Three Effects of Faith Directed Life

At this week's public audience Pope Benedict XVI focused on St. Paul's dedication to our Risen Lord. Pope Benedict noted that there are three fundamental marks of living a faith filled Christian life:

• The first attitude is the certainty that Jesus has risen, is with the Father, and because of that, is with us forever. Because of this, we are secure and free of fear. This was an essential effect of Christian preaching. Fear of spirits and gods was spread throughout the entire ancient world. And today as well, missionaries find -- together with so many good elements in natural religions -- the fear of spirits and the ill-fated powers that threaten us. Christ is alive; he has overcome death and has overcome all these powers. With this certainty, with this freedom, with this joy, we live. This is the first element of our living directed to the future.

• [A believer knows - Christ] is with me. And that in Christ the future world has already begun -- this also gives the certainty of hope. The future is not a darkness in which no one gets one's bearings. It is not like that. Without Christ, also for the world today, the future is dark; there is fear of the future -- a lot of fear of the future. The Christian knows that the light of Christ is stronger and because of this, lives in a hope that is not vague, in a hope that gives certainty and courage to face the future.

• We don't live as if good and evil were the same, because God only can be merciful. This would be a deceit. In truth, we live with a great responsibility. We have talents, we have to work so this world opens itself to Christ, so that it is renewed. But even working and knowing in our responsibility that God is a true judge, we are also sure that he is a good judge. We know his face -- the face of the risen Christ, of Christ crucified for us. Therefore, we can we sure of his goodness and continue forward with great courage.

The Pope concluded the audience with an adaptation of St. Paul the prayer that he taught earlier followers.

Noting that Paul taught them to say, "Maranà, thà, which literally means, 'Our Lord, come!'" Pope Benedict said that in this time time in history, "...totally and deeply, we too can and should say, with great urgency and in the circumstances of our time,

Come, Lord! Come to your world, in the way that you know.

Come where there is injustice and violence.

Come to the refugee camps, in Darfur and in North Kivu, in so many places in the world.

Come where drugs dominate.

Come, too, among those rich people who have forgotten you and who live only for themselves.

Come where you are not known.

Come to your world and renew the world of today."

Rest and Hope

Loving God
In this hour in which one might despair
For reason tells us that we are in dark times
We turn to You to ask that Your will be done

Without You
We are mindless creatures of sopping waste
Designing elitist commonality
Numbed by hollow aching cries of emptiness

By Your Light
A righteous path of mercy is well lit
Leading us to the freedom of peace and joy
Realized in the glory of Your saving Love

So Father
Before this abyss we stand, hearts in hand
Asking Your forgiveness, renouncing our ways
We beg deliverance from what we deserve

We ask You
Blind us to that which we had blindly sought
Render man's vile death-filled promises null
For only in Your Truth we find rest and hope

Amen.

Election Novena

The Bishops' election novena should be started tomorrow. The ninth day, and final day, of praying the prayer is the eve of the election - November 3th.

If your parish didn't distribute the prayer along with the daily reading and reflection, please visit the novena prayer page of the USCCB's Faithful Citizen site by clicking HERE.

Happy Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi

The Peace Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, the truth;

Where there is doubt, the faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.



O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.



For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

A Baby Saved, a Family Begun

When I posted about the kick-off rally for 40 Days for Life in Harrisburg, PA, I indicated that there was a story Michael Ciccocioppo, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, told at the rally that I wanted to retell here. Well, thanks to Mr. Ciccocioppo, I can do better than that. Below is his speech which he presented at the 40 Days for Life Kick-Off Rally.

At the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation we are on the front lines of the cause for LIFE --- 24 – 7. We educate on the truth about abortion, infanticide and euthanasia everyday, in many ways
from Philadelphia to Erie and Scranton to Pittsburgh and everywhere in between. We are vigilante in promoting laws and public policy that respect the right to life of every living person, born and unborn

Sometimes we don’t see all the fruits of our labors, sometimes we do.

