Meditations by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to be used in the Colosseum in Rome today...Colosseum - Way of the Cross 2005
From the Seventh Station:
The tradition that Jesus fell three times beneath the weight of the Cross evokes the fall of Adam – the state of fallen humanity – and the mystery of Jesus’ own sharing in our fall. Throughout history the fall of man constantly takes on new forms. In his First Letter, Saint John speaks of a threefold fall: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. He thus interprets the fall of man and humanity against the backdrop of the vices of his own time, with all its excesses and perversions. But we can also think, in more recent times, of how a Christianity which has grown weary of faith has abandoned the Lord: the great ideologies, and the banal existence of those who, no longer believing in anything, simply drift through life, have built a new and worse paganism, which in its attempt to do away with God once and for all, have ended up doing away with man. And so man lies fallen in the dust. The Lord bears this burden and falls, over and over again, in order to meet us. He gazes on us, he touches our hearts; he falls in order to raise us up.
From the Eighth Station:
Hearing Jesus reproach the women of Jerusalem who follow him and weep for him ought to make us reflect. How should we understand his words? Are they not directed at a piety which is purely sentimental, one which fails to lead to conversion and living faith? It is no use to lament the sufferings of this world if our life goes on as usual. And so the Lord warns us of the danger in which we find ourselves. He shows us both the seriousness of sin and the seriousness of judgement. Can it be that, despite all our expressions of consternation in the face of evil and innocent suffering, we are all too prepared to trivialize the mystery of evil? Have we accepted only the gentleness and love of God and Jesus, and quietly set aside the word of judgement? “How can God be so concerned with our weaknesses?”, we say. “We are only human!” Yet as we contemplate the sufferings of the Son, we see more clearly the seriousness of sin, and how it needs to be fully atoned if it is to be overcome. Before the image of the suffering Lord, evil can no longer be trivialized. To us too, he says: “Do not weep for me, weep for yourselves... if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Italy to Name Mountain After Pope
From BBC NEWS | Europe | Pope to get 'own' mountain peak:
"A region in central Italy has announced it will name a mountain peak after Pope John Paul II, who has enjoyed hiking in the area in the past.
The ceremony is due to be held on the Pope's 85th birthday on 18 May.
The 2,424 metre (7,900 feet) peak is in the Gran Sasso, the highest mountain range in the Appennines.
The nature-loving Pope once told pilgrims in St Peter's Square that in the Bible, mountains 'were considered a special place to meet God'. "
"A region in central Italy has announced it will name a mountain peak after Pope John Paul II, who has enjoyed hiking in the area in the past.
The ceremony is due to be held on the Pope's 85th birthday on 18 May.
The 2,424 metre (7,900 feet) peak is in the Gran Sasso, the highest mountain range in the Appennines.
The nature-loving Pope once told pilgrims in St Peter's Square that in the Bible, mountains 'were considered a special place to meet God'. "
Rejected
Supreme Court refuses...
From My Way News:
"The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted, rejecting a desperate appeal by her parents to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.
The decision, announced in a terse one-page order, marked the end of a dramatic and disheartening four-day dash through the federal court system by Bob and Mary Schindler.
Justices did not explain their decision, which was at least the fifth time they have declined to get involved in the Schiavo case."
From My Way News:
"The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted, rejecting a desperate appeal by her parents to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.
The decision, announced in a terse one-page order, marked the end of a dramatic and disheartening four-day dash through the federal court system by Bob and Mary Schindler.
Justices did not explain their decision, which was at least the fifth time they have declined to get involved in the Schiavo case."
The Holy Eucharist
I've written two books on this most precious gift that Our Lord gave us on this Holy day and yet I know that I have only shined a flashlight on some remote corner of this vast mystery.
Spend the day reflecting on this mystery and how you handle it in your life. Think about the Liturgy tonight that focuses us on Service and Adoration in light of this mystery.
Spend the day reflecting on this mystery and how you handle it in your life. Think about the Liturgy tonight that focuses us on Service and Adoration in light of this mystery.
Ailing Pope John Paul II Skips Mass
From Yahoo! News - Ailing Pope John Paul II Skips Mass:
"He had not been expected to preside at the Holy Thursday Mass, and his stand-in, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, read a brief greeting from the pope containing assurances he was following the service on television.
In his homily, the Italian cardinal thanked the pope 'for the testimony that he continues to give us with his example of serene abandonment to God.' "
"He had not been expected to preside at the Holy Thursday Mass, and his stand-in, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, read a brief greeting from the pope containing assurances he was following the service on television.
In his homily, the Italian cardinal thanked the pope 'for the testimony that he continues to give us with his example of serene abandonment to God.' "
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
2016 Feast of the Annunciation and Good Friday
This year...
From Feast of the Annunciation (Lady Day):
"When Lady Day falls on Good Friday, it is transferred to the Monday following Low Sunday (the Sunday after Easter). Folk belief is that it is a bad sign when Lady Day falls on Good Friday; bad luck is said to follow. The English say, 'If Our Lord falls in Our Lady's lap, England will meet with a great mishap.' "
From Feast of the Annunciation (Lady Day):
"When Lady Day falls on Good Friday, it is transferred to the Monday following Low Sunday (the Sunday after Easter). Folk belief is that it is a bad sign when Lady Day falls on Good Friday; bad luck is said to follow. The English say, 'If Our Lord falls in Our Lady's lap, England will meet with a great mishap.' "
Governor Bush: "Your Prayers for Terri are Working"
"New evidence has come to light."
From The Palm Beach Post:
State officials say they are considering removing Terri Schiavo from the hospice, by force if necessary, despite numerous court orders upholding the removal of the artificial nutrition tube that has kept her alive for 15 years.
Lucy Hadi, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, said Wednesday morning that her staff is relying on a state law that gives the department the authority to intervene on behalf of a vulnerable adult who is "suffering from abuse or neglect that presents a risk of death or serious physical injury."
From The Palm Beach Post:
State officials say they are considering removing Terri Schiavo from the hospice, by force if necessary, despite numerous court orders upholding the removal of the artificial nutrition tube that has kept her alive for 15 years.
Lucy Hadi, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, said Wednesday morning that her staff is relying on a state law that gives the department the authority to intervene on behalf of a vulnerable adult who is "suffering from abuse or neglect that presents a risk of death or serious physical injury."
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