Sunday Inspiration - Passiontide

As I was preparing to compose this week's Sunday Inspiration post, I came across a post on another blog about the time in the liturgical year known as Passiontide. This period of time lasts from the 5th Sunday in Lent until the Easter Vigil. The post I am referring to contains an excellent explanation of how the liturgy during the Lenten season prepares us for the resurrection on Easter. So for today's inspiration, I recommend reading this post and thinking about how we can make the liturgy of the Church part of our daily lives and thus experience this death and resurrection in our own lives.

Whom do you serve?

“Men often speak as if the perfection of human happiness lay in our being free to do or not to do, to choose and to reject. Now we are indeed thus free, as far as this – that if we do not choose to be Christ’s servants, we can go back to that old bondage from which He rescued us, and be slaves again to the powers of evil. But though we are free to make our situation worse, we are not free to be without service or post of any kind. It is not in man’s nature to be out of all service and to be self-dependent. We may choose our master, but God or mammon we must serve. We cannot possibly be in a neutral or intermediate state. Such a state does not exist. If we will not be Christ’s servants, we are forthwith Satan’s; and Christ sets us free from Satan only by making us His servants.”

-Blessed John Henry Newman, “The Strictness of the Law of Christ”

The Most Disturbing Story of the Week

The award goes to PETA. Read the story here.

New Catholic Films

Recently there have been a number of films coming out with Catholic themes that actually seem to be portraying the Church in positive ways. The latest film that I have seen about the Church was The Rite, which in my opinion was pretty decent. Below are trailers for three new films that are about the Church. While I have not actually yet seen any of the films mentioned below, I have heard good things about all of them.

First, there is There Be Dragons, a film set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. The film includes a portrayal of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei.

(Speaking of Spain, here is a good article by George Weigel about current issues regarding the Church in Spain)

Then, there is Cristiada, the story of the Cristero War that occurred in Mexico in the 1920’s. This war was a result of the government's attempt at secularizing Mexican society and enforcing anti-Catholic policies.


Finally, there is Of Gods and Men, a film about a group of Cistercian monks facing the threat of violence in Algeria in the 1990s.


From the previews, I definitely think these films are worth watching. If anyone has seen any of them yet, I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

Sunday Inspiration - Half-way There

St. Ambrose on the 4th Sunday of Lent:

“Give thanks, Brethren to the Divine Mercy Which has brought you safely half-way through the season of Lent. For this favour they give praise to God, thankfully and with devotion, who in these days have striven to live in the manner in which they were instructed at the beginning of Lent; that is, those who, coming with eagerness to the Church, have sought with sighs and tears, in daily fasting and almsdeeds, to obtain the forgiveness of their sins.”

Laetare Sunday

“Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together all you who lover her”

From the Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs by Francis X. Weiser:

“The fourth Sunday in Lent (Mid-Lent) derives its Latin name from the first word of the Mass text, Laetare Jerusalem (Rejoice, O Jerusalem). It is a day of joy within the mourning season. The altars may be decorated with flowers, organ playing is permitted, and rose-colored vestments may be worn instead of purple ones.

"The historical background of this sudden joyful note during the penitential season lies in the ancient practice of the traditio symboli ('handing over' of the symbolum, the Apostolic Creed). The catechumens received the sacred text for the first time on Wednesday after the fourth Sunday in Lent. Soon afterward, the 'Our Father' was also given to them. These ceremonies formed the last and decisive step toward baptism for those who had successfully stood the tests and scrutinies and proved themselves worthy to be admitted into the Church. Thus already at the beginning of the week (Laetare Sunday) the exultation of Mother Church over the approaching increase of her children (through baptism) manifested itself in the above-mentioned liturgical expression of joy.

"The Station of the fourth Sunday was held at the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (called simply 'Hierusalem' in ancient books). Hence the repeated mention of Jerusalem in the liturgical texts. The holy city is taken as a type of the New Testament 'Jerusalem,' the Church, who is our Mother (Galatians 4, 26), giving supernatural birth to us in baptism.