The same can be said by those who pray for an end to abortion and by those who pray for women entering abortion centers. Sometimes a turn-around is obvious. But no one really knows how their prayers touch the hearts of those who are being prayed for... that is, until they tell us.

Let me tell you the story of one day at the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

It was a few years ago when we received a call from Christine. Christine said that we didn’t know her but she wanted us to pass on a message.

She told the story of how she and her boyfriend, Tim, found out she was pregnant in August of the previous year. She was terrified, scared, and alone. She did not know what to do.

She and Tim were not married. They both had things going on in there lives that did not include children, and they were just not ready for that kind of commitment.

She said she didn't believe in abortion, yet, all of a sudden, it seemed like the best thing to do. She had a job, wasn't done with school, and enjoyed her freedom .

Tim was working, and trying to get his life together. He wanted to work on his music and play pool.

How could they be parents of a child she thought?

They started to believe that the baby would be better off if it were not born. They started to believe that the best thing for everyone would to be to end the pregnancy, never tell anyone and go on with life just as before.

She called the Hillcrest Abortion Center in Harrisburg and made the appointment. The next morning, they made the drive to Harrisburg. She said she felt sick, sad, and scared. She thought, "What if it hurts? What if I can't have kids again? What if something goes wrong?"

She had just become a Christian in July!! She didn't know what to do, so she said she prayed. She prayed for a sign, something from the Lord to tell her NO!! Traffic, a broken down car, anything.

When they arrived, she said, the Lord answered her prayers. She said she believed that He sent his messengers to pray that day in front of the abortion center to show her the horror of what she was about to do. He gave her a sign.

These people gave their time to save unborn babies.

She and Tim never entered that facility or even drove in the drive way. They drove past, parked the car, and sat and cried for an hour. She called Hillcrest and they were cold and uncaring. They said, “You just ignore those crazy religious fanatics!”

Christine said she knew the people at Hillcrest could not be of God.

So they drove home, somber, yet relieved. She knew then that this was something she had to deal with.

She was going to be a mom and the Lord would walk with her the whole way and He did.

Her pregnancy was without incident. She said the greatest of all gifts she received was her son, Christian Timothy - born on April 21st, 2003 at 7:47 in the evening. She said that she will never forget the feeling of seeing him for the first time, of hearing his cry. And she exclaimed, “The blessings have not stopped ”

She ended the conversation by saying that she can't express enough gratitude to those people who volunteered that day to pray at Hillcrest, who gave up their free time to stand for something they believed in. She said she wished she could thank each and everyone personally, “They changed my life.”

She said to tell them all that they are angels and I will never forget you. She e-mailed us a photo of Baby Christian.

Just last month, she sent us another e-mail. She wanted us to know they are all doing fine and five year old Christian has a little brother now.

She continues to be grateful to those who were praying that fateful day.

And so, as you pray at this place of death and evil during these next 40 days and beyond, other Christines and Tims may drive past and decide not to go through with it. Other little ones, like Baby Christian, will be spared and you may never even know about them.

It’s not important that you know about them. It’s only important that you answer the call to prayer. And trust that the Lord, in His infinite mercy, will save the lives of so many. And spare their moms and dads of lives of regret and unrelenting sadness and sorrow.



It is not for us to know God's ways. It is a gift just to be able to trust in Him and have hope that we might be of service to Him.

Merciful God, Author of Life, -

Bless all involved in 40 Days for Life.

Guide tireless prayer, unerring witness and meaningful sacrifice.

Dispel the darkness which envelops our country.

Touch hearts with the light of Your love.

Remove the scourge of abortion from our land.

Forgive our sinful ways.

