Keep
your eyes open!...
January 31, 2020
(1Ki 19:11-13) And he said to him: Go forth, and stand upon the mount
before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong
wind before the Lord, overthrowing the mountains, and breaking the
rocks in pieces: but the Lord is not in the wind. And after the wind,
an earthquake: but the Lord is not in the earthquake. And after the
earthquake, a fire: but the Lord is not in the fire. And after the
fire, a whistling of a gentle air. And when Elias heard it, he covered
his face with his mantle, and coming forth, stood in the entering in of
the cave, and behold a voice unto him, saying: What dost thou here,
Elias?
CARDINAL SARAH: "When
we are lovers, we always notice the slightest gesture of the one whom
we love. It is the same with prayer. If we are accustomed to praying
often, we can grasp the meaning of God's silence. There are signs that
only two fiancés can understand. The person of prayer is also the only
one to grasp the silent signs of affection that God sends him".
CATHOLIC GENTLEMAN: The Practice of Silence for Lay People
CATHOLIC EXCHANGE: The Necessary Practice of Interior Silence by Raoul Plus, S.J.
FROM THE MAILBAG: Father Rutler's Weekly Column
Precisely one year ago in the Italian town of Cremona, there was an
imposed silence by order of the local government for eight hours a day,
six days of the week for five straight weeks. The purpose was to allow
the pristine recording by highly technical equipment of sounds played
on the 1700 Antonio Stradivari “Stauffer” cello, the 1727 Antonio
Stradivari “Vesuvius” violin, a 1615 “Stauffer” viola by Girolamo
Amati, and the 1734 “Prince Doria” violin by Guarneri del Gesù.
Cremona’s most famous luthier, of course, was Stradivari, and no one
knows how many centuries from now such instruments as the Stradivarius
violins can survive.
It is harder to make silence than noise. Because of modern cacophony,
especially in what passes for music in the form of amplified “rock”
sounds, young people are growing increasingly deaf. In urban areas,
silence is so uncommon that one becomes suspicious of silence, rather
like the dog that did not bark in Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Silver Blaze”
detective story. Sherlock Holmes said that it was Dr. Watson’s “great
gift for silence” that made him so useful.
Satan and his evil spirits are noisy. Jesus told an evil spirit to be
silent (Mark 1:25). The Greek F?µ???t? (Phimotheti) simply means “Shut
up!” Our Lord always was precise. So should we be, in order to hear
God. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
The surrealist poet Dame Edith Sitwell said, “My personal hobbies are
reading, listening to music, and silence.” She might have benefitted
arts and letters had she been silent more often. But, after all, she
eventually made her Profession of Faith at the Farm Street Church in
London with Evelyn Waugh as her sponsor. Neither was famous for
reticence, but they did profit from moments of quietude. Those who do
not think deeply will not understand how painful it is to those who
have powers of concentration, to be interrupted by frivolous chatter.
Saint Anthony helped to change the world by isolating himself in a
desert. This is why retreats in one form or another are crucial, for a
retreat is actually a frontal attack on the noisy Anti-Christ. The pope
himself recently said that folks should put down their iPhones and
listen to silence, which has a sound of its own. When Barnabas and Paul
spoke at the Council in Jerusalem, “All the people kept silent . . .”
(Acts 15:12). We can be thankful that they did not have cell phones.
God will not have to shout at us if we do not “harden our hearts”
(Hebrews 3:15). Instead, as with Elijah, “. . . the Lord wasnot in the
wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lordwas not in the
earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, butthe Lord was not in the
fire; and after the fire a still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13).
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 28- "On holy and blessed prayer"
1. Prayer, by reason of its nature, is the converse
and union of man with God, and by reason of its action upholds the world
and brings about reconciliation with God.
January 29, 2020
(Psa 6:2) Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
POPE FRANCIS:
"I pray for the people who have become ill because of the virus that
has spread in China. May the Lord welcome the dead in his peace,
comfort the families and support the great work already put in place by
the Chinese community to fight the outbreak.”
HEADLINE: Wuhan coronavirus: China will contain ‘demon’ outbreak, Xi Jinping says as death toll mounts
VIDEO: One day in Wuhan through a photographer's lens
ASIANEWS.IT: Coronavirus contagion in China continues with 106 victims
Chinese health authorities are
revising upwards the death toll from the coronavirus that is spreading
across the country: to date, 106 deaths have risen sharply compared to
81 yesterday. Regarding the number of total infections, the National
Health Commission reports that there are 4,515 confirmed cases. In just
24 hours, 1,680 more people contracted lung infection. According to the
government agency, there are almost 7 thousand other suspected cases
and awaiting clinical confirmation.
This morning because of the
epidemic, Beijing postponed the beginning of the spring semester for
schools and universities across the country. At the moment, students
are on vacation for the Chinese New Year and the Ministry of Education
has not made public a date for the resumption of lessons. School
leaders are required to "ask students not to go out, gather together,
hold or participate in centralized activities," reads a government note.
At today's meeting, the National
Health Commission announced that another 6,000 medical staff members
have been mobilized to combat the spread of the virus in the epicenter
of the epidemic - Hubei province. To limit population flows and
facilitate checks, yesterday the communist regime decided to extend the
holidays by three days. They should originally have ended on January
30th.
The virus, which first appeared in
the city of Wuhan, has been identified in more than a dozen other
countries. Last week Beijing isolated Hubei province in the largest
registered quarantine operation and is building two new hospitals to
treat patients with the virus. The government plans to finish building
the structures in 10 days. President Xi Jinping created a special
committee to deal with the epidemic.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: Wuhan virus: a visual explainer
CDC NEWSROOM: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Updates
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Stopping the Coronavirus: Have We Learned the Lessons from SARS?
UCANEWS REPORT: Chinese churches suspend Masses as deadly coronavirus spreads
Hankou Diocese in Hubei province
has announced the suspension of community activities in all its
parishes as the province is on high alert to check the virus.
Restoration programs will be notified separately, it said in a notice.
St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai
Diocese in Xujiahui on Jan. 22 said it will be temporarily closed and
no prayer services or Masses will be conducted during Chinese New Year.
Holy Family Catholic Church in
Wuchang, which is just across the Yangtze River from Wuhan, has issued
a notice suspending all Masses temporarily following a government
directive.
Ningbo Diocese in Zhejiang province
has asked parish priests not to distribute communion on tongues from
Jan. 22 as a preventive measure. "The church members shall receive the
Eucharist in their hands," it said in a notice seeking parishioners'
prayers to end the epidemic.
A Hubei priest, who asked not to be
named, told UCA News that although the situation is "very serious,"
churches should not stop Masses. "In the current situation, shouldn't
we pray more?" he asked.
A Catholic layman in Hebei,
identified only as Paul, said he was "worried that the authorities
would use this to crack down on the Church."
"If it spreads quickly and
uncontrollably, church meetings and gatherings may be banned.
Authorities may also use this a pretext to crack down on the Church
more severely," he said.
HEADLINES OF CONCERN
Wuhan virus could infect 150,000 people a day
WHO Admits to Error in Its Risk Assessment of China Coronavirus
Virus-hit Wuhan has two laboratories linked to Chinese bio-warfare program
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
68. Faith is the wing of prayer; without it, my
prayer will return again to my bosom. Faith is the unshaken firmness of
the soul, unmoved by any adversity. A believer is not one who thinks that
God can do everything, but one who believes that he will obtain all things.
January 27, 2020
(Psa 139:13-14) You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s
womb.I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your
works! My very self you know.
THE SHIELD OF FAITH: How Satan tempts mothers to abort their children
LIFESITE BLOG: Satan’s hatred for God is most obvious in his hatred for virginity, marriage, and procreation
COMMENTARY: Abortion and preaching to the choir By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky
THE FEDERALIST:
Since his election, it is impossible to say that President Trump has
been anything less than the most successful pro-life president in the
nearly half a century since Roe v. Wade.
EXCERPT: Text of President Donald Trump’s Speech at the March for Life
The March for Life is a movement
born out of love: you love your families; you love your neighbors; you
love our nation; and you love every child born and unborn, because you
believe that every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift
from God.
We know that life is the greatest
miracle of all. We see it in the eyes of every new mother who cradles
that wonderful, innocent, and glorious-newborn child in her loving
arms. I want to thank every person here today and all across our
country who works with such big hearts and tireless devotion to make
sure that parents have the caring support they need to choose life.
Because of you, tens of thousands
of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential,
because of you. You’re living witnesses of this year’s March for life
theme, and that theme is, ‘Love Saves Lives.’ As you all know Roe
versus Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws
anywhere in the world. For example, in the United States, it’s one of
only seven countries to allow elective late-term abortions along with
China North Korea and others. Right now, in a number of States, the
laws allow a baby to be born [sic, aborted] from his or her mother’s
womb in the ninth month.
It is wrong. It has to change.
Americans are more and more
pro-life. You see that all the time. In fact, only 12% of Americans
support abortion on demand at any time.
Under my administration, we will
always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independent,
and that is the ‘right to life.’
VIA LIFESITE:
I’m fully aware of the cynical interpretations of this. Yes, it is an
election year. Yes, an impeachment trial is currently underway in the
Senate. Yes, Trump is rallying his base as he feels the heat. All of
those things are true, and I’m sure all of them contributed to the
Administration’s decision to put the president on-stage at the March
for Life. But that doesn’t change the fact that his speech was fully
backed up by his record. His promises to the movement have not been
empty promises, regardless of what you think of his pro-life conversion
story or his character. His speech to the roaring crowd of pro-lifers
was magnificent, and one of the reasons their enthusiasm was so
palpable is that their president was speaking their language and
supporting their life-saving work. That’s not nothing. That’s something.
In fact, to the many babies saved by this Administration’s policies, it is everything.
FULL VIDEO: Trump speaks at March for Life, the first sitting US president to do so
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
61. Let the remembrance of Jesus (Jesus
Prayer) be present with each breath, and then you will know the value
of stillness.
January 24, 2020
(1Co 13:12) We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face
to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known.
MARK MALLET BLOG: True Sonship
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA David J Sheehan:
There have been times in my life when I went "left of the anointing"
and really made a mess of things. However, in my defense, a few
of those times was when God gave me a "push" into the cow patties. What
was today's disaster would become something very good in the future.
As the late Father Benedict Groeschel once said "I could not have done that bad without some help!"
Here is a great story of an ESPN talking head and how God put him on the way to the priesthood. Try not to laugh! :) https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2020/01/10/anthony-federico-espn-priesthood-jeremy-lin
MORE: God Has a Plan By June Klins
Last month a priest said in his homily on the feast day of St. Therese
that for a Christian, anything that happens cannot be considered “bad”
because everything that happens to us is for our sanctification. It can
also be used for the sanctification of someone else, too, when we offer
it up. And it may even be for an earthly good. The following story,
which was related to me by my friend Dean, illustrates this.
Dean and his family spend time every summer at the family farm owned by
his late grandfather. It is a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the
city life. This past summer, as Dean and his family were about to pull
into the driveway of the farm, they saw a tractor pulled over near the
end of the driveway. Apparently a wheel had fallen off the tractor. It
looked as though the tractor had been hauling a load of manure, and
that it had been dumped when the wheel had fallen off. A trailer had
pulled off and they were working on the tractor’s wheel.
The next morning, Dean noticed that they had not picked up the load
that fell off, and there was a huge pile of manure at the end of the
driveway – not on the driveway, but off to the side of it. Dean was not
a “happy camper.” It really irked Dean that there seemed to be no
effort made to clean it up.
Later that day, Dean’s niece needed to go somewhere, so Dean’s mother
volunteered to drive her where she needed to go. On the way back,
Dean’s mother fell asleep at the wheel, and as she approached the
driveway, she plowed into the pile of manure, which stopped the car and
woke her up. Fortunately, she was not hurt. When the family came out to
see what happened, they realized that if that pile of manure had not
been there, Dean’s mother would have hit a tree, and may have been
seriously injured or even killed. Dean also mentioned that she might
have even hit one or more of the children who were out playing that
day. Dean exclaimed, “Who ever thought I would be thanking God for a
pile of manure?”
The obvious lesson is that God always knows what is best for us, and
sometimes when things seem to not be going well, we need to trust in
God, because in His infinite wisdom, He knows the end of the story. God
has a plan. That “pile of manure” in our lives, might just be our
saving grace!
SERMON EXCERPT: Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows?
One such story that de Mello
recorded comes out of Chinese culture and tells about a poor old farmer
who had a single horse that pulled his plow, led his wagon and was his
sole means of transportation. One day, a bee stung his horse, and it
bolted free, racing off into the mountains and disappeared. The old
farmer searched for his horse but could not find it. After returning
home, his neighbors came and said, “We’re sorry about your bad luck in
losing your horse.” But the old farmer merely shrugged his shoulders
and said, “Bad luck, good luck – who is to say?”
A week later his horse came back,
accompanied by twelve wild horses which the old farmer was able to
corral, and suddenly he had a great unexpected windfall. News spread
through the village, and his neighbors came and said, “Congratulations
on your good luck. It’s a bonanza.” To which the old farmer merely
replied, “Good luck, bad luck – who is to say?”
Now, the farmer had a son, who
decided to make the most of this unexpected windfall. The son saddled
one of the wild horses, hoping to break in the animal and turn it into
a fine work horse that could be sold for a profit. Unfortunately, the
horse threw him to the ground and broke his leg in three places. When
word spread about his accident, many neighbors came to the old farmer
and said, “We’re sorry to hear about your son and his bad luck of
getting hurt.” The old man merely shrugged his shoulders and said, “Bad
luck, good luck – who is to say?”
Well, two weeks later, war broke
out between two provinces, and every man aged fifty or younger was
conscripted to fight. Because the farmer’s son had fallen from a horse
and broken his leg, he could not go to war. It turned out to be a
stroke of good luck and it probably saved his life, because every
villager who was conscripted was killed in battle.
De Mello’s point is that we humans
never know the whole story until it is over. Therefore, we are in no
position to make ultimate judgments on the things that happen to us
until all things have played out. A certain set of events may appear
unfortunate or very bad at the time, but in the larger picture these
same events often turn out to be blessings in disguise and bring about
unexpected good. As St. Paul writes, “For now, we see in a mirror
dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then
I will know fully…” (I Cor. 13: 12).
God works like an ingenious
alchemist to take something as lowly as lead and transform it into
something as astonishing as gold. The poet John Donne described God
saying,
He can bring thy summer out of winter,
Though thou have no spring.
All occasions invite His mercies,
And all times are His seasons.
Hence, as Easter people we are wise
not to jump to premature conclusions. If we reflect on Jesus’ life, we
would have every reason to fall into despair at many times in the
story. Shortly after arriving in Jerusalem, Judas betrayed Jesus. Then
soldiers arrested Jesus. All of his followers fled into the night.
Jesus was tossed into prison. Then Peter, his closest confidant, denied
him three times. Pontius Pilate tried Jesus before a hostile crowd.
Finally, the Romans tortured Jesus ripped the ski off of his back. They
made Him carry a cross up a hillside, where they crucified him and left
him to die alone. At any juncture in this story, if God was like the
old farmer, we might come to God and say, “We’re so sorry about your
bad news and what happened to your Son.” But you and I know how the
story ends.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
60. Stillness is unceasing worship and waiting
upon God.
January 21, 2020
(Eph 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:
As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.
CHRISTIAN POST: "The only differences between an infant and an embryo are age and location."
MARCH FOR LIFE HEADLINES
2020 March for Life Masses and Events in Washington, D.C.
March for Life Theme Borrows From Suffragist Centennial
Priests for Life: 2020 March for Life, Washington, DC and Walk for Life, San Francisco
HLI COMMENTARY: Michelle Williams’ Speech and the Challenge We Face
LIFESITE BLOG: How would we treat a child asleep in our lap? That is how we should treat the unborn
CNS: '9 Days for Life' prayer, action campaign takes place Jan. 21-29
Catholics across the country are
invited to take part in the 9 Days for Life is a novena for the
protection of human life. Each day's intention is accompanied by a
short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.
The pro-life novena, sponsored by
the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, coincides with the annual March for Life that takes place in
Washington every January to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court's
1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion across the country. This
year's march takes place Jan. 24.
But "even if you can't come to
D.C., you can join others to witness and pray for an end to abortion,"
said Kat Talalas, assistant director for pro-life communications at the
USCCB. "We ask all of the faithful to unite in prayer to protect the
rights of unborn children, to end the violence of abortion, and for
greater respect for human life."
According to Talalas, thousands of
Catholics across the country have already signed up for 9 Days for
Life. By signing up online at 9daysforlife.com, participants will
receive a daily prayer intention, a reflection and suggested actions
via email, text or through an app.
The novena encompasses the annual
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Jan. 22, the
day the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe and its companion
case, Doe v. Bolton. The USCCB pro-life committee began the novena in
2013 in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Roe.
The "9 Days for Life" website also
has materials, in English and Spanish, for parish leaders to share. For
each day there is an intercession, prayers, a reflection, "acts of
reparation" and "one step further," describing one more suggested
action for novena participants to take.
For example, the intercession for
"Day One" is: "May the tragic practice of abortion end," followed by
the Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Glory Be. The reflection for
the day says in part: "At every stage and in every circumstance, we are
held in existence by God's love. ... Christ invites us to embrace our
own lives and the lives of others as true gifts. Abortion tragically
rejects the truth that every life is a good and perfect gift, deserving
protection."
The suggested "acts of reparation"
for the first day are: Take a break from television and movies and
consider spending some of that time praying with the day's reflection.
Or pray the short prayer "Every Life Is Worth Living," reflecting on
the gift of human life. (It can be downloaded
www.usccb.org/worth-living.) Or offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or
act of penance that you feel called to do for the day’s intention.
For "one step further," novena
participants are encouraged to read more about abortion, in particular
the article "Another Look at Abortion," available at
www.respectlife.org/another-look-at-abortion, which provides a basic
overview and summarizes key points. "This article will help you be
better prepared to witness to the sanctity of human life," it says.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
56. He who has experienced the good which comes
from prayer will shun crowds like a wild ass; for what, if not prayer,
makes him like a wild ass and free from all association with people?
January 20, 2020
(Isa 49:6-7)And he said: It is a
small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of
Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given thee to
be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to
the farthest part of the earth. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of
Israel, his Holy One, to the soul that is despised, to the nation that
is abhorred, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see, and princes
shall rise up, and adore for the Lord's sake, because he is faithful,
and for the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
EXCERPT THE CATHOLIC THING: The Jews Are a Sign
The American Catholic novelist Walker Percy once asked: “Why does no
one find it remarkable that in most world cities today there are Jews
but not one single Hittite, even though the Hittites had a great
flourishing civilization while the Jews nearby were a weak and obscure
people? When one meets a Jew in New York or New Orleans or Paris or
Melbourne, it is remarkable that no one considers the event remarkable.
What are they doing here?. . .if there are Jews here, why are there not
Hittites here?. . .Show me one Hittite in New York City.”
Good questions in light of the recent anti-Semitic attacks in New York
and elsewhere. But I would also add that the Jews offer credibility for
the existence of a covenantal, personal God.
Credibility, though often
overlooked, is an important part of our Catholic faith. It’s addressed
quite early in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 156). Catholic
theologian and Jewish convert Lawrence Feingold argues that there are
various “supernatural signs that manifest the miraculous action of
God.”
The Catechism explains: “so ‘that the submission of our faith might
nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external
proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the
Holy Spirit.’” These include “the miracles of Christ and the saints,
prophecies, the Church’s growth and holiness, and her fruitfulness and
stability,” which serve as “the most certain signs of divine
Revelation, adapted to the intelligence of all.” They demonstrate that
the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind.”
Feingold comments: Jews see the continued existence of the Jewish
people and faith through so many centuries and in the midst of so many
calamities, including that of a two-thousand year exile from their
homeland, as a great sign of credibility in the truth of the Mosaic
Revelation that formed that faith.
Consider all the nations who have
disappeared from history. Genesis 15 names among the tribes occupying
the land of Canaan the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites,
Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and
Jebusites. Or, for those who endured years of high-school Latin,
consider the tribes of Gaul conquered by Julius Caesar: Tectosages,
Averni, Bituriges, Senones, Veneti, etc.
Thus, Jewish theologian Michael
Wyschogrod observes: “It seems to be an indestructible people. While
all the peoples of the ancient world have long disappeared, the Jewish
people continues to live and has lived for two thousand years.” Surely
this is something exceptional, though there are other cultures who can
draw a line to their ancient, millennia-old ancestors: Iranians
(Persians), Chinese, Andeans in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia, etc.
Perhaps because some transcendent power (i.e. God) has marked them,
marked them so indelibly that even when faith in YHWH has expired, the
mark persists. How else might we explain, to quote Feingold, “their
continued vitality through so many centuries until today?” I don’t have
a good answer, except to believe, as do some Jews (and many
Christians), that God chose them.
Indeed, as our own Catechism teaches:
To the Jews “belong the sonship,
the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the
promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according
to the flesh, is the Christ,” “for the gifts and the call of God are
irrevocable.”
The Jewish people and their faith are more than a historical curiosity
– they are one sign of the credibility of the God of Revelation. If
this is so, to be anti-Semitic isn’t just prejudice. It’s to wage war
against God Himself.
REVIEW: The Jewish Nation will Enter the Church
RELATED
Jews' Role in Christ's First and Second Coming
Sacred Scripture, the Church Fathers, Saints,on the End-Times Conversion of the Jews
A Timeline For The End Of Time
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
54. Those who are thoroughly versed in secular
philosophy are indeed rare; but I affirm that those who have a divine knowledge
of the philosophy of true stillness are still more rare.
January 17, 2020
(Mat 23:11-12)
He
that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever
shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself
shall be exalted.
POPE FRANCIS: "A good disciple is humble, meek, one who does good without letting himself or herself be seen".
ALETEIA: How to be more humble — and why it matters so much
EXCERPT HOMILY: The Depth of Christ's Humility
Great was the humility of the Lord! After all, the All-Good God was not
ashamed of our fallen body! He was not ashamed of the circumcision of
the flesh, but wanted to be the perceptible and bloodied Giver,
Preserver, and Bearer of the Law! O the depth of the humility of
Christ! He humbled Himself and accepted a perishable body. He humbled
Himself, becoming an Infant small and powerless before men, to show us
that only by being born again and becoming like innocent babes will we
be able to again ascend to the Heaven from which we fell. He humbled
Himself, being born in a manger of dumb beasts and in a foreign land.
He Who was surrounded by hosts of angels in Heaven, humbled Himself,
giving Himself to be taken care of by the elderly Joseph. He Who sits
upon the Throne of fire and upon Whom the Cherubim and Seraphim dare
not gaze humbled Himself, giving Himself to be swaddled and touched by
the hands of men.
He Who came to destroy the sins of men, drowning them in His precious
blood, humbled Himself, accepting the circumcision of the flesh, like
sinners.
EXCERPT CATHOLIC PHILLY: Humility, the mother of all virtues, gently leads us to joy
St. Gregory the Great and St. Augustine considered humility the pivotal virtue upon which all other virtues depend.
