Keep
your eyes open!...
July 28, 2006
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Rom
8:1-2) There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh. For the law of the
spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin
and of death.
LINK: The Spiritual Life Is a Battle: Don’t Give Up!
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Jean Marie: The Devil and The Duck
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was
given a slingshot to play without in the woods. He practiced in the
woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged,
he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he
let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He
was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood
pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she
said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the
dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to
help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the
duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and
Grand! ma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make
supper." Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right
because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again,
"Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's he finally
couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he
had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said,
"Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw
the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. I was just
wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."
Thought for the day and every day thereafter: Whatever is in your past,
whatever you have done -- and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face
(lying, debt, fear, hatred , anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.)
whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and
He saw the whole thing, He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know
that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long
you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not
only forgives you, but He forgets - It is by God's Grace and Mercy that
we are saved.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Non-Judgement
2. A brother sinned and the presbyter ordered him to out of church. But
Besasarion got up and went out with him, saying 'I too, am a sinner.'
July 27, 2006
(1Th 5:17) Pray without ceasing.
LINK: "PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING" IS NECESSARY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS -St Gregory Palamas
TAKE A WALK INTO PRAYERFULNESS
by Mary Heaney
The door slammed behind me. My
heart pounded and I strode off, agitated, full of worries. I hardly
paid attention to where I was going. All I knew was that I had to move.
Soon I found myself saying, "Lord, help me; Lord help me." For more
than an hour I repeated this, finding solace in the repetitions.
Despite the disturbing thoughts, I
kept coming back to my short prayer and gradually felt a deep stillness
in my mind. This happened many years ago, and was my first experience
with what I call "prayer-walking."
It is easy to say, "When you are
troubled, turn to God in prayer." But it can be extremely difficult to
calm down. Physical movement helps bring the mental tranquility so
necessary to prayer. Even when we are not stressed, walking affords a
wonderful opportunity to think on spiritual values and seek God's
guidance.
Walking and prayer seem a natural
combination. Walking teaches regular relaxed breathing and sets the
stage for prayer. The rhythm of breathing and footsteps helps me focus
on a short prayer phrase such as "Lord, have mercy,"Holy Spirit
enlighten me" or simply "Thank you, Lord." It seems a paradox that, in
motion, we can "Be still, and know that I am God."
After several minutes, the mind
does float free. This is the time to converse with God, to ask for
blessings. Or suddenly an insight or a solution to a problem may
surface. Often I simply find that I can "let go and let God."
Holy men and women of all ages
combined walking with prayer. In the gospels, it seems Jesus and his
apostles walk continuously. Sure, it may have been their only means of
travel, but I think the walking made prayerfulness easier. In "The Way
of a Pilgrim," author Walter Ciszek walks all over Russia as he follows
Paul's admonition to "pray without ceasing."
Perhaps there is no greater joy
than walks in nature. A pine tree silhouetted against a cobalt blue
sky, white daisies tumbling across a green hillside, a robin singing
his spring song -- all reflect and reveal God. Many people walk daily
for fitness or to relieve stress.
Why not add spiritual fitness to these physical and emotional benefits of walking?
Connecting prayer with life's
ordinary activities was spontaneous in earlier times. The ancient Celts
of Ireland prayed when lighting the fire, spinning wool, planting seeds
-- still practiced in remote areas of the Orkney and Hebrides Islands.
In today's chaotic world, prayer-walking may help us recapture that blessing.
Mary Heaney, formerly of Willmar,
Minn., lives in Cumberland, Wis. She has been living with lung cancer
for four years and said, "The Mayo Clinic and prayer-walking have saved
my life."
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
24. A hermit said, 'When you flee from the company of other people, or
when you despise the world and worldlings, take care to do so as if it
were you who was being idiotic.'
July 26, 2006
Save the Afflicted
We beseech thee, Master, to be our helper and protector.
Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly;
raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly;
restore the wanderers of thy people;
feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners;
raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.
- Clement of Rome (1st Century)
GREEK CHURCH CRITICIZES ISRAEL OVER RAIDS IN LEBANON
The leader of Greece's Orthodox Church accused Israel Sunday of "sacrificing innocent civilians" in its bombardment of Lebanon.