We ask this in the name of Your Most Holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Visit Pennsylvania Pro-life Federation at www.paprolife.org

Or call: 717-541-0034

Fr. Damien and the Miraculous Cure

AOL is featuring a nice piece on the miracle recently accepted by the Church as the final one needed to canonize Fr. Damien of Molokai. Here is a large portion of the article:

AIEA, Hawaii (Aug 9.) - When cancer spread into her lungs, doctors told Audrey Toguchi she had six months to live, at best, and suggested chemotherapy as the only option.

Toguchi, however, turned to another source -- a Catholic missionary who died more than a century ago.

"I'm going to Molokai to pray to Father Damien," Toguchi calmly told Dr. Walter Y.M. Chang after hearing her death sentence.

"Mrs. Toguchi, prayers are nice and it's probably very helpful, but you still need chemotherapy," replied Chang, who earlier had removed a fist-size tumor from Toguchi's left buttock that was the source of the cancer in her lungs.

Defying Chang and the pleas of her husband and two sons, Toguchi caught a flight from Honolulu to the remote peninsula of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai to pray at the grave of the priest who had ministered to people with leprosy until he, too, caught it and died in 1889.

"Dear Lord, you're the one who created my body, so I know you can fix it," Toguchi prayed. "I put my whole faith in you. ... Father Damien, please pray for me, too, because I need your help."

On a doctor's visit on Oct. 2, 1998, a month after cancer was first detected in her lungs, doctors expected the tumors to have grown. Instead, they had shrunk, and by May 1999 tests confirmed that they had disappeared without treatment.

Chang and a half-dozen other doctors, including a cardiologist, oncologist, pathologist and radiologist, couldn't explain it. Chang, who does not belong to any religion, urged Toguchi to report it to the Catholic church.

Damien, born Joseph de Veuster, arrived in the islands in 1864. Nine years later he began ministering to leprosy patients on Molokai, where some thousands had been banished amid an epidemic in Hawaii in the 1850s. After contracting the disease, also known as Hansen's disease, he died on April 15, 1889, at 49.

His life and work have inspired many, from Mother Teresa, who lobbied for Damien's sainthood, to Mahatma Gandhi.

Toguchi returned to Damien's grave after the cancer disappeared. This time, she took her husband, Yukio, who comes from a Buddhist family and attended Methodist church growing up on the sugar plantations of Maui.

"I'm not the praying type but I just wanted to say 'Thank you,'" he said. Every day is a blessing to him now, he said.

Audrey Toguchi still prays often to Damien, asking him to help others. Complete story.

Soon to be ackowledged/canonized St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us.

Something that bears mentioning that I have mentioned here before -
There is a wonderful documentary, "The Father Damien Story - An Uncommon Kindness," which was narrated by Robin Williams available through Amazon.com (and I'm sure other outlets). It is so well done that my documentary despising husband even enjoyed it. We first saw it as a rental from Netflix.com.

Eucharistic Prayer of St. Catherine of Siena

O boundless charity!
Just as you gave us yourself,
wholly God and wholly man,
so you left us all of yourself as food
so that while we are pilgrims in this life
we might not collapse in our weariness
but be strengthened by you, heavenly food.
O mercenary people!
And what has you God left you?

He has left you himself,
wholly God and wholly man,
hidden under the whiteness of this bread.
O fire of love!
Was it not enough to gift us
with creation in your image and likeness,
and to create us anew to grace in your Son’s blood,
without giving us yourself as food
the whole of divine being,
the whole of God?
What drove you?
Nothing but your charity,
mad with love as you are!

St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Third Order Dominican and Doctor of the Church

Stations of the Cross

These Stations are from

Corpus Christi Church

Chambersburg, PA

God of power and mercy,

in love you sent your only Son

that we might be cleansed of sin

and live with you forever.

Bless me as I reflect on his suffering and death

that I may learn from his example the way I should go.

I humbly ask this in the name of Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Jesus is Condemned

Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus Accepts the Cross
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

The First Fall
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus Meets His Mother
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Simon Helps Jesus
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Veronica Comforts Jesus
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

The Second Fall
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus Comforts the Women
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

The Third Fall
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

The Stripping of Jesus
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus Nailed to the Cross
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus Dies
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

The Sorrowful Mother
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

Jesus is Buried
Lord Jesus, help me walk in your steps.

