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. The Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and mother. It is interesting to say the least that nowhere does the Bible say "Love your Parents" but instead in Mark 12:31, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Sure, with inclusivism one can infer that your parents are your neighbors, too. And yet there it is, the Bible teaches that honoring someone is greater than loving someone. In fact great enough to be part of the Ten Commandments. Perhaps the problems, tensions and tenuous relationships that some people have with their parents existed then as they do now. With very rare exceptions, we should all honor our parents. And in most cases, honoring often includes loving them. Happy Mother's Day to All!     And now, some humor! Things my mother taught me (A Reader's Contribution from a long time ago) My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE     "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!" My mother taught me RELIGION     "You better pray that will come out of the carpet." My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL     "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!" My mother taught me REASON     "Because I said so, that's why." My Mother taught me LOGIC     "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me." My mother taught me FORESIGHT     "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident" My mother taught me IRONY     "Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about." My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS     "Shut your mouth and eat your supper!" My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM     "Will you "look" at the dirt on the back of your neck!" My mother taught me about STAMINA     "You'll sit there 'till all that spinach is finished." My mother taught me about WEATHER     "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room." My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS     "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?" My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY     "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times--Don't exaggerate!!!" My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE     "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out." My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION     "Stop acting like your father!" My mother taught me about ENVY!     "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!" My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION     "Just wait until we get home." My Mother taught me about RECEIVING     "You are going to get it when we get home!" My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE     "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way." My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD     "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job." My Mother taught me ESP     "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?" My Mother taught me HUMOR     "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me." My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT     "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up." My Mother taught me about SEX     "How do you THINK you got here?" My Mother taught me about GENETICS     "You're just like your father." My Mother taught me about my ROOTS     "Do you think you were born in a barn?" My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE     "When you get to be my age, you will understand." And my all time favorite... My Mother taught me about JUSTICE     "One day you'll have kids ... and I hope they turn out just like you!     What is  Pentecost Sunday  On Sunday, May 11, 2008 the Universal Church celebrates the Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit descends on the apostles. It is the 50th Sunday after the resurrection of Christ, tenth day after the Ascension of the LORD and marks the end of the Easter season. This is one of the most ancient feast of the Church, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles 20:16 and First Letter Paul's to the Corinthians 16:8.     THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS IN A STATE OF PENTECOST VATICAN CITY, 7 MAY 2008 (VIS) - In the general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 20,000 faithful, the Holy Father used the occasion of the visit to Rome of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, to focus his remarks on ecumenical dialogue. The Patriarch, who was present at the audience, also made a brief address in which he reflected on the same theme, also dwelling upon the history of the Armenian people. Greeting the Patriarch in English, Benedict XVI referred to the statue of St. Gregory the Illuminator, founder of the Armenian Church, which is located in a niche of the Vatican Basilica and "serves to remind us of the severe persecutions suffered by Armenian Christians, especially during the last century. Armenia's many martyrs are a sign of the power of the Holy Spirit working in times of darkness, and a pledge of hope for Christians everywhere". The Patriarch's presence, said the Pope, "revives our hope for the full unity of all Christians", and he noted the well-known "commitment of the Armenian Apostolic Church to ecumenical dialogue". "These days of preparation that immediately precede the Solemnity of Pentecost stimulate us to renew our hope in the help of the Holy Spirit to advance along the path of ecumenism. We have the certainty that the Lord Jesus never abandons us in our search for unity, because His Spirit is tirelessly at work to support the efforts we make to overcome all forms of division". Benedict XVI went on: The Holy Spirit is "a power for the forgiveness of sins, for the renewal of our hearts and our lives. It renews the earth and creates unity where before there was division". When it descended upon the Apostles they spoke in tongues, a sign that "the Babylonian dispersion, fruit of the pride which divides mankind, was overcome in the Spirit, which is charity and gives us unity in diversity". "Since the first moment of her existence the Church, thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit, has spoken in all tongues and lived in all cultures. She destroys nothing of their history and gifts, but assumes them all in a great and new unity, which reconciles unity with the multiplicity of forms. With its power, the Holy Spirit ... unites divided man in divine charity and thus creates ... the great community which is the Church in all the world". Pope Benedict then went on to highlight how "the Church is always, so to say, in a state of Pentecost. Gathered in the Cenacle, she prays incessantly to obtain ever new effusions of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, ... and is not afraid to announce the Gospel to the furthest confines of the earth. This is why, faced with difficulties and divisions, Christians cannot resign themselves or give way to discouragement. "This