"Israel's actions within its right to self defense have long exceeded
any rational limit," Archbishop Christodoulos said. "(They are)
sacrificing innocent civilians by the hundreds, and creating refugees
by the thousands," he added, telling the Israeli authorities, "Do not
provoke our consciences. Do not feed the world condemnation against you. It is not in your interest. ... Fear God's wrath."
The church has played a lead role in sheltering Greek evacuees from
Lebanon who have no home or close relatives here. Greece's Foreign
Minister Dora Bakoyannis also repeated her criticism of the Israeli
attacks. "The developments in the Middle East are the epitome of
senselessness," Bakoyannis wrote in an article published in Sunday's
Eleftherotypia newspaper. "Children are being killed, families torn
apart, towns are being destroyed and the infrastructure of a country
razed," she wrote. "It's the civilian population that is being attacked
in both countries - Lebanon and Israel."
CATHOLIC CHURCH RESPONDS TO CRISIS
Church in Manila offers special prayer for Mideast
Holy See to continue work behind scenes for Mideast peace, Vatican official says
Caritas Lebanon Straining to Care for People Fleeing Bombardments
STILL TOO BUSY TO PRAY?
ANALYSIS-Israel's war with Hizbollah part of wider U.S. plan
Iran president warns of hurricane in Middle East
Hezbollah envoy in Iran in warning to Israel
Saudi King warns of Mideast war if peace moves fail to stop Israeli attacks
A widening sectarian rift pushes Iraq to the brink of civil war
TALES FROM A LEBANESE HOSPITAL
Zakaria Alamiddine's face is heavily bandaged and badly burned, yet his youthful eyes beam bright and full of life.
There's relief in his 18-year-old voice when he describes surviving the
Israeli bombing of the basement shelter in south Lebanon where he and
his family — and 50 other civilians — had gathered to wait
out the conflict.
It's the relief of a young man whose older sister has so far spared him
the news that his father and 14-year-old brother were killed in the
attack.
"I'm waiting until he gets better. It will hurt him so much," his
sister Kawsar, 24, warned the Star before entering his room at the
Beirut Government University Hospital.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
23. A hermit said, 'If a man prepares for the next day, it cuts away the fruit of his spirit and leaves him dry.'
July 25, 2006
POPE BENEDICT XVI: "Lord, free us from all evil and grant us peace; not tomorrow or the day after, grant us peace today!"
VATICAN NEWSPAPER: "Cease-fire Immediately"
CATHOLICS PRAY FOR PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST
Catholic churches across the Washington DC region responded Sunday
to Pope Benedict XVI's international call for prayers of peace in the
Middle East.
More than 1,100 worshippers
attended a noon Mass in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception in Northeast that was celebrated by Archbishop of
Washington Donald W. Wuerl.
"Today we can all be justifiably
alarmed that the violence so visible in Lebanon and Israel is
qualitatively different from just a year ago because of a new level of
weaponry and the wider range of destruction," the archbishop said.
Archbishop Wuerl met Tuesday in the District with Cardinal Nasrallah P.
Sfeir, a leader of the Christian community in Lebanon. "We came
together to pray, to pray for our sisters and brothers in Lebanon, and
to pray that God's grace would touch the hearts of all of those who
have the power to bring an end to the suffering, the violence, the
division and hatred," Archbishop Wuerl said.
The pope asked followers Thursday
to implore from God the "precious gift of peace" and designated Sunday
as a day of prayer and penance for peace in the Middle East.
RELATED HEADLINES
Vatican announces special collection of funds for Lebanon
Maronite bishops call for ceasefire, humanitarian corridors in Lebanon
Bishop Offers Prayers for Mid-East Peace
Mounting civilian deaths prompt calls for ceasefire
Catholic relief agencies respond with aid, fight fear on both Mideast conflict fronts
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
20. She also said, 'The same thing cannot at once be seed and a
full-grown bush. So men with a worldly reputation cannot bear heavenly
fruit.'
July 21, 2006
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Phi 4:6-7) Be
nothing solicitous: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus.
TIMELY REMINDER: Catechesis of Fasting
POPE MAKES FRESH MIDEAST PEACE CALL
Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday issued a fresh appeal for an end to the
latest conflict in the Middle East, proclaiming next Sunday a day of
prayers for peace.
