In this e-weekly:
- A Pentecostal, a Pope, and an IPhone for Christian Unity (Helpful Hints for Life)
- 12 Keys to Using the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Diocesan News and BEYOND)
- A Simple Prayer for Christian Unity (the praying hands at the very last)
- A Pentecostal, a Pope, and an IPhone for Christian Unity (Helpful Hints for Life)
- 12 Keys to Using the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Diocesan News and BEYOND)
- A Simple Prayer for Christian Unity (the praying hands at the very last)
Catholic Good News
Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor
Behold the Lamb of God
"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center..."
Revelation 5:6
Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor
Behold the Lamb of God
"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center..."
Revelation 5:6
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus is proclaimed as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist in the Holy Gospel:
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world . - John 1:29
These are also the words we hear right before we kneel down before the Holy Eucharist as the priest holds Him up, and proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to supper of the Lamb."
Jesus is proclaimed as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist in the Holy Gospel:
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world . - John 1:29
These are also the words we hear right before we kneel down before the Holy Eucharist as the priest holds Him up, and proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to supper of the Lamb."
Do you and I ever consider that in his flesh, Jesus Christ ended sin and death by being slain and dying on the Cross, and then became food for our very body and soul that we might be transformed so that we might populate Heaven?
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
P.S. To learn more of why a Lamb, read the piece in Catholic Term.
P.S. This coming Sunday is the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time . The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071722.cfm
P.S.S. At the end of E-weekly is this week's readings with reflections and questions for self or family.
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
P.S. To learn more of why a Lamb, read the piece in Catholic Term.
P.S. This coming Sunday is the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time . The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071722.cfm
P.S.S. At the end of E-weekly is this week's readings with reflections and questions for self or family.
Lamb of God
- name given to Christ foreshadowed in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament
[A symbol of Christ. Rendered in many forms as early as the fourth century. Various aspects show the animal balancing a staff by its right front leg, with a wound in its chest pouring blood into a chalice, representing Christ's Blood in the Passion; the staff bearing a flag signifying Christ's victory in the Resurrection; the lamb resting or standing on a closed book with its seven sealed streamers symbolizing Christ as the judge. The lamb is the emblem of docility; "harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly, he never opened his mouth like the lamb that is led to the slaughter house" (Isaiah 53:7). But the lamb triumphant is portrayed symbolically in the song ascribed to St. Ambrose, "Now at the Lamb's high royal feast," and St. John speaks of the wrath of the Lamb when the sixth seal is broken. As an emblem of St. John the Baptist, it is found in Chartres Cathedral on a banner that reads "Behold the Lamb of God," referring to Christ, "Who takes away the sins of the world." St. Agnes, the child virgin and martyr, is also symbolized by the lamb.]
"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief ."
–prayer of Saint Augustine of Hippo
- name given to Christ foreshadowed in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament
[A symbol of Christ. Rendered in many forms as early as the fourth century. Various aspects show the animal balancing a staff by its right front leg, with a wound in its chest pouring blood into a chalice, representing Christ's Blood in the Passion; the staff bearing a flag signifying Christ's victory in the Resurrection; the lamb resting or standing on a closed book with its seven sealed streamers symbolizing Christ as the judge. The lamb is the emblem of docility; "harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly, he never opened his mouth like the lamb that is led to the slaughter house" (Isaiah 53:7). But the lamb triumphant is portrayed symbolically in the song ascribed to St. Ambrose, "Now at the Lamb's high royal feast," and St. John speaks of the wrath of the Lamb when the sixth seal is broken. As an emblem of St. John the Baptist, it is found in Chartres Cathedral on a banner that reads "Behold the Lamb of God," referring to Christ, "Who takes away the sins of the world." St. Agnes, the child virgin and martyr, is also symbolized by the lamb.]
"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief ."
–prayer of Saint Augustine of Hippo
"Helpful Hints of Life"
Pray for Christian Unity
There is more that unites Christians than divides them. Yet at times this is easy to forget. Jesus prayed in John 17:
Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. -John 17:11
A Pentecostal, a Pope and an iPhone for Christian UnityPosted by Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY — The search for Christian unity is an enterprise that has taken the time and energy of scholars and popes. Recently it got a helping hand from an iPhone and YouTube.
