O Emmanuel

December 23rd is the last of the O Antiphons. As I mentioned ealier the O Antiphons are the verses to the song: O come, O come Emmanuel, which we have been singing for the past 4 weeks of Advent. In our song book the first verse and the last verse are based on the title emmanuel. Here is the Old Testament passage we get this title from:


"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel." Isaiah 7:14

The title 'Emmanuel' means: "God is with us". That is exactly what we celebrate at Christmas. Christmas is not about gifts, or being friendly, or accepting others, or all the other sentimental things that the latest Christmas Special celebrates. Christmas is about the INCARNATION of God. The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. God becoming Human so that humans can become God. Now isn't a radical statement. That is Christmas. Here is the Liturgical antiphon for Dec. 23:

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.


Peace

O Rex Gentium

The Old Testament title for Jesus on December 22 is: O Rex Gentium, or in English: O King of the nations.
Scripturally, the new King will bring Peace. I love this passage from Isaiah. As you think of Jesus as King, meditate on this.

"He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." Isaiah 2:4

Here is the Liturgical Antiphone for Today:

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.


Peace

O Oriens "O Rising Sun"

The Old Testament Title for Jesus for December 21 is "O Oriens". This has many ways it could be translated: O Rising Sun, O Dayspring, O Morning Star, or sometimes O Dawn.

This is a beautiful reflection because the Rising sun has always been a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ. In fact, in worship Christians initially always faced EAST when they worshipped at Mass. Before 1970 people would say that the priest said Mass with his back to the people. This was missing the entire point. What was really happening was the priest was facing the SAME direction as the people. All the People were facing east to the rising Sun, the sign of the Resurrection. All the early Churches were built to face east.

Later on when churches where build to fit into city planning they no longer faced east, however the priest and the people continued to face in the same direction to worship God.

Here is the Antiphon for today:
O Rising Sun,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


peace

O Clavis David

This means: O Key of David. It is a title for the Messiah from the Old Testament. It is the O Antiphon for today. Here is the Full Antiphon. Use it in your prayer today:


O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


peace

Homily Series on the Liturgy

Homily on the Liturgy

Week 3: December 19, 2010

WHO DO WE WORSHIP?: GOD INCARNATE

1. At Mass we encounter the God of Glory and Majesty. Since we encounter God, it is the source of all we do as Christians.

     A. Since we encounter God at Mass, it also becomes the Summit, the goal of Christian life.

     B. As the source and summit of the Christian life, Mass forms us into the body of Christ.

     C. I am doing a Homily series on the Mass. We continue to talk about the liturgy today.

2. Last week, we began with the question: Who do we worship? I spoke of God as Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we speak of God in this way he is difficult to understand. He may even seem a little distant.

     A. God knows this, so he revealed himself in a much more intimate way. This is what we celebrate at Christmas.

     B. The Second divine person of the most holy Trinity was to be born into time and space and take on our human nature. St. John described this as the “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

     C. However, we are more familiar with that image of Mary and Joseph in a stable holding a little baby. What is more intimate than a little baby.

     D. The mystery of that little baby is called: The Incarnation. This week, when we ask the question ‘who do we worship’ the answer is: At Mass we worship the incarnate God, who took on our human nature.

     E. That little baby is the Son, the second divine person of the most holy Trinity. He is fully human. He is also fully God. This is the mystery of Christmas.

3. Remember, Sin separates us from God. There is an infinite gap between God and humanity because of sin. It is impossible for human beings to overcome that gap.

     A. In God’s infinite wisdom, God himself goes across that gap. He becomes fully human, and then as both God and human he brings his humanity over the gap and back into heaven at the Ascension.

     B. Jesus MUST be God to accomplish this, but then he must be human for us to be redeemed. Only What Jesus became is redeemed.

     C. This is what Christianity is all about. It is about the Incarnation. This is why when we say the creed and we come to the Line: “By the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became Man” WE Bow. It is that important.

4. The incarnation is also about God revealing himself to us fully. We have no image of “God of Glory and Majesty”. In the Old Testament his presence was in smoke and pillars of fire.

     A. They were not even allowed to make image of God because there were NO images to make. God was invisible.

     B. But since Jesus is God he was able to say to his disciples: “If you know me, then you will also know the Father.” Then later he said: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

     C. God reveals himself IN HISTORY. God is NOT “Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away”. Rather, he was born in the days of King Herod, during the reign of Tiberius, when Quirinius was the governor of Syria.

     D. People saw him, walked with him, talked with him, touched him, ate with him.
     E. Now we have an image of God when we pray: When we pray at Christmas we will imagine the baby Jesus. When we pray with scripture, we imagine Jesus in the story.

     F. During Lent, when we pray we imagine Jesus on the cross. We can even imagine Jesus ascending into heaven.

     G. With the incarnation, we now have an image of God. This is why early Christians began painting pictures of ‘Jesus the good shepherd’ in their cemeteries.

     H. God himself made an image of God: Jesus. So now we human beings also began making pictures of Jesus. We can now imagine what God looks like in our minds, so Christians began to have pictures of him.

5. Today we ask again: When we come to Mass, who do we worship. Yes, we worship God as Trinity: God of Glory and Majesty.

     A. But God came into the world. He was born in time and space. He became human. He became one of us. He understands us.

     B. He knows what we experience. God is NOT distant, but he is so close he knows us better than we know ourselves.

     C. This is important to Mass because he became human. He became part of his creation, which means that CREATION is good.

     D. He became part of creation, and so we know that he can use creation for our salvation.

     E. When we see Jesus, we see God. That helps us to understand how God works. He will work through things, and he will work through people.

