Catholic Bulletin: June 2009

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Wait yet a little and I will show you. I still have some things to say in God's behalf. Job 36:2

Reflection: Mary is the echo of God. If we say "Mary," she will answer "God." That is why union with her is always followed by union with God.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Echo of God. Let me imitate you in echoing the teaching of Jesus to others both in my words and in my deeds.

Holy Quotes

R
estrain your tongue from cursing, because with it your adore the Lord.

To know whom to avoid is a great means of saving our souls.

No matter how much we try, only through Jesus Christ shall we succeed in calling people back to the Majesty and Kingdom of God. "No one," the Apostle admonishes us, "can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, namely Jesus Christ."

names and images with which the Bible speaks

A
re there other names and images with which the Bible speaks about the Church?

In Sacred Scripture we find many images which bring out various complementary aspects of the mystery of the Church:

* The Old Testament favors those images that are bound to the people of God.
* The New Testament offers images that are linked to Christ as the Head of this people which is his Body.
* Other images are drawn from:
o pastoral life (sheepfold, flock, sheep),
o from agriculture (field, olive grove, vineyard),
o from construction (dwelling place, stone, temple),
o and from family life (spouse, mother, family).

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: The Lord does not delay in his promises, but is patient for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to turn to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Reflection: Mary does not know how to refuse compassion. She has never learned how to let the comfortless go away uncomforted. And so, she will persuade her Son to pardon me.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Mother of Compassion. Help me to show compassion to others, so that I may benefit from your compassion and that of your Divine Son.

Holy Quotes

B
eware also of a babbling tongue and of itching ears. Neither detract from others nor listen to detractors.

Nothing can be more dangerous than keeping wicked companions. They communicate the infection of their vices to all who associate with them.

The Sacrament of mercy and of forgiveness has to be lived out with a feeling of great confidence in Divine salvation and a sincere desire for conversion. We must seek in it reconciliation with God and with our brothers and sisters.

Catholic Note

J
esus revealed that Moses allowed divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as a temporary provision because of the "hardness of their hearts" (Matthew 19:7-9). But Jesus restored God's original plan of indissoluble marriage (Matthew 19:3-9); therefore, the Catholic Church continues to teach that a valid marriage between a baptized man and baptized woman cannot be dissolved for any reason except death. It can't be ended by a civil divorce (or even by an annulment, which is not a "Catholic divorce" but rather the determination a marriage was not valid in the first place.) Some Protestants claim that Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 allow exceptions to Jesus' teaching on indissolubility: "whoever divorces his wife, except for un chastity [porneia], and marries another commits adultery." Here porneia is used in a technical sense to forbid incestuous marriage among close relatives (as in Acts 15:20 and 1 Corinthians 5:1). These illicit unions are not valid marriages in the first place. Note that not a single Greek-speaking Church Father ever saw in Matthew 5 and 19 exceptions to Christ's law of indissolubility. Until Martin Luther declared that marriage was only a civil union in 1520, all Christians unanimously held that marriage is indissoluble and the divorce from a legitimate marriage cannot be followed by remarriage.

fulfillment of the Church

W
hat is the origin and the fulfillment of the Church?
The Church finds her origin and fulfillment in the eternal plan of God. She was prepared for in the Old Covenant with the election of Israel, the sign of the future gathering of all the nations. Founded by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, fulfilled by his redeeming death and Resurrection, the Church has been manifested as the mystery of salvation by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. She will be perfected in the glory of heaven as the assembly of all the redeemed of the earth.

CCC #758 - 766 and 778

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: When the Lord has brought you into the … land that flows with milk and honey, you shall celebrate this sacred rite in this month. Exodus 13:5

Reflection: Mary is a land that, though it has never been sown, brings forth fruit that gives food to all creatures. She is a land on which rest the blessings of the Lord.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the "land that flows with milk and honey." Fill me with the blessings that flow from such a Divine land, so that I too may bring forth fruits worthy of salvation.

Holy Quotes

W
hy do we complain about God, Who has more reason to complain about all of us?

If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate... Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse rather than what is better.

Ideals, if they are authentic, if they are human, are not dreams: they are duties, especially for us Christians. The more the sounds of the storm disturb the horizon of our history, the more such ideals must grip our attention. And ideals are energies; they are hopes.

mission of the Church

W
hat is the mission of the Church?

The mission of the Church is to proclaim and establish the Kingdom of God begun by Jesus Christ among all peoples. The Church constitutes on earth the seed and beginning of this salvific Kingdom.

CCC #767 - 769

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: A shoot shall spring up from the stump of Jesse, and out of his roots a flower shall blossom. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. Isaiah 11:1-2

Reflection: The birth of the Mother of God is the prelude to the union of the Word with flesh. Today the Virgin is born, tended and formed, and prepared for her role as Mother of God, Who is the universal King of the ages.

Prayer: O Mary, the birth of Jesus from you was the dawn of our salvation. May the celebration of your birthday bring the world closer to lasting peace and redound to my salvation.

Holy Quotes

R
umor -- even when it brings some truth with it -- is never free from the flaw of falsehood, for it ever takes away from, adds to, and alters the truth.

The Lord was baptized, not to be cleansed Himself, but to cleanse the waters, so that those waters, cleansed by the flesh of Christ which knew no sin, might have the power of baptism.

More than any other person, Mary was aware of God's love for her, of all the great things the Lord has done for her. Mary's life was a response to God's love.

Church a mystery

I
n what way is the Church a mystery?
The Church is a mystery in as much as in her visible reality there is present and active a divine spiritual reality which can only be seen with the eyes of faith.

CCC #770 - 773 and 779

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: She is found by those who search for her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her; those who rise early to seek her will not have to toil. Wisdom 6:12-14

Reflection: The Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. These however are to be so understood that they take nothing away from nor add anything to the dignity and efficacy of Christ the one Mediator.