Those involved in ecumenism insist on the power of prayer to heal Christian divisions and on the importance of involving not only high-powered theologians, but Christians of every community and every walk of life. They need to meet each other, get to know each other, help each other and pray with and for each other.
Putting those sentiments into practice, Pope Francis agreed to record a message to a group of Pentecostals in the United States. His guest, a bishop from a Pentecostal Christian community, did the camera work with an iPhone.
Pray for Christian Unity
There is more that unites Christians than divides them. Yet at times this is easy to forget. Jesus prayed in John 17:
Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. -John 17:11
A Pentecostal, a Pope and an iPhone for Christian UnityPosted by Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY — The search for Christian unity is an enterprise that has taken the time and energy of scholars and popes. Recently it got a helping hand from an iPhone and YouTube.
Those involved in ecumenism insist on the power of prayer to heal Christian divisions and on the importance of involving not only high-powered theologians, but Christians of every community and every walk of life. They need to meet each other, get to know each other, help each other and pray with and for each other.
Putting those sentiments into practice, Pope Francis agreed to record a message to a group of Pentecostals in the United States. His guest, a bishop from a Pentecostal Christian community, did the camera work with an iPhone.
Screen grab of Pope Francis interview shown to a group of Pentecostals in the United States. (CNS photo)
The pope’s message can be seen here, it begins at about 31:35 after Bishop Tony Palmer delivers a speech to a Kenneth Copeland Ministries about the importance of Christian unity for preaching salvation in Christ to the world. The bishop, who also serves as international ecumenical officer for the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, a group that is not affiliated with the Anglican Communion, takes a much simpler view of the path full Christian unity than the pope and the mainline Christian churches do.
The translation used for the English subtitles on the video are not precise, but the pope’s sincerity is clear.
The video can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9Ssvs5cgY
The pope’s message can be seen here, it begins at about 31:35 after Bishop Tony Palmer delivers a speech to a Kenneth Copeland Ministries about the importance of Christian unity for preaching salvation in Christ to the world. The bishop, who also serves as international ecumenical officer for the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, a group that is not affiliated with the Anglican Communion, takes a much simpler view of the path full Christian unity than the pope and the mainline Christian churches do.
The translation used for the English subtitles on the video are not precise, but the pope’s sincerity is clear.
The video can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9Ssvs5cgY
John the Baptist is "more than a prophet." In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah. He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the "voice" of the Consoler who is coming. As the Spirit of truth will also do, John "came to bear witness to the light." In John's sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels. "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God. . . . Behold, the Lamb of God." -Catechism of the Catholic Church #719
Catholic Society of Evangelists
https://catholicsoe.org/
Living and Sharing the fullness of the Faith. A worldwide lay apostolate centered on love for Christ, consecrated to Mary, loyal to Peter's successor. The world is in urgent need of discovering Jesus Christ and in being one with His Church. It is within Christ’s Catholic Church - "the pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim 3:15) - that the person comes to the fullness of his or her relationship with Jesus. You can be a powerful instrument in communicating this life transforming message.
https://catholicsoe.org/
Living and Sharing the fullness of the Faith. A worldwide lay apostolate centered on love for Christ, consecrated to Mary, loyal to Peter's successor. The world is in urgent need of discovering Jesus Christ and in being one with His Church. It is within Christ’s Catholic Church - "the pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim 3:15) - that the person comes to the fullness of his or her relationship with Jesus. You can be a powerful instrument in communicating this life transforming message.
By CNA Staff
Denver Newsroom, Jul 15, 2022 / 20:00 pm
Pope Pius XII said, “The devotion to the Carmelite scapular has brought down on the world a copious rain of spiritual and temporal graces.”
On the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16, here are 12 keys to explaining the Brown Scapular and its use:
1. It’s not an amulet.
It’s not a charm or an automatic guarantee of salvation, nor is it a dispensation from living the demands of the Christian life.
St. Claude de la Colombière said: “You ask, what if I would want to die with my sins? I answer you, then you will die in sin, but you will not die with your scapular.”
2. It was an article of clothing.
The word “scapular” comes from the Latin “scapulae,” which means “shoulders” and was originally an overlapping article of clothing worn over the shoulders by monks at work.
The Carmelites adopted it as a sign of special dedication to Our Lady, seeking to imitate her dedication to Christ and neighbor.
