Jun 30 Mon - Do I need God’s help to do anything profitable?

 

Jun 30 Mon
Do I need God’s help to do anything profitable?
The intimate life of God consists in that the Father begets the Son (the eternal generation of the Word), and from the Father and the Son proceeds the Holy Spirit.

God is not someone locked up in his own solitude, but constitutes a family; for He shares within Himself the relations of paternity, filiation, and love, which are of the essence of a family. This love in the divine family is the Holy Spirit.

Here we notice three key notions: paternity, filiation, and love. In a human family, paternity is proper to the parents. In them, paternity is a relation to their children. This relation qualifies or adds a new dimension to the person they are.

Filiation is proper for the children. 

The love or affection that unites the members of the family to one another is found in all the members.

God calls humanity to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity. Through his divine action on a creature in the state of grace, God communicates with the person as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit. Thus, our salvation is a grace from God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we share in the Passion of Christ, dying to sin. Through the same power, we share in Christ’s Resurrection and are born to a new life: the life of grace. We become members of Christ’s body, the Church, and living branches united to the vine, which is Christ.

God’s grace is indispensable to carry out every meritorious supernatural action. It requires man’s cooperation, but, at the same time, always precedes it. 

Pelagianism and the teachings of St. Augustine represent opposing views regarding this process. Pelagianism emphasizes the power of free will and minimizes the necessity of God's grace, while St. Augustine stresses the importance of grace due to the effects of original sin.

Pelagianism theorizes that humans can lead morally good lives and achieve salvation through their natural powers, without the need for God's grace. Grace, in this view, primarily facilitates salvation but is not essential.

Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, asserting that Adam's sin only affected him but did not wound human nature in his descendants.

Pelagianism highly esteems free will, suggesting that humans have the innate capacity to choose good and follow God's law without divine assistance. They can ultimately achieve holiness and impeccability through their own efforts.

In opposition to this heresy, the Catholic view is that of St. Augustine. He taught that we possess a weakened will and a tendency toward sin. Thus, we need a Savior because of original sin.

Augustine emphasized the absolute necessity of God's grace for salvation. He argued that we, due to our fallen nature, cannot perform profitable acts or resist temptation without grace. Grace is not just helpful, but fundamentally necessary.

Augustine strongly affirmed the doctrine of original sin, which is transmitted to all through Adam. This sin corrupts our nature, affecting both the mind (ignorance) and the flesh (concupiscence).

Augustine acknowledged our free will but maintained that it was weakened by original sin. While we have free will, it is insufficient to achieve holiness without the assistance of grace.

Semipelagianism, also an error, emerged as a compromise between Pelagianism and Augustinianism. It suggested that the "beginning of faith," the initial move, can be done with just our natural power of free will, while the increase in faith requires grace.
Pic: The Good Samaritan by Van Gogh 

Jun 29 Sun - Should I always side with the Church?

 

Jun 29 Sun
Should I always side with the Church?
Today, we should fix our gaze upon the Church, founded by God on earth as a beautiful spiritual edifice in which all Christians are living stones. Peter the Apostle was a mortal man, like all others. However, his office as supreme Pastor, instituted by Christ, must endure eternally, by the Lord's command.

With the affection of faithful children, we renew before God our humble allegiance to the Roman Pontiff. He is the foundation stone of the Church, which continues the task of formation and teaching that Jesus entrusted to the first Twelve throughout the centuries, until the end of time.

The Church is the whole of the People of God, the ensemble of all Christians. Clergy and laity are gathered together in a unity of sentiments, desires, and objectives. “For that reason, wherever a Christian is trying to live in Jesus Christ's name, the whole Church is present."

Since the members of the Mystical Body are so varied and diverse in their functions, God has chosen an authority who would watch over his sheep as a good shepherd. And so, the Church has a hierarchical structure with a juridical order and a unity of norms. Some norms are of divine origin, and others are ecclesiastical. They are the safeguard of the integrity and unity of her spirit. They have their foundation in the love with which the Church, as a good Mother, protects the earthly pilgrimage of her children. These norms can never be considered as a superstructure that suffocates Christian life. Rather, they are like orderly channels for the desires of sanctity that the Holy Spirit awakens in souls.