Prayer: O Mary, you are our Advocate with God. Grant that I may call upon your intercessory power and so be able to bring forth the fruits that your Divine Son expects from me.

Holy Quotes

T
he chatty old woman, the doting old man, and the wordy sophist -- all take up the Scriptures, tear them in pieces, and teach them before they have learned them.

Just as a man cannot live in the flesh unless he is born in the flesh, even so a man cannot have the spiritual life of grace unless he is born again spiritually. This regeneration is effected by baptism: "Unless a man is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." ( John 3: 5 )

The attitude of the human person in the quest for truth is already an act of praise of the Author of truth. It is the Author of truth Who alone can fully satisfy the human intellect.

Catholic Note

S
cripture clearly describes homosexual acts as abominations. The city of Sodom (Genesis 18-19) was not destroyed for its lack of hospitality to the angels of the Lord. It was destroyed for its homosexual depravity. The Church teaches that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357), yet the Church also calls us to embrace homosexuals with love and to encourage them to live lives of chastity. Regardless of the source of homosexual inclinations, which the Church says are "objectively disordered", the "urges" themselves are not sinful. For most people, these urges constitute trials which must be resisted like any other temptation. In short, the Church teaches us to hate the sin of homosexual acts, but to love the sinners who engage in those acts. See more about the Church's teachings in CCC 2357-2359.

Church is the universal sacrament of salvation

W
hat does it mean to say that the Church is the universal sacrament of salvation?
This means that she is the sign and instrument both of the reconciliation and communion of all of humanity with God and of the unity of the entire human race.

CCC #774 - 776 and 780

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: O Lord, … you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, so that it will always remain. It is you, O Lord, who blessed it, and it will be blessed forever. 1 Chronicles 17:26-27

Reflection: Without the consent of Mary, God would not become Man. The reasons for this were first that we might feel under great obligation to her and second that we might realize that the salvation of all is left to her care.

Prayer: O Mary, you are entrusted with our salvation. Keep me safe from the snares of the devil. Help me to say often: "Immaculate Heart of Mary, be my salvation."

Holy Quotes

I
f we are brought to Christ by force, we believe without wanting to. This is violence, not freedom.

A person can do other things against his will, but belief is possible only in one who is willing.

Christians today, like Christians during the first centuries, must have courage and faith in God. They must distinguish themselves from the world about them. They do this not to condemn the world but to penetrate it with the light and truth of the Gospel.

Church the "people of God"

W
hy is the Church the "people of God"?

The Church is the "people of God" because it pleased God to sanctify and save men not in isolation but by making them into one people gathered together by the unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

CCC #781 and #802 - 804

HOLY MARTYRS OF THE ROMAN CHURCH

Depression

A
businessman was in a great deal of trouble. His business was failing, he had put everything he had into the business, he owed everybody-- it was so bad he was even contemplating suicide. As a last resort he went to a priest and poured out his story of tears and woe.

When he had finished, the priest said, "Here's what I want you to do: Put a beach chair and your Bible in your car and drive down to the beach. Take the beach chair and the Bible to the water's edge, sit down in the beach chair, and put the Bible in your lap. Open the Bible; the wind will rifle the pages, but finally the open Bible will come to rest on a page. Look down at the page and read the first thing you see. That will be your answer, that will tell you what to do."

A year later the businessman went back to the priest and brought his wife and children with him. The man was in a new custom-tailored suit, his wife in a mink coat, the children shining. The businessman pulled an envelope stuffed with money out of his pocket, gave it to the priest as a donation in thanks for his advice.

The priest recognized the benefactor, and was curious. "You did as I suggested?" he asked.

"Absolutely," replied the businessman.

"You went to the beach?"

"Absolutely."

"You sat in a beach chair with the Bible in your lap?"

"Absolutely."

"You let the pages rifle until they stopped?"

"Absolutely."

"And what were the first words you saw?"

"Chapter 11."

The Christmas Story

T
erri asked her Sunday School class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle's picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent. "The flight to Egypt," said Kyle. "I see. And that must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus," Ms. Terri said. "But who's the fourth person?"

"Oh, that's Pontius - the Pilot.

Quotes on Mary

cripture meditation: Eye has not seen nor has ear heard, neither has it entered the human heart … what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Reflection: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and the human heart has not felt what God has prepared for those who love Him. Who, then, can dare speak about what God has prepared for His Mother!

Prayer: O Mary, you are now enjoying the ineffable reward prepared for you. Let me dwell often on the joys that await me if I remain faithful to God's will for me.

Holy Quotes

W
e profess that the whole nature of the body comes from God, its almighty creator.

Nothing is so difficult as to enter into the characters and feelings of men who have been brought up under a system of religion different from our own; and to discern how they may be most forcibly and profitably addressed, in order to win them over to the reception of divine truths, of which they are at present ignorant.

Nourish your faith; faith in a just and merciful God, without Whom your life would be like a day without sun, a universe without light. And faith in the Church, which, by the will of God, guides us with goodness and certainty to heaven.

relationship between the Spirit and Christ

W
hat is the relationship between the Spirit and Christ Jesus in his earthly mission?

Beginning with his Incarnation, the Son of God was consecrated in his humanity as the Messiah by means of the anointing of the Spirit. He revealed the Spirit in his teaching, fulfilled the promises made to the Fathers, and bestowed him upon the Church at its birth when he breathed on the apostles after the Resurrection.

CCC #727 - 730 and CCC #745 - 746

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: My just one is near, my savior has gone forth …; the coastlands look for me and wait patiently for my arm. Isaiah 51:5

Reflection: Because Jesus redeemed us, He is our Lord and our King. In the same way the Blessed Virgin is our Lady and our Queen on account of the unique manner in which she assisted in the Redemption, offering her Son to the Father for the salvation of the world.

Prayer: O Mary, most noble Queen of the world, plead for peace and salvation in our behalf, for you have brought forth Christ the Lord, the Savior of us all.