The pope issued a statement saying that Sunday would be a "special day
of prayer and penitence" for believers of all faiths in the hope of an
"immediate ceasefire" between Israel and Lebanon.
"We must implore God for the precious gift of peace," he said.
"The Lebanese have the right to see their country's sovereignty
respected, the Israelis have the right to live in peace in their state
and the Palestinians have the right to their own free and sovereign
state," the German-born pontiff said.
The 79-year-old pope also urged aid organisations to "help the people hit by this ruthless conflict".
"Humanitarian corridors must immediately be established to bring aid to
the suffering populations," he said. He called for the opening of
"reasonable and responsible negotiations to end objective situations of
injustice existing in the region".
SPREAD THE WORD!: Pope calls for a Day of Prayer and Penance for Peace in the Middle East Sunday July 23
RELATED HEADLINES
Lebanon Seeks Intervention From The Vatican
Children Suffering in Middle East, Vatican Reports
Russia brands Israel's attacks on Lebanon disproportionate
U.S. Bishops Call For Ceasefire And An End To The Cycle Of Violence In The Middle East
Maronite archbishop calls refugee problem in Lebanon huge, dire
PRESS RELEASE: Caritas Lebanon's overwhelming task of caring for civilians
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
19. Syncletica said, 'An open treasury is quickly spent; any virtue
will be lost if it is published abroad and is known about everywhere.
If you put wax in front of a fire it melts; and if you pour vain
praises on the soul it goes soft and weak in seeking goodness.'
July 20, 2006
(Pro
3:5-6) Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not
upon thy own prudence. In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct
thy steps.
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Jim McCrea: Trust the Lord
There was a scene in the movie "The Hunt for Red October" where a torpedo was fired at their submarine.
The captain orders the sub to head towards the oncoming torpedo and move at full speed.
Now that seems to make no sense, because it seems as if in that situation, one should be escaping from the torpedo.
But the crew trusts the captain.
When the sub hits the torpedo, the torpedo simply bursts apart without detonating, leaving the sub unharmed.
The captain explains that he did what he did because the detonator of
the torpedo was on a timing mechanism, and he ran the sub into it
before it had a chance to arm itself.
In light of such a "parable" we should always trust the Lord, no matter what happens in our lives.
Often the Lord takes us along a path that seems to lead away from our happiness and well-being.
Sometimes it makes no sense, but we have to trust the Lord.
But in the end, when the situation turns out well, we can see the
wisdom of the Lord in bringing us along that path, for often what we
were denied, which we desired, would bring great calamity, and the
course that God sets for us, brings us to a great blessing.
VIA Holy Souls: The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.
Joy is our ticket through life. It's what we should strive for. It's
difficult and sometimes just about impossible, but if we can approach
every aggravation with a smile, if we find happiness in each struggle,
if we transcend gloominess, we place shields around us. Joy is the halo
of brightness that plows through darkness.
How can we possibly be happy through the trials on earth?
Upon clinical "death," said a person who had a near-death experience,
one of the first lessons was that "there is a reason for everything
that happens, no matter how awful it appeared in the physical realm."
In Heaven, nothing on earth seems like such a big deal. Great suffering
is little in terms of eternity. When we die, we'll say, "Of course!" or
"I should have known!" as we review those things that were learning
experiences but once seemed like tragedies. It is the harmony with
God's laws that gives us purpose and joy.
"It is always springtime in the heart that loves God," the Cure of Ars
declared. And he spoke from experience. We get this from the marvelous
book, A Bedside Book of Saints.
"The soul of one who serves God," said St. John of the Cross, "always
swims in joy, always keeps holiday, and is always in a mood for
singing"!
Joy chases away evil. Look at how radiant John Paul II was right to the end!
"Laugh and grow strong," was a saying from St. Ignatius.
St. Teresa prayed to be delivered from "sour-faced saints."
Joy heals. Joy sweeps away pessimism. Joy transcends the little trials we each encounter each week and sometimes every hour.
Joy calls your soul to heal your body, over which it rules. Even death
should not daunt us. "The perfect love of God," said St. John of the
Cross, "makes death welcome and most sweet to the soul."