My sweet Lord Jesus,

As your most precious blood dripped upon the ground

Your passion and death united earth and heaven;

All were reconciled to you.

Grant that I may I faithfully walk in your steps.

Permit me to gain heaven so that I might join the angels and saints

In their eternal chorus sung in praise of your glory

Amen.

Christi Matri Prayer

With today being the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI's encyclical on life which defined the Church's stand on birth control, I offer you a prayer written by Paul VI slightly less than two years before Humanae Vitae.

Christi Matri

Look down with maternal clemency, Most Blessed Virgin, upon all your children.

Consider the anxiety of bishops who fear that their flocks will be tormented by a terrible storm of evils.

Heed the anguish of so many people, fathers and mothers of families who are uncertain about their future and beset by hardships and cares.

Soothe the minds of those at war and inspire them with "thoughts of peace."

Through your intercession, may God, the avenger of injuries, turn to mercy.

May He give back to nations the tranquility they seek and bring them to a lasting age of genuine prosperity.

May we all come to realize that God's ways lead to peace. The disorder and discord of the world are not the result of faithfulness to God. Hedonism, to any degree, is a negation of God.

To turn away from the doctrine of life is to embrace death.

Pauline Year

In recognition and celebration of St. Paul's Jubilee year, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Harrisburg Diocese commissioned Jody Cole, an iconography of the diocese, to create an icon of St. Paul the Apostle.

Below is a holy card of the image, along with the prayer found on the reverse of the card:

Condoms at World Youth Day

I was so pleased by the lack of foolishness when the pope visited the U.S. this year. I had thought NARAL would have organized protests against the Church's stance on abortions; the Rainbow League for homosexual legitimacy; Women Priest for female ordination. There was a bit, but just a little bit. If my experience of the papal visit at Catholic University of America, where there were a total of only a half dozen people standing under a banner that weakly pushed for two issues, was typical the lack of reported protests wasn't the media missing a story angle. It was simply a lack of protest.

It seems that won't be the case during the pope's visit to Australia in August. In order to sully the sanctity of the event for the sake of their platform, a group called the NoToPope Coalition will be distributing condoms to the young Catholic pilgrims as they head to an evening prayer vigil with the pope. Spokesperson Rachel Evans has said that members of coalition will ask the Catholic youth to, "Take up the campaign within the Catholic church to allow the Catholic church to promote condoms."

At a press conference this week, Evans said that the group will also be protesting the Church's position on abortion and homosexuality. She expressed a belief that Pope Benedict XVI is a bigot with regard to homosexuals and that his opposition to people using prophylactics condemns millions to death from AIDS.

Karl Hand, pastor of Sydney's Metropolitan Community Church which is part of the Coalition, says of his position with relation to that of the Church, "I'm compassionate towards people who need condoms, who need abortions, who need all sorts of recognition of their relationship and it's just not being provided by this massive worldwide church. A lot of the views being taken up by the pope are anti-humanity in general, so that's upsetting."

When I first read that quote of Pastor Hand I imagined him to be a hand wringing short sighted moral relativist who, although he may very well want what is best for God's people, has been sucked into society's quick fix, bandage on a broken arm, mentality. Then I did an Internet search of the man. Now I'm wondering if he might just be a petulant child standing with his fists on his hips, bottom lip in a severe pout, as he stomps his foot because a parent has told him that something he wishes to do is wrong. Hrmphhh - he'll show the world!

