http://www.card-fxthuan.org/hiswords.php?words=faith
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ). Monseignor Ryan's homily at Mass today began with some of the testimony from the former Archbishop from Saigon, Francis Xavier van Thuan. I am always awed by those who have such an unwavering faith that they can convert even their enemies and captors.
There are many of God's children who for one reason or another do not or cannot believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. And nothing in the way of science or reasoning, or logic or mathematics, or any other "I've got to see it to believe it" methods are going to convince them. The only proof we have is that Jesus Christ himself tells us , "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." Jn 6:51-58 Faith is the only proof I need.
Here's another way to look at it: When a man and a woman fall in love, they usually express their love verbally and often. But how can they know for sure that the love is there with just words, and no actions (no, not "relations") to back those words up? They can't, until they have built a trust
in one another based on intimacy and friendship and they can't help but believe unequivocably that the words have truth. It's the same with Jesus telling us that the Eucharist is truly His flesh and blood. He does not mince words with us. He tells us point-blank at the last supper that this is His Body which will be given up for us. And that the wine becomes His Blood which is the new and everlasting covenant, which was shed for us and for all Mankind, so that sins may be forgiven. And I know that this is true, because I continue to develop an intimate relationship with Him through thoughtful prayer and pennance that assures me of His Truth and allows me to believe in Him to the point that everything He tells me is true--I no longer have to see it to believe it.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
A few days ago I posted a meditation on why we should pray. As I was surfing the internet tonight, this reading from James caught my eye, my mind and my heart.
Jas 5:13-20
Beloved:Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church,and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. Elijah was a man like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back,he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from deathand will cover a multitude of sins.
This seems like a no-brainer to me. Pray. Pray in petition when you have a heavy heart. Pray in praise when things are going well. Pray especially fervently for the conversion (or reversion) of those souls who appear to be lost to Christ--for Christ’s sake, not for your own-- and a multitude of your own sins will be mercifully washed away. Is there a better reason to pray? Give God his due. Prayers are the currency of Heaven, where the words “In God We Trust” are not a slogan or motto, but Truth itself.
Jas 5:13-20
Beloved:Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church,and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. Elijah was a man like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back,he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from deathand will cover a multitude of sins.
This seems like a no-brainer to me. Pray. Pray in petition when you have a heavy heart. Pray in praise when things are going well. Pray especially fervently for the conversion (or reversion) of those souls who appear to be lost to Christ--for Christ’s sake, not for your own-- and a multitude of your own sins will be mercifully washed away. Is there a better reason to pray? Give God his due. Prayers are the currency of Heaven, where the words “In God We Trust” are not a slogan or motto, but Truth itself.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A Pretty Uplifting Bible Fact
Know how many times we are told to "Be not afraid" in the Bible?
365
Pretty interesting, isn't it? I guess we only have to be afraid once every 4 years during leap years.
365
Pretty interesting, isn't it? I guess we only have to be afraid once every 4 years during leap years.
Jury Duty
I have been writing a “journal” for about 8 years. I wrote the following about 5 years ago.
“I believe in punishing criminal behavior, but I will not kill or condone killing as punishment. Capital punishment is for God alone, in my opinion. On Judgment day, He will decide the fate of everyone's soul. For capital crimes, I believe in life imprisonment without parole, in solitary confinement. Prisoners should be given 2 basic meals a day, no conjugal visits, and no television. Hard labor should also be required. They have given up their right to live with society and should be deprived of all of the rights and privileges, save dignity, accorded to law-abiding citizens. But it is not our right to kill another human being, or for that matter deprive them of their human dignity, which is also God’s, because dignity resides in the soul.”
Today I was called for jury duty. My luck on jury duty being what it is, my name was called in the first group. When I reported to the courtroom, I kept thinking, “Man, I hope this is just a one-day service and I can go on with my life.”
When the judge came out and started giving us the standard spiel about how important jury duty is to the American way of life, I kept saying to myself, “I’ve heard this all before, and I agree with it. Can’t she move it along any faster? I might be able to make a day off out of this if we get it over early enough.”
