Tonight at Mass I noticed quite a bit of babies. My almost two year old noticed them too... and they noticed him. One little girl even threw herself at him and proceeded to hug him till they both fell and her father had to pull her off. I was a bit envious. That never happened to me, even when I had hopes of being a rock star playing bass in a rock band. I had a strange sense of something being different today. I could not figure it out. I realized how aware I was of all the small children. I also realized that there were few big kids. I wonder why?
I put down my feelings to the fact that it is advent and that we are preparing for Christmas in so many ways. On the drive home I pointed out a house to my family. This house was fully lit up with lots of colourful lights and Christmas (lighted) statues. It was quite impressive. "Look close" I said to my wife "and you would not see a religious item on that house". The reason is, that the house belongs to a muslim family who love the idea of gift giving and showing love, but believes that God had no son.
Mass has put me in a good mood. I pray that this mood carries throughout the week and that all the readers of this blog may be blessed today and everyday. Amen.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Monday, 22 November 2010
Saint Cecilia
Prayer to St. Cecilia
St. Cecilia, glorious Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ, I admire the courage with which you professed your faith in the face of severe persecution, and the generous love with which you offered your life in witness to your belief in the Blessed Trinity. I thank God with you for the wonderful graces He had bestowed upon you to make your life holy and pleasing to Him even in the midst of the wealth that was yours. I thank Him for the privilege offered to you of receiving the glorious crown of martyrdom.
Saint Cecilia, I also admire the purity of love that bound you to the Savior, which was greater in your eyes than any human affection, so that you declared yourself before the enemies of the Church, "I am the bride of my Lord Jesus Christ". Pray for me that in imitation of you I may keep my body pure and my soul holy, and that I may love Jesus with all my heart.
In these times so full of pleasure seeking and so lacking in faith, teach us to profess our faith courageously and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves in practicing it, so that our good example may lead others closer to Christ and the Church He as founded.
In thanksgiving to God for the graces he bestowed on St Cecilia: Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be. St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ, pray for us.
St. Cecilia, glorious Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ, I admire the courage with which you professed your faith in the face of severe persecution, and the generous love with which you offered your life in witness to your belief in the Blessed Trinity. I thank God with you for the wonderful graces He had bestowed upon you to make your life holy and pleasing to Him even in the midst of the wealth that was yours. I thank Him for the privilege offered to you of receiving the glorious crown of martyrdom.
Saint Cecilia, I also admire the purity of love that bound you to the Savior, which was greater in your eyes than any human affection, so that you declared yourself before the enemies of the Church, "I am the bride of my Lord Jesus Christ". Pray for me that in imitation of you I may keep my body pure and my soul holy, and that I may love Jesus with all my heart.
In these times so full of pleasure seeking and so lacking in faith, teach us to profess our faith courageously and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves in practicing it, so that our good example may lead others closer to Christ and the Church He as founded.
In thanksgiving to God for the graces he bestowed on St Cecilia: Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be. St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr of Jesus Christ, pray for us.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
1000 souls released from purgatory
Today, Sunday, is the feast day of Saint Gertrude.
Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St. Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."
Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St. Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Monks wanted, apply within
Here's an interesting story from the BBC:
Roman Catholic friars in Switzerland have placed a job advert in a newspaper as part of a recruitment drive.
The Capuchin order says it is looking for professional single men like bankers or lawyers aged 22 to 35 to join its dwindling ranks.
The community, which has 200 members with an average age of 70, hopes the ad will help recruit 10 to 20 men.
Adverts for craftsmen, technicians and men in social professions are to follow, a spokesman for the order said.
The Capuchin order - one of the Franciscan orders - is calling for young Catholic "bankers, journalists, teachers, theologians, tradesmen, lawyers, communication specialists" to consider joining the order.
Applicants should be independent yet capable of communal living, curious and show initiative, the ad says.
"We offer you no pay, but spirituality and prayer, contemplation, an egalitarian lifestyle, free of personal material riches and the common model of a couple relationship," it says.