Holy Quotes

A
s to the aridity you are suffering from, it seems to me our Lord is treating you like someone He considers strong: He wants to test you and see if you love Him as much at times of aridity as when He sends you consolations. I think this is a very great favor for God to show you.

Fortitude is a Christian virtue, the arduous and ever painful habit of rightful thinking; it is self-control and primacy of the spirit. Fortitude is inseparable from the quest for, and the love of, truth, justice, and equity.

Catholic Note

P
rotestants have a hard time thinking that a man can give absolution for another's sins. They claim there is only one mediator between God and man: Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Catholics believe Christ gave His apostles the power to forgive sins, a power that has been handed down for generations through apostolic succession. The sacrament of reconciliation is Christ's gift to us. The root of all sin is pride; its antidote is humility. Confessing one's sins to God's appointed representative is thoroughly biblical, and calls for tremendous humility. The priest does not act on his own, He acts in the name of God and on behalf of His Church, administering God's forgiveness (absolution). The sacrament of Confession wipes away our sins, increases sanctifying grace in our souls, and reunites us with Christ and His Church. The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)

Jesus continues his example of priestly forgiveness in the Old Testament.

What happened at Pentecost?

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hat happened at Pentecost?
Fifty days after the Resurrection at Pentecost the glorified Jesus Christ poured out the Spirit in abundance and revealed him as a divine Person so that the Holy Trinity was fully manifest. The mission of Christ and of the Spirit became the mission of the Church which is sent to proclaim and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity.

“We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us.” (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion of Vespers of Pentecost)

CCC #731 - 732 and 738

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will live because of me. John 6:57

Reflection: Every grace granted to human beings has three degrees in order: From God it is communicated to Christ; from Christ it passes to the Blessed Virgin; and from the Blessed Virgin it comes to us.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Channel of Divine Grace for us. Grant that I may be receptive to every grace earmarked for me and may cooperate with it to the full.

Holy Quotes

O
ne single act done with aridity of spirit is worth more than many done with feelings of devotion.

Christianity is the meeting point of earth and heaven. It lays claim to the whole person, body and soul, intellect and will. It calls people to raise their minds above the changing conditions of this earthly existence and reach upward for the eternal life of heaven.

Spirit do in the Church

W
hat does the Spirit do in the Church?
The Spirit builds, animates and sanctifies the Church. As the Spirit of Love, he restores to the baptized the divine likeness that was lost through sin and causes them to live in Christ the very life of the Holy Trinity. He sends them forth to bear witness to the Truth of Christ and he organizes them in their respective functions so that all might bear “the fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).

CCC #733 - 741 and 747

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Ephraim is my favored son; he is a tender child. … I still remember him. My heart stirs for him, and I will surely show him compassion. Jeremiah 31:20

Reflection: Mary far surpasses all other mothers in glory and holiness as well as in kindness and sweetness. Come before her with a contrite and humbled heart. You will find her more prompt and more tender in loving you than all other mothers.

Prayer: "O Mother of the Word Incarnate, to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. Despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me."

Holy Quotes

I
t is an impossibility that the fiery motions of the body can be extinguished before the incentives of the other chief vices are utterly rooted out.

A work of art represents the mind of the maker.

One of the first good works that flows from faith is one that is so desperately needed in this place and everywhere. It is the work of reconciliation: reconciliation with God and reconciliation with one another.

Catholic Note

A
ll human titles are only shadows of God's authority from which they derive, Ephesians 3:15. RE: "call no one on earth Abi father". "Father" is a term sometimes used of the great Rabbis. Note our Lord is not a grammarian regulating the use of terms: he is a doctor of the spirit. He forbids any acknowledgement of fatherhood that obscures the fatherhood of God, nothing more. If we make no allowance for the concreteness and brevity of his phrases we reduce either them to absurdity or him to inconsistency. He would not forbid a human son to use the word father nor would he forbid the term if addressed to one who is God's representative; in this second case, indeed, it serves to remind its user of the fatherhood of God. Nor must the Christian disciple pose as an independent spiritual guide. He himself is subject to one Teacher and one Guide - to the Lord Himself.

Daily Cheer

A
n atheist complained to a friend, "Christians have their special holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. And Jews celebrate their holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur. Muslims have their holidays, too."

"Every religion has holidays to celebrate. But we atheists," he said, "have no recognized national holiday. It's an unfair discrimination"

His friend replied..."Well, why don't you celebrate April 1st?"

Quotes on Mary

cripture meditation: God made two great lights: a greater one to rule the day, and a lesser one to rule the night. Genesis 1:16

Reflection: The moon, standing between the sun and the earth, transmits to the earth whatever light it receives from the sun. In like manner, Mary stands between God and human beings and pours His grace upon us.

Prayer: O Mary, you flood us with Christ's supernatural brightness. Grant me the graces to flee the proximate occasions of sin and remain true to my Christian vocation.

Holy Quotes

F
lesh did not diminish the glory of the Word; far be the thought. On the contrary, it was glorified by Him.

Heretics are to be converted by an example of humility and other virtues far more readily than by any external display or verbal battles. So let us arm ourselves with devout prayers and set off showing signs of genuine humility and go barefooted to combat Goliath.

The longing of Christ's Heart [that all be one] must be our invitation. We must dedicate ourselves anew to the task of establishing among Catholics a firm and abiding love and witness to that unity which is the first mark of the Church.