Then she said the trial could last through September! “Wow! What? Is this going to be one of those corporate scandal cases that drag on and on? I can’t be here for this!”
She said that she would give us a brief summary of the charges. It is a criminal matter. The defendant is charged with rape and several murders with special circumstances. There will be a trial to determine guilt or innocence, then a second trial with the same jury to determine whether the punishment will be death or life in prison without possibility of parole.
We were asked if we had any hardships that would prevent us from serving and naturally, about 90% of the jurors raised their hands. I could not in good conscience raise mine because even though I have responsibilities and a job, my employer pays for jury duty in full. And while I may think I am indispensable in my position, the fact of the matter is that I can write a schedule to accommodate my customers and I can check in periodically.
Then we were handed a “short juror questionnaire” to fill out. We were handed the questionnaires at 9:30 am. When I finally finished at 12:30 pm, I found I was only one of about a dozen jurors still left in the courtroom. I guess it took me so long because I wanted to be honest and true to the justice system and most of the questions related to how I felt about prejudice, racism, and the death penalty. Anyone who really knows me knows that I can’t ever answer “yes” or “no” to any questions so complex. And it had well over 125 questions!
I have a feeling that since I answered that I will not vote for the death penalty under any circumstances, I will be excused. But the judge said she and the attorneys will need time to read the questionnaires and told us to come back on May 30th for more personal and detailed interviews. I will let you know what happens.
In the meantime, I will hold all of the participants including the defendant and the victims in my heart when I say my rosary tonight.
“I believe in punishing criminal behavior, but I will not kill or condone killing as punishment. Capital punishment is for God alone, in my opinion. On Judgment day, He will decide the fate of everyone's soul. For capital crimes, I believe in life imprisonment without parole, in solitary confinement. Prisoners should be given 2 basic meals a day, no conjugal visits, and no television. Hard labor should also be required. They have given up their right to live with society and should be deprived of all of the rights and privileges, save dignity, accorded to law-abiding citizens. But it is not our right to kill another human being, or for that matter deprive them of their human dignity, which is also God’s, because dignity resides in the soul.”
Today I was called for jury duty. My luck on jury duty being what it is, my name was called in the first group. When I reported to the courtroom, I kept thinking, “Man, I hope this is just a one-day service and I can go on with my life.”
When the judge came out and started giving us the standard spiel about how important jury duty is to the American way of life, I kept saying to myself, “I’ve heard this all before, and I agree with it. Can’t she move it along any faster? I might be able to make a day off out of this if we get it over early enough.”
Then she said the trial could last through September! “Wow! What? Is this going to be one of those corporate scandal cases that drag on and on? I can’t be here for this!”
She said that she would give us a brief summary of the charges. It is a criminal matter. The defendant is charged with rape and several murders with special circumstances. There will be a trial to determine guilt or innocence, then a second trial with the same jury to determine whether the punishment will be death or life in prison without possibility of parole.
We were asked if we had any hardships that would prevent us from serving and naturally, about 90% of the jurors raised their hands. I could not in good conscience raise mine because even though I have responsibilities and a job, my employer pays for jury duty in full. And while I may think I am indispensable in my position, the fact of the matter is that I can write a schedule to accommodate my customers and I can check in periodically.
Then we were handed a “short juror questionnaire” to fill out. We were handed the questionnaires at 9:30 am. When I finally finished at 12:30 pm, I found I was only one of about a dozen jurors still left in the courtroom. I guess it took me so long because I wanted to be honest and true to the justice system and most of the questions related to how I felt about prejudice, racism, and the death penalty. Anyone who really knows me knows that I can’t ever answer “yes” or “no” to any questions so complex. And it had well over 125 questions!
I have a feeling that since I answered that I will not vote for the death penalty under any circumstances, I will be excused. But the judge said she and the attorneys will need time to read the questionnaires and told us to come back on May 30th for more personal and detailed interviews. I will let you know what happens.
In the meantime, I will hold all of the participants including the defendant and the victims in my heart when I say my rosary tonight.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Why we should pray unceasingly
Why pray?