Perfect love casts out fear and it is fear that so often robs us of joy!
Everything that happens does so for a purpose, and God is in charge; truly, He is everywhere. He knows your smallest discomfort.
During tribulation, the saints were happier yet because tribulation brings us closer to God. There is joy in everything!
Fighting evil? "They wage war on the devil as though they were amusing
themselves," said Chrysostom of monks in his time. "They have no
sadness."
What were some names of the early monasteries? "The Bright Place." "The Delights." "The Gate of Heaven." "The Happy Meadow."
Can you smile in difficulty? Can you be happy when everything is going
wrong? Can you be glad even when your schedule has been upset?
Be generous. Be full of love. Joy is the measure of our generosity. And
it makes life what it should be: a trial, yes, a fight against evil,
but one with such a happy ending if we serve Christ that we rise above
any sorrow of this passing world with the delight of God's love.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
16. Ammon (of the place called Raithu) brought this question to Sisois:
'When I read Scripture, I am tempted to make elaborate commentaries and
prepare myself to answer questions on it. ' He replied, 'You
don't need to do that. It is better to speak simply, with a good
conscience and a pure mind.'
July 19, 2006
VATICAN RADIO: Vatican Re-iterates Calls for Peace in Middle East
MORE: The Vatican denounces the UN "do-nothing policy" before the Middle East crisis
HEADLINES
Pray for the innocent victims of war!
Lebanon faces humanitarian disaster
Attacks continue as civilans pay the price
14,000 Iraqis killed in 2006
Maronite church members pray for kin as missiles hit Lebanon
Conflict to Expand
Israeli troops on the ground in southern Lebanon
Israel Military Decides To Call Up Reserve Soldiers
Israelis Say Offensive Could Last Weeks
Iran Supreme Leader Calls for Destruction of Israel
Israel, Syria and Iran
The Syrian Option
July 4, 2006: Syria and Iran Sign Mutual Defense Pact
No part of Israel is safe, Iranian lawmaker says
Iran's Hezbollah set for 'WW3'
ANALYSIS EXCERPT:
An Israeli attack on Iran -- or on Iran's ally, Syria -- will be
instantly perceived, in Tehran and throughout the Muslim world, as an
attack in which the United States is complicit, even if the U.S.
military does not directly participate. Such an attack will place
American troops and ships at risk of instant retaliation in Iraq,
Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and for that matter throughout the
Middle East, not to mention the special ops forces already in Iran
itself. No Israeli leader would even contemplate such a strike without
a green light from Washington, and no Israeli leader would launch it
without notifying Washington first.
Tehran knows this, as does the
entire Muslim world. If Israel widens this war, Iran will retaliate,
the United States will be at war with Iran, all sides will have one or
another "unprovoked" attack they can point to an enemy as having
perpetrated, and we will suddenly be in the thick of a war that at
minimum involves Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and
Palestine, and abuts the Persian Gulf, the Gulf emirates, and oil-rich
Saudi Arabia. The military options for American success are virtually
negligible, the scenarios for military disaster are numerous, the
economic impact on oil markets alone will be inevitably global and
dire, and I haven't even gotten to the fact that Bush might himself
launch an attack, or that not only the U.S. but Israel, too, has a full
nuclear arsenal. And that beyond Iran's terrorist connections around
the world, other terror groups (Al Qaeda, for one) are unlikely to
stand idly by while this nightmare unfolds.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
14. Poemen also said, 'Teach your heart to follow what your tongue is
saying to others.' He also said, 'Men try to appear excellent in
preaching but they are less excellent in practicing what they preach.'
July 18, 2006
POPE EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER ESCALATING MIDEAST FIGHTING
Pope Benedict XVI is expressing serious concern over the escalation of
violence in the Middle East. He was spoke from his mountain retreat in
the Italian Alps, where he is on vacation until the end of this month.
In recent days, the pope said, the news coming from the Holy Land is for everyone a reason for new and serious preoccupation.
The pope said that, neither terrorist attacks, nor reprisals,
particularly when there are tragic consequences for the civilian
population, can in any way be justified.