3. It’s a gift from the Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, the scapular, as it is now known, was given by the Virgin Mary herself to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251.
Mary told him: “It must be a sign and a privilege for you and for all Carmelites: Whoever dies wearing the scapular will not suffer eternal fire.” Later, the Church extended the use of the scapular to the laity.
4. It’s a mini habit.
The scapular is like a miniature Carmelite habit that all devotees can wear as a sign of their consecration to the Virgin Mary.
It consists of a string that is worn around the neck with two small pieces of brown cloth attached. One is placed on the chest and the other on the back, and it is usually worn underneath clothing.
5. It’s a service uniform.
St. Alphonsus Liguori, a doctor of the Church, said: “Just as men are proud that others wear their uniform, so Our Lady, Mother Mary, is pleased when her servants wear their scapular as proof that they have dedicated themselves to her service, and they are members of the family of the Mother of God.”
6. It has three meanings.
The scapular stands for the maternal love and protection of Mary, for belonging to Mary, and for the gentle yoke of Christ that she helps us to bear.
7. It is a sacramental.
The Brown Scapular is recognized by the Church as a sacramental — that is, a sign that helps us to live a holy life and to increase our devotion.
The scapular does not impart grace as the sacraments do, but it disposes the person wearing it to the love of the Lord and to repentance if it is received with devotion.
8. It can be given to a non-Catholic.
One day a dying old man was brought to St. Simon Stock Hospital in New York City. A nurse noticed he was wearing the Brown Scapular and called a priest. As prayers were said over him, the man regained consciousness and told the priest that he wasn’t Catholic but wore the scapular as a promise to his friends. The priest asked the man if he wanted to become Catholic, and before he died the man received Baptism and Anointing of the Sick.
9. It was seen in one of the Fatima apparitions.
Lucia, the visionary of Our Lady of Fatima, reported that in her last apparition (October 1917), Mary appeared with the Carmelite habit, the scapular in her hand, and said that her true children wear it with reverence.
Mary also asked that those who consecrate themselves to her wear it as a sign of that consecration.
10. The scapular has been discovered undamaged after burial.
Blessed Pope Gregory X was buried with his scapular and, 600 years later when his tomb was opened, the object was intact. Something similar happened with St. Alphonsus Liguori.
St. John Bosco and St. John Paul II also wore the scapular, and St. Peter Claver vested the scapular with those he converted.
11. There’s a preferred way to receive the scapular.
The imposition of the scapular should preferably be done in community, and in the ceremony the spiritual meaning and commitment to the Blessed Virgin should be clearly expressed.
The first scapular must be blessed by a priest and placed on the devotee while reciting the following prayer:
“Receive this blessed scapular and ask the Most Holy Virgin Mary, on her merits, that you may wear it without any stain of sin and that she guard you from all adversity and bring you unto everlasting life.”
12. Only the first scapular you receive needs to be blessed.
When the first scapular one receives is blessed, the devotee does not need to ask subsequent scapulars to be blessed. Those that are worn out, if they were blessed, should not be thrown away but should be burned or buried, as is suitable for sacramentals.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA
Vatican Media / EWTN, YouTubeFifty years ago, Pope St. Paul VI watched Neil Armstrong become the first man to walk on the moon.
The pope looked at the moon from a telescope and watched the landing on television from the Vatican Astronomical Observatory.
He dedicated Psalm 8 to the astronauts, giving them a handwritten letter to leave on the moon. He also blessed them once they landed. He then congratulated President Richard Nixon via telegram for the successful landing.
Pope St. Paul VI sent this message to Apollo 11 astronauts:“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will!
Christ, when coming among us from the abysses of the divinity, made this blessed voice resound in the firmament.
Today, we, His humble representative, echo and repeat it as a festive hymn on the part of our whole terrestrial globe, no longer the insurmountable boundary of human existence but the open threshold to the wide expanse of boundless space and new destinies.
Glory to God!
And honor to you, the architects of this great space undertaking! Honor to the men responsible to the scientists, the planners, the organizers, and the technicians who made it a reality!
Honor to all those who have made possible this most daring flight. Honor to all of you who in any way played a part.
Honor to you who, seated at your marvelous instruments, control the flight; to you whom inform the world of the enterprise and its time-table, which extends to the depths of the heavens the wise and bold dominion of man.
