Wishing everyone the grace and joy of experiencing the Risen Lord's Divine Mercy!
The Lord Jesus said to St. Faustina. . .
"Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.
If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy"
I had a very good friend of mine pass me the following prayer for use particularly in Spiritual works of Mercy.
Free the Souls in Purgatory
Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the Universal Church,
those in my own home and within my family.
Amen.
Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners which would alleviate the indebtedness accrued to them during their lives.
May you have a Blessed Mercy Sunday.
Peace be to you.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Participating in Tradition
I am a Liturgical Minister in our local Parish.
As a reader of scripture during the Mass I am participating a documented process of how the Mass occurs.
St. Justin Martyr wrote (with respect to the Mass)
On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.
The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.
When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.
Then we all rise together and offer prayers* for ourselves . . .and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.
When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.
Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren.
He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistian) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts.
When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to an acclamation by saying: 'Amen.'
This was written by St. Justin in the year 155. Although not a Priest, as a lay minister when I read the texts I am participating in the Mass in a role that is documented to go back nearly 2,000 years.
What an awe-inspiring responsibility. Join your local Parish's Liturgical Ministry
Peace be to you.
As a reader of scripture during the Mass I am participating a documented process of how the Mass occurs.
St. Justin Martyr wrote (with respect to the Mass)
On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.
The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.
When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.
Then we all rise together and offer prayers* for ourselves . . .and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.
When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.
Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren.
He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistian) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts.
When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to an acclamation by saying: 'Amen.'
This was written by St. Justin in the year 155. Although not a Priest, as a lay minister when I read the texts I am participating in the Mass in a role that is documented to go back nearly 2,000 years.
What an awe-inspiring responsibility. Join your local Parish's Liturgical Ministry
Peace be to you.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Holy Thursday
Today, we as Christians and as the Catholic Church commemorate Holy Thursday. On this day Christ celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples and the start of his suffering. After tonight's supper things happened quickly for our Lord. Among the Disciples they will betray, scatter, deny, and flee. But tonight, they are together one last time with the Lord.
It was the Jewish Feast of Passover yet it was the beginning of the Passion for Christ. The start of his suffering that would redeem both you and I.
The Passover Feast consisted of a slain and roasted lamb, bread, wine, oils, and herbs. It is how the Jews remembered their freedom from slavery in Egypt.
However, during the Last Supper, Christ gave new meaning to the traditional Passover elements.
He took the Bread and said this My Body, which will be given up for you.
This is the cup of My Blood, the Blood of the New and everlasting Covenant
Jesus, Himself, became the Lamb, slain for all of humanity,
so that they may be redeemed.
By giving transforming the traditional Jewish elements, Christ inducted and conducted the first Eucharistic Celebration.
At the Last Supper, He also directed His disciples to ". . do this in memory of Me. . ", thus instituting the Priesthood.
We have have much to celebrate this evening.
Don't the night pass without praying about what the Lord has done for you.
Peace be to you.
It was the Jewish Feast of Passover yet it was the beginning of the Passion for Christ. The start of his suffering that would redeem both you and I.
The Passover Feast consisted of a slain and roasted lamb, bread, wine, oils, and herbs. It is how the Jews remembered their freedom from slavery in Egypt.
However, during the Last Supper, Christ gave new meaning to the traditional Passover elements.
He took the Bread and said this My Body, which will be given up for you.
This is the cup of My Blood, the Blood of the New and everlasting Covenant
Jesus, Himself, became the Lamb, slain for all of humanity,
so that they may be redeemed.
By giving transforming the traditional Jewish elements, Christ inducted and conducted the first Eucharistic Celebration.
At the Last Supper, He also directed His disciples to ". . do this in memory of Me. . ", thus instituting the Priesthood.
We have have much to celebrate this evening.
Don't the night pass without praying about what the Lord has done for you.
Peace be to you.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving
There is a loty to be said for Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving.
Fasting brings you closer to God and clears your head to here what is being said to you. There was a Priest at a local Church who used to assign a penance from Confessions of no water for 24 hours. Let the thrist you develop remind you of your tirst for the Lord. The other aspect to Fasting is the Biological one. When the body is not using its energy and resources to constantly process and digest food, it can turn its attention to reparing the body. Fasting (never any longer than 3 days) immensly helps clear the mind and correct the body. It berings us closer to God. I know it's hard, I still can't quite get away from my need of caffiene.