     F. Because Jesus became visible, we can now visualize him in art.

     G. All of these facts will be important for understanding the Mass.

     H. For now know this, Turn to Jesus, look at Jesus, Know Jesus, and you will know the Father. Come, Let us Worship!

O Radix Jesse

This means: O Root of Jesse. It is a title for Jesus from the Old Testament. Jesse was the Father of King David. The first reading from this Sunday we will hear that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem of the line of King David, from Jesse. Here are some passages from scripture:
Isaiah 11:1 "A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots."

Isaiah 11:10 "On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious."

In many Cathedrals there are stained glass windows with Jesse at the bottom with a tree growing out of his side. At the top of the tree in the window is Jesus.

Here is the Antiphon for today:

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

peace

O Adonai

Each Day from Dec. 17 to Dec 23 has its own liturgical Antiphon of a Title of Jesus from the OLD TESTAMENT. Since each Antiphon begins with "O", they are called the "O Antiphons". The Title for today is: O Adonai. This is Hebrew from "O Lord". Since the Name of God (YHWH) is SO holy nobody was allowed to say it verbally, so when it came up in the biblical text they would say: Adonai (Lord) in reference to God.


In the New Testament the title Lord was given to Jesus. In Greek this would have been "Kyrios". In the Liturgy we will often sing: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie elesion: Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
I would encourage you to pray with the antiphon, and meditaton on Jesus as Lord. Here is the Antiphon:

O Lord, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.


It is good to read this in light of Isaiah 33:22 "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ruler, the Lord is our king; he will save us."
Peace

O Antiphons

Dec. 17 begins a new time of special preparation during Advent. We begin the O Antiphons. These are liturgical antiphons based on titles for Jesus Christ from the Old Testament. These are also the verses for the song "O come, O come Emmanuel".

Today the Title is:    O Sapientia (O Wisdom).

The Full Antiphon for today is:

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,reaching from one end to the other mightily,and sweetly ordering all things:Come and teach us the way of prudence.

peace

Talk 2 on the Liturgy: Transcendence of God

Homily on the Liturgy

Week 2: December 12, 2010

                          WHO DO WE WORSHIP?: The TRINITY

1. The Liturgy, the Mass, is the Source and the summit of all that we do in our Christian life, because it is in the Liturgy where we encounter God.

     A. Mass is the most important thing we do as Christians. Gathering around the altar of God forms us as the people of God.

     B. Last week I began a Homily series on the Mass. We continue to talk about the titurgy today.

2. John was a disciple of Jesus. In fact, he is called the beloved disciples. We can safely say that Jesus was his close friend.

     A. Years after the resurrection and the ascension John encountered Jesus again.A He tells his story in the book of revelation.

     B. Jesus appeared to John. He did not greet him with a handshake. He didn’t run up to his old friend with a hug or even a chuck on the shoulder. When John saw Jesus, it says: “When I caught sight of him, I fell at his feet as though dead.”

     C. In the presence of Christ John fell on his face in worship.

     D. Later John saw “A vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue. They stood before the throne”

     E. They were singing: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the Throne and from the lamb.

     F. It says that they prostrated themselves before the throne and worshiped God. This means that they fell on their faces in worship.

3. Throughout the scriptures it shows people’s encounters with God: Abraham, Moses, Isaiah. Every time a person in scripture encounters God they fall on their face, or they fall on their knees. They cover their faces in awe and reverence.

      A. They RECOGNIZE the Glory and power of God. The Lord of All Majesty.

     B. In other words: God is important. Not just important but of Ultimate importance.

     C. When we come for Mass, the first question we need to ask ourselves is: Who do we worship?

     D. The answer is not just a glib and vague: God.

4. It is possible for someone to come into church.

     A. Do a half genuflect, and then drop into the pew. They may pick up a hymnal and sing.

     B. They may listen to the readings as if they were interesting tales. Seem to pay attention and then receive communion.

     C. A person could do all those action and NOT once think of God. They could do that and not even recognize they are in the presence of the God of glory and Majesty.

     D. I know this because I even have to watch myself of this, especially around the 4th Mass I do on any given weekend.

     E. When you arrive in Church I would encourage the first thing you do is to fall on your knees and worship God. I know we don’t have kneelers, but we have carpet and it would not hurt people to kneel.

     F. Recognize who God is and worship God. When we are in the presence of God we should respond in a way similar to those in scripture.

5. But who is the Christian God, who do we worship:

     A. There ONE God, and this ONE God is a Trinity of Persons: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

     B. Because God is Trinity, St. John was able to say: God is love. Within God there is the love between the Father and the Son, and that love is the Holy Spirit.

     C. God is creator: God created the heavens and the earth. God created time and Space. When Moses asked for God’s name God responded: I am who am.

     D. Basically, God said that he is the verb: TO BE. The is the very foundation of all that exists.

     E. God is almighty. He is all powerful. Everything begins and ends in God.

6. Because of this God is the center of all of our prayers. We pray to God. We worship God. God is the center of our life.

     A. Watch how your pray: Some times we begin the prayer with “Oh God”, but then the rest of the prayer is about ME. Do this for me, or do that for me. Then after a long litany of things we want we say ‘Amen’.

     B. Yes, we are to pray for our daily bread. Yes we are to petition God for our needs in our life.

     C. However, our worship should be directed more towards God more than ourselves. When we petition God we should always have in Mind: Thy will be done, not mine.

     D. When we come to Mass our thought should not be: What will I get out of it? Rather it should be: I am here to worship God.

7. So the first important thing about the Mass: It is about worshiping GOD: The God of Glory and Majesty. The God of power and might. God, who is love.

8. Come, let us Worship!

Homilies on The Liturgy: Introduction to the Series

I said earlier that I would post my liturgy homilies on this blog.  I was going to put them into essay form, but that takes longer than I anticipated.  Therefore, I will post in the homilies in the outline form that I use them as I give my homily.  I still have not figured out how to post a sound file.