Honor, greetings and blessings!
Here, from His Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Pope Paul the Sixth is speaking to you astronauts.
Honor, greetings and blessing to you, conquerors of the Moon, pale lamp of our nights and our dreams! Bring to her, with your living presence, the voice of the spirit, a hymn to God, our Creator and our Father.
We are close to you, with our good wishes and with our prayers. Together with the whole Catholic Church, Paul the Sixth salutes you.”
INSPIRED BY POPE FRANCES, CALIFORNIA LEGAL COUNSEL CLINIC OFFERS FREE SERVICES
Oakland, Calif., Jul 19 (EWTN News/CNA) - Free legal counsel and advice may sound too good to be true, but in the Diocese of Oakland, it’s a reality.
On June 7, the Pope Francis Legal Clinic opened in Oakland, California, on the property of the Cathedral of Christ the Light.
“So many people have legal problems because law is everywhere,” Tom Greerty, director and co-founder of the clinic, told EWTN News.
“What we try and do is relieve the hardships of people.”
Experienced lawyers volunteer their time to offer free legal consulting, reconciliation, and resolution services to any adult in the community.
Greerty, who recently retired from his legal practice in Martinez, California, said the idea started while he was earning his master’s degree in theological studies from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley.
“My professor, Sister Marianne Farina, asked me to do a project which would be consistent with my job,” Greerty said.
That project became the Pope Francis Legal Clinic, and in less than two years, others helped to make his idea a reality.
Nico Herrera, another attorney in the diocese, helped co-found the clinic. The Order of Malta, which runs a health clinic on the cathedral grounds, made space available for the new endeavor with the help of Tony Sanchez Corea, a member of the board. Bishop Michael C. Barber embraced the idea and had the clinic’s name in mind.
“I want this to be called the Pope Francis Legal Clinic,” the bishop told Greerty.
“We agreed to that naturally,” Greerty said.
Bishop Barber had a desire for the clinic to be about mercy, not just the law.
“Mercy is ordinarily not about the law,” Greerty explained. “The law doesn’t think in terms of mercy. The law thinks in terms of justice.”
But Greerty said the bishop wanted him and other faithful lawyers to bring mercy and reconciliation to legal problems that Greerty said are “almost always a breakdown in human relations.”
The lawyers spend an hour with each client. They listen to the client’s story, go over the history of the client’s problem, and try to understand the “nature of the problem.”
“We try to honor the memory of Pope Francis, and what he is trying to do with the Year of Mercy, to try and help people in a merciful way with the law,” Greerty said.
He also noted that the idea could likely be replicated in other dioceses across the country. Many Catholic lawyers are retired or far enough along in their practices to have the time and resources to establish similar clinics, he said.
Bishop Barber blessed the clinic on June 4, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the clinic was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart as well.
Right now, the clinic is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments are required.
According to Greerty, 10 lawyers have signed up to volunteer their services and more than 20 clients have already made appointments.
“I think we may be onto something,” he said.
POPE'S GENERAL AUDIENCE:
"BE COURAGEOUS AND GO TO CONFESSION"
Vatican City, 19 February (VIS) – The Holy Father dedicated his catechesis at this Wednesday's general audience to the Sacrament of penance. After touring St. Peter's Square in an open car, greeting the thousands of faithful who applauded as he passed, the Pope explained that “the forgiveness of our sins is not something we can offer to ourselves; it is not the result of our efforts, but rather a gift from the Holy Spirit, which fills us from the wellspring of mercy and grace that surges endlessly from the open heart of Christ, crucified and risen again. … It reminds us that it is only by allowing ourselves to be reconciled through the Lord Jesus with the Father and with our brothers that we may truly be at peace”.
Pope Francis explained that the celebration of this Sacrament has transformed from its previously public nature to the private and reserved form of Confession. However, “this should not lead to the loss of the ecclesiastical matrix, which constitutes its living context. Indeed, the Christian community is the place in which the presence of the Spirit is felt, which renews hearts in God's love and brings all brothers together as one, in Jesus Christ”. He continued, “For this reason, it is not enough to ask for the Lord's forgiveness in our own minds and hearts, but rather it is also necessary to humbly and trustfully confess our sins to a minister of the Church”.