Prior to this condom crusade, Pastor Hand, via his blog, explored another unjust situation - the lack of gay bars in his town. Evidently, his favorite hang out was being converted to a restaurant and the other gay bar in town was being renovated. So, what's a boy to do? Raise that rainbow flag and his voice be heard -
"I suddenly realised that there’s more to life than just my needs – a whole section of the community in Newtown are suddenly without a home. It just so happened this all took place while I was giving some talks at church about the idea of a “spiritual home,” and that got me thinking too. As a pastor in Metropolitan Community Church – a largely gay and lesbian denomination, I am committed to queer spirituality. I believe that queer people are not only equal in rights, and in worth to society, and equal in beauty – I also believe we are equal in Spirit. But am I taking things too far by suggesting a pub – especially a classy venue like the Newtown – could be a spiritual home for Queer Newtown? We’re not materially poorer for loosing one venue and maybe setting up somewhere else. But we have lost something of the richness of human experience, on a level which transcends the material."

Now, am I getting this right? This guy wants to be some sort of moral/social leader, yet he finds a "richness of human experience" in the gay bar scene. What does being equal in Spirit - note the capital "S" - have to do with clubbing? How can services at his church be anything but incredibly morally bankrupt if he suggests that that a pub might be a "spiritual home" for a segment of a towns population?

Now the big question...

Why should I care about what he says and does?

I'd like to end this post there, but I can't. I can't because I care. I care because this is a platform of aching souls who need to know they are loved and that the Church's ultimate position is that of God's ultimate love. I hope that more than a few of the protesters might be converted by the love of Christ they will witness in our kids. Until then, I ask you to pray for them.

Dear Lord,

We are all called to Your love.

In Your mercy, turn Your face to this situation.

Rest Your hand upon the hearts torn by the pain of this land.

Keep them from hurting others and grant them you peace.

Amen.

Can't Terminate a Patient? Terminate Employment Instead.

Dr. Anand Kumar has resigned from his position at a Canadian Hospital because a court issued a temporary injunction against his efforts to deny treatment to a severely disabled elderly Orthodox Jewish man, Samuel Golubchuck.

Mashugana!

What arrogance Kumar shows by stomping his feet and quiting because Mr. Golubchuck's family wants his life to end in a manner in accordance with his faith. Click here to read an article about this.

Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echod.
Listen oh Israel, the Lord, Our God is One.

Baruch Dayan Emet.

Blessed is the true judge.

Christians Persecuted

Four Algerians condemned to prison for converting to Christianity

Algiers, Jun 4, 2008 / 09:26 pm (CNA).-
Four Algerian citizens who converted to Christianity have been condemned to prison and heavy fines, while two others were set free after renouncing their conversion. According to the AFP, the defense lawyer said the four were charged with “illegally practicing a non-Muslim faith.” Full Story

Lord, so often we fail to offer witness to your glory.

Please take to your heart these four who refuse deny you.

Protect and guide them.

Keep them from harm.

May their living testament lead others to you. Amen.

Swingtown

This past week, while I'm on the computer and my husband is in the next room I've frequently heard commercials for a new show coming out this summer, Swingtown.

The premise is that when a family in the 1970's moves to a new neighborhood they find that "swinging" is part of the subculture. The tone of the commercials is that everyone is doing it and if someone isn't then they are missing out on something good.

Swinging does go on, and it did in the 70's. No question, but that doesn't mean that it ought seen as valid fodder for network produced entertainment. I am opposed to it being made to seem as if it is normative behavior. The reason being is that once it is seen as a norm in on a television show, it opens it up to being acceptable in other realms. To promote aberrant behavior is to foster societal degradation.

By choosing to broadcast this show, CBS is showing that there are no boundaries as to what they will put in your home. "Pushing the envelope" isn't a relevant phrase in this case. The envelope has been shred and tossed out with yesterday's garbage --- so as to make room for the biggest pile of trash for which advertisers would empty their pockets.

I don't even want to imagine what will be the next big show to be developed for public consumption.