"In later centuries, when the original practice of the traditio on Wednesday in Mid-Lent had been discontinued (being connected with the baptismal ceremony into one rite), the true reason for the Sunday's liturgical character of joy was forgotten, and other reasons were often given. Thus Pope Innocent III (1216) said in one of his sermons:

'On this Sunday, which marks the middle of Lent, a measure of consoling relaxation is provided so that the faithful may not break down under the severe strain of Lenten fast but may continue to bear the restrictions with a refreshed and easier heart.'"

Joseph Ratzinger's Ordination

This has been a very hectic week, thus the lack of posts. Today I finally had an opportunity to get online for a bit and came across this video from 1951 over at Orbis Catholicus linked from Gloria TV. Check out the newly ordained priest at 4:53.

Sunday Inspiration - Lent - The Acceptable Time

St. Ambrose on Lent:

“Behold, Dearly Beloved, the sacred days are drawing near, the acceptable time, of which it is written: Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (II Cor. vi. 2). And so you must be more earnest in prayer and in almsgiving, in fasting and in watching. He that till now has given alms, in these days let him give more; for as water quencheth a flaming fire, so does almsgiving wipe out sins (Eccles. iii. 33). He that till now fasted and prayed, let him fast and pray still more: for there are certain sins which are not cast out, except by prayer and fasting (Mt. xvii. 20).

“Should anyone cherish anger towards another, let him forgive from his heart. Should anyone take unjustly what belongs to another, let him restore it; and if not fourfold, at least that which he has taken; if he desires God to be merciful to himself (Lk. xix. 8). And though a Christian should abstain at all times from cursings and revilings, from oaths, from excessive laughter, and from idle words, he must do this especially in these holy days, which are set apart so that, during these forty days, he may by penance wipe out the sins of the whole year.

“Let you believe, and believe firmly, that if in these days you have made a thorough confession of your sins, and done penance as we have told you, you shall receive from Out Most Merciful Lord pardon of all your offences; as did the Ninivites, who earned deliverance from their afflictions by doing penance in sackcloth and ashes (Jn. iii). So you also, following their example, if you cry out with all your heart to the Lord, you will invoke His Mercy on you, so that serene and joyful you will celebrate the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, and thus blessed, you will after this life cross over to your heavenly home, by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.”

March 25 - The Annunciation

St. Luke 1:26-38

“The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, ‘Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.’ But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.’ But Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?’ And the angel said to her in reply, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.’ Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”

Fra Angelico - The Annunciation

St. Gregory Thaumaturgus - First Homily on the Annunciation

"Today are strains of praise sung joyfully by the choir of angels, and the light of the advent of Christ shines brightly upon the faithful. Today is the glad spring-time to us, and Christ the Sun of righteousness has beamed with clear light around us, and has illumined the minds of the faithful. Today is Adam made anew, and moves in the choir of angels, having winged his way to heaven. Today is the whole circle of the earth filled with joy, since the sojourn of the Holy Spirit has been realized to men. Today the grace of God and the hope of the unseen shine through all wonders transcending imagination, and make the mystery that was kept hidden from eternity plainly discernible to us. Today are woven the chaplets of never-fading virtue. Today, God, willing to crown the sacred heads of those whose pleasure is to hearken to Him, and who delight in His festivals, invites the lovers of unswerving faith as His called and His heirs; and the heavenly kingdom is urgent to summon those who mind celestial things to join the divine service of the incorporeal choirs. Today is fulfilled the word of David, 'Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad. The fields shall be joyful, and all the trees of the wood before the Lord, because He comes.' David thus made mention of the trees; and the Lord's forerunner also spoke of them as trees 'that should bring forth fruits meet for repentance,' or rather for the coming of the Lord. But our Lord Jesus Christ promises perpetual gladness to all those who believe in Him. For He says, 'I will see you, and you shall rejoice; and your joy no man takes from you.' Today is the illustrious and ineffable mystery of Christians, who have willingly set their hope like a seal upon Christ, plainly declared to us. Today did Gabriel, who stands by God, come to the pure virgin, bearing to her the glad annunciation."