is what Christ asks of Christians: to persevere in prayer in order to keep alive the flame of faith, hope and charity, and the longing for full unity", the Pope added. He then went on to mention his recent apostolic trip to the United States during which he had made reference "to the centrality of prayer in the ecumenical movement. In this period of globalisation and, at the same time, of fragmentation, 'without prayer ecumenical structures, institutions and programs would be deprived of their heart and soul'", he said. Finally, the Holy Father quoted St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians where it is written that "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Today", he concluded, "we too invoke these gifts of the Spirit for all Christians, so that in the joint and generous service of the Gospel they may be a sign in the world of God's love for humanity". AG/ECUMENISM PENTECOST/KAREKINVIS 080507 (660)     So you think you know -  Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church   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. Who is the author of Sacred Scripture? True or False: The authors of Scripture were only instruments under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who dictated to them the words to be written down. True or False: The Bible is to be understood literally. In addition to knowing the literary genres of Scripture itself, what other sources are needed in order to interpret the Scripture correctly? True or False: Even though we live in the New Testament times as inaugurated by Christ, the Old Testament is still indispensable. The illumination of the unity of the divine plan gained by discerning in God's works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in the fullness of time in the person of his incarnate Son is called: a). transubstantiation b). inerrancy c). impeccability d). typology e). inspiration To learn more about Our Faith, please click here.         Pentecost Sunday May 11, 2008 First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles Acts 2:1-11   When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own  tongues of the mighty acts of God.”     Responsorial From the Book of Psalms: Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! How manifold are your works, O Lord! the earth is full of your creatures; R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD be glad in his works! Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the LORD. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia.   Second Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13       Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.       Reading From the Gospel of John Jn 20:19-23     On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”         Suggested Readings 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. Praying With Frederic Ozanam (Companions for the Journey Series) - Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) Praying With Louise De Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series) by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves (Author) Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the Journey) 2004, by Thomas McKenna     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 is already the subject of much fanfare. "Anyone who has puzzled over Christianity's rise to dominance... must read it," ... Read the first page.   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) "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."   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 simple language for all who seek a better understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend it for Catholics, both young and old.   The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way From Amazon: After years of spiritual study and reflection, inspirational speaker and  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."   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.       The First Book of Kings (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament)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. Canon Robinson suggests that the editors of I Kings compiled their history in order to teach the Hebrews that their existence as Israel, the covenant people of God, depended upon their continuing loyalty to their own religious traditions, and their refusal to exchange them for the very different traditions of the Canaanites among whom they lived.           I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library) First sentence in the book: ""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that part of the history of Israel which describes the foundation of the State, running from the close of the period of the Judges to the establishment of the united kingdom."     Read more about the Liturgical Year   The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo Books) 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.   The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday) by John J. Pilch (Author) Reader Review: The book by Pilch provides those who not only fill the pulpits across this country but also all interested in the cultural world in which Jesus lived with a lot of pertinent information that sheds light on a lot of areas that have been "muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly recommend this book. - James Mauldin   Learn more and read the Old Testament. Preaching from the Old Testament by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader Review: The author of these thirty-two short chapters begins and ends with the assumption that problems we experience with the Old Testament are our problem, not the Bible's. This subordinating of the Bible reader to the well-weathered book he holds in his hand opens doors, not to forced harmonisations of problematic passages, but to fresh reappraisal of difficult texts on their own terms. - David A. Baer   The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament) This volume helps you make the first five books of the Old Testament a vital part of your spiritual reading and practical growth in the Christian life. It contains the full English and Latin texts of these books, along with extensive and faithfully Catholic commentaries. Like other volumes in the world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these commentaries draw on Church documents, the exegesis of Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible project.     Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome. If you have any comments or contributions, please use the form in this link.     Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome. If you have any comments or contributions, please use the form in this link.             Our Engine   This newsletter and the website is powered by Site Build It! It really is a "Genie In A Box." Don't forget to check out the Quick Tour Slide Show!   Want to try to win a free copy of the "Genie In A Box?" Click right here!