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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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Papal Message
for Lent 2009
Reported in
The
Vatican Information Service.
VATICAN CITY, 3 FEB 2009 (VIS)
- Made public today was the 2009 Lenten
Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. The
text, dated 11 December 2008, has as its title
a verse from the Gospel of St. Matthew: "He
fasted for forty days and forty nights, and
afterwards he was hungry". The full
English-language translation of the document is
given below: |
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"At the beginning of Lent,
which constitutes an itinerary of more intense
spiritual training, the Liturgy sets before us
again three penitential practices that are very
dear to the biblical and Christian tradition -
prayer, almsgiving, fasting - to prepare us to
better celebrate Easter and thus experience
God's power that, as we shall hear in the
Paschal Vigil, 'dispels all evil, washes guilt
away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners
joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace and
humbles earthly pride'. For this year's Lenten
Message, I wish to focus my reflections
especially on the value and meaning of fasting.
Indeed, Lent recalls the forty days of our
Lord's fasting in the desert, which He undertook
before entering into His public ministry. We
read in the Gospel: 'Jesus was led up by the
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the
devil. He fasted for forty days and forty
nights, and afterwards he was hungry'. Like
Moses, who fasted before receiving the tablets
of the Law and Elijah's fast before meeting the
Lord on Mount Horeb, Jesus, too, through prayer
and fasting, prepared Himself for the mission
that lay before Him, marked at the start by a
serious battle with the tempter.
"We might wonder what value and meaning there is
for us Christians in depriving ourselves of
something that in itself is good and useful for
our bodily sustenance. The Sacred Scriptures and
the entire Christian tradition teach that
fasting is a great help to avoid sin and all
that leads to it. For this reason, the history
of salvation is replete with occasions that
invite fasting. In the very first pages of
Sacred Scripture, the Lord commands man to
abstain from partaking of the prohibited fruit:
'You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you
eat of it you shall die'. Commenting on the
divine injunction, St. Basil observes that
'fasting was ordained in Paradise', and 'the
first commandment in this sense was delivered to
Adam'. He thus concludes: ' 'You shall not eat'
is a law of fasting and abstinence'. Since all
of us are weighed down by sin and its
consequences, fasting is proposed to us as an
instrument to restore friendship with God. Such
was the case with Ezra, who, in preparation for
the journey from exile back to the Promised
Land, calls upon the assembled people to fast so
that 'we might humble ourselves before our God'.
The Almighty heard their prayer and assured them
of His favour and protection. In the same way,
the people of Nineveh, responding to Jonah's
call to repentance, proclaimed a fast, as a sign
of their sincerity, saying: 'Who knows, God may
yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so
that we perish not?' In this instance, too, God
saw their works and spared them.
'In the New Testament, Jesus brings to light the
profound motive for fasting, condemning the
attitude of the Pharisees, who scrupulously
observed the prescriptions of the law, but whose
hearts were far from God. True fasting, as the
divine Master repeats elsewhere, is rather to do
the will of the Heavenly Father, who 'sees in
secret, and will reward you'. He Himself sets
the example, answering Satan, at the end of the
forty days spent in the desert that 'man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God'. The true fast
is thus directed to eating the 'true food',
which is to do the Father's will. If, therefore,
Adam disobeyed the Lord's command 'of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not
eat', the believer, through fasting, intends to
submit himself humbly to God, trusting in His
goodness and mercy.
"The practice of fasting is very present in the
first Christian community. The Church Fathers,
too, speak of the force of fasting to bridle
sin, especially the lusts of the 'old Adam', and
open in the heart of the believer a path to God.
Moreover, fasting is a practice that is
encountered frequently and recommended by the
saints of every age. St. Peter Chrysologus
writes: 'Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is
the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast;
if you fast, show mercy; if you want your
petition to be heard, hear the petition of
others. If you do not close your ear to others,
you open God's ear to yourself'.
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The
complete article
can be found in the
The
Vatican Information Service. |
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The archbishop’s column this week is
adapted from his remarks to the John Paul
II Society in Ireland, scheduled for Feb.