Unfortunately, this is what we have proven to networks and advertiser that we want. We spend Sunday evening with a bunch of Desperate Housewife, Monday we can hang out with some Gossip Girls then chill at One Tree Hill, on Tuesday we search for souls with the Reaper, hump day finds us with Men in Trees, Thursday offers a Supernatural way to get Lost, the Ghost Whisperer helps us end the work week. I'm not sure if we just don't critically look at what we are offered or if this is really what we want. I hope it's not.

Dear Lord,

Afford us the gift of prudence

Allow that we make choices that please You.

Amen.

UN Contracepting Cyclone Ravaged Myanmar

Sex Before Survival?

Supplies such as food, water, and essential medicines aren't making it to the people of Myanmar. Basic shelter is unavailable to many, if not most. Yet, the UN's Population Fund has already gotten more than 70,000 condoms into the hands of people -- more than 200,000 condoms in total are intended to reach the survivors of the cyclone. As the UNFPA aid advisor Chaiyos Kunanusont told the Mumbai Mirror, "We don’t want regular use of contraception disrupted. An emergency usually damages the health system, so people don’t have access to condoms and contraceptives.” Chemical contraceptives are being sent, too.

Bet this really eases your mind - crisis over, thanks to UN efforts.

The Pope Benedict has asked that we reach out to help the cyclone victims, but - just the same - may I suggest that donations not go to UN relief agencies? Furthermore, may I morph my face into that of a freakish cartoon character and contort my mouth as I raise my voice, eyes bulging, to say that there are much more worthy projects to help these people? No matter what your your politics or religion, it isn't hard to see that there are much more immediate needs to handle right now.

Yeah, yeah Mrs. Sanger... "unprotected" sex has been known to lead to pregnancies, but I promise you that if people are mistakenly turning to sexual interaction as a way to deal with emotional wounds brought on by this devastating event they are NOT making sure to use a condom! No matter how much someone wants to view people as stupid weak animals, it does not justify them using resources to buy and ship condoms when there isn't even clean water. Let's face it, sex is probably the furthest thing from the mind of a dehydrated and starving person who is dealing with a wicked case of dysentery.

God, grant that we may seek your ways rather than follow our own.

Please give relief and comfort to your children suffering in Myanmar.

~~

In times such as these our greatest foolishness is to rely upon ourselves.

You are our refuge today, our strength tomorrow, and our peace always.

~~

Thank you, Lord.

Trinity Sunday

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you. (2 Corinthians 13:13)

Trinity Prayer

God the Father, you are Justice.
Jesus Christ, the divine son, you are Mercy.
Holy Spirit, advocate supreme, you are Benevolence.

Three in one, you are our comfort, hope and reward.
Permit us to never lose sight of your glory.
In you, increase our faith. Amen.

Running and Exchanging Pleasantries (?)

The first year of the Running of the Bulls the people of Pamplona probably thought it was an event that wouldn't catch on. There probably weren't that many people even running the first year. Well, Palm Beach, just had the first placenta attached running of the newborn and I'm thinking that it just won't catch on. Sincerely hoping that it won't catch on. There were only two participants, one runner. Seems unlikely to become an annual event.

I'm serious. Click that link. Come back, but click the link.

Pretty sad, all the way around.


Okay, are you back?


Bet you think I want to talk about that girl.

I could. Not going to, but could.

Or, maybe, you think I'm going to talk about the need for children to feel they can talk to their parents about anything.

I could. Not going to, but could


Instead, I'm going to relay a conversation I had with a mom, I'll call her Sue, yesterday. The news story the link takes you to brought the conversation to mind. At the celebration of her niece's Confirmation and her nephew's First Communion, four of us were chatting next to the buffet table. The other two were the grandmothers of the kids, one being Sue's mom.

One of the two grandparents asked if Sue's sixteen year old son John had his eye on any girl yet.

- Oh, yes. He has a girlfriend he's serious about.

The obvious next question was whether they been dating long.

- It's been for a couple months.

Nodding in the direction of her nineteen year old daughter Nicole who was on the floor with her two year old daughter, she went on.

