Monday, June 16, 2014
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
A Breath of Fresh Air! Thank You Minister Joe Wright:)
Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets
some people... When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word
says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem..
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church,
where he is pastor, logged more than
5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies
of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea .
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one
nation under God.'
If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends. "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
-- Thomas Jefferson
A great article as we prepare for The Feast of Corpus Christi
Eucharistic adoration: A treasure of the Faith Spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist is a practice encouraged by many saints and popes F. Douglas Kneibert OSV Newsweekly
6/11/2014
Pope Francis leads the Benediction following Eucharistic adoration in St. Peter’s Basilica for a global Holy Hour on June 2, 2013. CNS photo by Paul Haring Suppose you were told that Jesus wanted to meet with you personally for an hour at your parish. Who would say no to such an invitation?Me, for one. When Eucharistic adoration was inaugurated at our church several years ago, I politely declined to be an adorer, as I didn’t feel the devotion suited me. I had come into the Catholic Church late in life and with a lot to learn in a short time, including the finer points of Eucharistic theology. While I believed in the Real Presence, it was mainly an intellectual assent. Its profound implications had yet to settle in my soul.
As an evangelical Protestant, I had been quick to quote John 3:7 — “You must be born again” — yet skipped right over the astounding things Jesus said to his disciples only three chapters later about eating his body and drinking his blood. But Jesus made the blind see, and that included spiritual blindness, as I was about to learn.
Mainly to get some very persistent women off my back, I finally consented to put in my hour every Thursday in the chapel that had been set aside for Eucharistic devotion. At first it was just another hour in the day for me, with wandering thoughts and frequent checks of my watch. But as the weeks went by, I gradually began to use my Holy Hour more productively. I prayed. I read the Bible. I meditated. And, in time, I began to adore.
The heart of the Faith
The list of notable Catholics devoted to Eucharistic adoration is a long one. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen saw it as essentially an act of obedience:| Initiating Eucharistic Adoration in Your Parish |
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Following are some suggestions for beginning a devotion to the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist:
1. Along with one or two supporters, speak to your pastor about your intentions. His support is essential, so make no further plans until you find out where he stands.
2. If the pastor gives the OK, form a committee to handle the various tasks involved. As much as possible, try not to add to your pastor’s workload.
3. Use the parish bulletin and short talks at Masses to solicit adorers, at least two for each time slot. Consider bringing in an outside speaker to encourage interest in Eucharistic adoration.
4. Determine how many adorers you will have and then set the number of hours you can cover each day. Expand the hours as new adorers sign up.
5. Two good sources for further information and assistance are The Real Presence Association (therealpresence.org) and the Fathers of Mercy (fathersofmercy.com).
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Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist with his disciples in the upper room. I had often thought of the privilege enjoyed by those who were there that night. Then, while I was praying in the chapel one Thursday, it struck me: There is no difference. The Jesus who was in the upper room is the same Jesus who is in the chapel with me. The Church makes no distinction. He is fully present — body, blood, soul and divinity — in the monstrance. Yes, he is in his Eucharistic disguise, but he is one and the same Jesus nevertheless.
As Pope Pius XII put it, “A Holy Hour of adoration testifies to the fact that the Jesus who died on the cross, is present in the Eucharist and reigns in heaven, are identical.”
This understanding constitutes the very heart of the Catholic Faith, the distinctive dogma that sets us apart. It should be the treasure of every Catholic. Sadly, it is not. According to opinion surveys, which can vary widely, Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is on the decline, with an average of only around half or fewer holding it to be true.
Much has been written about “cafeteria Catholics” who go down the Church line and pick and choose what to believe and what to pass up. But not believing in the Real Presence isn’t the spiritual equivalent of choosing the apple pie over the cherry. The late Jesuit Father John Hardon, writing on the centrality of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, stated: “If we believe this, we are Catholic. If we do not, we are not, no matter what people may think we are.”
A deepened prayer life
If we lack physical strength or stamina, we can join a gym and begin working out. For those Catholics whose faith is weak in this area, I would recommend spending some time with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration, even if you are among the doubters. Look upon it as a spiritual gym. I discovered that you can be theologically challenged and still reap great spiritual benefits from simply being in his presence one hour a week. Jesus meets us where we are. If we persist, he will deepen our understanding. |
| For more information, read our Eucharistic Adoration pamphlet. |
The blessings I have received from Eucharistic adoration are many and varied. Some I can define, and others remain more elusive, such as the growing sense that I am changing for the better in some important respects. I began to perceive this change only after I became involved in adoration.
Pope Benedict XV called Eucharistic adoration “the queen of all devotions,” a view shared by numerous popes and saints. However, the practice largely fell into disuse following Vatican II. No one is more closely identified with its revival than Pope St. John Paul II. Here is just a sampling of his observations on the subject:
— “Jesus himself is calling you to spend one special, specific hour with him each week.”
— “The love of God and neighbor, the greatest commandment, is expressed in, and the fruit of, Eucharistic worship.”
— “Priestly, religious and missionary vocations will stem from your Holy Hour.”
The personal spiritual blessings that proceed from Eucharistic adoration are rich and abundant.
Do you wish to deepen your prayer life? The same Jesus who taught his disciples how to pray is there to help you as well, and what better place to contemplate Jesus — the highest form of prayer — than in his presence?
A changed person
The same holds true for Scripture reading. Jesus is the living word, and a finer tutor could not be imagined, as the two men who walked the Road to Emmaus with him testified. |
| Kneilbert |
Father Hardon saw this practice as the centerpiece of devotion, saying that we “should build the whole edifice of our spiritual life around adoration.”
Of course, one does not need to be engaged in sacramental adoration to have access to Jesus. He is always available to those who come to him in faith. But the Church teaches that the manifestation of Jesus in the Eucharist is “unique” and “in the fullest sense,” and therefore worthy of special devotion (CCC, No. 1374).
Just as his disciples were transformed by being in Jesus’ presence, it’s impossible to spend an hour with him in Eucharistic adoration and leave the same person we were when we walked in.
So consider giving it a try. If your parish has adoration, sign up to take a time slot. If the devotion is not in place, look into what can be done to obtain it (see sidebar). You have absolutely nothing to lose and a treasure trove of spiritual riches to gain.
I will give Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata, a daily recipient of the Eucharist, the final word:
“Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth.”
F. Douglas Kneibert writes from Missouri.
The Light Turned Yellow...
The light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up..
He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally....I assumed you had stolen the car."
Priceless!!
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up..
He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally....I assumed you had stolen the car."
Priceless!!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
I wish I knew how to explain the "Big Picture" to a same-sex "legaly married" couple... Holy Spirit, Give us Stength & Wisdom!
Marriage losing ground since DOMA ruling Federal courts follow lead in striking down laws defining marriage as between one man, one woman Russell Shaw OSV Newsweekly
6/11/2014
People demonstrate outside the Supreme Court building in Washington in March 2013 as the court heard arguments in two same-sex marriage cases. CNS photo What a difference a year can make. When the Supreme Court on June 26, 2013, struck down the key section of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which barred giving federal marriage-related benefits to same-sex couples, the action correctly was seen as a huge victory for homosexual interests. But few people imagined that things would move as swiftly in the direction of same-sex marriage as they have. As of June 10, supporters of legalized gay marriage have scored 15 victories in lower courts in the past year. While a number of these cases are being appealed, 19 states plus Washington, D.C., now allow same-sex marriage, compared with 13 at the time of the Supreme Court decision last June. It seems likely that one or more of the current cases will reach the Supreme Court in its next term.
| Related Reading |
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In his majority opinion in the DOMA case, Kennedy stressed that the ruling applied only to same-sex unions from states that recognize them as marriages. Thus the situation in states that do not recognize gay marriage was left untouched, he said.