The number of Capuchin friars in Switzerland has dropped by half in the last 10 years.
The order has had to close two friaries in a decade, and a third in Appenzell is to close next year.
"Our form of life offers an alternative even if the times of large orders are over," a spokesman said.
Roman Catholic friars in Switzerland have placed a job advert in a newspaper as part of a recruitment drive.
The Capuchin order says it is looking for professional single men like bankers or lawyers aged 22 to 35 to join its dwindling ranks.
The community, which has 200 members with an average age of 70, hopes the ad will help recruit 10 to 20 men.
Adverts for craftsmen, technicians and men in social professions are to follow, a spokesman for the order said.
The Capuchin order - one of the Franciscan orders - is calling for young Catholic "bankers, journalists, teachers, theologians, tradesmen, lawyers, communication specialists" to consider joining the order.
Applicants should be independent yet capable of communal living, curious and show initiative, the ad says.
"We offer you no pay, but spirituality and prayer, contemplation, an egalitarian lifestyle, free of personal material riches and the common model of a couple relationship," it says.
The number of Capuchin friars in Switzerland has dropped by half in the last 10 years.
The order has had to close two friaries in a decade, and a third in Appenzell is to close next year.
"Our form of life offers an alternative even if the times of large orders are over," a spokesman said.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Music Video - Dark Night of the souls
And this is the Video for the lyrics listed in the earlier post
Dark night of the Soul Lyrics
"The Dark night of the Soul" is a beautiful piece by St John of the Cross. Pope John Paul II (The Great) learnt spanish so he could know it in it's original form. Canadian harpist Loreena McKennitt does a version. Below is her Lyrics
Upon a darkened night
the flame of love was burning in my breast
And by a lantern bright
I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night
and by the secret stair I quickly fled
The veil concealed my eyes
while all within lay quiet as the dead
Chorus
Oh night thou was my guide
oh night more loving than the rising sun
Oh night that joined the lover
to the beloved one
transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night
in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight
Without a guide or light
than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire t'was led me on
and shone more bright than of the midday sun
To where he waited still
it was a place where no one else could come
Chorus
Within my pounding heart
which kept itself entirely for him
He fell into his sleep
beneath the cedars all my love I gave
And by the fortress walls
the wind would brush his hair against his brow
And with its smoothest hand
caressed my every sense it would allow
Chorus
I lost myself to him
and laid my face upon my lovers breast
And care and grief grew dim
as in the mornings mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
Upon a darkened night
the flame of love was burning in my breast
And by a lantern bright
I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night
and by the secret stair I quickly fled
The veil concealed my eyes
while all within lay quiet as the dead
Chorus
Oh night thou was my guide
oh night more loving than the rising sun
Oh night that joined the lover
to the beloved one
transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night
in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight
Without a guide or light
than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire t'was led me on
and shone more bright than of the midday sun
To where he waited still
it was a place where no one else could come
Chorus
Within my pounding heart
which kept itself entirely for him
He fell into his sleep
beneath the cedars all my love I gave
And by the fortress walls
the wind would brush his hair against his brow
And with its smoothest hand
caressed my every sense it would allow
Chorus
I lost myself to him
and laid my face upon my lovers breast
And care and grief grew dim
as in the mornings mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
Monday, 1 November 2010
Prayer for the Dead
Catholic Collect from the Mass for the Dead
[for all our departed brothers and sisters]
Merciful Father,
hear our prayer and console us.
As we renew our faith in Your Son,
whom You raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope
that all our departed brothers and sisters
will share in His resurrection,
who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Eternal Rest grant unto them,O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen
[for all our departed brothers and sisters]
Merciful Father,
hear our prayer and console us.
As we renew our faith in Your Son,
whom You raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope
that all our departed brothers and sisters
will share in His resurrection,
who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Eternal Rest grant unto them,O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen