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My Prayer Box
the
Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
“You cannot strengthen the
weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the
wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You
cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You
cannot help men permanently by doing for them what
they could and should do for themselves.” -
Abraham Lincoln
To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this
link. |
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My Apologies: |
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The website hosting email system had been
problematic in the last few weeks.
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Who
is |
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Daniel
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(From the Book of Daniel) |
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Introduction |
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Darius the Mede succeeds to the kingdom at the age
of sixty-two. Darius decides to appoint over his
entire kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to
safeguard his interests. They are accountable to
three supervisors, one of whom is Daniel.
Daniel outshines all the supervisors and
satraps because an extraordinary spirit is in
him. They try to
find grounds for accusation against Daniel. But
they can accuse him of no wrongdoing. Because he
is trustworthy, no fault of neglect or misconduct
is to be found in him.
Then these men
suggest to that king that by
royal decree no one is to address any petition to
god or man for thirty days, except to the King
otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions.
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After this they
find Daniel praying to the LORD and force the king
to throw Daniel into the den of lions. But the
angel of the LORD came down to the den of lions
with daniel and protected him. The king orders
Daniel out of the den of lions. |
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Part V: Daniel's Visions |
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In the first year
of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel has a
terrifying vision as he lies in bed.
In the vision Daniel sees the four winds of heaven
suddenly stir up the great sea, from which emerges
four immense beasts, each different from the
others.
The first is like a lion, but with eagle's wings.
As he watches, the wings are plucked. It is raised
from the ground to stand on two feet like a man,
and given a human mind. |
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The second is like a bear. It is raised up on one
side, and among the teeth in its mouth are three
tusks. It is given the order to rise up and devour
much flesh.
After this Daniel looks and sees another beast,
like a leopard. On its back are four wings like
those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this
beast dominion is given.
After this Daniel sees the fourth beast, different
from all the others, terrifying, horrible, and of
extraordinary strength. It has great iron teeth
with which it devours and crushes, and what is
left it tramples with its feet.
Daniel is looking at its ten horns and when
suddenly another, a little horn, springs out of
their midst, and three of the previous horns are
torn away to make room for it. This horn has eyes
like a man, and a mouth that speak arrogantly. |
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As Daniel watches, Thrones are set up and the
Ancient One takes his throne. His clothing is snow
bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool.
His throne is of flames of fire, with wheels of
burning fire.
A surging stream of fire flows out from where he
sits. Thousands upon thousands are ministering to
him, and myriads upon myriads attending him. The
court is convened, and the books are opened.
Daniel watches as the horn speaks the first of the
arrogant words, until the beast is slain and its
body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lose their dominion,
are granted a prolongation of life for a time and
a season.
As the visions during the night continue Daniel
sees One like a son of man coming, on the clouds
of heaven. When he reaches the Ancient One and is
presented before him, He receives dominion, glory,
and kingship. Nations and peoples of every
language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion that shall not be taken away. His
kingship shall not be destroyed. |
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Daniel finds his spirit anguished within its
sheath of flesh, and he is terrified by the
visions of his mind.
In his vision Daniel approaches one of those
present and asks him what all this meant in truth.
In answer, he makes known to Daniel the meaning of
the things:
"These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms
which shall arise on the earth. But the holy ones
of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to
possess it forever and ever."
But Daniel wishes to make certain about the
fourth beast, so very terrible and different
from the others, devouring and crushing with
its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling
with its feet what was left. He wanted to make
certain about the ten horns on its head, and
the other one that sprang up, before which
three horns fell. He wanted to make certain
about the |
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horn with the eyes
and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which
appeared greater than its fellows. |
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For, as he watched,
that horn made war against the holy ones and was
victorious until the Ancient One arrived; judgment
was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the
Most High, and the time came when the holy ones
possessed the kingdom.
He answers Daniel thus: "The fourth beast shall be
a fourth kingdom on earth, different from all the
others. It shall devour the whole earth, beat it
down, and crush it. The ten horns shall be ten
kings rising out of that kingdom. Another shall
rise up after them, different from those before
him, who shall lay low three kings.
He shall speak against the Most High and oppress
the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change
the feast days and the law. They shall be handed
over to him for a year, two years, and a
half-year.
But when the court is convened his power is taken
away by final and absolute destruction. Then the
kingship and dominion and majesty of all the
kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the
holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom shall
be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey
him."
The vision ends. Daniel, greatly terrified by his
thoughts decided to keep the matter to himself. |
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To
be continued... |
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Why are so many women depressed? |
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An article by
Dennis Prager, a conservative thinker,
posted in WorldNetDaily. |
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It is widely
reported that women suffer depression at twice the
rate of men. Apparently, more women are clinically
depressed than ever before. On the assumption that
these assessments are true, the question anyone
interested in the subject – which means anyone who
cares about any woman – asks is, why?