Pope Benedict said the causes of such fierce confrontation are,
unfortunately, violation of law and justice. “Let us pray to Mary
Queen of Peace that she may implore from God the fundamental gift of
harmony, bringing political leaders back to the way of reason and
opening new possibilities of dialogue and understanding. In this
perspective, I invite local churches to offer special prayers for peace
in the Holy Land and in all the Middle East.”
RELATED HEADLINES
Fr. Musallam Calls for Pope Benedict XVI's Intervention to End Israeli Aggressions
Christian leaders hold sit-in at Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
Holy Land Violence Strains Catholic Population
EDITORIAL: Where Are The Christians? By Patrick J. Buchanan
PAX CHRISTI STATEMENT ON MIDDLE EAST CRISIS
1. Calls on Israel to cease immediately its indiscriminate assault on
the people of Lebanon, and in the near future, to open talks with
Palestinian representatives on the equitable and just resolution of the
long-running conflict with Palestine. The continuing Administrative
Detention of hundreds of Palestinian citizens and the collective
punishment of the Palestinian people is at the root of the ongoing
violence against the people of Israel.
2. Calls on Hizbollah and Hamas, or whoever hold them, to release at
once the captured Israeli soldiers, held in violation of international
law, and to cease immediately their indiscriminate rocket attacks on
the people of Israel.
3. We affirm the message of Pope Benedict XVI, "neither terrorist acts
nor reprisals, especially when they entail tragic consequences for the
civilian population, can be justified, by such paths, as bitter
experience shows, positive results are not achieved."
4. Calls on all people of faith to pray that those everywhere,
including those in the government of our country, who take the path of
violence, will come to see that violence solves no problems. It only
generates more violence and creates deeper divisions between
communities.
'Peace is the fruit of anxious daily care to see that everyone lives in
the justice that God intends'. (Pope Paul VI Populorum Progression 1967)
PRESS RELEASE: Middle East: Caritas calls for a ceasefire
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
12. When Nesteros the Great was walking in the desert with a brother,
they saw a dragon and ran away. The brother said, 'Were you afraid,
abba?' Nesteros answered, 'I wasn't afraid, my son. But it was right to
run away from the dragon, otherwise I shoul have had to run away from
conceit.'
July 14, 2006
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT
WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
(Jer
31:15-17) Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard on high of
lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her
children and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not.
Thus saith the Lord: Let thy voice cease from weeping, and thy eyes
tears: for there is a reward for thy work, saith the Lord: and they
shall return out of the land of the enemy. And there is hope for thy
last end, saith the Lord: and the children shall return to their own
borders.
LINK: There Is Hope After Abortion- Project Rachel USA
MORE: Project Rachel- Australia
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Anne Lastman:
Thank you for the beautiful prayers for the aborted babies published in
Tribulation Times. May I ask would you publish this other prayer also
please. It has been composed by myself and has ecclesistical approval.
When I composed this prayer it had been my hope that a million people
will pray this prayer once a day for a whole year.
It is for healing of post abortion
grief/wounds. Perhaps with your readership it might help towards that
number. I have printed thousands of copies and placed them in back of
churches, but it still is far short of the number. Imagine, 365 x
1,000,000, perhaps we could get a healing of women who would then fight
against the demon abortion.
I have been a post abortion/sexual
abuse grief counsellor for ten years now and I have seen (even from my
own personal experience) the damage that abortion does. We need to heal
our society.
Here is the prayer:
A Prayer for Healing of Abortion
Wounds.
Eternal Father,
We come before you
bearing the wounds of your Son,
Jesus,
Who, by His passion and death
we know has forgiven us.
We thank you Father for creating a special
place
in heaven for our precious
infants
who now surround your Holy
Altar.
Father, on our journey home,
bearing the scars of our sin
grant to us mothers and
fathers
the grace of healing, courage and peace,
so that we may be true witnesses to the
world
of your love and endless
mercy.
Through the intercession of Our
Lady
The mother of all mothers,
we ask You this, Our Father
in the name of Jesus Your Son
and in the unity of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Nihil Obstat: Very Rev. Peter J. Kenny, D.D. Diocesan Censor.
Imprimatur: Monsignor Les Tomlinson Vicar General Date: 21st April, 2005.
Anne Lastman Founder Victims of Abortion Trauma Counselling & Info Services P O Box 6094, Vermont South, 3133.