But Justice Antonin Scalia in a scathing dissent said Kennedy’s reasoning could apply just as well to state bans on same-sex marriage as to DOMA itself.
In what defenders of traditional marriage took to be a particularly offensive passage, Kennedy asserted that the “purpose and effect” of the federal law was to “disparage and injure” gay and lesbian married couples. To that Scalia replied: “By formally declaring anyone opposed to same-sex marriage an enemy of human decency, the majority arms well every challenger to a state law restricting marriage to its traditional definition.”
Although DOMA was enacted by Congress in 1996 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, the Obama administration refused to defend the law when it came before the Supreme Court. And last February, speaking for the administration, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a policy of “full and equal recognition” for same-sex marriage. Presumably, then, it will take the gay marriage side next time the issue comes before the court.
Against natural law
| Bishop Defends Marriage |
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In the course of the last several weeks, four states have seen their voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages overturned by federal judges. Idaho (May 14), Oregon (May 19), Penn- sylvania (May 20) and Wisconsin (June 6) are just the latest in a long line since the Supreme Court over- turned the Defense of Marriage Act on June 26, 2013.
The decision of Judge Barbara Crabb, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, was met strongly by Bishop Robert C. Morlino of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.
“Marriage is, and can only ever be, a unique relationship solely between one man and one woman, regardless of the decision of a judge or any vote,” Bishop Morlino said in a statement. “This is not based on any private sectarian viewpoint, but on the natural moral law that is universally binding on all peoples, at all times, and inscribed into our human nature, as man and woman from the beginning of creation. It behooves us to safeguard the sacred ecology of all nature, especially of our human nature.
“In striking down the constitutional amendment in our state which protects marriage, the court has, once again, shaken one of the most precious and essential building blocks of our civilization."
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Defenders of traditional marriage say this is clearly not so. The case for the uniqueness of man-woman marriage rests on its grounding in two linked values necessarily absent from same-sex unions — male-female complementarity and openness to the begetting and raising of children by two parents of different sexes. From this perspective, recognizing same-sex unions as marriages undermines authentic marriage by muddying the waters on what marriage really means.
Religious freedom
Another issue of growing concern for traditional marriage defenders is how to protect people who reject gay marriage on conscience grounds from suffering legal penalties.In April, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal by a husband-wife wedding photography team in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whom the state human rights commission found guilty of violating New Mexico’s anti-discrimination law for refusing to photograph a lesbian couple’s wedding ceremony. The state Supreme Court upheld the commission.
Other business owners lately have found themselves in the same situation. In early June the Colorado Civil Rights Commission ruled against a bakery shop owner who refused to provide a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage.
Court of public opinion
Predictably, in view of the continuing drumbeat of gay-friendly coverage in media, public opinion on gay marriage has shifted dramatically in recent years. In a recent report, the Pew Research Center said approval of same-sex marriage had risen from 32 to 43 percent among black Protestants between 2013 and 2014. Among white mainline Protestants, the approval figure rose from 55 to 62 percent. But support remained about the same: 59 percent among people identifying themselves as Catholics, while the rate of approval among white evangelical Protestants stayed at 23 percent.An unlikely solution
Last February, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco pronounced amending the Constitution to be “the only remedy in law against this judicial activism” propelling the rush to same-sex marriage.He made his remark in a letter to Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., whose federal Marriage Protection Amendment is pending in the House of Representatives. When and if the Supreme Court strikes down the remaining state bans on gay marriage, Huelskamp’s amendment — or something like it — will be virtually the only way of changing the legal situation.
With the law on same-sex marriage in flux, attention increasingly is focused on the Supreme Court. Some fear it might deliver a ruling resembling its 1973 decision abruptly legalizing abortion nationwide.
“Just as Roe v. Wade mandated a constitutional right to abortion throughout the country, we now have the possibility of another bad decision mandating a constitutional change in the meaning of marriage,” said Archbishop Cordileone.
He could be right.
Russell Shaw is an OSV contributing editor.
Summer*
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