In a recent column
I offered one explanation – the impossibly high
expectations for happiness that feminism created
for many women.
There are other
possible explanations.
One is the way
in which many girls have been raised.
As every wise
person and wise culture in history has known, it
is impossible to attain any happiness without
conquering one's nature. This is, of course,
equally true for boys and girls, men and women.
However, along with feminism arose a belief in the
superiority of female nature. One result of this
has been the suppressing of many male instincts –
both negative and positive – along with little or
no suppression of negative female instincts.
Societies and
parents always knew that it was imperative to
teach boys to control two aspects of their male
nature – their sexual desires and their
predilection for violence. So all of us decent men
were taught from a young age to touch a woman
sexually only with her permission and to channel
our physical aggression into sports or into
helping to fight evil by joining a police force or
the military, or by being prepared to physically
defend innocents. Men who did not learn to control
these aspects of male nature not only became bad
men, they became unhappy men. Happiness is
attainable only when we control our nature and not
when our nature controls us. |
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To read the rest of this
great article, please click here. |
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So
you think you know -
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Holy
Orders |
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The Office of Catechism
of the United States Congress of Catholic Bishops
website puts our knowledge of the Catholic
Faith to a test!
This
is just a sample. |
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1. |
Cite where
references are made in the Bible to the
appointing of presbyters. |
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2. |
True or false.
In the Catholic Church there exists only the
ordained priesthood. |
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3. |
True or false.
The ministerial priesthood confers on the men
ordained a power by which it differs in essence
from the common priesthood of the faithful. |
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4. |
True or false.
The priest receives the fullness of the sacrament
of Holy Orders. |
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5. |
True or false.
The priest, by virtue of the sacrament bestowed on
him, is able to act in the person of Christ the
head. |
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6. |
Which of the
following are
tasks of the deacon?
Choose any combination of the following. |
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Assisting
in the celebration of the Eucharist |
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Assisting
in the distribution of Holy Communion |
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Blessing
marriages |
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Proclaiming
the Gospel |
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Presiding
over funerals |
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7. |
True or false.
Ordination imprints an indelible sacramental
character. |
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8. |
True or
false.
The ordination of women remains an option
which the Church may choose in the future. |
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9. |
True or
false.
Acceptance of celibacy by the candidate for
priesthood is a sign that he is giving himself
completely to God and men. |
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10. |
True or
false.
Although it is the bishop who confers the
sacrament on deacons and priests, only the
Holy Father can confer the sacrament on the
bishop-designate. |
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To
learn more about Our Faith, please
click here. |
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Thirteenth
Sunday in Ordinary Time :
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 6,
2008
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. Mat 16:18 |
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First Reading from the Book of Zechariah |
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Zec 9:9-10 |
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Thus
says the LORD:
Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy,
O daughter Jerusalem!
See,
your king shall come to you; a just savior is he,
meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of
an ass.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the
horse from Jerusalem; the warrior’s bow shall be
banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the
nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from
the River to the ends of the earth. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 145:1-2, 8-9,
10-11, 13-14 |
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R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and
my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king
and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king
and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king
and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king
and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia. |
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Second Reading from the Letter to the Romans |
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Rom 8:9, 11-13
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Brothers and sisters:
You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are
in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in
you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does
not belong to him.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the
dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from
the dead will give life to your mortal bodies
also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not
debtors to the flesh, to live according to the
flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will
die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the
deeds of the body, you will live. |
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Reading From the Gospel of Matthew |
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Mt 11:25-30 |
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At
that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, for although you have hidden these
things from the wise and the learned you have
revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my
Father. No one knows the Son except the
Father, and no one knows the Father except the
Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to
reveal him.” |
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“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek
and humble of heart; and you will find rest for
yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” |
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Suggested Readings |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam
(Companions for the Journey Series)
-
Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De
Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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Praying with Vincent de
Paul (Companions for the Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity:
How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became
the Dominant Religious Force ....
(Paperback) by Rodney Stark
(Author)
From the Publisher
"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire |
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is already the subject of much fanfare. "Anyone
who has puzzled over Christianity's rise to
dominance... must read it," ...
Read the first page. |
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Living Liturgy:
Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for
Sundays and Solemnities, Year A,
2008 (Paperback) by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann Zimmerman
(Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author), S.N.D. de
N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S. Thomas L.
Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers
to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by: Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of
Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response to the many questions concerning
the Catholic Church. It spells out profound
truths in very |
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simple language for all who seek a better
understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend
it for Catholics, both young and old. |
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The Power of Intention:
Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon:
After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and |
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bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel:
Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as it walks you through a pivotal period in
Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will
give you a better picture of the physical
geography of this ancient land. |
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Read
more about the Liturgical Year |
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This
volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings
follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New
Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English
Bible itself, but these are further subdivided for the purposes of the
commentary, which is printed in short sections following the relevant portion of
the text.
by Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year.
by John J. Pilch (Author)