"Love of self until God is forgotten or love of God until self is forgotten."
From today's Lenten meditation. You can access the full meditation by clicking on the gate to the right.
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Father Groeschel on Suffering
I spoke with a member of Father's community yesterday and he told me that Father is in non stop pain--saying at one point that it continues to be a miracle that the pain isn't killing him. With this as a backdrop these words of Father Groeschel's today mean all the more:
"If you went to Catholic school in the old days, one of the most powerful spiritual messages that the sisters gave us was to unite our own pains and troubles with the Church. The famous phrase 'offer it up' was an important part of the spirituality of devout Catholics and the students who it was hoped would become devout Catholics.
The idea was never quite clear; in fact it was mysterious how our sufferings and pains would have anything to do with the sufferings of Christ for the salvation of the world. But none the less, like many mysteries, we believed it. As we grew older, the great text in Colossians 1:24 began to mean more to us: 'I am now rejoicing in my suffering for your sake and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the Church'. Therefore those of us who still believe that you can 'offer it up' have a great motive to try to put up with our sufferings. It would be wonderful if we could always do this bravely and with a smile, but that may not be realistic or necessary. The mere fact that we try, that we don't give up, that we go on in the darkness is sufficient indication that we are trying to please God, and surely He must see it this way. "
"If you went to Catholic school in the old days, one of the most powerful spiritual messages that the sisters gave us was to unite our own pains and troubles with the Church. The famous phrase 'offer it up' was an important part of the spirituality of devout Catholics and the students who it was hoped would become devout Catholics.
The idea was never quite clear; in fact it was mysterious how our sufferings and pains would have anything to do with the sufferings of Christ for the salvation of the world. But none the less, like many mysteries, we believed it. As we grew older, the great text in Colossians 1:24 began to mean more to us: 'I am now rejoicing in my suffering for your sake and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the Church'. Therefore those of us who still believe that you can 'offer it up' have a great motive to try to put up with our sufferings. It would be wonderful if we could always do this bravely and with a smile, but that may not be realistic or necessary. The mere fact that we try, that we don't give up, that we go on in the darkness is sufficient indication that we are trying to please God, and surely He must see it this way. "
Patronal Feast of this Blog
Saint Leo the Great on the incarnation.
From Universalis: Office of Readings:
"Thus the Son of God enters this lowly world. He comes down from the throne of heaven, yet does not separate himself from the Father’s glory. He is born in a new condition, by a new birth.
He was born in a new condition, for, invisible in his own nature, he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death.
He who is true God is also true man. There is no falsehood in this unity as long as the lowliness of man and the pre-eminence of God coexist in mutual relationship.
As God does not change by his condescension, so man is not swallowed up by being exalted. Each nature exercises its own activity, in communion with the other. The Word does what is proper to the Word, the flesh fulfils what is proper to the flesh.
One nature is resplendent with miracles, the other falls victim to injuries. As the Word does not lose equality with the Father’s glory, so the flesh does not leave behind the nature of our race.
One and the same person - this must be said over and over again - is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man. He is God in virtue of the fact that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is man in virtue of the fact that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
From Universalis: Office of Readings:
"Thus the Son of God enters this lowly world. He comes down from the throne of heaven, yet does not separate himself from the Father’s glory. He is born in a new condition, by a new birth.
He was born in a new condition, for, invisible in his own nature, he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death.
He who is true God is also true man. There is no falsehood in this unity as long as the lowliness of man and the pre-eminence of God coexist in mutual relationship.
As God does not change by his condescension, so man is not swallowed up by being exalted. Each nature exercises its own activity, in communion with the other. The Word does what is proper to the Word, the flesh fulfils what is proper to the flesh.
One nature is resplendent with miracles, the other falls victim to injuries. As the Word does not lose equality with the Father’s glory, so the flesh does not leave behind the nature of our race.
One and the same person - this must be said over and over again - is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man. He is God in virtue of the fact that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is man in virtue of the fact that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
Priest and Seminarian Arrested for Murder
Of another priest...in Brazil.
From Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world:
"A Brazil priest and a seminarian were arrested in the city Goiania on Tuesday and charged with poisoning another priest who threatened to reveal their homosexual relationship and financial misdeeds. Father Moacir Bernardino da Silva, 60, and seminarian Dairan Pinto de Freitas, 23, were charged with murdering Father Adriano Moreira Curado, who was 28 when he was killed in 2002.
Police said that had evidence that Father Curado threatened to expose the relationship between da Silva and de Freitas and da Silva's mismanagement of the parish at which they were stationed together and that the two men planned to kill Curado. A police official said the police found pornographic magazines and videos where da Silva appeared in the company of young men, including de Freitas, on a beach. Police said they also had taped telephone conversations showing the church phone had been used to set up dates between the priest and homosexual men."
From Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world:
"A Brazil priest and a seminarian were arrested in the city Goiania on Tuesday and charged with poisoning another priest who threatened to reveal their homosexual relationship and financial misdeeds. Father Moacir Bernardino da Silva, 60, and seminarian Dairan Pinto de Freitas, 23, were charged with murdering Father Adriano Moreira Curado, who was 28 when he was killed in 2002.
Police said that had evidence that Father Curado threatened to expose the relationship between da Silva and de Freitas and da Silva's mismanagement of the parish at which they were stationed together and that the two men planned to kill Curado. A police official said the police found pornographic magazines and videos where da Silva appeared in the company of young men, including de Freitas, on a beach. Police said they also had taped telephone conversations showing the church phone had been used to set up dates between the priest and homosexual men."
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Pope Recalls Worldwide Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Twenty years ago...when the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe were still communist.
From the VIS:
John Paul II recalled three moments in his pontificate when he entrusted the Church, the world and mankind to Mary: December 8, 1978 when he entrusted the Church and world to her; June 4, 1979, renewing this vow at the shrine of the Black Madonna in Poland and again in 1984. “I remember especially March 25, 1984, the Holy Year. Twenty years have gone by since that day when in spiritual union with all the bishops of the world I entrusted all of mankind to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in response to Our Lady’s plea in Fatima.”
After emphasizing that “in those moments humanity was living difficult times of great apprehension and uncertainty,” he added. “Twenty years later, the world is still marred by hatred, violence, terrorism and war. Among the many victims that make the news every day, there are so many innocent people who are killed while they carry out their work. Today, which is dedicated to commemoration and prayer for the ‘martyr missionaries’, we must also commemorate the priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who died in mission territory in 2003. So much blood continues to be shed in many regions around the world. It is still urgent that men open their hearts to a courageous effort of reciprocal understanding. The wait for justice and peace becomes longer and longer in every part of the world. How can we respond to this thirst for hope and love if not with Christ through Mary?”
The Pope concluded by repeating his petition to Our Lady in 1984: “Mother of Christ, may the infinite saving power of the Redemption, power of divine love, reveal itself once again in the history of the world! May it stop evil! May it transform our consciences! May the light of hope in your Immaculate heart be revealed to us all!”
From the VIS:
John Paul II recalled three moments in his pontificate when he entrusted the Church, the world and mankind to Mary: December 8, 1978 when he entrusted the Church and world to her; June 4, 1979, renewing this vow at the shrine of the Black Madonna in Poland and again in 1984. “I remember especially March 25, 1984, the Holy Year. Twenty years have gone by since that day when in spiritual union with all the bishops of the world I entrusted all of mankind to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in response to Our Lady’s plea in Fatima.”
After emphasizing that “in those moments humanity was living difficult times of great apprehension and uncertainty,” he added. “Twenty years later, the world is still marred by hatred, violence, terrorism and war. Among the many victims that make the news every day, there are so many innocent people who are killed while they carry out their work. Today, which is dedicated to commemoration and prayer for the ‘martyr missionaries’, we must also commemorate the priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who died in mission territory in 2003. So much blood continues to be shed in many regions around the world. It is still urgent that men open their hearts to a courageous effort of reciprocal understanding. The wait for justice and peace becomes longer and longer in every part of the world. How can we respond to this thirst for hope and love if not with Christ through Mary?”
The Pope concluded by repeating his petition to Our Lady in 1984: “Mother of Christ, may the infinite saving power of the Redemption, power of divine love, reveal itself once again in the history of the world! May it stop evil! May it transform our consciences! May the light of hope in your Immaculate heart be revealed to us all!”
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