Saturday, December 23, 2006
Christmas with the Bishop

I am extremely honored and blessed by God. Today was extremely busy for me, and I wanted to write about some of the wonderful opportunities today. First and foremost, I was able to attend a Christmas party with my bishop, and he gave an awesome spiritual talk on Christmas. His overriding theme was that even at the first moment of Jesus's human life, Holy Scripture alludes to His ultimate Sacrifice on the Cross.

For Jesus never had to take on human flesh. For He is truly the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity - God Himself. Yet, as Scripture states, "Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave..."

Meditate on Philippians 2:6-7, especially on the word "slave". Since Jesus is God, His very Incarnation was a Sacrifice. The cold, pain, and hunger He endured were all part of His Sacrificial mission, which culminated on the Cross. The baby in the manger, as He stretched out his little arms, knew that those same arms would one day be drawn out and pierced. Likewise, the spiritual talk today centered on such themes of Jesus's sacrifice being alluded to in Scripture.

Here is Luke 2:21-35

When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Now Meditate on Mary and Joseph. As they stood and listened to the prophecy of Simeon, spiritually place yourself in their hearts. Simeon is telling Mary that the Child before her would be a cause of contradiction. And that same child's pain, she would have to also to bear. Imagine the fear in their hearts as they heard this. But, they trusted God. After the Shepherds came and adored the Newborn Christ, Scripture states: "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). What a beautiful trust in God! Let us seek to follow Mary's humility and trust in God's providence. That reading, which is on the Presentation of Jesus, alludes to Jesus's ultimate Sacrifice. Even as a young child, a baby, He was already growing closer and preparing Himself for His sacrifice. We profess this in the Nicene Creed when we say, "For us men and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven." Every part of Jesus's life alludes to His role as a priest, prophet, and King. Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied men from the East and West would come before the Messiah. And they did; they were the Wisemen. Even in the Gospel, the Wisemen's gifts further allude to Jesus's ultimate Sacrifice.

Matthew 2:9-12

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Gold is undoubtedly the most common of the three gifts for us to relate to today. It is a precious medal and worth much in monetary value. The value of Frankincense and myrrh is more hidden. Those were items used for the preparation of a body for burial. Behold, the Magi, who came to adore the King, already were bringing Him the perfumes to prepare a deceased body. Scripture again alludes to the ultimate Sacrifice of Jesus.

After all of this, I was greatly impressed at the Bishop's spiritual talk. I would like to ask all of my readers to think about Scripture alluding to Jesus's Sacrifice especially this weekend at Christmas Mass.

This was not even the best part of my day. The best part was when I was invited to assist at Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at a Catholic Cathedral. Not only do I get to process in wearing a Cassock and Surplice, but I will assist at the Solemnity of Christmas. How wonderful! It will be such a beautifully reverent Mass!

Merry Christmas!
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Holy Souls Novena: Day Eight

Our Lady, Mother Mary, has said that more souls are released from Purgatory on Christmas than any other day in the year.

This novena was written by Daniel Lord, S.J.

Day 8

Then on a happy day, release comes. Perhaps for souls whose friends on earth forgot them and for whom because of valid reasons God showed no special consideration that release comes only at the end of long and bitter centuries. Perhaps it comes far sooner than they dared to hope. Their friends have remembered them. Prayers have poured in upon them. God has accepted these in part or in full payment of their debt. But late or soon the release comes, the sentence is finished, the grim gates of purgatory swing open. Ahead are the white and shining portals of the eternal city. Like the rush of light the released soul sweeps upward toward God. Fierce winds have not the fierce intensity that marks this flight of a soul from exile to the happiness for which God destined it.

Then in the presence of God there is the moment of triumph, the welcome by the Trinity, the entrance into the heavenly mansion... the enthronement of another saint. As that moment shall begin for that soul, an eternity of bliss and incomparable happiness that shall be without flaw, never to be marred by uncertainty or disillusionment. For then, the soul shall possess God for all eternity.