O God, who didst will that Thy Word take flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary at the message of the angel: grant us, we pray, to be aided before Thee by her intercession, whom we believe to be truly the Mother of God. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Catholic = Universal

Belloc on the Church

"One thing in this world is different from all other. It has a personality and a force. It is recognized, and (when recognized) most violently loved or hated. It is the Catholic Church. Within that household the human spirit has roof and hearth. Outside it, is the night."

-Hilaire Belloc

Read more about this author and man of faith in this interview from Zenit.

On the Fruits of Reading Holy Scripture

“The harvest comes joyfully from the fields, and a yield that is rich and pleasant from the vine; and from the Scriptures teaching that is lifegiving and salutary. The fields have but one season of harvest; but from the Scripture there gushes forth a stream of saving doctrine. The field when reaped lies idle, and at rest, and the branches when the vine is stripped lie withered and dead. The Scriptures are garnered each day, yet the years of its interpreters never come to an end; and the clusters of its vines, which in it are those of hope, though also gathered each day, are likewise without end. Let us therefore come to this field, and take our delight of its life-giving furrows; and let us reap there the wheat of life, that is, the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

-St. Ephraem, from his sermon on the Transfiguration

On the Purpose of Sacred Art

Sunday Inspiration - The Transfiguration

The Transfiguration by Raphael

St. Matthew 17:1-9

“Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and do not be afraid.’ And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, ‘Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’”

From Pope St. Leo the Great's Sermon on the Transfiguration:

“And in this Transfiguration the foremost object was to remove the offense of the cross from the disciple's heart, and to prevent their faith being disturbed by the humiliation of His voluntary Passion by revealing to them the excellence of His hidden dignity. But with no less foresight, the foundation was laid of the Holy Church's hope, that the whole body of Christ might realize the character of the change which it would have to receive, and that the members might promise themselves a share in that honour which had already shone forth in their Head.”

March 19 – St. Joseph

From the 1889 encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries, on devotion to St. Joseph:

“That God may be more favorable to Our prayers, and that He may come with bounty and promptitude to the aid of His Church, We judge it of deep utility for the Christian people, continually to invoke with great piety and trust, together with the Virgin-Mother of God, her chaste Spouse, the Blessed Joseph; and We regard it as most certain that this will be most pleasing to the Virgin herself.”

“Joseph shines among all mankind by the most august dignity, since by divine will, he was the guardian of the Son of God and reputed as His father among men.”

“These are the reasons why men of every rank and country should fly to the trust and guard of the blessed Joseph. Fathers of families find in Joseph the best personification of paternal solicitude and vigilance; spouses a perfect example of love, of peace, and of conjugal fidelity; virgins at the same time find in him the model and protector of virginal integrity. The noble of birth will learn of Joseph how to guard their dignity even in misfortune; the rich will understand, by his lessons, what are the goods most to be desired and won at the price of their labor. As to workmen, artisans, and persons of lesser degree, their recourse to Joseph is a special right, and his example is for their particular imitation. For Joseph, of royal blood, united by marriage to the greatest and holiest of women, reputed the father of the Son of God, passed his life in labor, and won by the toil of the artisan the needful support of his family. It is, then, true that the condition of the lowly has nothing shameful in it, and the work of the laborer is not only not dishonoring, but can, if virtue be joined to it, be singularly ennobled. Joseph, content with his slight possessions, bore the trials consequent on a fortune so slender, with greatness of soul, in imitation of his Son, who having put on the form of a slave, being the Lord of life, subjected himself of his own free-will to the spoliation and loss of everything.”

“In those lands where the 19th of March - the Feast of St. Joseph - is not a Festival of Obligation, We exhort the faithful to sanctify it as far as possible by private pious practices, in honor of their heavenly patron, as though it were a day of Obligation.”


Prayer to St. Joseph
To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also. Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities.

O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be propitious to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness; and, as once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die holily, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

Lenten Advice

"The true progress of man lieth in self-denial, and a man who denieth himself is free and safe. But the old enemy, opposer of all good things, ceaseth not from temptation; but day and night setteth his wicked snares, if haply he may be able to entrap the unwary. Watch and pray, saith the Lord, lest ye enter into temptation (Matthew xxvi. 41)."

-Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chapter XXXIX

Pray for Life

A very sad story out of the United Kingdom.

Please pray for an increase in the belief that ALL life is sacred, regardless of how difficult or expensive it might be.

March 17 - St. Patrick

"I arise today:

in the might of God for my piloting;
in the Power of God for my upholding;

in the Wisdom of God for my guidance;

in the Eye of God for my foresight;

in the Ear of God for my hearing;

in the Word of God for my utterance;

in the Hand of God for my guardianship;

in the Path of God for my precedence;

in the Shield of God for my protection;

in the Host of God for my salvation;

against snares of demons;

against allurements of vices;

against solicitations of nature;

against every person that wishes me ill, far and near;

alone and in a crowd."

-from The Lorcia of St. Patrick

Lenten Snacks

A brief history of the pretzel and its Lenten origin, from Francis X. Weiser’s Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs:

“A most interesting survival of early Christian Lenten fare is a certain form of bread familiar to all of us. The Christians in the Roman Empire made a special dough consisting of flour, salt, and water only (since fat, eggs, and milk were forbidden). They shaped it in the form of two arms crossed in prayer, to remind them that Lent was a season of penance and devotion. They called these breads “little arms” (bracellae). From the Latin word the Germans later coined the term Brezel or Prezel, from which comes our word pretzel. The oldest known picture of a pretzel may be seen in a manuscript from the fifth century in the Vatican.

“All through medieval times and into the present, pretzels remained an item of Lenten food in many parts of Europe. In Germany, Austria, and Poland, they made their annual appearance on Ash Wednesday; special vendors (Brezelmann) sold them on the streets of cities and towns. People would eat them for lunch, together with a stein of their mild, home-brew beer. In Poland they were eaten in beer soup.

“In the cities pretzels were distributed to the poor on many days during Lent. In parts of Austria, children wore them suspended from the palm bushes on Palm Sunday. With the end of Lent the pretzels disappeared again until the following Ash Wednesday. It was only during the last century that this German (actually, ancient Roman) bread was adopted as an all-year tidbit, and its Lenten significance all but forgotten.”

Sunday Inspiration – The Temptation of Christ

Matthew 4:1-11

“At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.’ He said in reply, ‘It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, ‘All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.’ At this, Jesus said to him, ‘Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’ Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.”


Pope St. Gregory the Great on the Gospel reading:

“…dwelling on the sequence of the temptations, let us consider through what greatness we are delivered from temptation. Our ancient enemy set himself against the First Man, our parent, with three temptations; for he tempted him by gluttony, by vain glory, and by avarice; and tempting him defeated him: for by consenting to the temptation he placed himself under the power of the devil.

“He tempted him through gluttony when he put before him the forbidden fruit of the tree, and persuaded him to eat it. He tempted him by vain glory when he said: Ye will be as Gods (Gen. iii. 5). And he tempted him from the heights of avarice when he said: knowing good and evil. For there is an avarice not alone of money, but of grandeur. Rightly is it called avarice when exaltation is desired above all moderation. For if the seizure of honour did not pertain to avarice Paul would never have said: Who thought it not robbery to be equal to God (Phil. ii. 6). In this the devil led our parent to pride, by provoking in him the greed of human grandeur.

“But by the very means by which he laid low the First Man, by these same did he himself succumb to the Second Man. For he tempted Him by gluttony when he said: Command that these stones be made bread. He tempted Him by vain glory when he said: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down. By greed of dominion when he showed Him all the kingdoms of the earth, and said: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. But by these very means by which he gloried in defeating the First Man, was he overcome by the Second; so that defeated he goes out from our hearts by that very way through which, once forcing an entrance, he was wont to hold us in slavery."

Pope St. Gregory the Great on the First Sunday of Lent

“From this present day till the joyful solemnities of Easter there are six weeks; that is, two and forty days. From which if you subtract the six Sundays there remain six and thirty days of abstinence. And since a year continues throughout three hundred and sixty-five days, we, when we mortify ourselves for thirty-six days, give to the Lord a tithe as it were of our year; so that we who have lived for ourselves throughout the year we have received, may, during His tenth of it, die to Our Maker through abstinence.

