Pentecost Sunday, 05/27/07

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes." 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Divine Mercy Sunday

Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday...

Jesus, I trust in you.

Today's Readings and Gospel here.

Divine Mercy novena here.

Chaplet of Divine Mercy here.

Pope Benedict on third stage of journey of love

Loving our neighbour as Christ loves us
Now we have arrived at third stage of our reflection. Christ cried out from the Cross: “I am thirsty” (Jn 19:28). This shows us his burning thirst to love and to be loved by each one of us. It is only by coming to perceive depth and intensity of such a mystery that we can realise the need and urgency to love him as He has loved us. This also entails the commitment to even give our lives, if necessary, for our brothers and sisters sustained by love for Him. God had already said in Old Testament: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev 19:18), but innovation introduced by Christ is the fact that to love as he loves us means loving everyone without distinction, even our enemies, “to the end” (cf Jn 13:1).

first stage here, second stage here, full message click here.
hat tip: Chiesa...click here.

Pope's message...2nd stage in the journey of love

“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34)

full message here. hat tip: Chiesa...here.

The Cross of Christ fully reveals the love of God
How is God-Love revealed to us? We have now reached second stage of our journey. Even though signs of divine love are already clearly present in creation, full revelation of intimate mystery of God came to us through Incarnation when God himself became man. In Christ, true God and true Man, we have come to know love in all its magnitude. In fact, as I wrote in Encyclical Deus caritas est, “real novelty of New Testament lies not so much in new ideas as in figure of Christ himself, who gives flesh and blood to those concepts - an unprecedented realism” (n. 12). Manifestation of divine love is total and perfect in the Cross where, we are told by St Paul, “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Rm 5:8). Therefore, each one of us can truly say: “Christ loved me and gave himself up for me” (cf Eph 5:2). Redeemed by his blood, no human life is useless or of little value, because each of us is loved personally by Him with passionate and faithful love, a love without limits. The Cross, for the world a folly, for many believers a scandal, is in fact “wisdom of God” for those who allow themselves to be touched right to innermost depths of their being, “for God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor 1:25). Crucifix, which after Resurrection would carry forever marks of his passion, exposes “distortions” and lies about God that underlie violence, vengeance and exclusion. Christ is Lamb of God who takes upon himself sins of the world and eradicates hatred from the heart of humankind. This is true “revolution” that He brings about: love.

Pope Benedict XVl message to the youth of the world

Pope's message to youth of the world 01/27/07
“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34)

Is it possible to love?
Everybody feels the longing to love and to be loved. Yet, how difficult it is to love, and how many mistakes and failures have to be reckoned with in love! There are those who even come to doubt that love is possible. But if emotional delusions or lack of affection can cause us to think that love is utopian, an impossible dream, should we then become resigned? No! Love is possible, and the purpose of my message is to help reawaken in each one of you - you who are the future and hope of humanity-, trust in a love that is true, faithful and strong; a love that generates peace and joy; a love that binds people together and allows them to feel free in respect for one another. Let us now go on a journey together in three stages, as we embark on a “discovery” of love.

God, the source of love

The first stage concerns the source of true love. There is only one source, and that is God. St. John makes this clear when he declares that “God is love” (1 Jn 4: 8,16). He was not simply saying that God loves us, but that the very being of God is love. Here we find ourselves before the most dazzling revelation of the source of love, the mystery of the Trinity: in God, one and triune, there is an everlasting exchange of love between the persons of the Father and the Son, and this love is not an energy or a sentiment, but it is a person; it is the Holy Spirit.

second stage here.

full message click here.

hat tip: Chiesa...click here.

Holy Night of Easter

"Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem".
Luke 24:46,47

Be Not Afraid...

Suggestion for 2008 theme for March For Life... Be Not Afraid.

Prayer for the Helpless Unborn

Heavenly Father, in Your love for us, protect against the wickedness of the devil, those helpless little ones to whom You have given the gift of life.
Touch with pity the hearts of those women pregnant in our world today who are not thinking of motherhood.
Help them to see that the child they carry is made in Your image - as well as theirs - made for eternal life.
Dispel their fear and selfishness and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies and give them birth and all the needed care that a mother can give.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Joining the Pro- Life rally in Washington DC on Monday, January 22, 2007, the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. March for Life website here.