In the book “Sacred Signs,” Father
Romano Guardini points us to the ultimate place humility should possess
in our hearts: “When a man feels proud, he stands erect, draws himself
to his full height, throws back his head and shoulders and says with
every part of his body, I am bigger and more important than you.
“But when he is humble, he feels
his littleness, and lowers his head and shrinks into himself. He abases
himself. … But when does our littleness so come home to us as when we
stand in God’s presence? He is the great God who is today and
yesterday. …
“To appear less presumptuous, to be little and low as we feel, we sink
to our knees and thus sacrifice half our height, and to satisfy our
hearts still further we bow our heads and diminished stature speaks to
God and says, Thou art the great God, I am nothing.” Simply put, we
know our place in acknowledging that without God we are nothing.
Humility is at the very heart of docility: an essential quality of prudence.
MEDITATION: Thoughts
by St Theophan (1815-1894)
[Eph. 2:19-3:7; Mark 11:11-23]
The fig tree covered with leaves
was splendid in appearance, but was not honoured with approval from the
Lord because there was no fruit on it, and there was no fruit because
there was no inner fruit-bearing power. How many such fig trees there
are in the moral sense! In appearance all is proper, but on the inside
there is nothing. They are orderly, honourable, and fulfil all that is
Christian, but they do not have the spirit of life in Christ Jesus;
that is why they do not have living fruit. And what is in them only
seems to be fruit, but is not.
In what lies the spirit of life in Christ Jesus? To this we say: one
part in this is from the Lord, and the other from us. What is from the
Lord essentially is a fruit-bearing spiritual power; while what comes
from us is just the receiver of this power. Concern yourself more with
the latter. The root of this is the feeling that you are perishing, and
that if it were not for the Lord, you would perish. From this you will
have a heart that is broken and humbled, in everything you do,
throughout your life.
Further, since the future is unknown, there are many enemies, and you
can stumble every moment, fear and trembling accompany salvation, along
with the unceasing cry: “O Thou Who knoweth all things, save me.” Woe
to him also who rests on something other than the Lord; woe to him who
has worked for something other than the Lord! Ask yourself, you who
labour in deeds which are considered God-pleasing, for whom are you
working? If your conscience boldly answers: only for the Lord — it is
good; but if not, you are building a house upon the sand. Here are
several indications of a fertile inner spirit. You can understand many
other things according to this.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
53. He who wishes to present his mind pure to God,
and is agitated by cares, is like a man who has tied his legs tightly together
and then expects to walk briskly.
January 16, 2020
(Rev 11:19) And
the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament
was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices and an
earthquake and great hail. (Rev 12:1) And a great sign appeared
in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
REVIEW: A world map of Virgin Mary apparitions
DAVE ARMSTRONG: Biblical Evidence for Marian Apparitions
OVERVIEW: Our Lady of Zeitoun
Our Lady reportedly appeared in
Zeitoun, Egypt hovering above Saint Mark's Coptic Church for a span of
three years. The Church is dedicated to the Holy family, which
according to tradition rested in that place during their stay in Egypt.
For three years Our Lady appeared
on many occasions especially at night, and sometimes she was
accompanied by white doves that would fly around her. The first two
years she appeared about two to three times a week.
These apparitions attracted large
crowds by night, sometimes up to 250,000 people. Christians, Jews,
Moslems, and unbelievers gathered to view the sight. The apparitions
were photographed, filmed and broadcast on Egyptian TV. An estimated 40
million people witnessed the events.
VIDEO: The Virgin Mary Apparition 1968-70 in Zeitoun, Egypt
RELATED
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christians celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apparition of the Virgin Mary (2018)
Our Lady of Zeitoun and the Slaughter of the Innocents
This Marian apparition in Egypt was witnessed by at least 250,000 people
NEW ONLINE SERIES ON GARABANDAL VIA THE PHILIPPINES (UPDATED)
Of Things Marian
Apparitions in Garabandal
Why believe Garabandal?