                       Homily on the Liturgy

                       Week 1: December 4, 2010

                       Introduction to the Series

1. About 50 years ago Pope John XXIII took a serious look at our church and he thought that we could be serving God in a much better way. So he called the second Vatican Council.

     A. He wanted to open the windows of the church and let in some fresh air.

     B. He wanted to renew the Church so that every Catholic would be excited about their baptismal mission to serve God and bring faith, hope and love to the world.

     C. This was the defining council of our age and it touched on almost every topic in our Church from divine revelation to the use of mass media.

     D. However, there were 3 themes that dominated the council and all its documents.

     E. The first idea was the Universal Call to Holiness. Every Catholic is called to live the Christian life of Holiness.

          1. For some reason many people thought that priests and nuns were called to be holy and that it was impossible to live holiness in the normal life.

          2. However, we are all called to be holy. We are called to be set apart for God and live a life of faith, hope and love.

          3. From the youngest to the oldest we are called to be holy according to our state of life.

     F. The second idea of the council was to discuss the role of the Laity in the world.

          1. The role of the priest is to help the laity(those who are not priests and sisters) grow in holiness through prayer, liturgy, the sacraments and a virtuous life.

          2. Then it is role of the laity to go into the world and sanctify the world. The place of contact of the Church and the World is in our homes, in our work places, the government, the media, and in our stores.

          3. This means that the place of conversion, where people will change lives is in the life of the Laity. It is the role of the laity to bring the gospel to the world.

     G. The last major theme of the council is the renewal of the Liturgy: To renew the Mass.

          1. The council fathers thought that if people knew what the Mass was about, if they knew what was happening and why we would do it, then it would help them to grow in faith.

          2. Through the Liturgy people would know that profound conversion to Christ, and bring the gospel to the world.

          3. Through the Liturgy people have a profound experience of the Glorious God of Power and Majesty, the intimacy of God who came into the world as a child, the God who knows us more than we know ourselves, then salvation would be brought to all the world.

2. This was a great plan. However, there is one problem. Today we are 50 years out from the council and 70% - 80% of the parishioners of our parish do not worship with us on any given weekend.

     A. The Mass is seen as unimportant, or even unnecessary. People often do not understand what is happening, and we may not even know how to participate.

     B. The Second Vatican Council reminds us that Mass is the source of everything we do as Christians.

          1. It is at Mass where we encounter Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and savior. Through that encounter we receive the grace to live the holiness we are called to.

          2. It is only through the grace of Christ that we serve the poor, love as we should, and offer our lives to Christ in a saving way.

     C. Mass is not only the source, but it is also the summit of all we do. It is the goal.

          1. Our life is a constant process of conversion as we move closer to Christ. We are on a pilgrimage to the New, and Holy Jerusalem which is heaven.

          2. Every time we come to Mass we renew the covenant with Christ and take one more step on our pilgrimage to God. See the goal and move towards it.

          3. As we look into the sanctuary at Mass, we look into heaven itself and we know why we were created. The summit of our life is God.

3. The liturgy is central to the Christian life. As we receive the body of Christ in the Eucharist, we become the body of Christ, the Church. It is at Mass where we are most Catholic

     A. Recognizing the importance of Mass, I will be doing a homily series in order to explain what the Mass is,

          1. What happens at Mass

          2. What we should be thinking and doing at Mass

          3. and why we do the things we do.

          4. I have many reasons for doing this homily series:

     A. First, I thought of a 10 week adult class, but then I recognized that only a few people would come to that. In my homily, I will reach over a 1000 people every weekend.

     B. This is so important that I would like the entire parish to know about the liturgy. As I said, it is the source and summit of our Christian life.

     C. Another reason for this series is that one year from now we will receive a new English translation of the Mass. I want everyone to know and understand the liturgy so that we will know the reason for this translation.

     D. I will mention some things that will be changed in my talks.

     E. I will make audio recording the homilies so that we can put them online. If you are at another church you will be able to listen to them online. OR if you have people who are not at church, you can point the talks out to them.

     F. I am beginning this series during Advent because this is the season where we celebrate the ‘Coming of the Lord’.

     G. Jesus comes to us every week at Mass. It is Mass and the sacraments that we directly experience Christ on a regular basis.

5. I have planned all the talks for this series and I have posted them on-line.

     A. If you want to see the topics, please visit our website or my blog. As they become available I will also put the links on my facebook page.

     B. Mass is the most important thing we do as Christians. It is important that we know what is happening.

END OF HOMILY

NEW LITURGY SERIES OF HOMILIES

Mass is the source and the summit of our Christian life. It is the most important thing we do as Catholics. This is what makes us catholic. If Mass is so important why do 70% of Catholic ignore their obligation to attend Mass every week. There seems to be a real lack of education regarding what is the role of Mass and what happens at Mass.


I thought of having a 10 week series on the Mass in the evenings as part of adult formation, however, these are often not well attended. Since this is the most important thing we do as Christians I have decided to have a homily series where I can touch on every part of the Mass.

The second Vatican Council called for a renewal of the Liturgy. This renewal was good and exciting, but it is now time to learn what the council wanted.

Here is a list of the homily topics and dates. I will also try to record these homilies and place them on my blog and my website for your reference. I hope that this begins a discussion in our parish about Liturgy and prayer.

Homily: Liturgy Topics

December 5, 2010: INTRODUCTION

December 12, 2010: WHO DO WE WORSHIP? THE TRINITY

December 19, 2010: WHO DO WE WORSHIP? GOD INCARNATE.