We can have part in that swift flight to joy if we pray:

The Prayer for the Holy Souls

O God, the Creater and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of thy servants and handmaids departed, the remission of all their sins; that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
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O Antiphon for December 23



Above is the chanting of the O Antiphon for today in Latin.
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Friday, December 22, 2006
St. John Cantius


Today is the Memorial of St. John Cantius, also called St. John of Kanty. Check out my post for his feastday from last year.
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O Antiphon for December 22



Above is the chanting of the O Antiphon for today in Latin.
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St. Padre Pio on the Child Christ


"Stay very close to the crib of this most beautiful Child, especially during these days of His birth. If you love riches, here you will find the gold the Kings left Him. If you love the smoke of honors, here you will find that of incense. And if you love the delicacy of the senses, you will smell the perfumed myrrh which perfumes the entire Holy stable" (St. Padre Pio).
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Holy Souls Novena: Day Seven

Our Lady, Mother Mary, has said that more souls are released from Purgatory on Christmas than any other day in the year.

This novena was written by Daniel Lord, S.J.

Day 7

What food is to a starving man.... What drink is to the parched sailor riding the tropic seas on a raft.... What light is to the man long blind.... What restored health is to the patient invalid.... What freedom is to the prisoner.... All this and far, far more is release from purgatory to a holy soul. And when food... light... health... freedom come suddenly, unexpectedly, the human heart leaps and bounds, and the soul knows the sharp ecstacy of joy.

So it is with each prayer that we say for the beseeching souls in purgatory. Our prayer is bread and water and light and health; it is a reprieve and a release and freedom and a homecoming. It is the cutting of bonds, the lessening of weary waiting, the termination of exile, the sudden glorious lift that picks them up and seems almost to shoot them toward the center of their joy, God Himself.

For us that prayer is an almost careless gesture. For us a routine act of charity... Prayer, an alms, a bit of fasting, a good deed done... forgotten in the doing. For them something beyond price and measure, something for which they can repay us only in the immortal coin of eternity.

Such a good deed we perform as we pray:

The Prayer for the Holy Souls

O God, the Creater and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of thy servants and handmaids departed, the remission of all their sins; that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI: The Nativity of Jesus is Real


I wanted to share part of this article from LifeSiteNews:
In a meeting today with children from the group Italian Catholic Action, Pope Benedict XVI said "The birth of Jesus is not a fable, it is a story that really happened, in Bethlehem two thousand years ago." The Pope added, "Faith brings us to recognize in that little Child born of the Virgin Mary, the true Son of God Who, out of love, chose to become man."

"In the face of the little Jesus," said Benedict, "we contemplate the face of God, which is not revealed through force or power, but in weakness and the fragile constitution of a child. This 'Divine Child' .. demonstrates the faithfulness and tenderness of the boundless love with which God surrounds each of us. For this reason we rejoice at Christmas, reliving the same experience as the shepherds of Bethlehem."

"The wonder we feel before the enchantment of Christmas" is, he said, in some way reflected in the birth of all children, "and it invites us to recognize the Infant Jesus in all babies, who are the joy of the Church and the hope of the world."
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O Antiphon for December 21



Above is the chanting of the O Antiphon for today in Latin.
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Book Review: Let God's Light Shine Forth

I was recently sent a copy of "Let God's Light Shine Forth" edited by Robert Moynihan. I was proud to again review a book for Double Day Publishing. This book, however, I had already read back in March 2006. However, I want to finally write a review on the book.

Above all, it was a very good book that was based on Pope Benedict's words. Chapter II composed nearly all of the book and was separated in various areas with subheadings like "Faith" and "Morality". The editor of this book wanted Pope Benedict XVI's words to speak for himself, so all of those pages in Chapter II were the Holy Father's words from his books, homilies, speeches, and letters. I found the book highly informative and saved several intriguing passages on my computer to share them on my blog eventually. It is a great collection of quotations by the Holy Father.

Read an excerpt

Overall, I rank this one 3.5/5.0
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