My Prayer Box the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this link.       To trivia or not:       Answer from last week's trivia:       What do you call the the piece of white linen placed on the church altar used during the celebration of the Eucharist?   1. White Linen 2. Liturgical cloth 3. Corporal 4. Sergeant 5. Altar Protection       The answer:   3. Corporal             Who made the annunciation to Mary?   1. The angel Michael 2. The angel Gabriel 3. The angel Raphael 4. St John       Which holy shrine contains the house considered to be where the Word became incarnate (conception of Jesus) and where Jesus was raised.    1. Holy House of Loreto 2. Church of the Holy Sepulcher 3. Lourdes 4. Monte San Angelo           Something to Think About   Quotes on Choosing to be Happy       1. Be grateful     By Dennis Prager:   "All happy people are grateful, and ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that it is being unhappy that leads people to complain, but it is truer to to say that it is complaining that leads to people becoming unhappy. Become grateful and you will become a much happier person."   Think about it, what does complaining usually lead to? Bitterness and dissatisfaction with what you have. So it makes a lot of sense that the more one is grateful, the less one tends to complain.       2. Help Others From Acts 20:35 "In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" To be continued ...     Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 5, 2009     First Reading From the Prophet Ezekiel:   Ez 2:2-5   As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house— they shall know that a prophet has been among them.   Responsorial From the Book of Psalms: Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4   R. (2cd) Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. To you I lift up my eyes who are enthroned in heaven — As the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters. R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, So are our eyes on the LORD, our God, till he have pity on us. R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us, for we are more than sated with contempt; our souls are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the contempt of the proud. R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.       Second Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians 2 Cor 12:7-10   Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.         Reading From the Gospel of Mark: Mk 6:1-6   Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.   Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.               References Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life by Charles J. Chaput (Author) “At a time when the ‘faith and values’ vote has never been more important, Archbishop Charles Chaput deftly explores the intersection of morality, reason, and politics. This isn’t just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who cares about the state of America’s soul —and how that concern might shape the 2008 elections.” —John L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican correspondent, Amazon   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 B - 2009 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!   My Prayer Box Newsletter   My Prayer Box newsletter is published weekly and contains the readings for that Sunday. It has reflections, stories and reader contributions, prayers and news relevant to living a proud Catholic life. The reader contributions include announcements, interesting articles, pictures and greetings. We also solicit news regarding activities and events your parishes that you might useful for others. The newsletter has over 1000 subscribers.   Apologetics Mary and the Saints Mass and the Eucharist A collection of articles based on published books explaining the reasons behind certain Catholic practices and traditions.   The blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, figures very strongly in Catholic life.   The Catholic Mass is a true sacrifice and the Eucharist a representation in an unbloody manner of the sacrifice of Christ. Prayers Novenas The Rosary Traditional Prayers: Discover the origin of your favorite prayer. We might even have the original Latin version, too.   Novenas: Learn how to say a novena in honor of your favorite Saint.    You can learn how to say the Rosary.  The complete Rosary comes with the readings from the Gospel. Archived Articles Prayer Requests Tours and Pilgrimages A collection of original and submitted articles and stories from past issues of My Prayer Box newsletter.   A collection of requests for prayers and spiritual assistance from readers.   Take a journey to religious places. Contact our dedicated specialists by following this link.

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