Catholic Note

S
ome non-Catholic Christians believe that Baptism is necessary and sets us free from sin. Many others think it is merely a symbol of one's desire to follow Christ, having no real effect upon the soul. The Catholic Church teaches that Baptism is both necessary for salvation and regenerative, causing us to be reborn as children of God. Through Baptism we receive the life-giving, sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. This grace wipes away Original Sin that stains each soul because of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam and Eve. The Church prescribes Baptism by water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as the normative gateway to God and his family, the Church. While most Protestants agree the Baptism is a good idea, many do not believe it is really necessary; and many think is un biblical to baptized babies. The Church has baptized infants from the earliest times and continues to do so today. The Church also teaches that catechesis must follow Baptism to properly assist the baptized on his Christian journey. Some fundamentalists believe that the only acceptable Baptism is by immersion. Both immersion and sprinkling are acceptable forms of Baptism in the Catholic Church. To learn more about the Church's teaching on Baptism, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1213-1284. "The Church is the extension of Christ's incarnation, and that extension takes place through the sacraments" (Scott Hahn , Swear to God, Page 22)

Commanded by Christ and taught by the Apostles.

work of the Spirit in Mary

W
hat is the work of the Spirit in Mary?

The Holy Spirit brought to fulfillment in Mary all the waiting and the preparation of the Old Testament for the coming of Christ. In a singular way he filled her with grace and made her virginity fruitful so that she could give birth to the Son of God made flesh. He made her the Mother of the “whole Christ”, that is, of Jesus the Head and of the Church his body. Mary was present with the twelve on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit inaugurated the “last days” with the manifestation of the Church.

CCC #721 - 726 and 744

Daily Cheer

T
here was a Christian lady who lived next door to an atheist. Every day, when the lady prayed, the atheist guy could hear her. He thought to himself, "She sure is crazy, praying all the time like that. Doesn't she know there isn't a God?"

Many times while she was praying, he would go to her house and harass her, saying "Lady, why do you pray all the time? Don't you know there is no God?" But she kept on praying.

One day, she ran out of groceries. As usual, she was praying to the Lord explaining her situation and thanking Him for what He was gonna do. As usual, the atheist heard her praying and thought to himself, "Humph! I'll fix her."

He went to the grocery store, bought a whole bunch of groceries, took them to her house, dropped them off on the front porch, rang the door bell and then hid in the bushes to see what she would do. When she opened the door and saw the groceries, she began to praise the Lord with all her heart, jumping, singing and shouting everywhere! The atheist then jumped out of the bushes and told her, "You ol' crazy lady, God didn't buy you those groceries, I bought those groceries!" At hearing this, she broke out and started running down the street, shouting and praising the Lord.

When he finally caught her, he asked what her problem was. She said, "I knew the Lord would provide me with some groceries, but I didn't know he was gonna make the devil pay for them!"

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: He is not far from each of us. For "In him we live and move and have our being," as some of your own poets have said. Acts of the Apostles 17:27-28

Reflection: I hold that Mary is now with Christ and in Christ. She is in Christ, because "in Him we live and move and have our being." She is with Christ, because she has been assumed into glory.

Prayer: O Mary, you live in glory with your Divine Son. Let me remain united with you and live and move in God while on earth, so that I may be with Him in the glory of heaven.

Holy Quotes

T
t is not so much the corruptible flesh as the clean heart, which is made a shrine for God, and a temple of the Holy Ghost.

In vain, then, do we attempt to compute definitely the years that may remain to this world, when we may hear from the mouth of the Truth Himself that it is not for us to know this.

In the Divine Master's school we shall all remember to love poverty and the poor. We shall love the poor in order to devote special interest to them, whether they be persons, classes, or nations in need of love and aid.

Spirit “has spoken through the prophets

W
hat does it mean that the Spirit “has spoken through the prophets”?

The term “prophets” means those who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak in the name of God. The Spirit brings the prophecies of the Old Testament to their complete fulfillment in Christ whose mystery he reveals in the New Testament.

CCC #687 - 688, CCC #702 - 716 and 743

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Strenuous labor is the lot of all human beings … from the day when they emerge from their mother's womb until the day when they return to the mother of us all. Sirach 40:1

Reflection: Mary is a Queen because she is a Mother, the Immaculate Mother of God, a completely Divine Mother. She is thus the Queen of heaven and earth, of Angels and human beings.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Mother of all the living and Queen of all. Watch over me by your motherly care. And intercede with the King of kings on my behalf.

Holy Quotes

C
hrist makes the bitterness of the human heart sweet by the sweetness of His Word.

While the hot restlessness of heretics stirs questions about many articles of the Catholic faith, the necessity of defending them forces us to investigate them more accurately, to understand them more clearly, and to proclaim them more earnestly; and the question mooted by an adversary becomes the occasion of instruction.

Whatever an individual person's journey of faith and acceptance of it, no one is passive. Each one must work to improve the lot of others and thus make progress along the way of the Gospel.

Spirit accomplish in John the Baptist

W
hat did the Holy Spirit accomplish in John the Baptist?

The Spirit filled John the Baptist, who was the last prophet of the Old Testament. Under his inspiration John was sent to “prepare for the Lord a people well disposed” (Luke 1:17). He was to proclaim the coming of Christ, the Son of God, upon whom he saw the Spirit descend and remain, the one who “baptizes with the Spirit” (John 1:33).

CCC #717 - 720

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: At that time, Mary arose and went into the hill country in haste to a town of Judah. She entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Luke 1:39-40

Reflection: In the interior life and in the apostolate, let us always work with Mary. For then everything becomes easier and more certain, quicker and more delightful.

Prayer: O Mary, you were forever working for the Christian apostolate. Teach me to work with you so that I may obtain the best fruits from this activity, which Jesus commanded us to do.

Holy Quotes

E
xcessive fasting has been known not only to undermine the constancy of the mind, but also to weaken the power of prayers through sheer weariness of body.

Dismiss all anger and look into yourself a little. Remember that he of whom you are speaking is your brother and, as he is in the way of salvation, God can make him a saint, in spite of his present weakness.

How sweet, how consoling it is for us who wish to walk in the footsteps of the Lord to have before us Mary, her image, her remembrance, her kindness, her humility and purity, her greatness. How close to us the Gospel is in the power that Mary personifies and radiates with human and superhuman splendor.

