Ash Wednesday Thought From "God Alone Suffices"

From God Alone Suffices:

"Though full of dignity, created in the image of God, and redeemed by the blood of the Redeemer, a person remains only ashes, and his body turns to dirt after death. If we would acknowledge this truth that permeated the lives of saints, even in a limited way, each one of us would have a deep awareness of our nothingness. We would acknowledge that we are a handful of ashes loved by God, dirt in which the Creator of the universe wants to dwell."

Beginning of Lent Meditation

From Lenten Meditations:

Do you want to know the secret to making this Lent truly a life changing event?Stop thinking that you are different. I know the message you get from almost every corner of the world these days is that you are unique, one of a kind--sort of like a snowflake! There is an element of truth to that, but it is not the whole truth. Because you are also just like every other human being living on this planet.Jesus wasn't like everyone else--but he did not "deem eqaulity with God" and as Saint Paul said to the Philipians, that is something "to be grasped at."So have a change of mind--repent! Stop thinking of yourself in terms of how you are different from everyone else, i.e. stop praying like the pharisee in the Gospels. Stop worrying about this group of sinners or that group and see yourself as part of all of those or more correctly all of us sinful human beings.Then start genuinely praying, "Lord have mercy on us," Lord be generous with us. We are beggars before your throne.Let the ashes on your forehead mark you as just another in the crowd of dreadful need of Jesus the savior, not as a mark of what a great Christian you are--because quite frankly if you think the latter you really aren't that great of a Christian. Humility is the key to following Christ and being a Christian.

Ash Wednesday--Pope Benedict's General Audience

From the Vatican:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today – Ash Wednesday – we begin our Lenten journey in a spirit of prayer and penance. From the earliest days of the Church, Lent has been a special time of preparation for Baptism. For those already baptized, Lent is a time of conversion and renewed faith. It is a time to "exercise" our desire for God by opening our hearts to the new life offered to us in Christ. Jesus exhorts us to "repent and believe in the Gospel". Only conversion can lead to true happiness, and God’s grace is needed to inspire and sustain our efforts to direct our hearts completely to him.

Conversion consists in recognizing that we depend entirely on God, who created us and redeemed us in Christ. In my Lenten message this year, I wanted to emphasize God’s immense love for us, and to invite all Christians, together with Mary and the Beloved Disciple, to draw near to the Lord, who gave his life for us on the Cross. The Cross – the definitive revelation of God’s love and mercy – is the only way to enter this mystery of saving love. This Lent, by a more fervent participation in the Eucharist, may we learn to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery and to "re-give" Christ’s love to others, especially the suffering and those in need.\

I am pleased to greet the pilgrimage group from the Diocese of Jelgava in Latvia, led by Bishop Antons Justs. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience, especially those from England, Wales, Ireland, Finland, Japan and the United States, I cordially invoke God’s blessings for a fruitful and spiritually enriching Lent.

Office of Readings Podcast

I couldn't find one online (there is one for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer), so I'm setting out to do one. I have three days available and I'll try to keep at least two-three days ahead of schedule.

Of all the hours the Office of Readings makes the most sense as a podcast because it largely is made up of two substantial readings-one from Scripture, the other from a Church Father, Saint or Council.

RSS URL: http://odeo.com/channel/286253/rss.xml

Subscription Page

Lenten Meditations

Lenten Meditations

Pope Benedict's Latest Q & A

With Roman Seminarians last Saturday, from Zenit.

A second-year theology student asked: "How one should address shortcomings within the Church in the most serene and responsible way?"

"Not an easy question," the Holy Father said with a smile. "But the Lord knows, he knew from the beginning that there is sin in the Church. "

And for our humility it is important to acknowledge this and to see the sin not only in others, in the structures, in the high hierarchical offices, but also in ourselves, thus being more humble with ourselves and learning that, before the Lord, one's position does not count, but what counts is to be in his love and to make his love shine."

"How is one to behave in the face of pain?"

Benedict XVI underlined the need to make it understood above all that suffering is an essential part of human maturation.