The Bishop of Rome emphasised that the priest does not only represent God, but rather the community as a whole, and that anyone who seeks to confess only to God should remember that our sins are also committed against our brothers and against the Church, which is why it is necessary to ask forgiveness from them too, and to be ashamed for what we have done. “Shame can be good”, he affirmed; “It is good for us to have a certain amount of shame, because to be ashamed can be healthy. When someone has no shame, in my country we describe them as “sin verguenza”, shameless. Shame can be good as it can make us humble, and the priest receives this confession with love and tenderness, and forgives in the name of God. Also from a human point of view, to unburden oneself, it is good to speak with a brother and to tell the priest those things which lie so heavily upon our hearts. And one feels unburdened before God, with the Church, and with a brother. Do not be afraid of Confession!”
The Pontiff went on to ask those present when they last confessed, and strongly urged them not to overlook Confession. “If a long time has passed, do not waste another day, go, the priest will be good. It is Jesus who is there, and Jesus is better than a priest, Jesus will receive you, he will receive you with love. Be courageous and go to Confession! … Every time we confess, God embraces us, God celebrates! Let us go ahead on this path. May God bless you!”
After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's redemption at the first Passover. Christ's whole life expresses his mission: "to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." -Catechism of the Catholic Church #608
The pope looked at the moon from a telescope and watched the landing on television from the Vatican Astronomical Observatory.
He dedicated Psalm 8 to the astronauts, giving them a handwritten letter to leave on the moon. He also blessed them once they landed. He then congratulated President Richard Nixon via telegram for the successful landing.
Pope St. Paul VI sent this message to Apollo 11 astronauts:“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will!
Christ, when coming among us from the abysses of the divinity, made this blessed voice resound in the firmament.
Today, we, His humble representative, echo and repeat it as a festive hymn on the part of our whole terrestrial globe, no longer the insurmountable boundary of human existence but the open threshold to the wide expanse of boundless space and new destinies.
Glory to God!
And honor to you, the architects of this great space undertaking! Honor to the men responsible to the scientists, the planners, the organizers, and the technicians who made it a reality!
Honor to all those who have made possible this most daring flight. Honor to all of you who in any way played a part.
Honor to you who, seated at your marvelous instruments, control the flight; to you whom inform the world of the enterprise and its time-table, which extends to the depths of the heavens the wise and bold dominion of man.
Honor, greetings and blessings!
Here, from His Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Pope Paul the Sixth is speaking to you astronauts.
Honor, greetings and blessing to you, conquerors of the Moon, pale lamp of our nights and our dreams! Bring to her, with your living presence, the voice of the spirit, a hymn to God, our Creator and our Father.
We are close to you, with our good wishes and with our prayers. Together with the whole Catholic Church, Paul the Sixth salutes you.”
INSPIRED BY POPE FRANCES, CALIFORNIA LEGAL COUNSEL CLINIC OFFERS FREE SERVICES
Oakland, Calif., Jul 19 (EWTN News/CNA) - Free legal counsel and advice may sound too good to be true, but in the Diocese of Oakland, it’s a reality.
On June 7, the Pope Francis Legal Clinic opened in Oakland, California, on the property of the Cathedral of Christ the Light.
“So many people have legal problems because law is everywhere,” Tom Greerty, director and co-founder of the clinic, told EWTN News.
“What we try and do is relieve the hardships of people.”
Experienced lawyers volunteer their time to offer free legal consulting, reconciliation, and resolution services to any adult in the community.
Greerty, who recently retired from his legal practice in Martinez, California, said the idea started while he was earning his master’s degree in theological studies from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley.
“My professor, Sister Marianne Farina, asked me to do a project which would be consistent with my job,” Greerty said.
That project became the Pope Francis Legal Clinic, and in less than two years, others helped to make his idea a reality.
Nico Herrera, another attorney in the diocese, helped co-found the clinic. The Order of Malta, which runs a health clinic on the cathedral grounds, made space available for the new endeavor with the help of Tony Sanchez Corea, a member of the board. Bishop Michael C. Barber embraced the idea and had the clinic’s name in mind.
“I want this to be called the Pope Francis Legal Clinic,” the bishop told Greerty.
“We agreed to that naturally,” Greerty said.
Bishop Barber had a desire for the clinic to be about mercy, not just the law.