Catholic Note

P
urgatory refers to a temporary state of purification for those who have died in the state of grace but still need to get rid of any lingering imperfections (venial sins, earthly attachments, self-will, etc.) before entering the perfection of heaven. It's true that the word "purgatory" doesn't appear in the Bible (neither do the words "Trinity", "Incarnation" or even "Bible"). However, what's important is not the word, but the doctrine. And the doctrine of the final purification of the elect, apart from heaven or hell, is clearly taught in both the Old Testament and the New Testament."

I believe in the Holy Spirit

W
hat does the Church mean when she confesses: “I believe in the Holy Spirit”?
To believe in the Holy Spirit is to profess faith in the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and “is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son”. The Spirit is “sent into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6) so that we might receive new life as sons of God.

CCC #683 - 686

Quotes on Mary

S

cripture meditation: Anything defiled shall not enter into it nor anyone who practices abomination and deceit, but only those who appear in the book of life of the Lamb. Revelation 21:27

Reflection: Those who enjoy the favor of Mary are recognized by the citizens of heaven. And those who bear her stamp, that is, those who have the grace to be her servants, are inscribed in the Book of Life.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Book of Life for your servants. Help me to be so devoted to you that I will remain free from serious sin and deserve to have my name written in that Book.

Holy Quotes

P
erfection of mind depends upon the abstinence of the belly.

Reason opposes evil all the more effectively when anger resides at her side.

The fundamental lesson, of humility is that it neither wipes away the greatness of Christ nor reduces to nothingness our poor merit. Humility is a moral attitude that does not destroy the values to which it is applied; it is a way to recognize and regain them.

Son and the Holy Spirit inseparable

W
hy are the missions of the Son and the Holy Spirit inseparable?
In the indivisible Trinity, the Son and the Spirit are distinct but inseparable. From the very beginning until the end of time, when the Father sends his Son he also sends his Spirit who unites us to Christ in faith so that as adopted sons we can call God “Father” (Romans 8:15). The Spirit is invisible but we know him through his actions, when he reveals the Word to us and when he acts in the Church.

CCC #687 - 690 and CCC #742 - 743

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: A woman from the crowd cried out … "Blessed is the womb that bore you. …." He, [Jesus] replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:27-28

Reflection: Mary is blessed most of all because she heard the word of God and carried it out. She preserved the Truth in her mind even more than she preserved the Flesh in her womb.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430AD)
Mini-Bio: North African; bishop, theologian, Doctor of the Church

Prayer: O Mary, you are the first among the believers in Christ. Increase my faith in your Divine Son. Make it so alive that it will shine out even in the littlest thing I do.

N
o one understands in heart … unless he be open-minded and completely attentive.

There is holy anger, excited by zeal, that moves us to reprove with warmth those whom our mildness failed to correct.

Christ did not found an abstract religion, a mere school of religious thought. He setup a community of apostles, of teachers, with the task of spreading His message and so giving rise to a society of believers: His Church. He promised the Spirit of truth to His Church and then sent Him.

names of the Holy Spirit

W
hat are the names of the Holy Spirit?
“The Holy Spirit” is the proper name of the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Jesus also called him the Paraclete (Consoler or Advocate) and the Spirit of Truth. The New Testament also refers to him as the Spirit of Christ, of the Lord, of God - the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of the Promise.

CCC #691 - 693

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Let us confidently draw near the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Reflection: The life-giving graces flow from Christ the Head, through the Blessed Virgin, into His Mystical Body. Mary received the great honor from God that no one should obtain any grace except through her hands.

St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444AD)
Mini-Bio: Italian; priest, Franciscan vicar general, preacher, reformer

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Mediatrix of all graces. Let me ask you each day for the graces I need to lead a truly Christian life, and obtain them for me from your Divine Son.

Holy Quotes

I
f a man's heart has been purified … he will see the image of the divine nature in his own beauty.

St. Gregory of Nyssa (330-395AD) on the Heart
Mini-Bio: Cappadocian; bishop, theologian

Saints throughout the Age of the Church

Elijah ... Will come; the Jews will believe; AntiChrist will persecute; Christ will judge; the dead will rise; the good and the wicked will be separated; the world will be burned and renewed. All these things, we believe, will come to pass; but how, or in what order, human understanding cannot perfectly teach us -- we will know only when we have experienced the events themselves.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430AD) on the Apocalypse
Mini-Bio: North African; bishop, theologian, Doctor of the Church

Holy Quotes from the Popes of the Church

Pray like Jesus. Pray intently. Pray today, always in the confident communion that prayer has established between us and the Father. Because it is to a father, it is to the Father that our humble voice is addressed.

symbols are used to represent the Holy Spirit

W
hat symbols are used to represent the Holy Spirit?
There are many symbols of the Holy Spirit: living water which springs from the wounded Heart of Christ and which quenches the thirst of the baptized; anointing with oil, which is the sacramental sign of Confirmation; fire which transforms what it touches; the cloud, dark or luminous, in which the divine glory is revealed; the imposition of hands by which the Holy Spirit is given; the dove which descended on Christ at his baptism and remained with him.

CCC #694 - 701

Protecting Sea Turtles and Human Babies

Responses to Pro-Abortion Politicians

4th of July

This Day In History

Daily Cheer

S
everal centuries ago, the Pope decided that all the Jews had to leave the Vatican. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Jewish community. So the Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a member of the Jewish community. If the Jew won, the Jews could stay. If the Pope won, the Jews would leave. The Jews realized that they had no choice. So they picked an elderly aged man named Moishe to represent them. Rabbi Moishe's Latin wasn't very good - in fact, he knew very little--but he was a man of great faith and well respected in the Jewish community. The pope agreed. What could be easier than a silent debate?

The day of the great debate came. Moishe and the Pope sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers. Moishe looked back at him and raised one finger. The Pope waved his fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine. Moishe pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up and said, "I give up. This man is too good. The Jews can stay."