The first thing man must do is to seek God, to go apart into the desert of his soul to rest awhile and permit his soul to become sensitive to divine whisperings. It is only in silence and aloneness with God that we may seek reflection, that we may turn our minds on ourselves and our relationship with our Creator. And this reflection begins the moment we start to pray.
Prayer is as essential to the spiritual life as food and air are to our natural existence. Because of our relationship to God we owe God the duty of prayer. Prayer is an act of justice, not merely an act of piety. Prayer is a debt that we must pay, not merely a graceful gesture that we choose to make. Jesus impresses upon us the necessity of private prayer. He says “We ought to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). He sets the example for us by passing whole nights in prayer (Luke 6:12) Private prayer is a sacred duty incumbent upon us, to be discharged willingly and industriously, for he who does not pray will receive nothing.
Daily private prayer is necessary for understanding and preparing ourselves for liturgical (or public) prayer. The Holy Spirit says: “Before prayer prepare the soul; be not as a man that tempts the Lord” (Ecc. 18:23). Before beginning public prayer, compose your thoughts, and keep in mind that you are in the presence of God, who sees you and knows all that you do, think and speak.
Daily private prayer is very important for us in that, in it we offer God the service not of external or corporal things, but the highest good that we have—our minds and hearts. Through prayer we face the practical truth that we depend on God. God wants us to pray for the very things he wants to give us. Prayer does not change God’s will. It merely fulfills a condition of it, namely that such and such will be given when it is persistently asked for. Ours is not to understand the will of God for our salvation, but to fulfill it. Ours is to cooperate in it fully that it might be accomplished. In this sense there are no unanswered prayers, for each prayer fulfills in some way the providence of God directing all things to their proper end, directing us back to our Creator. Thy will be done. Things happen against our wills, but nothing happens against God’s will, save sin. What we sometimes think are the actions of a cruel God are in reality the manifestations of divine love pushing us to heaven.
“Nothing is more powerful than one who prays; for the praying man participates in the might of God” (St. John Chrysostom).
The first thing man must do is to seek God, to go apart into the desert of his soul to rest awhile and permit his soul to become sensitive to divine whisperings. It is only in silence and aloneness with God that we may seek reflection, that we may turn our minds on ourselves and our relationship with our Creator. And this reflection begins the moment we start to pray.
Prayer is as essential to the spiritual life as food and air are to our natural existence. Because of our relationship to God we owe God the duty of prayer. Prayer is an act of justice, not merely an act of piety. Prayer is a debt that we must pay, not merely a graceful gesture that we choose to make. Jesus impresses upon us the necessity of private prayer. He says “We ought to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). He sets the example for us by passing whole nights in prayer (Luke 6:12) Private prayer is a sacred duty incumbent upon us, to be discharged willingly and industriously, for he who does not pray will receive nothing.
Daily private prayer is necessary for understanding and preparing ourselves for liturgical (or public) prayer. The Holy Spirit says: “Before prayer prepare the soul; be not as a man that tempts the Lord” (Ecc. 18:23). Before beginning public prayer, compose your thoughts, and keep in mind that you are in the presence of God, who sees you and knows all that you do, think and speak.
Daily private prayer is very important for us in that, in it we offer God the service not of external or corporal things, but the highest good that we have—our minds and hearts. Through prayer we face the practical truth that we depend on God. God wants us to pray for the very things he wants to give us. Prayer does not change God’s will. It merely fulfills a condition of it, namely that such and such will be given when it is persistently asked for. Ours is not to understand the will of God for our salvation, but to fulfill it. Ours is to cooperate in it fully that it might be accomplished. In this sense there are no unanswered prayers, for each prayer fulfills in some way the providence of God directing all things to their proper end, directing us back to our Creator. Thy will be done. Things happen against our wills, but nothing happens against God’s will, save sin. What we sometimes think are the actions of a cruel God are in reality the manifestations of divine love pushing us to heaven.
“Nothing is more powerful than one who prays; for the praying man participates in the might of God” (St. John Chrysostom).
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