7. |
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People sometimes say we’re living at a
“post-Christian” moment. That’s supposed
to describe the fact that Western
nations have abandoned or greatly
downplayed their Christian heritage in
recent decades. But our “post-Christian”
moment actually looks a lot like the
pre-Christian moment. The signs of our
times in the developed world—morally,
intellectually, spiritually and even
demographically—are very similar to the
world at the time of the Incarnation.
The truth is, the challenges we face as
Catholics today are very much like those
facing the first Christians. And it
might help to have a little perspective
on how they went about evangelizing
their culture. They did such a good job
that within 400 years Christianity was
the world’s dominant religion and the
foundation of Western civilization.
Rodney Stark, the Baylor University
social scientist, is an agnostic. He’s
not a Christian believer. But he became
intrigued by a couple of key questions.
How did Christianity succeed? How was it
able to accomplish so much so fast? In
his book, “The Rise of Christianity,” he
focuses only on the facts he can verify.
And he concludes that Christian success
flowed from two things: first, Christian
doctrine, and second, people being
faithful to that doctrine. Stark writes
that: “An essential factor in the
(Christian) religion’s success was what
Christians believed. … And it was the
way those doctrines took on actual
flesh, the way they directed
organizational actions and individual
behavior, that led to the rise of
Christianity.”
Or we can put it another way: the
Church, through the Apostles and their
successors, preached the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. People believed in that Gospel.
But the early Christians didn’t just
agree to a set of ideas. Believing in
the Gospel meant changing their whole
way of thinking and living. It was a
radical transformation—so radical they
couldn’t go on living like the people
around them anymore.
The early Christians understood that
they were members of a new worldwide
family of God more important than any
language or national borders. They saw
the culture around them, despite all of
its greatness and power, as a culture of
despair, a society that was slowly
killing itself. In fact, when we read
early Christian literature, things like
adultery and abortion are often
described as “the way of death” or the
“way of the (devil).”
Here’s the point: if the world of pagan
Rome and its Caesars could be won for
Jesus Christ, we can do the same in our
own day. But what it takes is the zeal
and courage to live what we claim to
believe.
God created each of us. Each of us
matters. Each of us has the vocation to
be a missionary of Jesus Christ where we
live and work and vote. Each of us is
called to bring Christian truth to the
public debate, to be vigorous and
unembarrassed about our Catholic
presence in society, and to be a leaven
in our nation’s public life. That work
needs to begin today, right now, among
the people Jesus called to be his
disciples and friends—in other words,
you and me; everyday Catholic men and
women, the people of God. All of us
already have the ability to make a
difference in the world by virtue of our
baptism. Now we need to act on it. Now
we need to live it. So let’s pray for
each other, and encourage each other,
and get down to the Lord’s work.
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As part of Catholics’ on-going adult
formation and renewal, Archbishop Chaput
strongly encourages parents, pastors,
catechists and other pastoral ministers of
the archdiocese to take part in the 2009
Living the Catholic Faith conference—
“Live with Conviction!”—Feb. 27-28 in
Denver. Conference information can be
found at archden.org/lcfc2009/. |
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This article can be found at
Denver Catholic
Register, February 4, 2009 |
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The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 8,
2009 |
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First Reading From
the Book of Job: |
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Jb 7:1-4, 6-7
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Job spoke,
saying:
Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling
who waits for his wages.
So I have
been assigned months of misery, and troubled
nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed
I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on; I am filled with
restlessness until the dawn.
My days
are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they come to
an end without hope.
Remember
that my life is like the wind; I shall not see
happiness again. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 |
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R. Praise
the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the
brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the
brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the
brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
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Second Reading from the Letter to the
Corinthians |
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1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23 |
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Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me
to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on
me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have
a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been
entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my
recompense?
That, when I preach, I
offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make
full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made
myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as
possible.
To the weak I became
weak, to win over the weak. I have become all
things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the
sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share
in it. |
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Reading From
the Gospel of Mark:
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Mk 1:29-39 |
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On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew
with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law
lay sick with a fever. They immediately told
him about her. He approached, grasped her
hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left
her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset, they
brought to him all who were ill or possessed
by demons. The whole town was gathered at the
door. He cured many who were sick with various
diseases, and he drove out many demons, not
permitting them to speak because they knew
him. |
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Rising very early before dawn, he left and went
off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were
with him pursued him and on finding him said,
"Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go
on to the nearby villages that I may preach there
also. For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their
synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee. |
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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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