“Mercy is ordinarily not about the law,” Greerty explained. “The law doesn’t think in terms of mercy. The law thinks in terms of justice.”
But Greerty said the bishop wanted him and other faithful lawyers to bring mercy and reconciliation to legal problems that Greerty said are “almost always a breakdown in human relations.”
The lawyers spend an hour with each client. They listen to the client’s story, go over the history of the client’s problem, and try to understand the “nature of the problem.”
“We try to honor the memory of Pope Francis, and what he is trying to do with the Year of Mercy, to try and help people in a merciful way with the law,” Greerty said.
He also noted that the idea could likely be replicated in other dioceses across the country. Many Catholic lawyers are retired or far enough along in their practices to have the time and resources to establish similar clinics, he said.
Bishop Barber blessed the clinic on June 4, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the clinic was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart as well.
Right now, the clinic is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments are required.
According to Greerty, 10 lawyers have signed up to volunteer their services and more than 20 clients have already made appointments.
“I think we may be onto something,” he said.
POPE'S GENERAL AUDIENCE:
"BE COURAGEOUS AND GO TO CONFESSION"
Vatican City, 19 February (VIS) – The Holy Father dedicated his catechesis at this Wednesday's general audience to the Sacrament of penance. After touring St. Peter's Square in an open car, greeting the thousands of faithful who applauded as he passed, the Pope explained that “the forgiveness of our sins is not something we can offer to ourselves; it is not the result of our efforts, but rather a gift from the Holy Spirit, which fills us from the wellspring of mercy and grace that surges endlessly from the open heart of Christ, crucified and risen again. … It reminds us that it is only by allowing ourselves to be reconciled through the Lord Jesus with the Father and with our brothers that we may truly be at peace”.
Pope Francis explained that the celebration of this Sacrament has transformed from its previously public nature to the private and reserved form of Confession. However, “this should not lead to the loss of the ecclesiastical matrix, which constitutes its living context. Indeed, the Christian community is the place in which the presence of the Spirit is felt, which renews hearts in God's love and brings all brothers together as one, in Jesus Christ”. He continued, “For this reason, it is not enough to ask for the Lord's forgiveness in our own minds and hearts, but rather it is also necessary to humbly and trustfully confess our sins to a minister of the Church”.
The Bishop of Rome emphasised that the priest does not only represent God, but rather the community as a whole, and that anyone who seeks to confess only to God should remember that our sins are also committed against our brothers and against the Church, which is why it is necessary to ask forgiveness from them too, and to be ashamed for what we have done. “Shame can be good”, he affirmed; “It is good for us to have a certain amount of shame, because to be ashamed can be healthy. When someone has no shame, in my country we describe them as “sin verguenza”, shameless. Shame can be good as it can make us humble, and the priest receives this confession with love and tenderness, and forgives in the name of God. Also from a human point of view, to unburden oneself, it is good to speak with a brother and to tell the priest those things which lie so heavily upon our hearts. And one feels unburdened before God, with the Church, and with a brother. Do not be afraid of Confession!”
The Pontiff went on to ask those present when they last confessed, and strongly urged them not to overlook Confession. “If a long time has passed, do not waste another day, go, the priest will be good. It is Jesus who is there, and Jesus is better than a priest, Jesus will receive you, he will receive you with love. Be courageous and go to Confession! … Every time we confess, God embraces us, God celebrates! Let us go ahead on this path. May God bless you!”
After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's redemption at the first Passover. Christ's whole life expresses his mission: "to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." -Catechism of the Catholic Church #608
A bit of humor…
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "And what starting salary are you looking for?" The engineer replies, "In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The interviewer inquires, "Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a red Corvette?" The engineer sits up straight and says, "Wow! Are you kidding?" The interviewer replies, "Yeah, but you started it."
------------------------------------
Teacher: "If I gave you 2 cats and another 2 cats and another 2, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven."Teacher: "No, listen carefully... If I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven."Teacher: "Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples, and another two apples and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Six."Teacher: "Good. Now if I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven!"Teacher: "Johnny, where in the heck do you get seven from?!"Johnny: "Because I've already have a cat!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Joke for the Older (and wiser?) Crowd
A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor's office.
"Is it true," she wanted to know,
"that the medication you prescribed has
to be taken for the rest of my life?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so," the doctor told her.