- Seeing the difficulties that one had and has, has taught him a thing or two. Really opened his eyes. Knows to think things out.

Not exactly knowing what to say but, being one who feels compelled to talk when there is awkward silence. I smiled and filled the air with my voice.

- That's good. Not only has the situation been a pro-life statement for your family, but one for purity. That's

Before I could say, "great," Sue sneered and told us of her children, thereby telling something of herself.

- Not my kids. There's no way with those two.

She started to move out of the room. The whole conversation, Sue's arms had been crossed. They stayed crossed even as she walked out of the room.

-I think it taught him to use some kind of protection.

Exit stage right.

As I said, I'm sure that says something about the kids and their mom, I'm just not really sure what it says though. I do know that it makes me uncomfortable. Uncomfortable to my very core. Maybe I'm not sure what it says because I don't want to.

God, please give us the wisdom to raise our children as you wish. Grant that we are true to this arduous vocation of parenthood.

When we weary, refresh us.

When we make mistakes, correct us.

When our feet stray from your path, right them.

Without you we can do nothing, for you're are indeed our loving Father who wants nothing but the best for us, your children. May we always rejoice in that truth and mirror it to our children.

The Angelus

Have you ever heard of the Angelus?

If you have, do you say it?

The Angelus is one of my favorite prayers. I was one of the first prayer that I regularly took on when I returned to the Church. The first one was the morning offering - the formal one has gone by the wayside though because I lost the prayer card and now I just say it as it comes. Thankfully, I've been given the grace to retain the Angelus prayer and appreciate the fact that there are definite times in which to say it --- that helps jog my memory to actually say it!

If you're not familiar with this prayer you'll want to know that it notes three essential moments in Christianity. The Angelus is primarily addressed to Our Lady and asks her to intercede/pray for us. The prayer closes with a direct request to God asking to be granted the salvation for which Christ died.

There is no clear history of the origins of the Angelus. Even why there are times that have been appointed for the praying of it aren't clear. Although it would be nice to know the history, because I've always liked knowing the background of things, I kind of like that reason for the times isn't known - it kind of frees me up to pray the prayer WITHIN the hour, if I forget at the top of the hour. That let's me be faithful to the practice, even though things often slip my mind.

The times for saying the Angelus are 6 AM, Noon and 6 PM. Jean-Francois Millet's painting that is included with this post shows potato farmers faithfully pray the Angelus. If you look closely, in the background of the painting you can see the church steeple. The Church bells ringing the hour would have let the people know the hour so they might stop to say the Angelus and then return to their work, as if no interruption had occurred. I see it as the Church helping her people to be mindful of God throughout their day, and the people being faithful to that connection. It makes one mindful that there is much help Mother Church affords us, that we only need to avail ourselves of it. But I digress.

The prayer itself is:

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary * And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. * Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord * Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. * Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

And the Word was made Flesh * And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. * Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, * that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

Of course, Catholics would begin and end the prayer with "The Sign of the Cross."

Just as this was one of the first prayers that I began to regularly pray as I was coming back in to full communion with the Church, this would have been one of the first snippets that I would have put into a blog at that time, had I had a blog then. For that reason, I thought it should be included here.

The prayers and devotions we weave into the cloak of daily spiritual practices is an individual, personal, decision. The inclusion of each might not always bear with it clear moment or reason for deciding to so do. Saying the Angelus in my youth was like that. Well, at noon at school you could pin the reason on the nuns who made you stand to say it. For that matter, I probably never even thought of the words - just said them - didn't really PRAY them. Now, my foremost reason for saying the Angelus is for what is said within it. The Angelus represents a fuller membership in the Catholic Church this time around because I, generally, deeply pray it, rather than just say it. Yes, I said generally -- that is because when I pray it with my son, I still do so partially thinking of him praying it. Of course, I do also like to say the Angelus because it gives me an opportunity for an exercise in faithfulness (with a touch of wiggle room in the timing!).