Victoria....Australia.
Mob: 0408 175 033.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
8. Another brother spoke with the same Theodore, and he began to talk
about matters of which he had noe experience. Theodore said to him,
'You've not yet found a ship to sail in, nor put your luggage aboard,
nor puto ot to sea, and you're already acting as if you were in the
city which you mean to reach. If you make some attempt to do the things
you are discussing, then you can talk about them with understanding.'
July 13, 2006
(2Co 12:7-10) And
to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a
thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to
keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about
this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will
all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with
weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when
I am weak, then I am strong.
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Jim McCrea:
John of God - Three Reasons why God allows SUFFERING via http://www.acfp2000.com/
Meditation on Psalm 119 SUFFERING
Suffering, like fire-tried gold, transforms us into the Heart of
Christ. God never intended nor wanted man to suffer. Man fell through
disobedience from the paradise God created. Christ?s sufferings on the
cross give our sufferings value, purpose, and meaning until the day
when paradise is restored.
We unite our sufferings now, no matter how great or small, to Jesus
truly present before us in the Blessed Sacrament. He takes them and
offers them to His Heavenly Father in union with those He suffered for
us on Calvary. He purifies them with His Blood and gives them
unspeakable beauty by offering them with the love with which He endured
His Passion.
God uses sufferings for three purposes. One is to purify us from
self-love, ego, and pride so that our disposition may always be that of
the psalmist:
"I bind myself to do Your Will." The freedom of heart is given when we
"run the way" of God?s Holy Will. Otherwise we are enslaved by our own
selfishness.
Just before he died, Bishop Sheen was asked by a television reporter
what the difference was between the young Father Fulton Sheen, just
ordained, and the eighty-year-old Bishop with whom he was talking. The
answer was "wisdom acquired through suffering."
The second purpose of suffering is that it creates a compassionate
heart. Through suffering, one bcomes sensitive to the cries and needs
of others.
The third purpose is that it has a redemptive value when we accept it
and offer it to God in union with the Passion of our Lord. The Will of
God is that all His children be saved. For this end, He allows human
suffering in order that one man may merit necessary graces for another
who otherwise would be lost. Like St. Paul, through our suffering we
make up for what is wanting in the Mystical Body of Christ.
The word that revives us is the Person of Christ, the Incarnate Word of
God, continuing His saving mysteries in the Blessed Sacrament.
The threefold purpose of suffering therefore is: purification of self,
creates a compassionate heart and is redemptive in that it causes
propitiation for sins in union with Christ's passion and thereby
enables another soul to gain the graces necessary for salvation -
purification, compassion, salvation.
Psalm 119:25-32 Keep me from the way of error and teach me Your law.
I have chosen the way of truth with Your decrees before me.
I bind myself to do Your Will; Lord, do not disappoint me.
I will run the way of Your commands; You give freedom to my heart.
My soul lies in the dust; by Your word revive me.
I declared my ways and You answered me; teach me Your statues.
Make me grasp the way of Your precepts and I will muse on Your wonders.
My soul pines away with grief; by Your word raise me up.
VIA Sadie Jaramillo: "Your Cross"
The everlasting God has in His wisdom
foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift
from His inmost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered
with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with
His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own
hands to see that it not be not one inch too large and not one ounce
too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy name, anointed it
with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance
at you and your courage and then sent it to you from heaven, a special
greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God
-Saint Francis de Sales
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
6. Once a brother came to Theodore
of Pherme, and spent three days asking him for advice. Theodore did not
answer, and he went sadly away. So Theodore's disciple asked him,
'Abba, why didn't you speak to him? Look, he has gone away sad.' He
replied, 'As a matter of fact, I said nothing to him because he's only
interested in getting credit by repeating what others have said to him.'
July 12, 2006
VATICAN RADIO: Tensions Rise in Holy Land
ISRAEL PUSHES INTO CENTRAL GAZA STRIP
Israeli tanks and troops have pushed into the central Gaza Strip,
expanding a two-week-old offensive aimed at recovering a captured
soldier and stopping rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.
Israel has rejected international criticism of its biggest operation in
the Gaza Strip since abandoning the territory last year after 38 years
of occupation, vowing to continue the offensive indefinitely.