It is an old error to oppose the charismatic Church against the hierarchical Church. There is only one Church, and in her, the law forms part of the means for sanctity. St. Josemaría wrote: “The law, my children, is something very holy within the life of the Church. It is not an empty formula, nor a weapon to keep a tight hold on consciences, but rather a reasonable and supernatural order according to justice. It's not just an instrument of command, but rather a light at the service of the whole Church, to illuminate for everyone the path of fulfillment of the great commandment of Love."

Today, a resolution of fidelity bursts from our souls. And, using the words of St. Josemaría, we ask the Holy Spirit “to give our Holy Father, the sweet Christ on earth, the Vicar of Christ, great fortitude - at once maternal and paternal - to defend the laws of the Church, which are so little known and appreciated in these times."

We place our humble and filial readiness to always side with the Church at the feet of the Virgin, Mater Ecclesiae. At the same time, we ask her to teach us to obey and love the Church more each day.
Pic: Mosaic of Mary, Mother of the Church, in the Vatican walls. 

Jun 28 Sat - What do I do when boredom creeps in?

 

Jun 28 Sat
What do I do when boredom creeps in?
It’s not difficult to find couples who, after a period of marriage, tell you that theirs is boring. It’s like sharing an apartment, without any motivation or expectation of change for the better.

Indeed, that’s true. Routine, boredom, is a listlessness that creeps into the heart little by little. Total dedication to God becomes boring, and, in matrimony, one loses the hopes that led one to share life with that person.

This doesn’t only occur in human love; it also happens at work, where the phenomenon of burnout is evident, and in spiritual life, where it is referred to as lukewarmness or tepidity.

It occurs in all those loves that can be lost if we don’t nurture them. These loves, as we know, are, in essence, exclusive love of God, love of one’s partner, and love of work.

Love for God, dedicated and exclusive, is replaced by some other, less demanding belief, that relieves the human person’s need to love and believe. These can be fortune-tellers, horoscope readers, or even worse.

In matrimony, love for one’s partner is replaced by another person, and thus one tries to rebuild one’s life. Which is self-deception.

In marriage, as in total and exclusive commitment to God, life must be rebuilt every day with the person one is with.

And love for work is often replaced by meeting minimum standards and thus avoiding the possibility of being sanctioned or expelled from the company where one works.

Avoiding this situation, or correcting it if it has already occurred, means beginning to love again, starting with small acts of love, thinking of others, being gentler, and doing small, pleasant things. All of this will help the relationship gain some strength, especially if done over time, with patience, without rushing, but also without pausing.

It’s a crisis, but this word shouldn’t scare us. It means that God is asking for more, and that we’ve reached a point where our love must be deeper than it was. What we had must be revived. We have to delve deeper into love. If it’s not caught in time, we can reach the boredom we’ve been talking about. But we have to know that boredom is not wanting, not loving. When you make an effort to love, you’re already loving. Even if you don’t realize it.

We must try to remedy it when we suspect we’re in this situation. Getting out isn’t easy, but if one, or better yet, both, tries, it’s possible. It’s a matter of wanting and putting in the necessary resources.

The trap is that in this situation, even though it may seem unbelievable, the person finds a certain comfort. He develops a feeling of being a victim, which ultimately brings a certain reward, given the admiration or pity he perceives from others, and that reward is enough to keep moving forward without doing anything to improve.

My experience over many years is that, sooner or later, those who believe themselves victims fail, and cause others to fail.

Let’s not forget that when you want to love, you’re already loving. Wanting to love is already loving.

Jun 27 Fri - What if we conducted an ultrasound test on Jesus' Heart?

 

Jun 27 Fri
What if we conducted an ultrasound test on Jesus' Heart? 

The Beatitudes would be the result of Jesus’ heart ultrasound, providing insight into what lies within. To truly follow Jesus, we must reproduce His sentiments and basic attitudes in our hearts. The Beatitudes are, also, the response to humanity's natural longing for happiness, a desire that God has placed in every human heart to draw us closer to the One who can truly fulfill it. 

Once we recognize that beatitude (i.e., heaven, everlasting happiness) is the ultimate goal of humanity, the next question arises: "What are the means to achieve it?" or "How do I fit into this picture?" Specifically, we must consider which human goods to pursue and which actions to perform to reach this end. 

The answer lies in living out all the moral implications of the Christian faith, explicitly and consciously (with the help of God's grace), to please God and achieve integral fulfillment in Christ and thereby attain goodness. Therefore, true happiness for humanity lies in self-fulfillment and the attainment of the purpose for which we are created. Our happiness is directly connected to our sense of responsibility in fulfilling God's Will and achieving goodness. 