January is Pro-Life month

Daily Prayer to Spiritually Adopt an Unborn Child

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of the unborn child that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.

Archbishop Sheen composed the above prayer and encouraged people to recite it daily for nine months to save the life of an unborn child. He said that although the identity of your spiritual child may be unknown to you during your earthly life, there is every hope that you will be united with him or her forever in heaven.Let us remember to pray in a special way for all unborn children who are in danger of abortion.

To join the Archbishop Sheen Prayer League click here.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Thoughts in Wartime

"Why does God not stop this war?" God could stop this war, but the cost of doing so would be the destruction of human freedom."

from Fulton Sheen's Wartime Prayer Book. Click here for website dedicated for the canonization of Archbishop Sheen.

The Mother of Jesus said...

His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever He tells you." John, 2:5

Who u gonna call?

In times of trouble, who u gonna call? a baby cry for anyone, a child call for mama, and grown up call God, a Christian to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!
In times of trouble, who u gonna call? A baby nation cry for anyone, a child nation for Uncle Sam and grown up nation, alone, call God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!
That's who u gonna call!!!
In good times, who u gonna call?...

First Saturday Devotion to Our Blessed Mother

First Saturday Devotion to Our Lady
Five Consecutive First Saturday Devotion to our Blessed Mother
Do:

1. Communion
2. Rosary
3. Meditate for 15 minutes the mysteries of the rosary
4. Confession

For peaceful resolution in Baghdad, Iraq, reformation for peaceful Islam and recover 2 packages mailed to Children of Light Catholic Community, Sta. Cruz, Manila on Nov. 8, 2006 through US post office.

Update: Packages were recovered and delivered this week. Thank you, Blessed Mother !!!

All items will be donated to Children of Light Catholic Community.

'Facts of Faith'

90% of Americans believe in God

71% pray at least once a week

49% attend church regularly

34% of American Christians are Evangelical Protestants

22% are mainstream Protestants and

21% are Catholics

5 times as many Americans believe UFOs are spaceships from another planet as call themselves atheists

Sources: Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion report, September 2006. Guardian/ICM poll, December 200
hat tip - Fr. Jonathan's blog on FoxNews.com. Click here for article.

Goodbye, 2006; Hello, 2007 !!!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting. Amen.

Grace...

A supernatural gift, freely bestowed by God, that lifts the soul to the supernatural sphere, making it pleasing to God and rendering every action performed under the influence of grace worthy of God's acceptance. This grace may be external, such as good example or some miraculous occurrence that inspires us to good. Or it may be internal, either as a permanent quality abiding in the soul, when it is called habitual (sanctifying) grace, or by stirring up the mind and will, when it is called actual grace.

NAB definition

Pope Benedict XVl...

Vatican website biography here

Pope Benedict XVl said...

Meeting with President of Religious Affairs, Ankara, Turkey, 11/28/06

Freedom of religion, institutionally guaranteed and effectively respected in practice, both for individuals and communities, constitutes for all believers the necessary condition for their loyal contribution to the building up of society, in an attitude of authentic service, especially towards the most vulnerable and the very poor.

What can be the 'most vulnerable and the very poor' as unborn babies in women's womb and sick, disabled and severely brain damaged adults...
My unceasing prayers for Pope Benedict and President Bush...

Pope Benedict in Turkey today...

Praying for his safety and achievement of pilgrimage goal...

The original goal of the pope's trip to Turkey was to meet Bartholomew I, leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians. The two major branches of Christianity represented by Bartholomew and Benedict split in 1054 over differences in opinion on the power of the papacy, and the two spiritual heads will meet in an attempt to breach the divide and reunite the churches.
Benedict leaves Ankara on Wednesday for Ephesus, where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years, and will then travel to Istanbul, a former Christian metropolis known as Constantinople until Ottoman Turks conquered it in 1453.

Vatican website here.

Creation, Birth & the Church...

"I will intesify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children..." Genesis, 3:16
Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' Luke 23:28-29