A Palestinian policeman was killed after clashes erupted between gunmen
and Israeli forces near the town of Deir el Balah, residents said.
Militants tried to fire makeshift rockets towards the Kissufim border
crossing as a column of dozens of armoured vehicles and hundreds of
soldiers pushed into central Gaza, but the rockets appeared to fall
short of the troops.
"Our main target is the terrorist infrastructure – the rocket
crews, the gunmen, the arms caches," said Israeli commander Colonel
Yoel, who could not give his last name.
"But of course we are here to show that if, God forbid, any of us is
captured by the enemy, the army will do everything to secure his
return."
Israel sent a force into southern Gaza on June 28, three days after
Corporal Gilad Shalit was abducted by militants who tunnelled their way
under the border fence. Later, Israeli tanks entered northern Gaza
after rockets fired from the area fell on a major city. Israel has
repeatedly rejected demands from militants of the ruling Hamas Islamist
group to free Palestinian prisoners from its jails in exchange for
Shilat's release. Hamas fighters helped capture the 19-year-old tank
gunner.
About 60 Palestinians, at least 20 of them civilians, have been killed since the Israeli offensive began.
The European Union and United Nations have criticised the Israeli
operation and said they fear a humanitarian crisis in the densely
populated seaside territory of 1.4 million.
RELATED HEADLINES
Israel, Hamas take hard line
Iran: IDF strikes will bring Islamic 'explosion'
Ahmadinejad: Conditions for Removal of Israel Are at Hand
Israel says Hizbollah raids an "act of war" by Lebanon
VIEWPOINT: Palestinian Christians are an endangered species
JULY 3,2006- Pope renews appeal for peace in Iraq, Holy Land
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
5. Zeno (the disciple of Silvanus)
said, 'Never stay in a well-known place nor sit with a famous man, nor
lay a foundation on which you might sometime build yourself a cell.'
July 11, 2006
(Deu
30:19) I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that I have set
before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Choose therefore life,
that both thou and thy seed may live:
POPE BENEDICT XVI: "At the origin of every human being there is not something haphazard or chance, but a loving plan of God."
HEADLINE: Director of Priests for Life requests prayers for abortion practitioners
MORE: Chapel of unborn provides comfort
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, Protectress of the Unborn- A Prayer for Abortion Victims
RELATED: The following prayer was given to Barnabas Nwoye (1) by Jesus.
PRAYER FOR THE BAPTISM OF ABORTED BABIES (29 July 1998)
(Jesus said: "Today the blood of innocent children has filled Heaven.
Their number is too great, too great; the wrath of the Eternal Father
is about to fall on mankind -- Their blood disturbs My Agonizing Heart
and increases My agony --- Through this prayer, large numbers of
innocent unborn babies will be saved; pray it daily and make it known
to the world. Anyone who teaches it will not be lost. Innocent souls in
Heaven will not let them become lost. I, with My Love and Mercy, will
protect them from falling into mortal sin.")
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Your love is eternal. In Your ocean of love, You saved
the world through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Now look at
Your only Son on the Cross Who is constantly bleeding for love of His
people, and forgive Your world. Purify and baptize aborted children
with the Precious Blood and Water from the Sacred Side of Your Son, Who
hung dead on the Cross for their salvation, in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May they, through the Holy
Death of Jesus Christ gain everlasting life, through His Wounds be
healed, and through His Precious Blood be freed. There to rejoice with
the Saints in Heaven. Amen.
NIHIL OBSTAT:
Rev. Fr. Stephen Obiukwu Censor Deputatus Chairman, Doctrine and Faith
Committee Archdiocese of Onitsha, Anambra State 430001 NIGERIA
1st July, 1999.
IMPRIMATUR:
Ayo-Maria Atoyebi, O.P.
Bishop of Ilorin Diocese Ilorin, Kwara State 240001 NIGERIA
17th June, 2001.
Footnotes (1) The mystical occurrences of Barnabas Nwoye have yet-to-be-approved by the Church. www.preciousbloodinternational.com
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
3. They said of Arsenius and
Theodore of Pherme that they hated fame and praise more than anything.
Arsenius avoided people likely to praise him. Theodore did not avoid
them, but their words were like daggers to him.
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