The Beatitudes are precisely the "modes of Christian response" and are accompanied by their corresponding virtues. 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This calls for us to expect and accept all good things, including the fruits of our labor, as gifts from God. The virtue associated with this is humility, which enables us to cooperate with God.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Accept God's will; be a team player on God's team. Accept your limited role in the body of Christ and fulfill it. The related virtue is meekness, to accept and embrace one's mission in life or vocation. 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Put aside or avoid whatever is not necessary or useful in fulfilling your vocation. The related virtue is detachment. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Endure fearlessly whatever is necessary or useful in the fulfillment of your vocation. The related virtues are endurance in the struggle, faithfulness, and courage. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Do not judge persons according to your feelings. The related virtues are fairness and forgiveness. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Strive to conform your whole self to a living faith, and recognize and purge anything that does not meet this standard. The related virtue is purity of heart. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Respond to evil with good, not with resistance, much less with destructive action. The related virtue is that of the rebuilders of damaged relationships. 

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Do no evil that good might come of it, but suffer evil together with Jesus in cooperation with God's redeeming love. The related virtue is doing good even though it may produce hatred.

Jun 26 Thu - To be holy, should I perform deeds of love every day?

 

Jun 26 Thu
To be holy, should I perform deeds of love every day?
St. Josemaría: “Does your soul not burn with the desire to make your Father God happy when He has to judge you?" We yearn for it so much that we want to use the days our Lord gives us for pleasing God alone.

However, we cannot rest content with good intentions. Jesus rewards us for love shown in deeds, not for ineffectual good intentions. We must correspond to God’s Love by performing very specific deeds, small ones perhaps, but deeds done out of love. 

Every day, we must strive to perform deeds of love, because every day we can and should come closer to our Lord. “Since our first conscious decision really to follow the teaching of Christ, we have no doubt made good progress along the way of faithfulness to his word. And yet, isn't it true that there is still much to be done? Isn't it true, particularly, that there is still so much pride in us? We need, most probably, to change again, to be more loyal and humble, so that we become less selfish and let Christ grow in us, for he must become more and more, I must become less and less."

“We cannot stay still. We must keep going ahead toward the goal St Paul marks out: ‘It is not I who live, it is Christ that lives in me.’ This is a high and very noble ambition, this identification with Christ, this holiness. But there is no other way if we are to be consistent with the divine life God has sown in our souls in baptism. To advance, we must progress in holiness. Shying away from holiness implies refusing our Christian life its natural growth. The fire of God's love needs to be fed. It must grow each day, gathering strength in our soul, and a fire is maintained by burning more things. If we don't feed it, it may die."

Remember what St Augustine said: “If you say ‘enough’, you are lost. Go further, keep going. Don't stay in the same place, don't go back, don't go off the road."

Our struggle to be worthy of the Lord's blessing must not be vague and indeterminate. We have to examine our conscience daily to increase the love of God in our deeds.

“We all need to be aware of our lack of objectivity whenever we judge our own conduct. You too." In our examination of conscience, we discover faults and omissions in fulfilling our commitment of love. We see that we are still not humble enough, that our heart is attached to created things, that our apostolic zeal is still imperfect. Why is this so? What is the reason for so much carelessness?

“We cannot regard this time as just another day which has simply happened to come around again. Every day is a unique time: a divine aid which we should accept. Jesus is passing by and He hopes that we will take a great step forward - today, now."
Pic: St. Josemaria during the first years of Opus Dei. 

Jun 25 Wed - Should I fear God?

 

Jun 25 Wed
Should I fear God?
What is the meaning of "the fear of the Lord"? The Scripture says: “If you cry out for wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, if you look for it as for silver, and search for it as for a treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord." 
Thus, we must look for wisdom to learn and acquire the fear of the Lord. 

“Fear” is not to be taken in the sense that common usage gives it. We are afraid because of a guilty conscience, or an attack from one who is stronger, sickness, or encountering a wild beast. This kind of fear is not taught: it happens because we are weak. We do not have to learn what we should fear: these objects of fear bring their own terror with them.

However, the real fear of the Lord must be learned, because it can be taught. It has to be acquired by obedience to the commandments, by holiness of life, and by knowledge of the truth.

