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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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When no one
hears it, was it said |
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Forget the sophomoric argument about trees falling
in the forest. Let's talk about gratitude. A
long time ago, growing up in my home town was
sometimes difficult. I never really paid attention
to it however, since I was too busy studying.
Somehow I knew there was something bigger out
there. And I knew that education was the key to my
future - thanks to my mother and father.
I got good grades and was an honor student
throughout elementary grades. When I gradated from
the elementary school, I thought I was on the way
to bigger things: Just go to the big city, enroll
in the big high school, go to the big university
and so on. Or at least that was the plan of one so
full of himself - namely me.
The "plan" was dealt a humbling blow when I
took the high school entrance examination (yes, in
my old world prospective students have to qualify
for a spot in the trade school). I flunked it.
Badly.
Seeing my disappointment, my uncle, who just
happened to be a teacher in the trade school,
without my knowledge made some inquiries and
voila! I passed. I still do not know what he did -
maybe he talked to the right people or maybe they
found an error and I suddenly passed. That didn't
matter really, since without his help, there would
not have been another chance.
With great gratitude to my uncle, I enrolled in
the big high school. One down, a thousand to go.
Seeing this opportune twist handed to me I
threw myself to a life of study to prove to my
uncle and to those who sneered at the fact that
without him I would not be in there, that I
deserved that second chance, no matter how
questionably it was obtained. Pride and principles
were not in my vein then - after all I was only
12.
So high school was four years of really
disciplined studies as I had never done before. I
graduated high school and went on to the
university, graduated there and found gainful
employment all over my old country before ending
up in the US of A.
What's this to do with gratitude? Glad you
asked.
Last December my family and I and a couple of
friends went to visit Cebu, Philippines. We saw my
family and reconnected with old friends.
I also made a point of visiting my uncle and
aunt and their family at their home across from my
old trade school. By the way, my old high school
made quite a few changes, not only in its name but
also the buildings that I missed the turn
off several times before I realized that that was
my old neighborhood.
My intention of visiting my uncle was simple,
to thank him once again, in case he did not hear
it the first time. But that day was a little more
special because I was able to explain to my family
AND his family that my uncle was the one
responsible for setting off on the right tract.
And that we all had to be thankful to him. My aunt
was just beaming that I even remembered.
Gratitude is a strange thing. Once given to
those whom we owe a debt of gratitude not only
does it become a source of inner peace and
happiness to the giver, but also a source of great
joy to the receiver.
Ultimately, our source of happiness is to be
able to express gratitude to those whom we owe
greatly, whether or not they hear it. |
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This Lent, live as if Jesus Christ is
indeed Lord of your life
by
the Most Reverend Charles J.
Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Denver
as published
in the
Denver Catholic
Register, February 25, 2009 |
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This week’s column
is adapted from Archbishop Chaput’s
Feb. 23 comments at St. Basil’s
Church, University of Toronto. Read
the archbishop’s full address at
archden.org. |
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Seventy years ago the great
French Catholic writer Georges
Bernanos published a little essay
called “Sermon of an Agnostic on the
Feast of St. Théresè.” Bernanos
deeply loved the Church, but he
could also be brutally candid when
it came to himself and his fellow
believers. Above all, he had a
piercing sense of irony about the
comfortable, the self-satisfied and
the lukewarm who postured themselves
as Catholic—whether they were
laypeople or clergy.
In his essay he imagined “what any
decent agnostic of average
intelligence might say, if by some
impossible chance the (pastor) were
to let him stand awhile in the
pulpit (on) the day consecrated to
St. Théresè of Lisieux.”
“Dear brothers,” says the agnostic
from the pulpit, “many unbelievers
are not as hardened as you imagine.
… (But when) we seek (Christ) now,
in this world, it is you we find,
and only you. … It is you Christians
who participate in divinity, as your
liturgy proclaims; it is you ‘divine
men’ who ever since (Christ’s)
ascension have been his
representatives on earth. … You are
the salt of the earth. (So if) the
world loses its flavor, who is it I
should blame? … The New Testament is
eternally young. It is you who are
so old. … Because you do not live
your faith, your faith has ceased to
be a living thing.”
Bernanos had little use for the
learned, the proud or the
superficially religious. He believed
instead in the little flowers—the
Thérèses of Lisieux—that sustain the
Church and convert the world by the
purity, simplicity, innocence and
zeal of their faith. That kind of
innocent faith is a gift. But it’s a
gift each of us can ask for, and
each of us will receive, if we just
have the courage to choose it and
then act on it. The only people who
ever really change the world are
saints. Each of us can be one of
them. But we need to want sainthood,
and then we need to follow the path
that comes with it.
Bernanos once wrote that the
optimism of the modern world,
including its “politics of hope,” is
like whistling past a graveyard.
It’s a cheap substitute for real
hope and “a sly form of selfishness,
a method of isolating (ourselves)
from the unhappiness of others” by
thinking happy or progressive
thoughts. Real hope “must be won.
(We) can only attain hope through
truth, at the cost of great effort
and long patience. … Hope is a
virtue, virtus, strength; an heroic
determination of the soul. (And) the
highest form of hope is despair
overcome.”
We can only attain hope through
truth. And what that means is this:
From the moment Jesus said, “I am
the way, the truth and the life,”
the most important public statement
anyone can make is “Jesus Christ is
Lord.”
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To read the rest of the article,
please click here. |
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To read the original address at St
Basil's Church in the University of
Toronto, Toronto, Canada,
please click here. |
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The First Sunday of Lent
March 1,
2009 |
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First Reading From
the Book of Genesis: |
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Gn 9:8-15
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God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
"See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you and with every
living creature that was with you: all the birds,
and the various tame and wild animals that were
with you and came out of the ark.I will
establish my covenant with you, that never again
shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the
waters of a flood; there shall not be another
flood to devastate the earth."
God added:
"This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to
come, of the covenant between me and you and every
living creature with you: I set my bow in the
clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between
me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow
appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant
I have made between me and you and all living
beings, so that the waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy all mortal beings." |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 |
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R. Your ways, O Lord, are
love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to
those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to
those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to
those who keep your covenant.
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Second Reading from the First Letter of
Peter to the Christians |
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1 Pt 3:18-22 |
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Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for
the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead
you to God.Put to
death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the
Spirit.
In it he also went to
preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been
disobedient while God patiently waited in the days
of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a
few persons, eight in all, were saved through
water.
This prefigured baptism,
which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt
from the body but an appeal to God for a clear
conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the
right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and
powers subject to him. |
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Reading From
the Gospel of Mark:
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Mk 1:12-15 |
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The Spirit drove Jesus
out into the desert, and he remained in the
desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to
Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom
of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the
gospel." |
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References |
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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. |
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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 |
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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 |
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"... 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. |
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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) |
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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 |
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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. |
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The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon: |
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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." |
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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 |
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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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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 |
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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.
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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." |
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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 |
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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
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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
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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. |
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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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© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
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Rey
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