Saturday, February 12, 2011

Be prepared and discern truth

"But let me warn you: expect to be challenged. The Devil doesn't want you to be free, so he will whisper old lies to you."
--Buddy Owens

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Saint Ignatius Letter to Philippians 9.1: … the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing …


9.1: … the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing …

These things, brethren, out of the affection which I entertain for you, I have felt compelled to write, exhorting you with a view to the glory of God, not as if I were a person of any consequence, but simply as a brother. Be ye subject to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons. Love one another in the Lord, as being the images of God. Take heed, ye husbands, that ye love your wives as your own members. Ye wives also, love your husbands, as being one with them in virtue of your union. If any one lives in chastity or continence, let him not be lifted up, lest he lose his reward. Do not lightly esteem the festivals. Despise not the period of forty days, for it comprises an imitation of the conduct of the Lord. After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of thine abundance to the poor. If any one fasts on the Lord's Day or on the Sabbath, except on the paschal Sabbath only, he is a murderer of Christ.

Vatican II. Fast. Preface: 1.2: Furthermore, it exhorts that they fast at least every Friday in memory of the …


Vatican II. Fast. Preface:
1.2: 
Furthermore, it exhorts that they fast at least every Friday in memory of the passion of the Lord and give alms to the poor.

St. Jean Vianney. Fasting

10.8: … merely appeals to you; there again is a fast whose reward waits for you at the door …

You are in some situation in which you can indulge your appetite? Instead of doing so, you take, without making it obvious, something which appeals to you the least. When you are buying chattels or clothes, you do not choose that which merely appeals to you; there again is a fast whose reward waits for you at the door of Heaven to help you to enter. Yes, my dear brethren, if we want to go about it properly, not only can we find opportunities of practicing fasting every day, but at every moment of the day.


Fast: Saint Jean Vianney: 10.8: … pleasure to do, we are practicing a fast which is very pleasing to God because …

Let us even be quite poor; we can still give alms. And however heavy or demanding our work, we can still pray to Almighty God without interfering with our labours; we can pray night and morning, and even all day long, and here is how we can do it. All the time that we deprive ourselves of anything which it gives us pleasure to do, we are practicing a fast which is very pleasing to God because fasting does not consist solely of privations in eating and drinking, but of denying ourselves that which pleases our taste most. Some mortify themselves in the way they dress; others in the visits they want to make to friends whom they like to see; others in the conversations and discussions which they enjoy. This constitutes a very excellent fast and one which pleases God because it fights self-love and pride and one's reluctance to do things one does not enjoy or to be with people whose characters and ways of behaving are contrary to one's own. You can, without offending God, go into that particular company, but you can deprive yourself of it to please God: there is a type of fasting which is very meritorious.

Lukewarmness. St. Jean Vianney: 4.2: … the fact that he does not like them. Fast days are reduced to practically nothing, …


A lukewarm Christian thinks very little upon the state of his poor soul and almost never lets his mind run over the past. If the thought of making any effort to be better crosses his mind at all, he believes that once he has confessed his sins, he ought to be perfectly happy and at peace. He assists at Holy Mass very much as he would at any ordinary activity. He does not think at all seriously of what he is doing and finds no trouble in chatting about all sorts of things while on the way there. Possibly he will not give a single thought to the fact that he is about to participate in the greatest of all the gifts that God, all-powerful as He is, could give us. He does give some thought to the needs of his own soul, yes, but a very small and feeble amount of thought indeed. Frequently he will even present himself before the presence of God without having any idea of what he is going to ask of Him. He has few scruples in cutting out, on the least pretext, the Asperges and the prayers before Mass. During the course of the service, he does not want to go to sleep, of course, and he is even afraid that someone might see him, but he does not do himself any violence all the same. He does not want, of course, to have distractions during prayer or during the Holy Mass, yet when he should put up some little fight against them, he suffers them very patiently, considering the fact that he does not like them. Fast days are reduced to practically nothing, either by advancing the time of the main meal or, under the pretext that Heaven was never taken by famine, by making the collation so abundant that it amounts to a full meal. When he performs good or beneficial actions, his intentions are often very mixed -- sometimes it is to please someone, sometimes it is out of compassion, and sometimes it is just to please the world. With such people everything that is not a really serious sin is good enough. They like doing good, being faithful, but they wish that it did not cost them anything or, at least, that it cost very little. They would like to visit the sick, indeed, but it would be more convenient if the sick would come to them. They have something to give away in alms, they know quite well that a certain person has need of help, but they wait until she comes to ask them instead of anticipating her, which would make the kindness so very much more meritorious. We will even say, my brethren, that the person who leads a lukewarm life does not fail to do plenty of good works, to frequent the Sacraments, to assist regularly at all church services, but in all of this one sees only a weak, languishing faith, hope which the slightest trial will upset, a love of God and of neighbour which is without warmth or pleasure. Everything that such a person does is not entirely lost, but it is very nearly so.