December 26, 2010: Feast of Holy Family: Break from the series

January 2, 2011: SACRAMENTAL WORLDVIEW (Feast of the Epiphany)

January 9, 2011: MASS: MAKING OUR REDEMPTION PRESENT (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord)

January 16, 2011: MASS: THE PASCHAL MYSTERY

January 23, 2011 MASS: SACRIFICIAL MEAL

January 30, 2011 MASS: OUR PARTICIPATION IN HEAVEN

February 6, 2011 MASS: FULL, CONSCIOUS, ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

February 13, 2011 THE ASSEMBLY

February 20, 2011 THE PRIEST

February 27, 2011 THE CHURCH: BUILT OF LIVING STONES

March 6, 2011: PROCESSIONS

March 13, 2011: SIGN OF THE CROSS

March 20, 2011: DIALOGUES

March 27, 2011: PENTITENTIAL RITE

April 3, 2011: THE GLORIA

April 10, 2011: THE OPENING PRAYER

April 17, 2011: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: Break from the series

April 24, 2011: Easter Sunday: Break from the series

May 1, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 1

May 8, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 2

May 15, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 3

May 22, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 4

May 29, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 5

June 5, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 6 (Feast of the Ascension)

June 12, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 7: Homily (Feast of Pentecost)

June 19, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 8: CREED (Feast of the Most Holy Trinity)

June 26, 2011: LITURGY OF THE WORD: Part 9 (Feast of Corpus Christi)

July 3, 2011: LITURGICAL POSTURES: PART 1

July 10, 2011: LITURGICAL POSTURES: PART 2

July 16, 2011: Catholic Heart Work Camp: Visiting Priest

July 24, 2011: SING A NEW SONG: MUSIC AND CATHOLIC WORSHIP
July 31, 2011: EUCHARISTIC PRAYER: PART 1

August 7, 2011: EUCHARISTIC PRAYER: PART 2

August 14, 2011: EUCHARISTIC PRAYER: PART 3

August 21, 2011: EUCHARISTIC PRAYER: PART 4

August 28, 2011: COMMUNION RITE: PART 1

September 4, 2011: COMMUNION RITE: PART 2

September 11, 2011: COMMUNION RITE: PART 3

September 18, 2011: COMMUNION RITE: PART 4

September 25, 2011: DISMISSAL RITE

October 2, 2011: LITURGICAL TIME: ALL LIFE IS LITURGICAL

Professor Peter Kreeft Lectures

Greetings,

Professor Peter Kreeft is on of my favorite speakers.   I have listened many of his talks and read some of his books.  He is a Catholic convert and a professor of philosophy.   I would encourage you to listen to some of his talks.  There are many topics.  You should be able to find one topic that interests you.   There are over 40 talks at this site:

http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio.htm

Why do we need a new translation?

Advent 2011 we will begin using the new translation of the Roman Missal. This will include all of the permanent responses and words at Mass called the ‘ordinary’, and it includes all the prayers that change from week to week known as the ‘propers’. Someone asked me: Father, why do we need a new translation. That is an excellent question. Let’s look at some answers.

1. In 2001 the document Liturgiam authenticam was promulgated. This gave new principles for translastion. In the past, they translated very loosely so it was easy to understand. This was not the most accurate translation. The new principles call to translate words and syntax. The goal is now exact and accurate translation.

2. In 2000 the third edition of the Roman Missal was promulgated by Pope John Paul II. This is the Latin version of the mass. With a new addition we need a new translation.

3. The Current translation strays from the original Latin, so it is not accurate. This also means that the English translation does not match the translations of the other languages of the world. As a universal church our translations should agree.

4. The current translation lacks some of the rich language and imagery, especially biblical language. We should recognize the scriptural references.

5. Some of the language is theologically imprecise and can lead people to errors. We want theological precision to avoid any errors.

Liturgy is central to the life of the Church. Through the liturgy we are made present to Christ’s paschal mystery and renews our baptismal commitment to further the saving ministry of Christ. Our worship and prayer will effect we believe and live as Christians. The words of liturgy matter because they express the faith of the people.

The goal of the new translation is to give a deeper sense of the mystery of God’s presence. It will be an excellent opportunity for fuller catechesis on the Mass and Christian living. It will give a more visible unity among all Roman Rite Catholics. And finally, it will be a time to renew our Eucharistic theology, spirituality and practice.

Here is think to the new translation of the Mass:

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/order-of-mass.pdf

New order of Mass is official

Greetings,

The new order of Mass which will be implement in just over a year has been made official.  Here is the Link:

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/order-of-mass.pdf

I would encourage you to go and read through the Mass and get a  sense of the differences.  It is a beautiful translation.

peace

Sacred Vs Secular Music: Can you tell the difference

Can you tell the difference?? from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

Word on Fire!!!

Greetings,

One of my favorite Catholic Speakers is Fr. Robert Baron.   He was my professor in the Seminary.   He does A LOT in you tube.   Here is short, but excellent talk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZkPH1rOAG0&feature=player_embedded

This talk is about the importance of Liturgy, bringing your faith into your life, and Ends with a commentary on the DUMBING DOWN OF CATHOLICISM.   We expect great things from our youth in all areas of their life except faith.    I would encourage you to watch this video, and then follow the links to many of his other talks and commentaries.

