|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Who
is
|
|
Ezekiel
|
|
Part 2: The Salvation of
Israel |
|
|
|
The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel for him
to tell his countrymen that when the LORD
brings the sword against a country, a
watchman, selected from their own, shall see
the sword coming and shall blow his trumpet to
warn the people. Those who hear but shall not
heed the warning shall be slain. Those who
listen shall be spared.
The LORD appoints Ezekiel the watchman.
The LORD tells Ezekiel to tell his people that
the LORD takes no pleasure in the death of the
wicked man, but rather in the wicked man’s
conversion. If the wicked man listens to the
warning and turns away from his sin he shall
live. If a virtuous man turns away from what
is right and does wrong, he shall die for it. |
 |
|
|
The hand of the LORD comes upon Ezekiel one
evening on the twelfth year of the exile and opens
his mouth, so he can speak. On that next day a
fugitive comes to Ezekiel with news that the city
was taken. As ordered by the LORD, Ezekiel tells
his people that the survivors shall not have any
claim to their land.
|
|
 |
The LORD further says that for lack of a
shepherd His sheep are scattered. They have
become food for the wild beasts, and have been
given to pillage. Because of this the LORD
says that He shall look after and tend His
sheep, rescuing them from every place.
The LORD says that He shall lead them out from
among the peoples and gather them from foreign
lands. He shall bring them back to their own
country. In good pastures he shall pasture
them, and on the mountain heights of Israel
shall be their grazing ground. There they
shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in
rich pastures shall |
|
|
they
be pastured on the mountains of Israel. The LORD
Himself shall give them rest. He shall bring back
the strays, bind up the blind and heal the sick.
The
LORD says that He shall appoint one shepherd to
pasture them, who shall be prince among them. He
shall make a covenant of peace with his people. He
shall rid the country of ravenous beasts that they
may dwell securely in the desert and sleep in the
forests.
The LORD says that He shall make the fields bear
their fruits and the land their crops. Thus they
shall know that he is the LORD when He breaks the
bonds of their yoke and free them from the power
of those who enslaved them. The countries that
plundered, enslaved and defiled Israel with their
idols shall bear their own reproach. The LORD
shall pour fury upon them. The cities shall then
be resettled with His people and the ruins
rebuilt.
|
|
|
|
The hand of the LORD comes upon Ezekiel and
leads him to the center of a plain now filled
with bones. The LORD tells Ezekiel to prophesy
on them so that they shall hear the word of
the LORD, thus they shall rise and come to
life full of the LORD’s spirit. So Ezekiel
prophesies on the dry bones and they come to
life. The LORD tells Ezekiel that the bones
are the whole house of Israel.
The LORD tells Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel
who had lost hope and felt cut off. He shall
open their graves and have them rise from
them, and bring them back to the land of
Israel.
The LORD tells Ezekiel to take a single stick,
and write on it: Judah and those Israelites
who are associated with him. Then to take
another stick and write on it: Joseph (the
|
 |
|
|
stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel
associated with him. He tells him to join the two
stick together so that they form one stick in his
hand.
The
LORD tells Ezekiel to tell the people that this
meant He shall take the Israelites from among the
nations to which they have come. He shall gather
them from all sides to bring them back to their
land. Then He shall make them one nation upon the
land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall
be one prince for them all. Never again shall they
be two nations, and never again shall they be
divided into two kingdoms.
No longer shall they defile themselves with their
idols, their abominations, and all their
transgressions. He shall deliver them from all
their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that
they may be His people and He may be their God.
His servant David shall be prince over them, and
there shall be one shepherd for them all. They
shall live by His statutes and carefully observe
His decrees.
They shall live on the land which He gave to His
servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever, they, and their
children, and their children's children, with His
servant David their prince forever.
He shall make with them a covenant of everlasting
peace and He shall multiply them, and put His
sanctuary among them forever. His dwelling shall
be with them; he shall be their God, and they
shall be His people. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
To be continued... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAITH AND REASON ARE INTRINSICALLY NON-VIOLENT |
|
|
|
VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2008 (VIS) - Following
today's general audience, Benedict XVI
received participants in the sixth meeting of
the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
Dialogue and the Islamic Culture and Relations
Organisation of Tehran, Iran. They have been
meeting to study the theme of: "Faith and
Reason in Christianity and Islam".
