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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this
link. |
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Just a note: In case you were wondering, I
took a few weeks off to move my whole
household to a different home. |
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Trivia or not?: |
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Answers to last issue's
trivia: |
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What eventually happened to Mary? |
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Mary was assumed into heaven. |
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Mary died and her soul was assumed into
heaven. |
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Mary rode a chariot of fire into heaven. |
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Mary was taken up to heaven by 12 stars. |
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A Lesson from |
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Two Saints |
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Her life and her suffering is well documented.
She was married to an abusive husband and
their only son who led a life of sin. She
spent her days and lights crying and praying.
Her son, although considered brilliant by
those who know him could not decide on what to
do with his life. He took up law, and dropped
that and took up writing and was eventually
involved in a cult. You might think this is
a story of a modern age woman. But her name is
Monica who lived in a village in the present
day Algeria, near the border of Tunisia and
died at the age of 56 in 387AD. Her prayers,
persistence, patience and trust in God
eventually saved her son, Aurelius Augustinus.
Aurelius Augustinus converted to the Catholic
Church and took the name Augustine.
What we know of Lucy is based on tradition.
She was of noble birth and a virgin arranged
to be married a to a pagan named Paschasius.
Growing up a Christian, Lucy dedicated herself
to God, and persuaded her mother to put off
the marriage for a while.
Through her insistence she and her mother
Eutychia, then suffering from hemorrhagic
illness, went on a pilgrimage to St Agatha's
relics where Eutychia's illness was cured.
Having been rejected, Paschasius denounced
Lucy as Christian. When the governor sent
guards to fetch for her they could not move
her even when they hitched her to a team of
oxen. The governor ordered her death instead
and she was set on fire. Again, God interceded
and she was saved. Lucy was later executed by
stabbing with a dagger. Tradition tells of
Lucy’s eyes being gouged but God restored her
eyesight before her death.
So what is the lesson? Prayers work. With
God all things are possible. Monica never
wavered from her belief that God will
straighten up her son. We now know him as
Saint Augustine, the patron saint of the
Augustinian religious order. Augustine later
became the bishop of Hippo. He also became a
pre-eminent doctor of the Church. Augustine
through his writings, developed the concept of
the Church as a spiritual City of God,
distinct from the material City of Man.
Lucy, as we learned from tradition never
wavered in her belief that her life was meant
for something greater and consecrated herself
to God for which endured incredible torture
and ultimately, a painful death.
It would have been so easy for Monica to
give up and Lucy to give in. They did not, and
were rewarded. We now them as Saint Monica,
the
Patron of Wives and Abuse Victims, and Saint
Lucy, the patron saint of the blind and those
with eye-trouble. |
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Take heart. We are created for the glory of
God. And as such, our lives and whatever come
with them are mere adornments for which we
must always be thankful. |
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Twenty-fifth Sunday in
Ordinary Time
September 20,
2009
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him, and three days after
his death the Son of Man will rise.” |
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First Reading From
the
Book of Wisdom: |
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Wis 2:12, 17-20 |
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The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious
to us; he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law and
charges us with violations of our training.Let
us see whether his words be true; let us find out
what will happen to him. For if the just one be
the son of God, God will defend him and deliver
him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just
one to the test that we may have proof of his
gentleness and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for
according to his own words, God will take care of
him. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8 |
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R. The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty men have risen up against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life. |
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Second Reading from the Letter of James |
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Jas 3:16-4:3 |
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Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there
is disorder and every foul practice.But the
wisdom from above is first of all pure, then
peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and
good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among
you come from?
Is it not from your passions that make war
within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight
and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive, because you ask
wrongly, to spend it on your passions. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of Mark:
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Mk 9:30-37 |
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Jesus and his disciples left from there and began
a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish
anyone to know about it. He was teaching his
disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and
they will kill him, and three days after his death
the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying, and
they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the
house, he began to ask them, |
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“What were you arguing about on the way?” But
they remained silent. They had been discussing
among themselves on the way who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said
to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the
last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their
midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to
them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my
name, receives me; and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.” |
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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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Copyright
© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
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Thank you.
Rey
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