Here is the link to his website and all his talks:

http://www.wordonfire.org/Home.aspx#yt_video

peace

Sacrament of Penance/Confession

11:00 Every Saturday Morning or by appointment:

All sin is an offense against God and a rejection of his perfect love and justice. Yet, Jesus makes a distinction between two types of sins. We call the most serious and grave sins, mortal sins. Mortal sins destroy the grace of God in the heart of the sinner. By their very grave nature, a mortal sin cuts our relationship off from God and turns man away from his creator. St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews tell us that “if we sin willfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

The second type of sin, venial sin, that of less grave matter, does not cut us off from Christ. However, venial sin does weaken grace in the soul and damages our relationship with God. A person who frequently indulges in venial sin is very likely to collapse into mortal sin if they persist in their evil ways.
In order for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions:

     •Mortal sin is a sin of grave matter

     •Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner

     •Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner

This means that mortal sins cannot be done “accidentally.” A person who commits a mortal sin is one who knows that their sin is wrong, but still deliberately commits the sin anyway. This means that mortal sins are “premeditated” by the sinner and thus are truly a rejection of God’s law and love.

How to make one’s Confession

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

I confess to God Almighty and to you, Father.

It has been ___________ (days, weeks, months, years) since my last confession.

I have received absolution and performed (not performed) my penance.

Then you tell your sins. All mortal sins must be confessed in order to make a good confession. Venial sins may be confessed, and it is a very beneficial to do so on a spiritual level. When you have finished, add:
For these and all the sins that I can’t remember, and all the sins of my past life (you can specify one or another), I ask pardon of God and penance and absolution of you, Father.

The priest then may give you some words of advise and he gives you a penance. Then you say your act of contrition.

An act of Contrition

(Traditional Version)

O my God,  I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace,
to confess my sins, to do penance,
and to amend my life.
Amen.

(Contemporary Version)

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In His name, my God, have mercy.
Amen.

The priest gives the absolution.   Your sins are forgiven, go in peace

What is different about CATHOLIC Worship?

If you go to some Non-Catholic churches they make look similar to a Catholic Mass.  If you go to other non-Catholic services it will look nothing like a Catholic Mass, but will include a sermon, and worship/praise music.  Normally, when we ask the 'What is different questions' we are talking about what the service looks like.   However, I would like to go even deeper:  What is the GOAL of the service.

If you go to a non-Catholic service, whether it is very liturgical or very loose, it has very similar goals.  The goal is to move the heart of the congregation to help them grow in faith.   The Music is to move the congregation.  The celebration of the Lord's supper or table fellowship is done to move people towards faith.  The goal of worship God is to help the individual grow in faith for their personal relationship with God.  This means that if there is NO congregation then they would NOT do the service.  The service only effects the congregation.  It also means that the congregation must be able to hear and see every part.

However, the goal of Mass is different.   Oviously the reading of scripture and the homily is to move people in faith, however, we are being moved in faith so that we can participate in the Eucharist.  The main goal of the Eucharist is NOT focused on the people.  In fact, for the first 2000 years(up until 50 years ago) the Eucharistic prayer was said silently, and in the Byzantine tradition the priest would go behind an icon screen for the Eucharistic prayer.   So what is happening in Catholic worship during this time?

The bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.  Then we participate in the One perpetual offering of the Son to the Father for the Forgiveness of sins.   We are participating in the REDEMPTIVE Act of God.  This is an objective Reality of the internal working of God being made available in the world.   The main act of the congregation is to raise their hearts and mind to God offering themselves in  spiritual sacrifice along with Christ.   Since Mass is participation in the Objective work of God, then it even happens without a congregation.  The goals of Mass happen even if the congregation does NOT hear the prayers being said.   Worship is focused on God and the objective works of God.   Then the congregation participates again when God gives himself to his bride in the Eucharist.  The worship becomes ONE with Christ as they receive communion.

It is good to have uplifting music.  It is good to have a well prepared, meaningful sermon.  But it is redemptive, and bring salvation, to participate in the saving act of God that happens at the Mass.   This is the big difference in worship.   Comments welcome.

peace

Reason or Emotions

I have been reading about philosophy.  I have had some very interesting ideas.  During the middle ages scholars accross the board spoke about the emotions as being the most dangerous part of the human intellect.  The emotions tend to be very unstable, and lead to spontaneous and often selfish responses.  They held up REASON as the most important part of the human intellect.

However, in our American culture, if you look at pop culture, emotions are the most important, and reason is NOT very important at all.   Rather than telling a young person to use reason when making a decision, they are told to do what feels right, be yourself, follow your heart.  In other words, your emotions are much more important than your mind.  It is totally different from the medivel mindset.

Why the difference???   Here is my hypothesis.  I would love to hear your ideas and comments.   In the middle ages, life was much closer to the animal world.  Almost EVERYONE lived on a farm.  Animals would have been part of every persons life for food, for travel, and other areas.   Since animals were always present(Wild animals and domestic animals) people wanted to separate themselves from animals.  Animals appeared to just fulfill all their whims.    REASON separated us from the animals.

Today, we are no longer close to animals so we do NOT have to make that distinction.  Today we are surrounded by machines and computer.   Machines and computers are always present, and the thing that distinquishes us from machines is NOT our reason, but our emotions.    Our emotions separate us from computers.   Our emotions make us human (As Spock and Data both showed in the Star Trek programs.)

Emotions or Reason???  It seems to depend on how we want to define ourselves in our environment.   We are made up of EMOTIONS, REASON, and the WILL.   Perhaps it is the WILL that is really important.

peace

What Bible Should I get?

It has been awhile.  We are long overdue for a new blog post.  I would like to answer the common question:   What bible should I use?  This is an excellent question.

My answer is:  New American Bible (NAB).  I have a number of reasons why this is the best translastion.

1.  It is very easy to read.  It is not choppy or clumsy.  It flows very well.

2.  This is the translation we use at Mass.  If you are going to memorize scripture and pray with scripture, it would be good to learn with the translation we use at Mass.  This will connect your private prayer and study with our liturgy.

3.  Excellent footnotes:  On each page there are good footnotes which help to understand what the scripture says.

4.  Cross References:  This is my favorite feature.  If a passage is connected to another passage in scripture it is Marked. 

