension Novena
Jesus, I honor You on the feast of Your Ascension into heaven. I rejoice with all my heart at the glory into which You entered to reign as King of heaven and earth. When the struggle of this life is over, give me the grace to share Your joy and triumph in heaven for all eternity.
I believe that You entered into Your glorious Kingdom to prepare a place for me, for You promised to come again to take me to Yourself. Grant that I may seek only the joys of Your friendship and love, so that I may deserve to be united with You in heaven.
In the hour of my own homecoming, when I appear before Your Father to give an account of my life on earth, have mercy on me.
Jesus, in Your love for me You have brought me from evil to good and from misery to happiness. Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness. May Your Humanity give me courage in my weakness and free me from my sins.
Through Your grace, give me the courage of perseverance for You have called and justified me by faith. May I hold fast to the life You have given me and come to the eternal gifts You promised.
You love me, dear Jesus. Help me to love You in return. I ask You to grant this special favor:
(Mention your request).
By Your unceasing care, guide my steps toward the life of glory You have prepared for those who love You. Make me grow in holiness and thank You by a life of faithful service.
Month of His Most Sacred Heart. . .
The month of June is dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus. The entire month falls within the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, I place my trust in you.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Gospel reading today. . .
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,11-17.
The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him. He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."
He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."
Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of (about) fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
The line that stands out and "shouts" in that "still small voice" to me is this:
"They all ate, and were satisfied."
I've never been more satisfied anywhere than in the Catholic Church as a Roman Catholic! The other "food" in the other places where we gathered for nearly 30 years was not 'bad' in and of itself, but a "great message" is not satisfying to a starving, ravenous heart and soul. Only the body and blood of Christ sustains! Only his true and substantial presence in that host is what will sustain and nourish us in the course of this often cruel and challenging life.
I never knew how hungry I really was until I began to eat the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at Mass! THAT is the one and only meal, the sacrifice of our Paschal Lamb, the LIFE He gave us on the Cross and continues to give us every day. Not in a bloody sacrifice, but now in his resurrected Body. How is it that we can ever become lukewarm when we stop to think about the Eucharist? I know we're weak and we sometimes can't stay awake "one hour" with Jesus, just as his disciples slept in the garden when he needed them most. We can become creatures of habit and our eyes can glaze over and we can become hardened to the things and blessings of God. I can't imagine growing so cold as to not desire the Eucharist, however, and maybe that's from so many years in "revolving door fellowships" that continues to cause me to hunger deeply for Christ and his Eucharist. Our priest, Fr. Andy today said that on this Corpus Christi Sunday, this feast after Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sundays is so special to us as Catholics. We HAVE HIM as our food! That is phenomenal and incredibly powerful! Stop and think what you're doing and what you're partaking of when you go to Mass and walk up to that altar, that table and WHO it is you're receiving into your own body, your own heart!
BUT.... that's the problem with many of us, we don't "stop to think" anymore. How very sad. Stop, listen, ponder the wonder of Christ as he humbles Himself to us every hour of every day in the Eucharist at every Mass around the world! Then, GO TO MASS! Let Jesus enter your heart and let his heart beat with yours and together you can change the world....and make a POSITIVE difference, not just a difference. Many have made a difference, but what good is a difference if it is negative or worse, evil? Let's humble ourselves before God as he becomes our "daily bread" and let's be united in ONE BODY ONE FAITH ONE BAPTISM and love one another as Christ has loved us and go forth to let Him shine through us and grow in holiness and one day, stand with our big brothers and sisters, the Communion of Saints in wonder and awe at the majesty of Jesus Christ our King!
The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him. He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."
He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."
Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of (about) fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
The line that stands out and "shouts" in that "still small voice" to me is this:
"They all ate, and were satisfied."
I've never been more satisfied anywhere than in the Catholic Church as a Roman Catholic! The other "food" in the other places where we gathered for nearly 30 years was not 'bad' in and of itself, but a "great message" is not satisfying to a starving, ravenous heart and soul. Only the body and blood of Christ sustains! Only his true and substantial presence in that host is what will sustain and nourish us in the course of this often cruel and challenging life.