An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope asking him what happened. The Pope said: "First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground and showing that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us from our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?"

Meanwhile, the Jewish community had crowded around Moishe. "What happened?" they asked. "Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that the Jews had three days to get out of here. I told him that not one of us was leaving. Then he told me that this whole city would be cleared of Jews. I let him know that we were staying right here." "And then?" asked a woman. "I don't know," said Moishe. "He took out his lunch and I took out

Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Saint Anthony of Padua

Obama pushes Global Abortion

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and lauding God for all they had heard and seen. Luke 2:19-20

Reflection: O faithful soul, imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Enter into the temple of your heart in order to be spiritually renewed and obtain forgiveness of your sins. Remember that God looks at the intentions behind our works rather than the works themselves.

Prayer: O Mary, you meditated continually on the things God sent into your life. Help me to meditate daily on the events that touch my life and to discern God's hand and will in them.

Holy Quotes

S
evere fasting is rendered useless if followed by unnecessary relaxation, and leads to the vice of gluttony.

From what does such contrariness arise in habitually angry people, but from secret cause of too high opinion of themselves so that it pierces their hearts when they see any man esteem them less than they esteem themselves? ... An inflated estimation of ourselves is more than half of the weight of our wrath.

In the special manifestation to St. Margaret Mary. Christ pointed to His Heart as the symbol by which we are drawn to recognize and to acknowledge His love. At the same time, He constituted it as a sign and pledge of His mercy and His grace for the needs of the Church in our time.

judge the living and the dead

H
ow will Christ judge the living and the dead?

Christ will judge with the power he has gained as the Redeemer of the world who came to bring salvation to all. The secrets of hearts will be brought to light as well as the conduct of each one toward God and toward his neighbor. Everyone, according to how he has lived, will either be filled with life or damned for eternity. In this way, “the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13) will come about in which “God will be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

CCC #678 - 679 and CCC #681 - 682

Quotes on Mary

Holy Quotes

Catholic Note

I believe in the Holy Spirit

W
hat does the Church mean when she confesses: “I believe in the Holy Spirit”?

To believe in the Holy Spirit is to profess faith in the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and “is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son”. The Spirit is “sent into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6) so that we might receive new life as sons of God.

CCC #683 - 686

Daily Cheer

A
man bought a donkey from a preacher. The preacher told the man that this donkey had been trained in a very unique way, (being the donkey of a preacher). The only way to make the donkey go, was to say, "Hallelujah!" The only way to make the donkey stop, was to say, "Amen!"

The man was pleased with his purchase and immediately got on the animal to try out the preacher's instructions. "Hallelujah!" shouted the man. The donkey began to trot. "Amen!" shouted the man. The donkey stopped immediately. "This is great!" said the man. With a "Hallelujah," he rode off very proud of his new purchase.

The man traveled for a long time through some mountains. Soon he was heading toward a cliff. He could not remember the word to make the donkey stop. "Stop," said the man. "Halt!" he cried. The donkey just kept going. "Oh, no... Bible!....Church!...Please Stop!!" shouted the man. The donkey just began to trot faster. He was getting closer and closer to the cliff edge. Finally, in desperation, the man said a prayer. "Please, dear Lord. Please make this donkey stop before I go off the end of this mountain, In Jesus name, AMEN."

The donkey came to an abrupt stop just one step from the edge of the cliff.

"HALLELUJAH!", shouted the man.

Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Can a woman forget her infant, be without mercy for the child of her womb? And if she should forget, I shall never forget you. Isaiah 49:15

Reflection: The Blessed Virgin Mary is like a mother who has many children. She is always busy going from one to the other!

Prayer: O Mary, you are more devoted to the salvation of your children than any earthly mother can be. I thank you for your loving concern for me, which will only rest when I am in heaven with you.

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Holy Quotes

F
asting is not an absolute virtue, but the foundation of other virtues.

There is no sin nor wrong that gives a man such a foretaste of hell in this life as anger and impatience.

Today the Church is alive. Despite all contrary appearances, the Church is united. The Church is and remains the yeast in the dough, the signal among nations.
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coming of the Lord

H
ow will the coming of the Lord in glory happen?

After the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world the glorious coming of Christ will take place. Then will come the definitive triumph of God in the parousia and the Last Judgment. Thus the Kingdom of God will be realized.

CCC #675 - 677 and 680
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Saint Barnabas, Apostle

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Vocational crisis

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Catholic Abortions in Boston

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US House voting in "Global Plan"

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Holy Quotes

I
f the mere presence of an important person who is worthy of respect is enough to improve the behavior of the people before him, how is it that the continual presence of God … does not increasingly better us in our speech, actions and feelings?

Let your old age be childlike, and your childhood like old age; that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your humility without wisdom.

Those who deem themselves to be Christian must know this fact. They are bound by conscience to the basic, imperative duty of bearing witness to the truth in which they believe and to the grace that has transformed their soul.
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God and savior

D
id Jesus contradict Israel's faith in the one God and savior?
Jesus never contradicted faith in the one God, not even when he performed the stupendous divine work which fulfilled the messianic promises and revealed himself as equal to God, namely the pardoning of sins. However, the call of Jesus to believe in him and to be converted makes it possible to understand the tragic misunderstanding of the Sanhedrin which judged Jesus to be worthy of death as a blasphemer.

CCC #587 - 591 and 594
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Quotes on Mary

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cripture meditation: I was with him forming all things and was delighted every day playing in his presence, playing in the world. Proverbs 8:30

Reflection: So pleasing to God was Mary's humility that He was constrained by His goodness to entrust to her the Word, His only Son. And it was that dearest Mother who gave Him to us.