The fear of God consists wholly in love of God, who wants us to obey his commandments. Man realizes the enormous difference between the Creator and the creature, between the divine holiness and the human fragility. Our love for God is entrusted with its own responsibility: to observe his counsels, to obey his laws, to trust his promises. Thus, we must learn to have fear to avoid cutting our link with God by sin. 

So, the fear of offending God gives us prudence –to seek the right way of acting– and serenity. It is gift of God to fight against sin.

“He who continues to delight in wickedness, what wonder is it if he fears death and judgement? Nevertheless, it is good that, if the love of God does not restrain you from sin, the fear of hell at least should restrain you. For he who sets aside the fear of God cannot continue in a good life for long, but will rapidly fall into the snares of the Devil." (The Imitation of Christ)

 “Show us, O our good Master, some way in which we may live through life’s most dangerous warfare without frequent surprise. The best way that we can do this, daughters, is to use the LOVE and FEAR given to us by His Majesty. For love will make us quicken our steps, while fear of the Lord will make us look where we are setting our feet, so that we shall not fall on a road where there are so many obstacles. Along that road, all living creatures must pass, and if we have these two things, we shall certainly not be deceived.
Love and fear of God! These are two strong castles from which we can wage war on the world and on the devils." (St Teresa)
Pic: Jesus washes the disciples' feet. Chinese painting.

Jun 24 Tue - Why does God call some people?

 

Jun 24 Tue
Why does God call some people?
When God calls someone for a specific mission, He grants all the necessary and appropriate graces for the fulfillment of this task. In the case of St. John the Baptist, divine intervention begins even before his birth. For that reason, the Church applies these words from the book of Isaiah to him: the Lord called me and had me in mind already when I lay in my mother's womb. 

Our Lord chooses his instruments from all eternity and generously bestows his graces on them. However, He requires our correspondence; we must welcome his gifts and let him act without putting up resistance. “We must say with St Peter: Lord, to whom should we go? Thy words are the words of eternal life; we have learned to believe, and are assured that you are the Christ, the Son of God (John 6:69-70). If we allow God's calling to enter our heart, we'll not walk amongst dark shadows. Above our miseries and personal defects, shines the light of God, which is like the sun shining above the storm clouds."

Before he was born, John was called, and later, he spent his life preparing the way of the Lord.

Calling and sending; vocation and mission: these are two aspects of the same reality that encompass one's entire life. Upon calling his Precursor, God entrusts him with an assignment for the good of all humanity: He shall bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. He shall unite the hearts of all, the fathers with the children... preparing for the Lord a people fit to receive him.

The entire life of the Baptist will be a faithful reflection of these words of the angel since he will spend himself completely in preparing souls for their encounter with Christ. He removed any personal interests; his sole objective was to bring men to Christ. A man must be content to receive the gift which is given to him from heaven, and nothing more. 

We must have rectitude of intention and humility in all our actions.
The figure of St John the Baptist is an example of an upright intention. Like him, “You and I must be witnesses of Jesus Christ. We go along unnoticed in the middle of the world, but without any secrets. With God's help, we struggle to be better."

“Our motto should be that of the Baptist: It is right that Christ should grow in me, and that I become smaller (John 3:30). For that reason, our greatest ambition should be to live without human glory, so that God alone can be glorified, soli Deo honor et gloria (1 Tim 1:17)." St. Josemaría.

The example of the Precursor, who places all his work at Christ's feet, moves us to ask our Lord for a deep sense of service. Such a heroic manifestation of an upright intention is very good for you to keep in mind. True humility in God's service must always be lived.

To avoid many disappointments in life, we should be like fruit-bearing trees... but not only full of leaves. And that is how we should be: like a tree that gives much fruit... a tree that is pleasing to God and souls because it does good to everyone. So, humility. Let us ask for it from Mary Most Holy, our Mother; she declared herself to be the Handmaid of the Lord.

Jun 23 Mon - Should I offer to God the best?

 

Jun 23 Mon
Should I offer to God the best?
The purpose of our life is to give glory to God. But there are many good things in this world, and they are capable of diverting our attention from focusing on God. We have no better way of giving glory to God than by living our Christian vocation with ever-greater love.