The participants in the meeting, led by
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the
Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
Dialogue, and by Mahdi Mostafavi, president of
the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation,
agreed upon the following points: |
|
|
"Faith and reason are both gifts of God to
mankind.
"Faith and reason do not contradict each
other, but faith might in some cases be
above reason, but never against it.
"Faith and reason are intrinsically
non-violent. Neither reason nor faith should
be used for violence; unfortunately, both of
them have been sometimes misused to
perpetrate violence. In any case, these
events cannot question either reason or
faith.
"Both sides agreed to further co-operate in
order to promote genuine religiosity, in
particular spirituality, to encourage
respect for symbols considered to be sacred
and to promote moral values.
"Christians and Muslims should go beyond
tolerance, accepting differences, while
remaining aware of commonalties and thanking
God for them. They are called to mutual
respect, thereby condemning derision of
religious beliefs.
"Generalisation should be avoided when
speaking of religions. Differences of
confessions with Christianity and Islam,
diversity of historical contexts are
important factors to be considered.
"Religious traditions cannot be judged on
the basis of a single verse or a passage
present in their respective holy Books. A
holistic vision as well as an adequate
hermeneutical method is necessary for a fair
understanding of them".
|
OP/ISLAM CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE/TAURAN:MOSTAFAVI
VIS 080430 (290)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So
you think you know -
|
|
Confirmation |
| |
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. |
|
|
|
| |
Give chapter and verse, or the quote, for a
biblical reference for what became known as the
sacrament of
Confirmation.
Which of the following is
false
about Confirmation?
Pick any combination of the following. |
| |
- It
perfects Baptismal grace.
It
gives us the Holy Spirit.
It
helps us bear witness to the faith in words and
deeds.
It
is the second plank of salvation.
Anyone can administer Confirmation to another in
grave necessity.
|
| |
True or false.
Since Confirmation gives the Holy Spirit to
strengthen the believer in his witness to the
world, the denial of one's faith requires a
re-Confirmation to restore the Spirit of
Witness.
True or false.
The administration of Confirmation directly
following infant Baptism, and immediately
followed by the Eucharist, is illicit in the
Catholic Church.
Why, in the Latin Church, does
Confirmation
not immediately follow Baptism?
Pick any combination of the following.
|
| |
- The Latin Church no longer considers
Confirmation a sacrament of initiation.
A
desire for the confirmand to make his own free
will choice.
- In
order to emphasize the importance of baptismal
entry into the faith of the Church.
- The Church wants the bishop to confirm, in order
to signify the strengthening of the bond to the
Church and its apostolic origins.
- The Church wants to administer this sacrament
after the age of reason.
|
|
|
To
learn more about Our Faith, please
click here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Seventh
Sunday
of Easter
May 4, 2008 |
|
First Reading from the Acts of the
Apostles |
|
Acts 1:12-14 |
|
|
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the
apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount
called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath
day’s journey away.
When they entered the city they went to the upper
room where they were staying, Peter and John and
James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew
and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the
Zealot, and Judas son of James.
All
these devoted themselves with one accord to
prayer, together with some women, and Mary the
mother of Jesus, and his brothers. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
|
|
Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8 |
|
|
|
|
|
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of
the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things
of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things
of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things
of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Reading from the First Letter
of
Peter |
|
1 Pt 4:13-16
|
| |
|
| |
Beloved:
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the
sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is
revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.
If
you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed
are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests
upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer as a
murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an
intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian
should not be ashamed but glorify God because of
the name. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reading From the Gospel of John |
|
Jn 17:1-11a
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your
son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you
gave him authority over all people, so that your
son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now
this is eternal life, that they should know you,
the only true God, and the one whom you sent,
Jesus Christ.
I
glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work
that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory
that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me
out of the world.
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and
they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from
you, because the words you gave to me I have given
to them, and they accepted them and truly
understood that I came from you, and they have
believed that you sent me.
I
pray for them.
I
do not pray for the world but for the ones you
have given me, because they are yours, and
everything of mine is yours and everything of
yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world, but they
are in the world, while I am coming to you. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
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. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | |
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.