While your Fastinf your Prayers become super-charged. You are in a better position to communicate with God.
And during Lent, don't let everyone know about your donations (almsgiving) of time and money. God knows what your doing - and that's all that matters.
Peace Be With You.
Fasting brings you closer to God and clears your head to here what is being said to you. There was a Priest at a local Church who used to assign a penance from Confessions of no water for 24 hours. Let the thrist you develop remind you of your tirst for the Lord. The other aspect to Fasting is the Biological one. When the body is not using its energy and resources to constantly process and digest food, it can turn its attention to reparing the body. Fasting (never any longer than 3 days) immensly helps clear the mind and correct the body. It berings us closer to God. I know it's hard, I still can't quite get away from my need of caffiene.
While your Fastinf your Prayers become super-charged. You are in a better position to communicate with God.
And during Lent, don't let everyone know about your donations (almsgiving) of time and money. God knows what your doing - and that's all that matters.
Peace Be With You.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Jews Were Never Expecting Jesus
You may have asked yourself (like I have) why didn't the Jews recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
Simple. The Jews were expecting a new, powerful leader like David to arrive. He would be a mighty warrior that would help them overthrow the enemy (Rome) and lead them to the Promised Land. He would be strong and invincible.
Jesus was a poor carpenter from Nazareth (nothing good could come out of Nazareth!). He wasn't a warrior, he didn't have an army, he advocated love and non-violence, and he was tried and executed as a criminal.
Not exactly who the Jews were looking for. Also, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) there is absolutely nothing that says the Messiah had to die for humanity's sins. He wasn't to die - he was to lead the battle - so they were not expecting it.
Are you expecting it?
Peace Be With You
Simple. The Jews were expecting a new, powerful leader like David to arrive. He would be a mighty warrior that would help them overthrow the enemy (Rome) and lead them to the Promised Land. He would be strong and invincible.
Jesus was a poor carpenter from Nazareth (nothing good could come out of Nazareth!). He wasn't a warrior, he didn't have an army, he advocated love and non-violence, and he was tried and executed as a criminal.
Not exactly who the Jews were looking for. Also, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) there is absolutely nothing that says the Messiah had to die for humanity's sins. He wasn't to die - he was to lead the battle - so they were not expecting it.
Are you expecting it?
Peace Be With You
The Image of Divine Mercy!
The image that Jesus directed St. Faustina to paint had very clear direction from our Lord. He wanted the world to know His mercy through this image. St. Faustina wrote in her Diary:
"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me,"Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world." (Diary, 47)
"I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature; 'Jesus, I trust in You.'" (Diary,327)
She was to have the image painted just as she saw Him, standing with His right hand raised in blessing, red and pale rays issuing from His heart, a gaze of Mercy in His eyes...
"During prayer I heard these words within me: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls...
These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross." (Diary,299)
The Lord was very clear regarding this image.
"I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory." (Diary, 48)
"By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy...." (Diary, 742)
The infinite depths of the Lord Jesus have been opened to everyone!
The Lord has provided, through the Church, amy avenues and Graces through the Seven Sacraments and Priests. Howver, not all of us are taking advantage of those graces to save ourselves. Rather than Jesus saying "Sorry but I gave you enough chances to be saved," he is saying "I love you so much that I am giving you this additional Grace to help save yourselves with."
It is really sad that so many people remain lost and ignore the graces that are availabel to them - or are not aware that they even exist. Therefore, our Christian duty is to evangelize to those who aren't even aware.
Repent . . .for the Kingdom of God is here.
Peace be with you.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Foreshadowing of Jesus in the Old Testament
In the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) the following passage occurs:
"And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." (Book of Numbers 21:6-9)
As Moses carried this pole with the Serpant on it people who had sinned were healed.
900 years after that, not a serpant, but Jesus was nailed to a pole and all who looked upon him and believed in him were saved.
Think about that connection next time you look at the Crucifix.
It's an awe-inspiring comparison.
Peace be with you.
"And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." (Book of Numbers 21:6-9)
As Moses carried this pole with the Serpant on it people who had sinned were healed.
900 years after that, not a serpant, but Jesus was nailed to a pole and all who looked upon him and believed in him were saved.
Think about that connection next time you look at the Crucifix.
It's an awe-inspiring comparison.