“And so, Dearly Beloved, as it was commanded in the Law to offer tithes of all things, so let you offer Him a tithe of your days. Let each one mortify his own body, as far as his strength allows, and let him weaken its desires, and lower the pride of its evil lusts, so that he may become in the words of Paul, a living sacrifice (Rom. xii. I).”

Pray for Japan

Please pray for the people of Japan and people all around the Pacific.

Lent - Stations of the Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Lent - Confession

It’s Lent. Make time to go to confession.

Quote of the Day - Lent

From a wise and holy priest that I am blessed to know:

"Lent is about Jesus Christ. If you take Christ out of Lent, all you're doing is going on a diet."

Ash Wednesday - Catachesis Needed!

This Wednesday, go to Mass, get your ashes, wear them to work, school, etc., and be prepared to explain why you wear them! This is an easy opportunity to share your faith and, as you can see in the video, is badly needed.

Coming Soon - Lent

Just a reminder: Lent begins in 2 days.
The National Catholic Register has some suggestions for you.

March 7 – Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

March 7th is the memorial of Saints Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions who were martyred for the faith in the early 3rd century. Perpetua and Felicity, two young mothers, both remained firm in their faith even in the face of losing their children and being put to death. Below is an excerpt from Perpetua’s diary.

"...we were still with the persecutors, and my father, for the sake of his affection for me, was persisting in seeking to turn me away, and to cast me down from the faith—'Father,' said I, 'do you see, let us say, this vessel lying here to be a little pitcher, or something else?' And he said, 'I see it to be so.' And I replied to him, 'Can it be called by any other name than what it is?' And he said, 'No.' 'Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian.'"

While Christians around the world are being persecuted and even killed for the faith, I pray that Sts. Perpetua and Felicity will intercede on behalf of all those in need of the courage to stand for Our Lord and His Church.

Abortion Recommended in Britain

This is very disturbing.
Pray for an end to abortion.

Sunday Inspiration - A House Built on Rock

Matthew 7:21-27

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”


St. John Chrysostom – Homily 24 on Matthew

“He calls the steadfastness of His doctrine a rock; because in truth His commands are stronger than any rock, setting one above all the waves of human affairs. For he who keeps these things strictly, will not have the advantage of men only when they are vexing him, but even of the very devils plotting against him. And that it is not vain boasting so to speak, Job is our witness, who received all the assaults of the devil, and stood unmoveable; and the apostles too are our witnesses, for that when the waves of the whole world were beating against them, when both nations and princes, both their own people and strangers, both the evil spirits, and the devil, and every engine was set in motion, they stood firmer than a rock, and dispersed it all.”

Of Fleeing from Vain Hope and Pride

"Vain is the life of that man who putteth his trust in men or in any created thing. Be not ashamed to be the servant of others for the love of Jesus Christ, and to be reckoned poor in this life. Rest not upon thyself, but build thy hope in God. Do what lieth in thy power, and God will help thy good intent. Trust not in thy learning, nor in the cleverness of any that lives, but rather trust in the favour of God, who resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.

"Boast not thyself in thy riches if thou hast them, nor in thy friends if they be powerful, but in God, who giveth all things, and in addition to all things desireth to give even Himself. Be not lifted up because of thy strength or beauty of body, for with only a slight sickness it will fail and wither away. Be not vain of thy skilfulness or ability, lest thou displease God, from whom cometh every good gift which we have.

"Count not thyself better than others, lest perchance thou appear worse in the sight of God, who knoweth what is in man. Be not proud of thy good works, for God's judgments are of another sort than the judgments of man, and what pleaseth man is ofttimes displeasing to Him. If thou hast any good, believe that others have more, and so thou mayest preserve thy humility. It is no harm to thee if thou place thyself below all others; but is is great harm if thou place thyself above even one. Peace is ever with the humble man, but in the heart of the proud there is envy and continual wrath."

-Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

Pray for Christians All Over the World

People are being killed for being Christian.

Prayer Request - Friends

For anyone who reads this, I would greatly appreciate if you could take a moment and say a prayer for some good friends of mine who have recently been extremely generous to my family. They have always been great friends and we feel very blessed to have them in our lives. Please pray that God blesses them for their generosity. While you're at it, pray for the good friends that you have in your life too!
Thank You!