5.  The NAB Bible can be VERY inexpensive.   The cheaper versions only costs $6.95.  I would be careful with the cheaper versions because they may have very small print.   Although, all versions(even the cheaper ones) have the same footnotes and cross references.   You could get a full sized version for only $9.99.


6.   There is also a very good STUDY VERSION.   This is what I use for a Bible.   It includes a summary of the each book in the bible including the theology and an outline.  There is an index, and also includes all the readings which are read at Mass so you can prepare for Sunday Mass with this bible.  It includes many other great features for study and prayer.

www.amazon.com/Catholic-Study-Bible-Donald-Senior/dp/0195282787/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271644753&sr=8-4

So there is my answer.  I would encourage people to read the New American Bible, and If you are going to do bible study, you may want the Study Edition.

Here are so other translations and my comments:

NIV:  New International Version-- This is currently one of the most popular Protestant versions of the bible.  It is very easy to read, and that makes it very desireable.  It does have some translation errors from ideology.  Example:  The word tradition is often used in the bible.  Some Protestants do not like tradition.  Where the Greek word for tradition is used NEGATIVELY it is translated "tradition", when the same word is used Postively it is translated "teachings".  In that way the word tradition is NEVER positive.  Also, the footnotes are often flawed.

Douay Rhiems translation:  This was an English Catholic Translation of scriptures done BEFORE the King James Version.   It is a very beautiful translation in Shakespearean English.  It can be very difficult for modern readers.  If you love the English languagen and beauty, and are not worried about "thee" and "thy", you will enjoy this translation.

RSV- Revised Standard Version:   Often professors will encourage their students to use  this translation.  It is very accurate which makes it good for Bible study.  However, because it is closer to the ancient language, the English translation can be a little choppy and difficult to read.  This would be good for study, but not for prayer.  Also, it does not have as many footnotes as I would like.  Remember to get the Catholic Edition so that you will have the Deuterocanonical books.

Holy Thursday 17 years ago

17 years ago I had the privilege to  spend Holy Week in Jerusalem.  We celebrated the Mass of the Lord's Supper near the Cenacle where Jesus would have had that Last Supper almost 2000 years ago.   What was even more power than that was what happened next.

We went to the Mount of Olives to pray.   The site where Jesus would have prayed is now a church.  It is the church of "All Nations".   It is a very beautiful 20th century church.

 As I entered the church I looked around and it was full of people, but there was not a single sound.   People were gathered at the stone where Jesus would have prayed in the garden.  This is the place where he would have sweat blood, and prayed to his father to take the cup from him, but out of PERFECT obedience to the Father accepted his mission.

I prayed a long time that night.  I didn't want to leave.   Was in the place where Jesus prayed.  I was in the Place where Jesus was arrested.  I was in the place where the disciples fled.   I was left asking myself:   Would I flee today?

Tonight we are given that same challenge.  WE are called to wash each other's feet.  We are called to spend that one hour with Jesus.   We are invited to LOVE.   How do we respond.

Here is a video about the church:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR7MEUm9Sno&feature=player_embedded

Scripture and the News

Greetings,

The sex scandal has been in the new constantly.   It seems that the media is doing everything at their disposal to try to bring Pope Benedict down.  They are trying to make connections to him that don't exist.  Any abuse is a tragedy, but it seems certain groups are using this abuse in a concentrated attack.  It made me reflect on this scripture:

Zechariah 13:7    "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered..""

They want to scatter the sheep by attacking the shepherd.  Let us pray for the Pope.   In the Pope's inargaral address he asked for our prayers.    Here is the prayer the Poped asked for:

My dear friends
at this moment I can only say:
pray for me,
that I may learn to love the Lord more and more.
Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more
– in other words, you, the holy Church,
each one of you and all of you together.
Pray for me,
that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.
Let us pray for one another,
that the Lord will carry us
and that we will learn to carry one another.
[Pope Benedict XVI, 24 April, 2005]


peace

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross are a wonderful devotion, especially during Lent and Holy Week.   Read what is happening in the station.  Say the prayer.  then look at the picture.  Meditate on the scene:  What is Jesus thinking and feeling? What is happening to the bystanders?  What does this mean in my life?  What does this scene say about God, etc.?    Then say the prayer at the end.  Just so you know the prayers I am using are same as the pope used a few years ago.    The Pictures of the Stations are from Holy Cross Parish in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.

FIRST STATION

Jesus is condemned to death

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, you accepted an unjust judgment.
Grant to us and to all the men and women of our time
the grace to remain faithful to the truth.
Do not allow the weight of responsibility
for the sufferings of the innocent
fall upon us and upon those who come after us.
To you, O Jesus, just Judge,
be honour and glory for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

SECOND STATION



Jesus takes up his Cross

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, who accept the Cross at the hands of men
to make of it the sign
of God’s saving love for humanity,
grant us and all the men and women of our time
the grace of faith in this infinite love.
By passing on to the new millennium
the sign of the Cross,
may we be authentic witnesses to the Redemption.
To you, O Jesus, Priest and Victim,
be praise and glory for ever.

R. Amen.


THIRD STATION


Jesus falls the first time

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

O Christ, as you fall under the weight of our faults
and rise again for our justification,
we pray, help us
and all who are weighed down by sin
to stand up again
and continue the journey.
Give us the strength of the Spirit
to carry with you the cross of our weakness.
To you, O Jesus, crushed under the weight of our faults
be our praise and love for ever.