Warning, Miracle, Chastisement
The Warning (Part 1)
The Warning (Part 2)
The Warning, centuries ago
The Warning, continued
Long message from God the Father
EXCERPT STATEMENT ON GARABANDAL, ARCHBISHOP OF OVIEDO (02/07/2007)
“I want you to know that I am open
to receiving and considering all information about Garabandal , and
would like to continue-as long as our Holy Father wishes me to serve as
Apostolic Administrator-the work that my brothers at the Bishopric have
already done in reference to this subject. What I have just done is
authorize the priests to go to Garabandal and hold Holy Mass at the
Parish, at any desired time, and to administer the Sacrament of
Reconciliation to anyone that wishes to receive it.
I am sure the next Bishop will
promote further studies to examine in depth the Garabandal events and
will send the findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith in Rome.
I respect apparitions and have
known of authentic conversions. How can we not always feel the need to
open our heart to our Mother Mary to tell her that we need her
protection, her help, her courage, her hope, her faith and her love
when faced with these events! I encourage you to keep maintaining such
devotion toward our Mother.”
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
52. He who has really attained to stillness does
not give a thought to his flesh; for He who has promised will not prove
false.
January 14, 2020
(Mat 10:16) Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.
LICAS.NEWS: Cardinal Zen appeals to College of Cardinals over the ‘murder’ of the Church in China
INTERVIEW: Cardinal Joseph Zen
EDITORIAL: A troubling sign for the Vatican’s deal with China’s Communist Party
CNA: Catholic persecution worse after Vatican-China deal, Congress finds
A new U.S. government report says that human rights abuse in China has
worsened in the last year, and specifically highlighted the escalating
persecution of Chinese Catholics in the wake of the Vatican-China
agreement of 2018.
“During its 2019 reporting year,
the Congressional-Executive Commission on China found that the human
rights situation has worsened and the rule of law continued to
deteriorate, as the Chinese government and Party increasingly used
regulations and laws to assert social and political control,” stated
the commission’s annual report, released on Wednesday.
The report said that “After the PRC
Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement with the Holy See in
September 2018 paving the way for unifying the state-sanctioned and
underground Catholic communities, local Chinese authorities subjected
Catholic believers in China to increasing persecution by demolishing
churches, removing crosses, and continuing to detain underground
clergy.”
The report’s time frame covers human rights in China from August 2018
to August 2019. The commission was established by Congress in 2000, as
China was set to enter the World Trade Organization, to report on human
rights in the country and to maintain a database of political prisoners.
Wednesday’s report notes the rise
of mass internment camps in the country’s western Xinjiang province,
the brutal persecution of Christians, Muslims, and other unregistered
churches or religious groups, and repression of pro-democracy
protesters in Hong Kong.
The Chinese Communist Party’s five
year “sinacization” plan is underway to establish state control over
religion. “Scholars and international rights groups have described
religious persecution in China over the last year to be of an intensity
not seen since the Cultural Revolution,” the report said.
And China is reportedly ramping up stricter controls on religious groups and events in 2020.
New restrictions set to be enforced
in February include mandates that religious groups “adhere to the
directives on religions in China, implementing the values of socialism”
and promote the “principles and policies of the Chinese Communist
Party.”
ANNOUNCEMENT: Third Annual Lepanto Conference, New York City, February 15, with Cardinal Zen
The third annual Lepanto Conference
will take place in New York City on Saturday, February 15, 2020,
beginning with a Pontifical Mass in the traditional rite at the great
Dominican church of St Vincent Ferrer (869 Lexington Avenue).
The Mass will be celebrated by His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Zen, Bishop
Emeritus of Hong Kong, beginning at 11 a.m., and followed by followed
by lectures and a procession. Lectures will be given by Cardinal Zen,
Dr. Michael P. Foley, and Rev. George Rutler. Confessions will be heard
at the Church of St Vincent Ferrer beginning at 10:00 AM.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 27- "On holy stillness of body and soul"
50. When you go forth, guard what you have gathered.
When the cage is opened, the birds fly out. And then we shall find
no further profit in stillness.
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