Quote of the Day - Confession

Fr. Z on the need for an increase in opportunities to go to confession:

"We need a revival of the sacrament of penance. People should clamor for confessors. They should mention constantly that they need more times for confessions. Perhaps they should even write notes for their weekly envelopes saying: 'When Father schedules more confessions, I will give more money.' I am picturing picket lines, people carrying signs saying 'ISAIAH 1:18!' and 'JOHN 20:23!'. Huge crowds jam the narthex of parish churches, surround empty confessionals and chant “HEAR OUR SINS!” and hold up banners with the priest depicted as Jesus healing a leper and also depicting the priest as the mercenary running away from the flock when the wolf comes. They would start hunger strikes…."

Read the whole post here.

Sunday Inspiration - The Love of God

Isaiah 49:14-15
“Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.”

St. John Cassian, Conference 13
“This providence and love of God therefore, which the Lord in His unwearied goodness vouchsafes to show us, He compares to the tenderest heart of a kind mother, as He wishes to express it by a figure of human affection, and finds in His creatures no such feeling of love to which he could better compare it. And He uses this example, because nothing dearer can be found in human nature, saying: ‘Can a mother forget her child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?’ But not content with this comparison He at once goes beyond it, and subjoins these words: ‘And though she may forget, yet will not I forget you.’”

Just a reminder

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
-Proverbs 1:7

Prayer Request

Please pray for this family.

Friday Penance

Something to think about on Fridays.

Free Sacred Music

The Tallis Scholars, a wonderful group of singers that specializes in the sacred music of the renaissance, were recently nominated for a Grammy Award for the album, Victoria - Lamentations of Jeremiah. This album includes music for Holy Week by Tomás Luis de Victoria. On the Gimell Records’ website, the “First Lamentation for Maundy Thursday” is available to download for free. I have downloaded it and it is beautiful. Go and do likewise…or just buy the whole album.

February 23 – St. Polycarp – Bishop and Martyr

St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist who was martyred about the year 155. His memorial was formerly observed on January 26th.

Among the writings handed down by the early Fathers is an account of St. Polycarp’s martyrdom. Therein we read:

“…the proconsul urging him, and saying, ‘Swear, and I will set you at liberty, reproach Christ’; Polycarp declared, ‘Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?’
“But again the proconsul said to him, ‘I will cause you to be consumed by fire…if you will not repent.’ But Polycarp said, ‘You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and after a little [while] is extinguished, but are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why do you tarry? Bring forth what you will.’”

With that, the Saint was tied to a stake and set on fire. The fire, however did not affect him and he was run through with a dagger, causing so much blood to pour out as to extinguish the fire.

It would do us well when we experience any sort of suffering in our lives to remember the example of the holy martyrs who gladly gave their lives for the sake of Our Lord. Then at all times, good and bad, we can join in praying with thanksgiving as St. Polycarp did as he was going to his death, “I praise You for all things, I bless You, I glorify You, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, with whom, to You, and the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen.”

Nice Post

There was a very nice post today on the blog Orbis Catholicus.

February 22 – Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

The Altar of the Chair of Peter, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City (Bernini)
(image from the St. Peter’s Basilica virtual tour website mentioned yesterday)

St. Matthew 16:13-19
“When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter said in reply, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’”

Today we celebrate the authority given to St. Peter and his 265 successors by Christ to govern His Church.

We should, in a special way today, offer prayers for strength, wisdom, and courage for our present Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

Oremus pro pontifice!

Virtual Pilgrimage

Take a trip to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Sunday Inspiration - Turning the Other Cheek

Matthew 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

St. Augustine – from “on the Sermon on the Mount”
“For it is not easy to find anyone who, when he has received a blow, wishes merely to return the blow; and who, on hearing one word from a man who reviles him, is content to return only one, and that just an equivalent; but he avenges it more immoderately, either under the disturbing influence of anger, or because he thinks it just, that he who first inflicted injury should suffer more severe injury than he suffered who had not inflicted injury. Such a spirit was in great measure restrained by the law, where it was written, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; by which expressions a certain measure is intended, so that the vengeance should not exceed the injury. And this is the beginning of peace: but perfect peace is to have no wish at all for such vengeance.”