There was a moment of silence before the senior lady replied,
"I'm wondering, then, just how serious is my condition
because this prescription is marked 'NO REFILLS'."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Married on the topic of OFFSPRING
• Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
• A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "And what starting salary are you looking for?" The engineer replies, "In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The interviewer inquires, "Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a red Corvette?" The engineer sits up straight and says, "Wow! Are you kidding?" The interviewer replies, "Yeah, but you started it."
------------------------------------
Teacher: "If I gave you 2 cats and another 2 cats and another 2, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven."Teacher: "No, listen carefully... If I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven."Teacher: "Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples, and another two apples and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Six."Teacher: "Good. Now if I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?"Johnny: "Seven!"Teacher: "Johnny, where in the heck do you get seven from?!"Johnny: "Because I've already have a cat!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Joke for the Older (and wiser?) Crowd
A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor's office.
"Is it true," she wanted to know,
"that the medication you prescribed has
to be taken for the rest of my life?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so," the doctor told her.
There was a moment of silence before the senior lady replied,
"I'm wondering, then, just how serious is my condition
because this prescription is marked 'NO REFILLS'."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Married on the topic of OFFSPRING
• Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
• A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
Prayer for Christian Unity
That we may be one Father as You and your Son are one. Amen.
Christ's death is both the Paschal sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of men, through "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world", and the sacrifice of the New Covenant, which restores man to communion with God by reconciling him to God through the "blood of the covenant, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins". –Catechism of the Catholic Church #613
That we may be one Father as You and your Son are one. Amen.
Christ's death is both the Paschal sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of men, through "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world", and the sacrifice of the New Covenant, which restores man to communion with God by reconciling him to God through the "blood of the covenant, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins". –Catechism of the Catholic Church #613
+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday, July 17th, 2022
The First Reading- Genesis 18:1-10A
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: "Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree. Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way." The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said." Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls." He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Then Abraham got some curds and milk, as well as the steer that had been prepared, and set these before the three men; and he waited on them under the tree while they ate. They asked Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He replied, "There in the tent." One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son."
Reflection
God wants to dwell with each of us personally, intimately—as the mysterious guests once visited Abraham’s tent, as Jesus once entered the home of Mary and Martha. By his hospitality in this week’s First Reading, Abraham shows us how we are to welcome the Lord into our lives. He serves his divine guests (see Hebrews 13:1) selflessly.
Adults - It is said that the three men who visited Abraham were the Trinity - the Lord Himself. Where have you seen the Lord show up unexpectedly in your life?
Teens - Do you see Jesus in the people you encounter each day?
Kids - How can you love Jesus through your neighbor?
Responsorial- Psalm 15: 2-3, 3-4, 5
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reflection
-As once He came to Abraham, Mary, and Martha, Christ now comes to each of us in Word and Sacrament. As we sing in this week’s Psalm: He will make His dwelling with those who keep His Word and practice justice (see also John 14:23). God is both just and merciful. What do those descriptions mean to you?
The Second Reading- Colossians 1:24-28
Brothers and sisters: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Reflection
Jesus is the true Son promised today by Abraham’s visitors (see Matthew 1:1). In Him, God has made an everlasting covenant for all time, made us blessed descendants of Abraham (see Genesis 17:19, 21; Romans 4:16–17, 19–21). The Church now offers us this covenant, bringing to completion the word of God, the promise of His plan of salvation, what Paul calls “the mystery hidden for ages.”
Are you familiar with the story of salvation history? If you are not, seek some Catholic resources to learn our family story.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Reflection
The story of Martha and Mary is one of the most popular stories in the Gospels, and our familiarity can cause us to fail digging deep into its meaning. We must be clear on what exactly Jesus is rebuking Martha for. Jesus actually does not correct Martha for the fact that she is serving, which is a good thing in and of itself, but that her service is "distracting" her and that Martha is "anxious" about many things. Far from correcting Martha for serving rather than sitting at his feet and listening like her sister Mary, Jesus appears to be telling Martha not that she shouldn't be serving, but that the service should not "pull her away" or "distract" her from the most important thing -- being a disciple of Jesus -- especially if such service is making her "anxious." This passage is a perfect example from the gospels to do some introspection on our own lives to discover if the service we are doing actually pulls us away from a prayer life that is supposed to order and animate the life of charity and service we give to others.