“God's love is a jealous lover. He is not satisfied if we come to meet him with conditions. He longs for us to give ourselves completely, without keeping dark corners in our hearts, where the joy and happiness of grace and the supernatural gifts cannot reach. Perhaps you are thinking, ‘If I say 'yes' to this exclusive Love, might I not lose my freedom?’"

“Each one of us has at some time or other experienced that serving Christ our Lord involves suffering and hardship; to deny this would imply that we had not yet found God. A soul in love knows, however, that when such suffering comes, it is only a fleeting impression; the soul soon finds that the yoke is easy and the burden light, because Jesus is carrying it upon his shoulders as He embraced the wood of the Cross when our eternal happiness was at stake.” 

“But there are people who rebel against the Creator, in a sad, petty, impotent rebellion, and they blindly repeat the futile complaint recorded in the Psalms: Let us break away from their bondage, rid ourselves of their toils. They shrink from the hardship of fulfilling their daily task with heroic silence and naturalness, without show or complaint. They have not realized that even when God's will seems painful, and its demands wounding, it coincides perfectly with our freedom, which is only to be found in God and his plans."

“Such people barricade themselves behind their freedom. "My freedom! My freedom!" they cry. They have their freedom, but they don't use it. They look at it, they set it up, a clay idol for their petty minds to worship. Is this freedom? What use is this treasure to them, if there is no commitment guiding their whole life? Such behavior goes against their very dignity and nobility as human beings. They are left aimless, with no clear path to guide their footsteps on this earth. You and I have met such people. They then let themselves be carried away by childish vanity, by selfish conceit, by sensuality."

“Their freedom turns out to be barren, or produces fruits which, even humanly speaking, are ridiculous. A person who does not choose, with complete freedom, an upright code of conduct, sooner or later ends up being manipulated by others. He will lead a lazy, parasitic existence, at the mercy of what others decide. He will let himself be blown away by any wind whatsoever, and it will always be others who make up his mind for him." 

“We give more glory to God by offering him our best talents as a holocaust, than by making vain use of them. God is pleased when we offer him the best that we have, what we value most. Nothing is too great to give him. Furthermore, we are children of God, and our obligations as children towards God our Father are not the same as those that can be imposed on strangers. To the children fall duties involving more sacrifice and more generosity, which would never be accepted willingly by hirelings."

Jun 22 Sun - Why do we celebrate this feast of the Body and Blood of Christ?

 

Jun 22 Sun
Why do we celebrate this feast of the Body and Blood of Christ?
The words of the Entrance Antiphon remind us: God has fed them with the finest wheat and given them their fill of honey from the rock.

For many years, God fed manna to the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. This was an image and symbol of the pilgrim Church and of each individual who journeys towards his or her definitive homeland, Heaven. That food given in the desert of Sinai is a figure of the true food, the Holy Eucharist. This is the sacrament of the human pilgrimage. Precisely because of this, the annual feast of the Eucharist that the Church celebrates today contains within its liturgy so many references to the pilgrimage of the people of the Covenant in their wanderings through the wilderness. Moses often reminded the Israelites of this wonderful deed that God had performed for his People: Do not then forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Today is a day of thanksgiving and of joy because God wants to remain with us to feed us and to strengthen us, so that we may never feel alone. The Holy Eucharist is the food for the long journey of our days on Earth towards the goal of true Life. Jesus accompanies us and strengthens us here in this world, where our life is like a shadow compared to the reality that awaits us. Earthly food is a pale image of the food we receive in Holy Communion; it is a completely new reality.

Although we celebrate this feast only once a year, the Church proclaims this most happy truth every day: Jesus gives himself to us daily as our food, and He remains in our Tabernacles to be for us the strength and the hope of a new life, a life without end and limit. It is a mystery that is ever alive and ever new.

Thank you, Lord, for remaining with us. What would have become of us without you? Where would we have gone to restore our strength and to ask for consolation? From the Tabernacle, how easy you make the way for us!

The Corpus Christi procession makes Christ present in towns and cities throughout the world. But his presence cannot be limited to only one day, like a sound you hear and then forget. It should remind us that we have to discover Our Lord in our ordinary everyday activities. Side by side with this solemn procession, there is the simple, silent procession of the ordinary life of each Christian. Each Christian is a man among men, who, by a great blessing, has received the faith and the divine commission to act so that he renews the message of Our Lord on earth.

