PRAYER
“Why do I pray?” “Because I know that God exists, and because I am always seeking God.” Pope John Paul II
Prayer is a conversation with God. Because God is always with us and always listening to us, prayer can occur any place, any time. Prayer to be perfect must simply be sincere. There are no right words. God wants to hear from us. Likewise we must listen to God. So, prayer may be quiet time spent thinking about God. Prayer can also be through formal prayers, the most perfect of which is the “Our Father” given to us by Christ himself.
Prayer adores God, thanks God, and asks forgiveness and help from God. Prayer should occur every day and begin with our rising breath, continuing through the day with prayer for assistance and thanks and ending with a final thanksgiving and forgiveness for sins committed through the day. Meal times should always begin and end with prayer.
“Prayer is conversation, and we are well aware that conversation can take various forms. Sometimes it is a simple exchange of words, and this is simply the exterior aspect. Deep conversation takes place when we exchange not only words but also thoughts, hearts and feelings, in other words, when we give of ourselves.” Pope John Paul II |
THE SACRAMENTS
First and foremost Lent must be a time to look upon the sacraments and the gifts they offer.
Penance“When it was late that same day, the first of the week, though the doors where the disciples gathered, had been closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you!” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced at the sight of the Lord. He therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you! As the father has sent me, I also send you.” When he had said this, he breathed upon them, and said to them, “ Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” [John 20:19-23]
Sin disrupts our relationship with God. Venial sin strains our relationship with God while mortal sin completely severs our relationship with God. The sacrament of Penance removes these sins and restores and strengthens our relationship with God and the community of the Catholic Church. Confession also gives us the strength to avoid sins in the future. Catholicism alone gives its members this extraordinary means to remove that which may weaken their relationship with God. Your sins are forgiven through the power given to the priest by Christ. Absolution in Confession is given by the priest, who represents Christ.
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” This is what Christ said to his Apostles. He gave this power to the Church and to precise people in it-Apostles- and the power comes to us from them. The priest who sits in the confessional has received this power from them, through his own bishop.” Pope John Paul II
Any sin can be forgiven in confession with two conditions being met. We must be truly sorry for our sins and we must try not to commit them again. In addition, we must say our penance. Catholics in good standing should receive the sacrament of Confession once during Lent and the Easter Season. However, it is recommended that we receive Confession once a month or more often.
Holy Communion“And while they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take and eat ; this is my body.” And taking a cup, he gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, “All of you drink of this; for this is my blood for the new covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins.” [Matthew26:26-28]
“The Eucharist is the greatest sacrament of our faith and everything else is concentrated in it. Our Lord is present in it as Man, Son of God, and Son of Mary; he is present thanks to the power of the words he spoke and, as a result of the institution, he is present under the species which he himself chose as sign of his presence." Pope John Paul II
Only mortal sin or improper fasting in the hour before Communion should prevent us from receiving this sacrament. Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is the transubstantiation of Christ. Through the words of the priest at the consecration, the bread and wine on the altar become the actual body and blood of Christ. The outward (visible) form of the host and wine remain the same but they are the body and blood of Christ.
“We can therefore state clearly that at communion not only do I receive the Lord, but he also receives me. If we limit ourselves exclusively to the sign aspect, I receive the species of bread, or of bread and wine. However, if, through the sign, we come to the reality of the Eucharist - the reality of communion - then we must realize that here we have two people in one another’s presence. Our Lord and me. We can even say that it is he who first receives me, allowing me to come in when I receive him.” Pope John Paul II
Works of Sacrifice, Charity and Love
“We do not often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility are graces which ought to color everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mold, but at all events these are the most continually called for in daily life. Sugar is better than salt, but we use salt more generally and oftener. Consequently, it is well to have a good and ready stock in hand of those general virtues of which we stand in so perpetual a need.” St.Francis de Sales
“Let us empty our hearts and keep far from us all human prudence. We must try to keep our thoughts pure, our ideas upright and honest, and our intentions holy. We should also endeavor to have a will that seeks nothing but God and his glory. If we make every effort to advance in this beautiful virtue, he who teaches it will enrich us continually with new light and new heavenly favors.” Letters from Padre Pio, Vol. 1, 677-78
|