Catholic Films

The Cardinal - an excellent film about the life of a Catholic priest during the first half of the 20th century

Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.”
-Proverbs 3:5-6

on the reading of Holy Scripture

“Doubtless Christ spoke no words in vain. The Eternal Wisdom of God did not utter His voice that we might at once catch up His words in an irreverent manner, think we understand them at a glance, and pass over them. But His words endureth forever; it has a depth of meaning suited to all times and places, and hardly and painfully to be understood in any. They who think they enter into it easily, may be quite sure they do not enter into it at all.”

-Bl. John Henry Newman, from “Knowledge of God’s Will Without Obedience”

Catholic Music

The Catholic Church has a very long history of great music. Unfortunately, many parishes today limit the selections sung at Mass to songs written within the last 30 years, ignoring all the beautiful chants and sacred hymns that have been sung for hundreds of years. The parish to which my wife and I formerly belonged was one of these parishes. We have since joined a different parish where the choir sings a nice range of music, including many traditional chants and hymns. My wife recently joined this choir. This past Sunday was her first time singing with them. They sounded great! After Mass, she came down from the choir loft with a few sheets of music that she was to practice for future Masses. I was quite excited to see William Byrd’s arrangement of Ave Verum Corpus. I’ve included a video of this beautiful composition below.
This, of course, has left me wondering why other parishes ignore all this great music from the past and only sing songs written since the second Vatican Council. Encourage your pastors and choir directors to preserve our great culture and traditions!
In the meantime, listen to the song below and read the book, Why Catholics Can’t Sing.

Persecution

Pray for this man.

February 15 – St. Claude de la Colombière

St. Claude was a French Jesuit of the 17th century who preached in England and helped to foster devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI and canonized in 1992 by Pope John Paul II.
One of his writings is included in the book, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, published by TAN Books. This book has been one of the most challenging and influential books in my life in the past few years. I recommend that everyone obtain a copy and read it, over and over again!

Silence in Church

Read this.

Sunday Inspiration - Hard Teachings

Matthew 5:17-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful -causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.D o not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

St. John Chrysostom
Homily 16 on St. Matthew
“But when you hear, least in the kingdom of Heaven, surmise nothing but hell and torments. For He was used to mean by the kingdom, not merely the enjoyment thereof, but also the time of the resurrection, and that awful coming. And how could it be reasonable, that while he who called his brother fool, and transgressed but one commandment, falls into hell; the breaker of them all, and instigator of others to the same, should be within the kingdom. This therefore is not what He means, but that such a one will be at that time least, that is, cast out, last. And he that is last will surely then fall into hell. For, being God, He foreknew the laxity of the many, He foreknew that some would think these sayings were merely hyperbolical, and would argue about the laws, and say, What, if any one call another a fool, is he punished? If one merely look on a woman, does he become an adulterer? For this very cause He, destroying such insolence beforehand, has set down the strongest denunciation against either sort, as well them who transgress, as them who lead on others so to do.”

Thank God for the absolution that comes from the sacrament of penance! We should frequently seek the forgiveness and grace that the Lord offers us through confession.

Distributism - Catholic Economics

I have recently been reading a bit about the economic system known as distributism. This system was championed by the likes of G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc and based on the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum. Below are some links to the Distributist Review, a website dedicated to this idea. There is tons of information and links on the site. Reading some of it recently has truly been enlightening. Check it out!
Home page
FAQs
Introductory reading

Return

It has been a bit over a year since I have posted on this blog. In that time, my daughter was born and has subsequently taken up much of my time. I have decided, however, to try to find the time to continue the blog because I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing about topics related to the Church and its history, liturgy, and teachings. I cannot guarantee any sort of consistency as to the frequency of the posts, but I will try my best, God-willing, to keep it up to date. I know that I did not have a large readership, but I did receive a number of encouraging comments from people who did read it and enjoy it. Thank you to those people and all who read what I post on here!