Let us ask Our Lord, then, to make us devoted to the Blessed Eucharist, so that our relationship with him brings forth joy and serenity and a desire for justice. Thus, we will make it easier for others to recognize Christ; we will put Christ at the center of all human activities. And Jesus’ promise will be fulfilled: ‘When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself’ (John 12:32).

Jun 21 Sat - Why is there an altar in the church?

 

Jun 21 Sat
Why is there an altar in the church?
At the beginning of the Mass, on reaching the altar, the priest and ministers make the proper reverence—that is, a low bow or a genuflection if there is a tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament.

As a sign of veneration, the priest and deacon kiss the altar. When the occasion warrants, the priest may also incense the altar.
 
The altar symbolizes the heart of the church. It is the Lord’s table and the center of the Eucharistic action. It is a symbol of Christ. That is why we cover the altar with a cloth, out of reverence for the celebration of the memorial of the Lord’s sacrifice. We use candles at every liturgical service as a sign of veneration and joyfulness.

There should also be a cross, adorned with the image of Christ crucified, clearly visible to the congregation, either on the altar or near it. It is recommended that such a cross, which calls to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain by the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations. It is a praiseworthy practice that the Book of the Gospels be placed on the altar.

Universality is an essential feature of Christian worship. Christian liturgy is never just an event organized by a particular group or set of people or even by a specific local church. There, our movement toward Christ is met with Christ’s movement toward us. The Temple of Jerusalem –built of stone– ceased to express the hope of Christians; its curtain was torn forever. Christians look toward the East, the rising Sun. Christ is the rising Sun, the Orient, the true light of history. In the early Church, prayer toward the east was regarded as an apostolic tradition. It meant going to meet the coming Christ.

Moreover, the altar of the New Covenant is the cross of the Lord (cf. Heb 13:10), from which the sacraments of the paschal mystery flow. Under sacramental signs, the sacrifice of the Cross is made present over the altar, the center of the Church. The altar is also the table of the Lord to which the people of God are invited. The Holy Mass is a sacrifice offered to God. 

To kiss the altar is to kiss Christ. It is then understandable that we want to claim this kiss of the celebrant as our own. It evokes in our memory the many kisses of that sinful woman in the Pharisee’s house. She could not cease to kiss Christ’s feet, washing them with her tears. Great sins were forgiven her because she also loved greatly, the Gospel tells us (Lk 7:38). And we have so many faults to ask pardon for!

Now, by this kiss, the priest also signifies the union of the Spouse (Christ) with his Bride (the Church). And, indeed, what the priest is beginning to accomplish here is nothing other than to forge the union of the Church with her Master, of the soul with its Redeemer. 

During the first centuries, the altar table was often a stone slab placed over the tomb of a martyr. The saints, members of Christ, have been buried in Christ by their love. This is the origin of the custom of inserting a cavity in the altar stone (called the sepulcher) in which relics of martyrs are enclosed. 
Nowadays, the Church sees it fitting to maintain this practice. However, the relics may be of any saint, even of non-martyrs, and these may also be placed beneath the altar. Care should be taken to have solid evidence of the authenticity of such relics.

Jun 20 Fri - Why do we make the sign of the cross or use holy water?

 

Jun 20 Fri
Why do we make the sign of the cross or use holy water?
These are sacramentals, often a stumbling block for non-Catholics who don’t understand their need or purpose. For instance, before his conversion to Catholicism, Dr. Scott Hahn was a staunch anti-Catholic Presbyterian minister. In his talks, Hahn often tells the story of how he discovered his grandmother’s rosary. His grandmother had just died, and Hahn relates that he ripped the rosary beads to pieces, pleading to God to set her free from the chains of Catholicism that had kept her bound.

Today, this internationally recognized Catholic author and speaker couldn’t be more of a supporter of the Blessed Virgin Mary and promoter of the Rosary.

Also, we usually bless the meals to offer God a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. It makes holy the mere need for nutrition and is a reminder of the most blessed meal, the Eucharist.

Sacramentals are sacred signs that, in a sense, imitate the sacraments. They signify certain effects, especially spiritual ones, and they achieve these effects through the intercession of the Church.

This “imitation of the sacraments” implies both similarity and dissimilarity to them. Thus:

•  Both use sensible signs composed of matter and form;

•  It can be said that the sacramentals were instituted by Christ, since Christ gave the Church the power to institute them. In some cases, as in exorcisms, He even demonstrated how to do them. 