Jesus himself, the Holy Father continued, said that he had to suffer for the salvation of the world and that whoever wishes to follow him must take up his own cross.

"We are always like Peter who says to the Lord: 'No, Lord!'" the Pontiff observed. "'This cannot be the case, you must not suffer, we do not want to carry the cross, we want to create a more human, more beautiful kingdom on earth.'

"This is totally mistaken: Whoever promises a life that is only happy and comfortable, lies, because this is not the truth of man and then one flees to false paradises and precisely in this way one does not arrive at joy but at self-destruction."

Benedict XVI explained that Christianity proclaims joy to us, a joy that grows in the way of love, a path that is, however, linked to the cross. Yet, there is an obligation in the face of suffering, he said: "We must do everything possible, to overcome humanity's suffering and to help suffering people -- there are so many in the world -- to find a good life and to be freed from evils caused by ourselves: famine, epidemics, etc."

A student asked how they should relate to human weakness, when one is aware of being very far from true coherence with one's yes to God.

"It is good to acknowledge one's own weakness because in this way we know that we have need of the Lord's grace," the Pope answered. "The Lord consoles us. In the college of the apostles there was not only Judas but also the good apostles.

"Peter fell, and so many times the Lord reproached his slowness, the apostles' closed hearts, the little faith they had. Therefore, it shows us that no one of us is up to the loftiness of this great yes."

And in this awareness, added the Holy Father, there is also an attitude of continuous conversion: "To acknowledge that we are in need of a permanent conversion, and that we have never simply arrived; to accept our frailty but to stay on the path, not to give in but to go forward and through the sacrament of reconciliation to be converted ever again by a new beginning and thus grow, mature through the Lord, in our communion with the Lord."

Fr. Cantalamessa (Papal Preacher) in Central Kentucky

From the Lexington Herald:

He said Pope John Paul II, who appointed him to the post of papal preacher in 1980, stressed "exchanging gifts among the churches, not exchanging accusations." That's something Cantalamessa said he wants to encourage.

"What unites us is much more important," he said. "The Lord put love in my heart for the fellow Christians."

He said the issues that created the division between the Catholic Church and other denominations centuries ago "have lost most of their importance."

National Catholic Register Reviews The Virtue Driven Life

By Father Benedict Groeschel...

From the National Catholic Register:

That’s one reason this latest breezy read from the most popular American Franciscan of our day, Father Benedict J. Groeschel, a Capuchin Friar of the Renewal, arrives as a well-timed dose of reality. It’s medicine that tastes good and goes down easy even though it possesses potent anti-toxin properties.

Not only does the priest offer a practical primer on the qualities that constitute the three theological virtues (faith, hope and charity) and the four cardinal ones (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance), but he also seriously challenges the reader to cultivate those qualities, little by little, in everyday living.

Vatican Takes Steps to Control Overcrowding

From the NY Times:

The number of visitors to the Vatican has nearly doubled in the last 10 years, hitting a high of 4.2 million in 2006, and has resulted in the overcrowding of a structure originally built to accommodate a Renaissance papal court, not up to 20,000 visitors at a time shuffling around one another.

Between enormous tour groups and rowdy school-trippers, a visit to the Vatican Museums can become “more of a traumatic than an artistic experience for tourists,” said Paola, one of several guides who were interviewed and who asked that their full names not be used for fear of offending the Vatican.

Anglicans Back Plan to Unite with Pope

Some Anglicans, anyway...

From Times Online:

Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt.

The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches.

In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope.

The Open Book/Annunciations Bestseller's List

Our Bestseller's List

What Books People who Read Amy's Open Book blog and Michael's Annunciation blog are Buying

February 2007 (2/17/2007)

1. The Power of the Cross: Meditations for the Lenten Season

2. The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You

3. The Gift of Faith

4.(tied) Those Terrible Middle Ages: Debunking the Myths

4.(tied) The Best American Catholic Short Stories: A Sheed & Ward Collection

5. God Alone Suffices

Books that Spark the Most Interest (for this month so far):

1. Those Terrible Middle Ages: Debunking the Myths

2. The Power of the Cross: Meditations for the Lenten Season

3. The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You

4.*Inventing the Flat Earth: Columbus and Modern Historians

5.*Fire in the City: Savonarola and the Struggle for the Soul of Renaissance Florence

*People ultimately don't buy the book.