Prayer: O Mary, Mother of humility, teach me the humility that draws your Divine Son to the soul. May I desire to offer whatever I have to Jesus and do everything for His glory.
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Holy Quotes

B
e of good cheer, only work, only strive cheerfully; for nothing is lost. Every prayer of yours, every psalm you sing is recorded. Every alms, every fast is recorded. Every marriage duly observed is recorded. But as you have gladly, listened to the good things, listen without shrinking to the contrary. Every covetous deed of yours is recorded. Every fleshly deed, every perjury, every blasphemy, every sorcery, every theft, every murder. All these are recorded.

The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.

Responsible parenthood involves not only bringing children into the world, but also taking part personally and responsibly in their upbringing and education. True love in the family is forever!
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death of Jesus

W
ho is responsible for the death of Jesus?
The passion and death of Jesus cannot be imputed indiscriminately either to all the Jews that were living at that time or to their descendants.

Every single sinner, that is, every human being is really the cause and the instrument of the sufferings of the Redeemer; and the greater blame in this respect falls on those above all who are Christians and who the more often fall into sin or delight in their vices.

CCC #595 - 598
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Quotes on Mary

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cripture meditation: Holocausts and sin offering did not please you. Then I said, "As is written of me in the head of the book, Behold, I come to do your will, O God." Hebrews 10:6-7

Reflection: Mary's sole object in this world was to keep her eyes constantly focused on God so as to discover His will. Then when she had found out what God wanted, she did it.

Prayer: O Mary, you are the obedient Daughter of the Father who cooperated with Him in the salvation worked by Jesus. In every situation make known God's will to me and help me to carry it out willingly.
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Holy Quotes

W
e the faithful do not worship images as gods, as did the heathen Greeks -- God forbid! -- but our only purpose and desire is to see in the image a reflection of the facial form of the Beloved.

We must be charitable and humble and give alms, because they wash the stains of sin from our souls.

Here is a model image of what the sentiments of the evangelizer should be: A person who suffers with those who suffer, rejoices with those who rejoice, and gives self to all so that others may share an immense joy.
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God's plan

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hy was the death of Jesus part of God's plan?
To reconcile to himself all who were destined to die because of sin God took the loving initiative of sending his Son that he might give himself up for sinners. Proclaimed in the Old Testament, especially as the sacrifice of the Suffering Servant, the death of Jesus came about “in accordance with the Scriptures”.

CCC #599 - 605 and 619
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: God is love, and whoever abides in love lives in God and God in him. In this way, love is brought to perfection among us. 1 John 4:16

Reflection: The Heart of Mary constituted a perfect empire for the Divine Love, which always reigned therein. And it caused to reign therein all the laws of God, all the maxims of heaven, and all the Christian virtues.

Prayer: O Mary, your Heart was a burning vessel of God's love. Fill my heart with love for God and let me thank Him every day for His great love in sending His only Son to obtain my salvation.
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I
f anyone should ask a truly wise man why he was born, he will answer without fear or hesitation, that he was born for the purpose of worshiping God.

We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue.

With Catherine of Siena and so many other "Saints of the Cross" let us hold on tightly to our most sweet and merciful Redeemer, Whom Catherine called Christ-Love. In His pierced Heart is our hope.
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Christ offer himself to the Father

I
n what way did Christ offer himself to the Father?
The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to carry out his plan of salvation. He gave “his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) and in this way he reconciled all of humanity with God. His suffering and death showed how his humanity was the free and perfect instrument of that divine love which desires the salvation of all people.

CCC #606 - 609 and 620
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Receive my instruction and not silver, and choose knowledge before gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, and no object of desire can compare with her. Proverbs 8:10-11

Reflection: Read attentively the book of purity that is Mary, written by the finger of God. Read the holiness, the love, the kindness, the humility -- in short, read the vast fullness of all the virtues.

Prayer: O Mary, help me to learn from you how to lead a Christian life. Let me strive to imitate the virtues you exhibited, for you were the closest follower of your Divine Son Jesus on earth.
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Holy Quotes

N
o one may whisper, nor slumber, nor laugh, nor nod; for, in church, all ought to stand wisely, soberly, and attentively, having their attention fixed upon the Word of the Lord.

The only true riches are those that make us rich in virtue. Therefore, if you want to be rich, belowed, love true riches. If you aspire to the heights of real honor, stive to reach the kingdom of heaven. If you value rank and renown, hasten to be enrolled in the heavenly court of the angels.

Our Church is the Sacrament of God's love. She is a communion of faith and life. She is a mother and teacher. She is at the service of the whole human family as it goes forth toward its ultimate destiny.
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offering expressed at the Last Supper

H
ow is Jesus’ offering expressed at the Last Supper?
At the Last Supper with his apostles on the eve of his passion Jesus anticipated, that is, both symbolized his free self-offering and made it really present: “This is my Body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19), “This is my Blood which is poured out...” (Matthew 26:28) Thus he both instituted the Eucharist as the “memorial” (1 Corinthians 11:25) of his sacrifice and instituted his apostles as priests of the new covenant.

CCC #610 - 611 and 621
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Jesus told [the disciples] a parable about praying without losing heart. Luke 18:1

Reflection: After Jesus Christ, the Divine Mother was the most perfect in prayer of all who have ever been or will ever be. Mary's prayer was continual and persevering!

Prayer: O Mary, you are the Model of Prayer. Teach me to love and appreciate prayer as you did. Help me to pray morning, noon, or night, in every circumstance of life and in any personal mood.
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Holy Quotes

O
King Supreme …. Forgive those who fly from the worship of Your name and the observance of Your religion. It is no wonder that You are unknown. It is a cause of greater astonishment if You are clearly comprehended.

Ambition is the mother of hypocrisy and prefers to skulk in corners and dark places. It cannot endure the light of day. It is an unclean vice wallowing in the depths, always hidden, but ever with an eye to advancement.