•  The sacramentals confer actual graces and assistance. Thus, they indirectly help one merit an increase of sanctifying grace;

How do sacramentals differ from sacraments?
Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ. The Sacramentals are instituted by the Church.

The effects of sacramentals can be divided into four groups:

- Actual graces

- Forgiveness of venial sins

- Protection against the attacks of the devil

- Temporal benefits (like the blessing of the fields)

Sacraments are necessary for salvation; God appointed them as the means to confer certain graces on people.

On the other hand, while sacramentals are important for the spiritual life, they are not necessary in the same way that sacraments are.

In summary, sacraments are instituted by Christ and directly confer grace, while sacramentals are instituted by the Church and prepare individuals to receive grace and sanctify different aspects of life through the Church's intercession.

Sacraments are considered necessary for salvation, whereas sacramentals are not, but they enrich the spiritual lives of the faithful.

There are several kinds of sacramentals. Some are blessed or consecrated objects through which the faithful receive spiritual benefits. Examples of this type are holy water, the scapular, blessed candles or palms, and, generally speaking, all blessed objects used exclusively for the worship of God.

Sacramentals may also be actions that the Church enriches with special graces. For example, the recitation of an act of contrition, the imposition of ash, exorcisms, processions, pilgrimages, and the funeral rites.

Most of the sacramentals consist of blessings, like those of churches, objects devoted to divine worship, rosaries, scapulars, houses, the anniversary nuptial blessing, and the blessing of water.

Jun 19 Thu - How can I get more from the Mass?

 

Jun 19 Thu
How can I get more from the Mass?
To celebrate or to offer the Holy Mass with greater fruit, we should consider that:

• The Mass is the most important event that happens to mankind each day.

• The Mass is the center of Christian life. All the sacraments, prayers, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, spiritual communions, devotions, and mortifications offered to God have the Mass as their central point of reference. If the center were to disappear (e.g., if attendance at Mass were to be consciously abandoned), then the whole Christian life would collapse.

• Even our concern for the others, our apostolate, should take its root in the Mass. 
• The Mass is the most pleasing offering we can make to God. 

These ideas may help you to participate better in the Holy Mass:

• Pray on the way to Mass. Whether you drive to a distant chapel or walk down the street to a cathedral, turn your attention to the coming celebration. Prepare your soul for Communion with acts of love of God. Make acts of contrition and atonement to make up to the Lord for past failures.

• Use your Missal, if you have one, or the missalette available in the church. By reading and following the prayers of the priest, you can avoid distractions.

• Offer this sublime sacrifice in union with the Church. Live the Holy Mass feeling yourself to be part of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the people of God. Be united to the bishop of the diocese where the Mass is being offered and to the pope, the Vicar of Christ for the universal Church.

• Be united to the sacrifice of Jesus who is the only Victim. By doing so, you also offer to God the Father through Christ, and with the Holy Spirit, all the sacrifices, sufferings, self-denials, and tribulations of each day. 

• Have the necessary preparation for Communion. If you are going to receive Holy Communion, you need—besides being in the state of grace—to have the right intention and keep the Eucharistic fast. 
(a) The right intention in receiving Communion means having this good purpose: to please God. 
(b) The eucharistic fast requires abstaining from eating and drinking, except water and medicine, for one hour before actual Communion time. The sick and the elderly, as well as those who take care of them, may receive Holy Communion even if they have taken something within the hour.
(c) We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under serious obligation, at least once a year—ordinarily in Easter time—and when we are in danger of death. 
(d) Holy Communion may be received a second time on the same day when one attends Holy Mass again on that day, and when one receives the Blessed Sacrament as viaticum in danger of death. 

• Complete the Mass with an intense thanksgiving. Thus, your Mass will have direct influence on your work, your family life, your dealings with others, and the manner you will spend the rest of your day. In short, the Mass should not be an isolated event of the day; rather, it should be the inspiration and the dynamo of all your actions. 

• Turn the whole day into a continuous preparation for the holy sacrifice by working and praying, by making spiritual communions, and, at the same time, into a never-ending act of thanksgiving. For a Christian, all honest activities can be turned into prayer. 

• Imitate the piety of the Blessed Virgin and ask her for it. While our Lord offered and immolated his flesh, Mary offered and immolated her spirit. Participate in each Mass as if it were your last.