FYI, Last Month's Bestsellers:

January 2007

1. The Gift of Faith

2. When Children Became People: The Birth Of Childhood In Early Christianity

3. The Best American Catholic Short Stories: A Sheed & Ward Collection

4. God Alone Suffices

5. Behold, I stand at the Door and Knock

Pope: "Why does Jesus ask us to love our enemies?"

In today's Angelus message--which of course ties in to today's Gospel that'll you hear at Mass. The answer?

It is all about the "love of God"which exceeds the way the world thinks and acts. The pope invites all to enter the season of Lent with a renewed sense of our weakness and need to be empowered by the love of God.

To the English speaking pilgrims:

As we prepare to enter the holy season of Lent, let us recognize our sins and weaknesses, and deepen our desire to forgive and to grow in compassion. Upon all of you and your loved ones, I invoke the joy and peace of Christ the Lord!

Let's Go Lenten!!!

Host Fr. Greg Sakowicz and Co-host Wayne Magdziarz discuss Lent with Fr. Frank "Rocky" Hoffman, Chaplain at Northridge College Prep; Michael Dubruiel, author of several books including The Power of the Cross: Meditations for the Lenten Season; and Fr. Robert Pawell, OFM, Director of Programs at St. Peter's in the Loop.

Pocast of the show here.

I'm On Chicago Catholic Radio This Morning

My Schedule

Radio 820 AM (WCSN)

Pope Expected to Visit Assisi

In June.

From Perugia Online:

Pope Benedict XVI is expected to visit Assisi on June 17th as part of the 800th anniversary celebrations of the conversion of St Francis.The Pope will make a tour of the basilicas of San Damiano, Santa Chiara, San Francesco (where there will be Holy Mass and a blessing) and hold further appointments in the afternoon.

Saint Valentine's Day

In my day (you know you're getting old when you start saying this) we were taught about Saint Valentine in public school (in the Northeast), as we were about Saint Lucy and Saint Patrick. Anyway for those who have grown up in a more pagan environment, here is the Wikopedia link and an image of St. Valentine to pique your curiosity.

They're Not Stupid

From The Power and Peril of Praising Your Kids:

Psychologist Wulf-Uwe Meyer, a pioneer in the field, conducted a series of studies where children watched other students receive praise. According to Meyer’s findings, by the age of 12, children believe that earning praise from a teacher is not a sign you did well—it’s actually a sign you lack ability and the teacher thinks you need extra encouragement. And teens, Meyer found, discounted praise to such an extent that they believed it’s a teacher’s criticism—not praise at all—that really conveys a positive belief in a student’s aptitude.

Catholic Bishop Supports Mayor's Opposition to Making English Official Language

Supports a move to make Latin the official language instead (just joking)...

City=Nashville, TN

Veto does not end English debate

Blogger Quits Edwards Campaign

Good...

Blogger quits Edwards campaign in light of conservative criticism

Pope Benedict's Lenten Message for 2007

From MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2007:

On the Cross, it is God Himself who begs the love of His creature: He is thirsty for the love of every one of us. The Apostle Thomas recognized Jesus as “Lord and God” when he put his hand into the wound of His side. Not surprisingly, many of the saints found in the Heart of Jesus the deepest expression of this mystery of love. One could rightly say that the revelation of God’s eros toward man is, in reality, the supreme expression of His agape. In all truth, only the love that unites the free gift of oneself with the impassioned desire for reciprocity instills a joy, which eases the heaviest of burdens. Jesus said: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself” (Jn 12:32). The response the Lord ardently desires of us is above all that we welcome His love and allow ourselves to be drawn to Him. Accepting His love, however, is not enough. We need to respond to such love and devote ourselves to communicating it to others. Christ “draws me to Himself” in order to unite Himself to me, so that I learn to love the brothers with His own love.