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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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Bringing Happiness |
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The late great American singer and movie icon,
pianist, comedian and actor, Jimmy Durante
once belted out the classic "Make Someone
Happy," which in the context of Mother's Day,
is very appropriate. |
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Make Someone Happy
Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy;
Make just one heart the heart you sing to.
One smile that cheers you,
One face that lights when it nears you,
One girl you're ev'rything to.
Fame if you win it,
Comes and goes in a minute.
Where's the real stuff in life to cling to?
Love is the answer,
Someone to love is the answer.
Once you've found her, build your world
around her.
Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too.
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Can we really make anyone happy? Well,
maybe. To a miserable person, or to one who
thrives in being miserable (yes Victoria,
there are people like that), this might be an
impossibility, and certainly a challenge to
those brave souls who try to change that
particular outlook without medication.
But I know we can certainly bring great
distress and unhappiness to anyone around us,
so the reverse must be true that to the vast
majority of us under the "normal" bell curve
this is not only possible but most welcome.
Have you ever heard of, or seen, a CAVE man
or woman? No I'm not talking remotely close to
any Neanderthal. I'm talking about a person
who is constantly Complaining About
Virtually Everything. Anyone who
complains about everything can cause a lot of
misery to anyone around them.
You see, we know that the key to happiness
of course, is gratitude. Those who are thankful for what they have
are ultimately happier people and the whole world is better
because of them.
But there is a fine print to this.
It takes a lot of work, practice and
sincerity. To appear grateful is a step
towards BEING grateful. BEING grateful
is to say thank you without the usual "But ...
"
Let me explain. Have you ever heard of
someone say "Thank you" to you and then say
something like, "But that was not necessary."
That just negated gratitude, because sincere
gratitude is unadorned by explanations and
those "But ..." phrases.
Each one of us can start this by stopping,
I mean stopping right at Thank You. Why say in
a thousand words what you can do better in
two? Practice. Practice. Practice. And even if
for the moment you do not really feel that
grateful, APPEAR grateful and eventually that
gratitude will take root.
But that is not all.
We have to be a grateful receiver of these
"thank yous," too!
When someone says thank you, we should just
smile and look them in the eyes, or with a
gentle pat, say, You are welcome, or say,
Nothing to it, or even, the pleasure is mine.
Non-verbal communications speak so much
louder than words.
This may sound too simplistic but I know
this can definitely make someone happy! |
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To our readers, Thank You.
BTW, "My Prayer Box" newsletter will had been
published 6 years in June 14! |
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And to all, Happy Mother's Day! |
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Fifth
Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2009
I am the true vine,
and my Father is the
vine grower. - John 15:1
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First Reading From
the
Acts of the Apostles: |
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Acts 9:26-31 |
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When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join
the disciples, but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought
him to the apostles, and he reported to them how
he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to
him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly
in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. He
also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but
they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this, they
took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way
to Tarsus.
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and
Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and
walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the
consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 |
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R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the
assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the
LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of
your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of
your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of
your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of
your people.
or:
R. Alleluia. |
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Second Reading from the First Letter of
John |
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1 Jn 3:18-24 |
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Children, let us love not in word or speech but in
deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know
that we belong to the truth and reassure our
hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows
everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we
have confidence in God and receive from him
whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments
and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus
Christ, and love one another just as he commanded
us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him,
and he in them, and the way we know that he
remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of John:
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Jn 15:1-8 |
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Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the
vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that
does not bear fruit, and every one that does
he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the
word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I
remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear
fruit on its own unless it remains on the
vine, so neither can you unless you remain
in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. |
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Whoever remains in me
and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me will be
thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them
into a fire and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and
my words remain in you, ask for whatever
you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father
glorified, that you bear much fruit and
become my disciples."
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Principles of Good
Character
from
Character Education |
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Your character is defined by what you do,
not what you say or believe. |
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Every choice you make helps define the
kind of person you are choosing to be.
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Good character requires doing the right
thing, even when it is costly or risky.
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You don't have to take the worst behavior
of others as a standard for yourself. You
can choose to be better than that. |
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What you do matters, and one person can
make a big difference. |
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The payoff for having good character is
that it makes you a better person and it
makes the world a better place. |
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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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