Adults - Do you offer your work up as a prayer? Do you know how to offer things you go through day to day as prayers?
Teens - Are you familiar with making your work a prayer? If not, ask someone knowledgeable to teach you!
Kids - The next time you do a difficult job, ask Jesus to help you, and tell him you want to offer the difficulty for someone who needs prayer.
LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! –“Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of the active life, and Mary that of the contemplative life. However, for most Christians, called as they are to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world, action and contemplation cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of practicing the Christian faith: an active life forgetful of union with God is useless and barren; but an apparent life of prayer which shows no concern for apostolate and the sanctification of ordinary things also fails to please God. The key lies in being able to combine these two lives, without either harming the other. Close union between action and contemplation can be achieved in very different ways, depending on the specific vocation each person is given by God.” --The Navarre Bible - St. Luke
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday, July 17th, 2022
The First Reading- Genesis 18:1-10A
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: "Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree. Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way." The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said." Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls." He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Then Abraham got some curds and milk, as well as the steer that had been prepared, and set these before the three men; and he waited on them under the tree while they ate. They asked Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He replied, "There in the tent." One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son."
Reflection
God wants to dwell with each of us personally, intimately—as the mysterious guests once visited Abraham’s tent, as Jesus once entered the home of Mary and Martha. By his hospitality in this week’s First Reading, Abraham shows us how we are to welcome the Lord into our lives. He serves his divine guests (see Hebrews 13:1) selflessly.
Adults - It is said that the three men who visited Abraham were the Trinity - the Lord Himself. Where have you seen the Lord show up unexpectedly in your life?
Teens - Do you see Jesus in the people you encounter each day?
Kids - How can you love Jesus through your neighbor?
Responsorial- Psalm 15: 2-3, 3-4, 5
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reflection
-As once He came to Abraham, Mary, and Martha, Christ now comes to each of us in Word and Sacrament. As we sing in this week’s Psalm: He will make His dwelling with those who keep His Word and practice justice (see also John 14:23). God is both just and merciful. What do those descriptions mean to you?
The Second Reading- Colossians 1:24-28
Brothers and sisters: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Reflection
Jesus is the true Son promised today by Abraham’s visitors (see Matthew 1:1). In Him, God has made an everlasting covenant for all time, made us blessed descendants of Abraham (see Genesis 17:19, 21; Romans 4:16–17, 19–21). The Church now offers us this covenant, bringing to completion the word of God, the promise of His plan of salvation, what Paul calls “the mystery hidden for ages.”
Are you familiar with the story of salvation history? If you are not, seek some Catholic resources to learn our family story.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Reflection
The story of Martha and Mary is one of the most popular stories in the Gospels, and our familiarity can cause us to fail digging deep into its meaning. We must be clear on what exactly Jesus is rebuking Martha for. Jesus actually does not correct Martha for the fact that she is serving, which is a good thing in and of itself, but that her service is "distracting" her and that Martha is "anxious" about many things. Far from correcting Martha for serving rather than sitting at his feet and listening like her sister Mary, Jesus appears to be telling Martha not that she shouldn't be serving, but that the service should not "pull her away" or "distract" her from the most important thing -- being a disciple of Jesus -- especially if such service is making her "anxious." This passage is a perfect example from the gospels to do some introspection on our own lives to discover if the service we are doing actually pulls us away from a prayer life that is supposed to order and animate the life of charity and service we give to others.
Adults - Do you offer your work up as a prayer? Do you know how to offer things you go through day to day as prayers?
Teens - Are you familiar with making your work a prayer? If not, ask someone knowledgeable to teach you!
Kids - The next time you do a difficult job, ask Jesus to help you, and tell him you want to offer the difficulty for someone who needs prayer.
LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! –“Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of the active life, and Mary that of the contemplative life. However, for most Christians, called as they are to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world, action and contemplation cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of practicing the Christian faith: an active life forgetful of union with God is useless and barren; but an apparent life of prayer which shows no concern for apostolate and the sanctification of ordinary things also fails to please God. The key lies in being able to combine these two lives, without either harming the other. Close union between action and contemplation can be achieved in very different ways, depending on the specific vocation each person is given by God.” --The Navarre Bible - St. Luke
RSS Feed
