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An Open Letter |
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Dear Jen,
I cannot imagine the concern, fear and uncertainty
that you feel with this affliction you now have.
But like it or not, there it is, familiar yet
terrifyingly unfamiliar at the same time.
As Catholics we are drawn to reminders of what
keep us strong. St. Peregrine is a good saint.
Saints are like angels sent by God for us to
immolate. We ask the saints to intercede with God
in our behalf. After all God did give them holy
lives and had spoken to them. It is our belief
that God will listen to them.
You might be asking, “Why me?” With illness in us
we all have the tendency ask that but no one can
know why you or even why now. Only God can know
that.
This is what I believe: God will not give you a
burden you cannot carry.
And this is what I know: God certainly have faith
in you carrying this burden.
You might feel a certain closeness to your faith
now more than ever. To some that is a source of
guilt for not having been there all the time.
Remember that this illness is not inflicted on you
to draw you closer to God.
Illnesses happen regardless, after all we are
human. No one is given a pass – no matter how
close to God one is. I know this due to one of our
closest friends. And certainly, St. Peregrine knew
this.
But I wish I know with certainty that prayers will
cure your specific illness. But God heals
and gives relief.
In fact God foresaw this when he inspired Matthew
to write in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you
who labor and are burdened, and I will give you
rest.”
You might feel silently disappointed that your
prayers are not heard. Don’t be.
This is what I know: With prayers God will heal
that part of you OR your life that is
weakest. If God sees that this illness is your
weakest, you will get relief; miracles do happen.
In fact, medical discoveries in fighting this
illness are in themselves part of these miracles.
But God can also heal you in many other ways –
just be open to seeing them. How? Glad you asked.
Well, if necessary maybe a closer and deeper bond
within your immediate and extended families; a
slower pace at home and at work; certainly a
closer communion with God. This may cause others
to look at their own lives and figure out what
changes to make, or be more aware of any illnesses
that they had been taking for granted. Believe it
or not, these are examples of healing.
As for me, I have already seen it in a small way.
God bless.
Love, Tito Rey |
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Muslim Journalist's Conversion Stuns Europe,
Islamic World
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Rome, Mar. 25, 2008 (CWNews.com)
- The conversion of a prominent Egyptian-born
journalist, who was baptized by Pope Benedict XVI
(bio - news) at the Easter Vigil, has stirred
strong reactions across the Islamic world.
Magdi Allam, a deputy editor of the Italian daily
Corriere della Sera, said that his reception into
the Catholic Church marked "the most beautiful day
of my life." But his embrace of the Catholic faith
outraged many Muslim leaders. Islam teaches that
apostasy is punishable by death.
Allam had already been a target of Muslim anger
because of his outspoken criticism of Islamic
extremism. He lived in seclusion in Italy,
accompanied by bodyguards during his public
appearances, even before his conversion.
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For
the full story,
please click here. |
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Pope
John Paul II was world's conscience, modern-day
apostle |
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By John
Thavis
Catholic News Service |
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II was a
voice of conscience for the world and a modern-day
apostle for his church.
To both roles he brought a philosopher's
intellect, a pilgrim's spiritual intensity and an
actor's flair for the dramatic. That combination
made him one of the most forceful moral leaders of
the modern age.
As head of the church for more than 26 years, he
held a hard line on doctrinal issues and drew
sharp limits on dissent. For many years he was a
tireless evangelizer at home and abroad, but
toward the end his frailty left him unable to
murmur a blessing.
The first non-Italian pope in 455 years, Pope John
Paul became a spiritual protagonist in two global
transitions: the fall of European communism, which
began in his native Poland in 1989, and the
passage to the third millennium of Christianity. |
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For the full story,
please click here. |
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Third
Sunday
of Easter
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared
to Simon!” |
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April 6, 2008
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First Reading from the Acts of the
Apostles |
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Acts 2:14, 22-33 |
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Then
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice,
and proclaimed:
“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in
Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to
my words.
You
who are Israelites, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by
God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which
God worked through him in your midst, as you
yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set
plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using
lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the
throes of death, because it was impossible for him
to be held by it.
For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my
right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my
heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my
flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will
not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will
you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life; you
will fill me with joy in your presence.
“My brothers, one can confidently say to you about
the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had
sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his
descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke
of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither
was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his
flesh see corruption.
God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the
promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and
poured him forth, as you see and hear.” |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8,
9-10, 11 |
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R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Keep
me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I
bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be
disturbed.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the
netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo
corruption.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You
will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Second Reading from the First Letter
of
Peter |
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1 Pt 1:17-21
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Beloved:
If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially
according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves
with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
realizing that you were ransomed from your futile
conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with
perishable things like silver or gold but with the
precious blood of Christ as of a spotless
unblemished lamb.
He was known before the foundation of the world
but revealed in the final time for you,
who through him believe in God who raised him from
the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith
and hope are in God. |
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Reading From the Gospel of Luke |
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Lk 24:13-35 |
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That very day, the first day
of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to
a village seven miles from Jerusalem called
Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the
things that had occurred.
And
it happened that while they were conversing and
debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with
them, but their eyes were prevented from
recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?” |
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They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named
Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does
not know of the things that have taken place there
in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before
God and all the people, how our chief priests and
rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to
redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the
third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded
us:
they were at the
tomb early in the morning and did not find his
body; they came back and reported that they had
indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that
he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb and
found things just as the women had described, but
him they did not see.”
And he said to them,
“Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer
these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures. |
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As they approached the village to which they were
going,
he gave the impression that he was going on
farther.
But they urged him,
“Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost
over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at
table,
he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and
gave it to them. |
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With that their
eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the
Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared
to Simon!”
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking
of bread. |
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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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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. |
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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 |
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Learn more and read the Old Testament. |
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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 |
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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
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and Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary
spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría
Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible
project. |
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Comments and
Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any
comments or contributions, please
use the form in this link.
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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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.