Work is not something that people do for the sole purpose of earning a living; it is a human dimension that can and must be sanctified. In this way, work will enable people to fulfill their vocation as creatures made in the image and likeness of God.
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Garden of Gethsemane

W
hat happened in the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Despite the horror which death represented for the sacred humanity of Jesus “who is the Author of Life” (Acts 3:15), the human will of the Son of God remained faithful to the will of the Father for our salvation. Jesus accepted the duty to carry our sins in his Body “becoming obedient unto death” (Philippians 2:8).

CCC #612
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Whoever is greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whomever humbles himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12

Reflection: Apart from the Son of God, no creature in the world was so exalted as Mary. For no creature in the world ever humbled itself so much as she did!

Prayer: O Mary, you are exalted over all because you were the humblest of all. Let me imitate your humility and merit one day to share in your exaltation in heaven.

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Holy Quotes

T
he love of truth seeks out the quiet of contemplation.
Our weakness is such that, if the guardian angels had not been given to us, we could not resist the many and powerful attacks of the evil spirits. For this purpose, we had need of a higher nature ... That is why God has taken these spirits out from among His treasures, and has given through them an aid to human weakness, so that this divine assistance might help us against the powers of this world of darkness to attain the heritage of salvation.

People in our modern society are threatened by the disease of superficiality, by complacency. We must work in order to reacquire depth, that depth which is really the essence of the human person.
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sacrifice of Christ on the cross

W
hat are the results of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross?
Jesus freely offered his life as an expiatory sacrifice, that is, he made reparation for our sins with the full obedience of his love unto death. This love “to the end” (John 13:1) of the Son of God reconciled all of humanity with the Father. The paschal sacrifice of Christ, therefore, redeems humanity in a way that is unique, perfect, and definitive; and it opens up for them communion with God.

CCC #613 - 617 and CCC #622 - 623
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: A path shall be there called the holy way, the unclean shall not pass over it. … And on it shall walk the delivered. Isaiah 35:8-9

Reflection: May the Blessed Virgin Mary help me to live a holy life and die a holy death. Then at the last instants of my life, may she come to my assistance and lead me to heaven.

Prayer: O Mary, you led St. Dominic along the "holy way" during his short life on earth. Lead me too along this way of holiness so that I may one day join him and you in the eternal holiness of heaven.
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Holy Quotes

I
n order to deliver the spirit so perfectly from the passions that it can pray without distractions, the active way is not enough, unless it is followed by various spiritual contemplations.

Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd, leading him to life. also An angel is put in charge of every believer, provided we do not drive him out by sin. He guards the soul like an army.

Today my thoughts turn to Czestochowa where the Feast of the Black Madonna is being celebrated. Many pilgrims are there, many of whom have come there on foot as a sign of devotion and penance.
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take up their cross

W
hy does Jesus call upon his disciples to take up their cross?
By calling his disciples to take up their cross and follow him Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who are to be its first beneficiaries.

CCC #618
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Run to win. Everyone who competes for a prize abstains in every way. … I chastise my body and train it lest after having preached to others, I myself shall become a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Reflection: Those who love Mary must silence within themselves the desires of the senses. They must also silence the disordered longings of the passions.

Prayer: O Mary, you well know the temptations that exist in the world. Help me to curb my evil desires and practice self-discipline, so that I may safeguard my union with your Divine Son.
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Holy Quotes

T
he contemplation of God is the reverence and worship of the common Father of mankind.

So valuable to heaven is the dignity of the human soul that every member of the human race has a guardian angel from the moment the person begins to be.

The Heart of Christ still beats. It unites millions of other hearts. The Church sees the beauty of these hearts, which will surely proclaim a spiritual acceleration in our modern world.
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Christ while it lay in the tomb

I
n what condition was the body of Christ while it lay in the tomb?
Christ underwent a real death and a true burial. However, the power of God preserved his body from corruption.

CCC #624 - 630
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Reflection: During her earthly life Mary lived in continual prayer. Therefore, all who are devoted to her must pray -- and pray continually.

Prayer: O Mary, you know the secret of prayer. Let me be convinced that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Whenever I slack off in my prayer life, gently lead me back to it.
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Holy Quotes

N
o one should be so active as not to seek the contemplation of God.
Our deeds are daily, both day and night, reported to the Lord by the angels assigned to us.

We believe we are free because we liberate ourselves from what we have learned, because we get away from obedience and rules, because we entrust ourselves to the new and unknown. But we fail to notice that we are becoming followers of others' ideas and imitators of fashion imposed by others.
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“hell” into which Jesus descended

W
hat is the “hell” into which Jesus descended?
This “hell” was different from the hell of the damned. It was the state of all those, righteous and evil, who died before Christ. With his soul united to his divine Person Jesus went down to the just in hell who were awaiting their Redeemer so they could enter at last into the vision of God. When he had conquered by his death both death and the devil “who has the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14), he freed the just who looked forward to the Redeemer and opened for them the gates of heaven.

CCC #632 - 637
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Quotes on Mary

S
cripture meditation: The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to [Jesus] … and worshipping him, asked for a favor. He said to her, "What is your wish?" Matthew 20:20-21

Reflection: When Mary asks for graces from God, she does not ask but, so to speak, commands. For her Son honors her by refusing her nothing.

Prayer: O most powerful Advocate, "help the helpless, strengthen the fearful, comfort the sorrowful, pray for the people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God, and assist all those devoted to you."

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Holy Quotes

O
ur prayer is public and common. When we pray, we pray not for one, but for the whole people, because we the whole people are one.

When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him: He trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.

The Good News is this: that God loves us. He became human to share in our life and to share His life with us. He walks with us every step of the way, taking our concerns as His own, for He cares about us.
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the Resurrection

W
hy is the Resurrection at the same time a transcendent occurrence?
While being an historical event, verifiable and attested by signs and testimonies, the Resurrection, insofar as it is the entrance of Christ's humanity into the glory of God, transcends and surpasses history as a mystery of faith. For this reason the risen Christ did not manifest himself to the world but to his disciples, making them his witnesses to the people.

CCC #647 and CCC #656 - 657
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