I never knew how hungry I really was until I began to eat the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at Mass! THAT is the one and only meal, the sacrifice of our Paschal Lamb, the LIFE He gave us on the Cross and continues to give us every day. Not in a bloody sacrifice, but now in his resurrected Body. How is it that we can ever become lukewarm when we stop to think about the Eucharist? I know we're weak and we sometimes can't stay awake "one hour" with Jesus, just as his disciples slept in the garden when he needed them most. We can become creatures of habit and our eyes can glaze over and we can become hardened to the things and blessings of God. I can't imagine growing so cold as to not desire the Eucharist, however, and maybe that's from so many years in "revolving door fellowships" that continues to cause me to hunger deeply for Christ and his Eucharist. Our priest, Fr. Andy today said that on this Corpus Christi Sunday, this feast after Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sundays is so special to us as Catholics. We HAVE HIM as our food! That is phenomenal and incredibly powerful! Stop and think what you're doing and what you're partaking of when you go to Mass and walk up to that altar, that table and WHO it is you're receiving into your own body, your own heart!
BUT.... that's the problem with many of us, we don't "stop to think" anymore. How very sad. Stop, listen, ponder the wonder of Christ as he humbles Himself to us every hour of every day in the Eucharist at every Mass around the world! Then, GO TO MASS! Let Jesus enter your heart and let his heart beat with yours and together you can change the world....and make a POSITIVE difference, not just a difference. Many have made a difference, but what good is a difference if it is negative or worse, evil? Let's humble ourselves before God as he becomes our "daily bread" and let's be united in ONE BODY ONE FAITH ONE BAPTISM and love one another as Christ has loved us and go forth to let Him shine through us and grow in holiness and one day, stand with our big brothers and sisters, the Communion of Saints in wonder and awe at the majesty of Jesus Christ our King!
Unless we become as little children. . .
I felt like this at St Pietro at the Wednesday audience, May 23, 2007. Like a little girl seeing her "Papa" drive by waving and blessing us...and the joy that welled up in my heart at being in the Family of God!
Viva Benedetto!The Lateran I, Rome
Not my video, but hey, love this YOU TUBE! St. John Lateran...the "Pope's Church"
Three Tiber Jumpers. . .
A 9.8 by this U.S. judge
They should be jumping to Tiber Jumper's musik and then they'd get a '10!' ; )
Weight of Glory. . .Fr. Walter Ciszek's blog
God's will
Ultimately, we come to expect God to accept our understanding of what his will ought to be and to help us fulfill that, instead of learning to see and accept his will in the real situations in which he places us daily. The simple soul who each day makes a morning offering of "all the prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day" -- and who then acts upon it by accepting unquestioningly and responding lovingly to all the situations of the day as truly sent by God -- has perceived with an almost childlike faith the profound truth about the will of God. To predict what God's will is going to be, to rationalize about what his will must be, is at once a work of human folly and yet the subtlest of all temptations. The plain and simple truth is that his will is what he actually wills to send us each day, in the way of circumstances, places, people, and problems. The trick is to learn to see that -- not just in theory, or not just occasionally in a flash of insight granted by God's grace, but every day. Each of us has no need to wonder about what God's will must be for us; his will for us is clearly revealed in every situation of every day, if only we could learn to view all things as he sees them and sends them to us.
- Fr. Walter Ciszek, SJ, in He Leadeth Me, chapter 3
Tony Melendez
some would say, when he was born, that he'd never live a full life without arms....hmm, I wonder, what do they say now?
Is this not the most wonderful prayer, after the "Our Father?" . . .
The Key Which Opens the Doors
O my holy Lady, Mother of God, full with grace, you, the Glory of our nature, the Channel of all goods, the Queen of all things after the Holy Trinity… the Mediatrix of the world after the Mediator. You, the mysterious Bridge which connects the earth to Heaven, the Key which opens the doors of paradise for us. Our Advocate, our Mediatrix, look at my faith, look at my pious desires and remember your power and mercy. Mother of the One who is true mercy and goodness, receive my heart in its misery and, by your intercession, make me worthy to be on the right-hand side of your only Son one day. Amen.
St Ephrem the Syrian (306 - 373)Today across the country and globe,...
There will be many Eucharistic Processions. We will be going to ours in Omaha 2:30 - 4:30. The first annual procession in Omaha was last year, started by our wonderful priest, Father Damien Cook of St Peter parish. Please come and join us as we present Christ to Omaha. What about all of you out there in the bloggosphere? What are you doing today? If you don't have a procession, I suggest you travel to a town that does. And then maybe start one in your town next year. The event is so holy and to see people stop and watch, wonder, ask questions is the point. If we as a people can "process" to Big Red games, Quest Center for concerts, to the theatre for movies and the beach or lake for a swim or the boardwalk for entertainment, how much more should we take Christ to the people and bring the people to Christ?
PAX Domini,
susie
PAX Domini,
susie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