Saint Jean Vianney: 3.6: … let us put our confidence in God; let us fast and pray; and the devil will not be able …


This saint having retired into an old sepulchre, the devil came to attack him; he tried at first to terrify him with a horrible noise; he even beat him so cruelly that he left him half dead and covered with wounds. "Well," said St. Antony, "here I am, ready to fight again; no, thou shalt not be able to separate me from Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God. " The spirits of darkness redoubled their efforts, and uttered frightful cries. St. Antony remained unmoved, because he put all his confidence in God. After the example of this saint, my children, let us be always ready for the combat; let us put our confidence in God; let us fast and pray; and the devil will not be able to separate us from Jesus Christ, either in this world or the next.

Saint Jean Vianney: 2.6: ...children, a servant may have a desire to fast, but he is obliged to pass the whole day …


Again, my children, a servant may have a desire to fast, but he is obliged to pass the whole day in digging and ploughing, or whatever you please. Well, if this servant is well instructed, he will think, "But if I do this, I shall not be able to satisfy my master. " Well, what will he do? He will eat his breakfast, and mortify himself in some other way. That is what we must do--we must always act in the way that will give most glory to the good God.

Intro to the devout life: 4.24: If you are able to fast, you will do well to observe some days …

4.24: If you are able to fast, you will do well to observe some days …

If you are able to fast, you will do well to observe some days beyond what are ordered by the Church, for besides the ordinary effect of fasting in raising the mind, subduing the flesh, confirming goodness, and obtaining a heavenly reward, it is also a great matter to be able to control greediness, and to keep the sensual appetites and the whole body subject to the law of the Spirit; and although we may be able to do but little, the enemy nevertheless stands more in awe of those whom he knows can fast. The early Christians selected Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as days of abstinence. Do you follow therein according as your own devotion and your director's discretion may appoint.

Imitation of Christ: 4.38: Strive for this, pray for this, desire this--to be stripped of …


Strive for this, pray for this, desire this--to be stripped of all selfishness and naked to follow the naked Jesus, to die to self and live forever for Me. Then all vain imaginations, all wicked disturbances and superfluous cares will vanish. Then also immoderate fear will leave you and inordinate love will die.

Imitation of Christ : 4.31: … to heavenly consolation, for before you pray earnestly to Me you first seek many …

MY CHILD, I am the Lord Who gives strength in the day of trouble. Come to Me when all is not well with you. Your tardiness in turning to prayer is the greatest obstacle to heavenly consolation, for before you pray earnestly to Me you first seek many comforts and take pleasure in outward things. Thus, all things are of little profit to you until you realize that I am the one Who saves those who trust in Me, and that outside of Me there is no worth-while help, or any useful counsel or lasting remedy.

Imitation of Christ: 4.24: Always wish and pray that the will of God be fully carried out in you.

Always wish and pray that the will of God be fully carried out in you.

Imitation of Christ 3.11: … patient when it is withdrawn. Let him pray that it return; let him be cautious …

He who desires to keep the grace of God ought to be grateful when it is given and patient when it is withdrawn. Let him pray that it return; let him be cautious and humble lest he lose it.

The interior life: 3.2: … Fix your mind on the Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ.


3.2: … Fix your mind on the Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ.


Why do you look about here when this is not the place of your repose? Dwell rather upon heaven and give but a passing glance to all earthly things. They all pass away, and you together with them. Take care, then, that you do not cling to them lest you be entrapped and perish. Fix your mind on the Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ.

Imitation of Christ : 2.17: … under such difficulties you should pray that God will consent to help you bear …

UNTIL God ordains otherwise, a man ought to bear patiently whatever he cannot correct in himself and in others. Consider it better thus--perhaps to try your patience and to test you, for without such patience and trial your merits are of little account. Nevertheless, under such difficulties you should pray that God will consent to help you bear them calmly.

Imitation of Christ Fasting: 3.12: … table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few …


The Imitation of Christ:

3.12: … table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few …


JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus--love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!