R. Amen.



FOURTH STATION


Jesus meets his Mother

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

O Mary, who walked
the way of the Cross with your Son,
your mother’s heart torn by grief,
but mindful always of your fiat
and fully confident that He to whom nothing is impossible
would be able to fulfil his promises,
implore for us and for the generations yet to come
the grace of surrender to God’s love.
Help us, in the face of suffering, rejection, and trial,
however prolonged and severe,
never to doubt his love.
To Jesus, your Son,
honour and glory for ever and ever.

R. Amen.


FIFTH STATION


Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his Cross

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

O Christ, you gave to Simon of Cyrene
the dignity of carrying your Cross.
Welcome us too under its weight,
welcome all men and women
and grant to everyone the gift of readiness to serve.
Do not permit that we should turn away from those
who are crushed by the cross of illness
loneliness, hunger or injustice.
As we carry each other’s burdens,
help us to become witnesses to the gospel of the Cross
and witnesses to you,
who live and reign for ever and ever.

R. Amen.


SIXTH STATION


Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
you accepted a woman’s
selfless gesture of love,
and in exchange ordained
that future generations should remember her
by the name of your face.
Grant that our works
and the works of all who will come after us
will make us like unto you
and will leave in the world the reflection
of your infinite love.
To you, O Jesus, splendour of the Father’s glory,
be praise and glory for ever.

R. Amen.


SEVENTH STATION


Jesus falls the second time

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
you fall under the weight of human sin
and you get up again in order to take it upon yourself and cancel it.
Give to us, weak men and women,
the strength to carry the cross of daily life
and to get up again from our falls,
so that we may bring to future generations
the Gospel of your saving power.
To you, O Jesus, our support when we are weak,
be praise and glory for ever.

R. Amen.


EIGHTH STATION


Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

O Christ, you came into this world
to visit all those who await salvation.
Grant that our generation
will recognize the time of its visitation
and share in the fruits of your redemption.
Do not permit that there should be weeping for us
and for the men and women of the new century
because we have rejected our merciful Father’s outstretched hand.
To you, O Jesus, born of the Virgin Daughter of Zion,
be honour and praise for ever and ever.

R. Amen.


NINTH STATION


Jesus falls the third time

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
through your humiliation beneath the Cross
you revealed to the world the price of its redemption.
Grant to the men and women of the third millennium
the light of faith,
so that, as they recognize in you
the Suffering Servant of God and man,
they may have the courage to follow the same path
which, by way of the Cross and self-emptying,
leads to life without end.
To you, O Jesus, our support when we are weak,
be honour and glory for ever.

R. Amen.


TENTH STATION


Jesus is stripped of his clothes

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,
who, with supreme dedication,
accepted death on the Cross for our salvation,
grant to us and to all the world’s people
a share in your sacrifice on the Cross,
so that what we are and what we do
may always be a free and conscious sharing
in your work of salvation.
To you, O Jesus, Priest and Victim,
be honour and glory for ever.

R. Amen.


ELEVENTH STATION


Jesus is nailed to the Cross

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

O Christ lifted high,
O Love crucified,
fill our hearts with your love,
that we may see in your Cross
the sign of our redemption
and, drawn by your wounds,
we may live and die with you,
who live and reign with the Father and the Spirit,
now and for ever.

R. Amen.


TWELFTH STATION


Jesus dies on the Cross

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
in the moment of your agony
you were not indifferent to humanity’s fate,
and with your last breath
you entrusted to the Father’s mercy
the men and women of every age,
with all their weaknesses and sins.
Fill us and the generations yet to come
with your Spirit of love,
so that our indifference
will not render vain in us
the fruits of your death.
To you, crucified Jesus, the wisdom and the power of God,
be honour and glory for ever and ever.

R. Amen.


THIRTEENTH STATION


Jesus is taken down from the Cross and given to his Mother

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ;
vita dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus...
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte
et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
Implore for us the grace of faith, hope and charity,
so that we, like you,
may stand without flinching beneath the Cross
until our last breath.
To your Son, Jesus, our Saviour,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory for ever and ever.

R. Amen.


FOURTEENTH STATION


Jesus is laid in the tomb

V/. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
R/. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
you were drawn by the Father
from the darkness of death
to the light of a new life in glory.
Grant that the sign of the empty tomb
may speak to us and to future generations
and become a wellspring of living faith,
generous love,
and unshakeable hope.
To you, O Jesus, whose presence, hidden and victorious,
fills the history of the world,
be honour and glory for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION

This picture is from the Stained Glass window of the Annunciation at Holy Cross Parish in Kaukauna   Notice the Angel, the Holy Spirit.  Notice the Angel is on a cloud.  In our stained glass windows there are Clouds surrounding Every supernatural event.

Today, Thursday March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation.  On this day we celebrate when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that through the Holy Spirit she will have a child and name him Jesus.   We also celebrate Mary saying "YES" to God's plan for her life.   God called Mary, and Mary said YES.  What a wonderful model for each of us.

Please NOTE the date:  March 25.  This is exactly 9 months before Christmas.   Love the way the Church works its holidays.  The same thing happens for Mary.   The Birth of Mary is celebrated exactly 9 months after we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

TOLKIEN FANS:  If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings books by JRR Tolkien, then you will know that there is ONLY ONE date giving in our dating system.   The Ring of POWER was destroyed on MARCH 25.  The Ring of Power was destroyed on the FEAST of the ANNUNCIATION.   The Ring of Power was destroyed on the same day that God was Made incarnate, and took human flesh in the womb of Mary.    This is the day that begins our salvation.

Here is an ancient prayer for this day.  Pray it, and meditate on it:

Today is the beginning of our salvation,
And the revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
"Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!"