Peace be with you.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The Fight for Life
We are watching today a terribly sad event being perpetuated on civilization . . infanticide. Since becoming law in the United States 30 years ago, abortion has killed millions of unborn babies in this country and around the world.
God is a God of love and life. Killing of any kind is an offense against God. Set aside the psychological problems that it wreaks on both men and women, it is at its route contrary to life itself.
In China, the one-child policy has lead to millions of aborted baby girls as the Chinese family wants a male to carry on the family name.
This is not what God had in mind for humanity. This is not what we should be doing to ourselves. If you have not already done so - join a prayer group and pray for an end to the 'Abortuary' business. Let God work His will even if the courts are slow to realize their mistake.
Peace be with you.
God is a God of love and life. Killing of any kind is an offense against God. Set aside the psychological problems that it wreaks on both men and women, it is at its route contrary to life itself.
In China, the one-child policy has lead to millions of aborted baby girls as the Chinese family wants a male to carry on the family name.
This is not what God had in mind for humanity. This is not what we should be doing to ourselves. If you have not already done so - join a prayer group and pray for an end to the 'Abortuary' business. Let God work His will even if the courts are slow to realize their mistake.
Peace be with you.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Divine Mercy Sunday
What is Divine Mercy Sunday?
Great question. As Catholics we all know that we sin. Our sins are forgiven by Christ (through a confessor) in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
A great comparison I heard is that when you are a child playing baseball and you accidentally break the neighbor's window with the baseball what happens? Usually your Father will take you over to the neighbo'r where you will need to apologize for your mistake. Both your Father and the neighbor forgive you. BUT - you still have to make restitution. You must pay for the broken window.
As we confess our sins we are forgiven but a price, too, must be paid for those sins. We pay that price in Purgatory (or here on Earth through suffering).
However, on Divine Mercy Sunday, Christ has provided an opportunity to be forgiven AND have the price paid in full all at once!
We are forgiven our sins and the we are relieved of having any restitution to pay by simply believing the Jesus the Christ.
There are few rules to get there, You must have had a sincere confession within 24 hours of Divine Mercy Sunday (the First Sunday after Easter) you must take Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday and you must meditate on the Passion of our Lord.
"I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory." (Diary, 48)
"By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy...." (Diary, 742)
These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." (Diary,299)
This is truly the most extraordinary gift!
Peace be with you.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Think You Let Christ Down? Christ Forgives
Peter was not perfect. Not by a long shot. After telling Christ that he would die for him and follow up to the ends of the Earth during the last supper . . . less than 24 hours later Peter denies that he knows Christ 3 times.
There is an old story about Peter that goes:
"And at the end of his life, Peter did fulfil his promise to Jesus to die for him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is reported that he was smuggled out of Rome by the church at a time when Christians were thrown in prison and executed on account of their belief in Jesus. Peter was already in safety, travelling away from Rome, when he had an apparition of Jesus walking toward Rome. And Peter asked Jesus: "domine, quo vadis?" (my Lord, where are you going?) And Jesus answered him: "I am going to Rome to be crucified again." And Peter said, "no, Lord, you are not."
"And he turned around, went into Rome, handed himself over to the authorities and was crucified. His only request was, "please don’t crucify me like they did my Lord, because I am not worthy of dying like he did."
Christ not only forgave this believer of seemingly weak faith, he not only forgave his multiple mis-steps, he used this man, Peter, to build his entire Church.
If think what you have done will not be forgiven by Christ think again; Christ is Love and Mercy.
Go to Confession now.
Peace be with you.
There is an old story about Peter that goes:
"And at the end of his life, Peter did fulfil his promise to Jesus to die for him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is reported that he was smuggled out of Rome by the church at a time when Christians were thrown in prison and executed on account of their belief in Jesus. Peter was already in safety, travelling away from Rome, when he had an apparition of Jesus walking toward Rome. And Peter asked Jesus: "domine, quo vadis?" (my Lord, where are you going?) And Jesus answered him: "I am going to Rome to be crucified again." And Peter said, "no, Lord, you are not."
"And he turned around, went into Rome, handed himself over to the authorities and was crucified. His only request was, "please don’t crucify me like they did my Lord, because I am not worthy of dying like he did."
Christ not only forgave this believer of seemingly weak faith, he not only forgave his multiple mis-steps, he used this man, Peter, to build his entire Church.
If think what you have done will not be forgiven by Christ think again; Christ is Love and Mercy.
Go to Confession now.
Peace be with you.
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