Fasting Bible Verse. Acts 14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Acts 14:19-25

14:19 But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and entered into the city, and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

14:20 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch:

14:21 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

14:23 And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia.

14:24 And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perge, they went down into Attalia:

14:25 And thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been delivered to the grace of God, unto the work which they accomplished.

Fasting Bible Verse Acts 13:2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

Acts 13:1-5

13:1 Now there were in the church which was at Antioch, prophets and doctors, among whom was Barnabas, and Simon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manahen, who was the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

13:2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

13:4 So they being sent by the Holy Ghost, went to Seleucia: and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

13:5 And when they were come to Salamina, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also in the ministry.


Fasting Bible Verse

Mark 9:25-31

9:25 And crying out, and greatly tearing him, he went out of him, and he became as dead, so that many said: He is dead.

9:26 But Jesus taking him by the hand, lifted him up; and he arose.

9:27 And when he was come into the house, his disciples secretly asked him: Why could not we cast him out?

9:28 And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

9:29 And departing from thence, they passed through Galilee, and he would not that any man should know it.

9:30 And he taught his disciple, and said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise again the third day.

9:31 But they understood not the word, and they were afraid to ask him.

Fasting Bible Verse

Matthew 17:17-23

17:17 And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour.

17:18 Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out?

17:19 Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

17:20 But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.

17:21 And when they abode together in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

17:22 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And they were troubled exceedingly.

17:23 And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that recieved the didrachmas, came to Peter and said to him: Doth not your master pay the didrachmas?

Fasting Bible Verse

Joel 2:9-15
2:9 They shall enter into the city: they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up the houses, they shall come in at the windows as a thief.
2:10 At their presence the earth hath trembled, the heavens are moved: the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining.
2:11 And the Lord hath uttered his voice before the face of his army: for his armies are exceeding great, for they are strong and execute his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible: and who can stand it?
2:12 Now therefore saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning.
2:13 And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil.
2:14 Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God?
2:15 Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly,

Choices--an Inspiring about Chicago Mobster

BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!!!!

STORY NUMBER ONE

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago... Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but also, Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the
conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.

And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong... Eddie
wanted his son to be a better man than he was.

Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.  He
decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great...
    
So, he testified.  Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street.  But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.

The poem read:

"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."
STORY NUMBER TWO

    
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare.  He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and
realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.  He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.  His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that turned his blood cold: a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.  The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert themfrom the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.    Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly.  Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.  Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-mounted camera on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet.

He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.  This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of
Honor.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.  His home town would not allow the memory of
this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visit Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.

SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?

Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.


 



Thinking about abortion differently


A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said:

'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My

baby is not even 1 yr. old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so

close together.'

 

So the doctor said: 'Ok and what do you want me to do?'

She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.'

 

The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the

lady:

'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous

for you too.'

 

She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request.

Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care

of  2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This

way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to

kill one  of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no

risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms.

 

The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible! It's a crime

to kill a child!

 

'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be ok with it, so I

thought maybe that was the best solution.

 

The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point.

He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child

that's already been born and one that's still in the womb. The crime is

the same!

 

If you agree, please forward. Together we can help save precious lives!

************************** ********************************

This was sent out by a counselor from Lebanon, Ohio... I like this---it is a good lesson. Abortion is murder and we should call it by it's correct name and dispel this notion of "choice."






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Message from Fr. John Corapi

A Call for a Rosary Novena
By Fr. John Corapi
www.fathercorapi.com
Among the most important titles we have in the Catholic Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our
Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary. These titles can be traced back to one of the most decisive
times in the history of the world and Christendom. The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date
of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for the Christian forces
against the radical Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a procession around St. Peter's Square in
Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership in recognizing the danger posed to
Christendom by the radical Muslim forces, and in using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual
battles require spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had its origins in the
spiritual ordera true battle between good and evil.
Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progressa battle between the forces of good and evil, light
and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the
United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of
Godtotal collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate
demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception.
This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic
in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in
the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for deathunwanted, unborn
children.
No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for
voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human
life that is abortion.
I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory
between October 27th and Election Day.  Pray that God's will be done and the
most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this
barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the
right to choose to murder an innocent human being.
May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in
accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that wellformed Catholic conscience.
Please copy, email, link and distribute this article freely.
God Bless You
Fr. John Corapi
www.fathercorapi.com

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