Here are some other pieces of art of the annunciation.  Enjoy meditating on them:

Clergy sex abuse, and objective look at the issue

In the news pedophile priest scandals are surfacing in Europe.  We need to look at this tragedy from an objective perspective.  Philip Jenkins is a professor at Penn State.  He is NOT a Catholic.   He has written a very objective book on this topic:

http://www.amazon.com/Pedophiles-Priests-Anatomy-Contemporary-Crisis/dp/0195145976

This was summarized in an article by Jenkins at:

http://www.zenit.org/article-3922?l=english

Another Catholic author on another blog summarized the article and book in the following bullet points.  I believe that any abuse is a horrible thing, and anyone who violates that trust should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.   However, priests are being portrayed in a biased way in the media, and we need to understand the situation.  Please read the articles/book or at least this summary:


•Priestly celibacy is not the issue - married men are more likely to abuse children than unmarried

•Most child abuse takes place within the home.

•All religious groups have pedophile scandals, and the Catholics (while the largest religious group) are at the bottom of the list statistically.

•Child abuse is prevalent in all areas of society: schools, youth organizations, sports, etc.

•Statistically, of all the professions, Christian clergy are least likely to offend. Doctors, Farmers and Teachers are the professions most likely to abuse children--not clergy.

•Among clergy offenders Catholic priests are least likely to offend.

•Catholic cases of pedophilia make more headlines because of anti Catholic prejudice and because the Catholic Church is bigger and more lucractive to sue.

•Pedophilia and Euphebophilia are different problems. The former is sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. The latter is attraction to teenagers. Most cases branded 'pedophila' are actually 'euphebophila.'

•Most of the cases of euphebophilia are homosexual in nature, however the politically correct do not want this problem to be associated with homosexuality.

•The number of Catholic priests guilty of pedophilia is very small.

•What we now call 'cover up' was often done in a different cultural context, when the problem was not fully understood and when all establishment organizations hushed scandals. They did so for what seemed good reasons at the time: protection of the victims and their families, opportunity for rehabilitation of the offender, the avoidance of scandal to others. It is unfair to judge events thirty years ago by today's standards.

•When lawsuits are looming people smell money. We must be wary of false accusations.

•The accused must be entitled to a fair hearing. The church should insist on hard proof of the abuse, and for the sake of justice, ensure that the innocent are not prosecuted.

•When guilt is established the offender must be punished, not sheltered.

•Distinctions must be made between types of abuse. Some offenses are worse than others. Verbal abuse or corporal punishment during a time when that was acceptable, while lamentable, is not the same as sexual abuse or extreme physical abuse.

•Sexual abuse of an adult, or a sexually experienced older teenager is wrong, and damaging, and should be punished, but it is not the same as the sexual abuse of a younger, innocent child.

•Number of offenses must be considered. One lapse is not of the same seriousness as repeated, persistent and premeditated offenses.

Bishops Reiterate Opposition to Health Care Bill

From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops urged the House of Representatives to fix flaws in health care legislation or vote against its passage in a March 20 letter to House members. The letter was signed by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, chair of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chair on the Committee on Migration.

Read the letter here

www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-051.shtml

Meanwhile, take three minutes and call these guys. Tell them not to cave.

Berry (202) 225-4076

Cueller 202-225-1640

Kaptur(202) 225-4146

Rahall (202) 225-3452

Building our Church!

Greetings,

In 1913 Holy Cross Church burned to the ground.  Immediately the people of Kaukauna gathered together, and by Christmas of 1916 built a new Church.  Here is the first construction pictures as our new church was going up.  The scaffolding you see is in front the new sanctuary.  The people of that day were very poor.  They had nothing, but God was the center of their life, and they built our church.

This picture is our roof.  You can see that any building a structure.  I always find that it is fascinating to see the guts of a building.

Here we see that the church is almost finished.  None of the windows are in yet, and everything looks so NEW.   This was the beginning.  A couple of months after this picture began YEARS of worship

I began talking about building Holy Cross Church.   We have these great pictures of the building.  However, this is not really building Holy Cross Church.   Holy Cross Church are the people gathered around the altar of God in worship.  It is a community formed by faith into body of Christ.  Yes, the building is very important, however, it is the people on a pilgrimage to the new and eternal Jerusalem that make up the Church.    Let's build the Church.

Happy St. Patrick Day!!!

Greetings,

It may be fun to celebrate this day with green food, and green beverages, and boiled meat, but if you really want to celebrate St. Patrick you will enter into his Spirituality.   St. Patrick always began with Trinity, and then focused on Christ.  Patrick saw all life as Liturgical.  We are all part of a cosmic liturgy worshiping God with every moment of our day.  His famous prayer was the 'Breastplate of St. Patrick", or Lorica.  This was his morning prayer and meditation.   If you really wanted to celebrate Patrick, begin your day with this prayer(Or at least try it for the rest of Lent).

I arise today, through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness, of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today, through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today, through the strength of the love of the Cherubim, in obedience of angels, in the service of archangels, in the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward, in the prayers of patriarchs, in prediction of prophets, in preaching of apostles, in faith of confessors, in innocence of holy virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of heaven; light of sun, radiance of moon, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me: God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak to me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to save me, from the snares of devils, from temptations of vices, from every one who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a multitude.

I summon today, all these powers between me and those evils, against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of pagandom, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of women and smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today, against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so there come to me abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me, Christ in the eye of every one that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today, through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness, of the Creator of Creation.

Transcendence of beauty

Beauty in poetry, beauty in Song, beauty in music, beauty in any way helps us to transcend ourselves and to be open to something greater.   That is the goal of a beautiful church.  Recently I posted on the symbolism of a church, but sometimes the shear beauty is enough to raise your hearts and minds to God in worship.  Enjoy this different pictures of churches.  They are different styles, but I would still encourage you to find  symbolism in them.   Enjoy the beauty.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Of the 6 Churches Do you have a Favorite?