Ijournal entry 021316. # 07. February is the month dedicated to the Holy Family. Truffles, The Rule of St. Benedict. Quotes by St. John of the Cross, Don Swagger, and St. Peter Chrysologus. Article: "From addiction to ordination: a homeless man's journey to priesthood", by Catholic News Agency, Mr. Alejandro Bermúdez, editor-in-chief. "Taste and See: Experiencing God with Our Sense of Sight": an online retreat. YouTube Video presentation: "Our Lady of Fatima ", by Ven Bishop Fulton J Sheen.
Prayer to the Holy Family
“Let us make this journey as families, let us keep walking together. What we have been promised is greater than we can imagine. May we never lose heart because of our limitations, or ever stop seeking that fullness of love and communion which God holds out before us.” By Pope Francis
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love; to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer"
GIVEN IN ROME, AT SAINT PETER’S, DURING THE EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY, 2016 Info from this site:
https://www.chausa.org/docs/default-source/prayers/prayer-to-the-holy-family---april-2016-(3).pdf?sfvrsn=0
“Let us make this journey as families, let us keep walking together. What we have been promised is greater than we can imagine. May we never lose heart because of our limitations, or ever stop seeking that fullness of love and communion which God holds out before us.” By Pope Francis
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love; to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer"
GIVEN IN ROME, AT SAINT PETER’S, DURING THE EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY, 2016 Info from this site:
https://www.chausa.org/docs/default-source/prayers/prayer-to-the-holy-family---april-2016-(3).pdf?sfvrsn=0
The Rule of St. Benedict
"HE prophet saith: Seven times a day have I given praise to thee.1 We shall observe this sacred number of seven, if we fulfil the duties of our service in the Hours of Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline; for it was of these day Hours that he said: Seven times a day have I given praise to thee.1 But of the Night Office the same prophet saith: I arose at midnight to give praise to thee.2 At these times, therefore, let us render praise to our Creator for the judgements of his justice: that is, at Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline; and let us rise in the night to praise him"
(MC= What a good day when "Monk Mode" is in operation, and all cylinders are firing without fail. Sad to say those days are few and far between. On a good day, up at midnight so night prayers take care of Matins. Lauds is covered when waking up in the middle of the night and saying a Hail Mary or Our Father. Prime consist of morning prayers upon waking up. Terce is a form of meditative prayer when listening to an audio presentation on the go. Sext is noon Mass and None is an Adoration hour before the Blessed Sacrament at the Adoration chapel. For me the Angelus can satisfy Vespers, and lastly, compline is prayerful reading and study. This is so elementary, but my way of keeping the day covered eight times in a prayerful way. According to our state in life, we can't spend hours in each category, but everyone can hijack minutes here and there. On foolishness minutes can be wasted in a heartbeat, so grab some time and start a rule of life)
"HE prophet saith: Seven times a day have I given praise to thee.1 We shall observe this sacred number of seven, if we fulfil the duties of our service in the Hours of Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline; for it was of these day Hours that he said: Seven times a day have I given praise to thee.1 But of the Night Office the same prophet saith: I arose at midnight to give praise to thee.2 At these times, therefore, let us render praise to our Creator for the judgements of his justice: that is, at Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline; and let us rise in the night to praise him"
(MC= What a good day when "Monk Mode" is in operation, and all cylinders are firing without fail. Sad to say those days are few and far between. On a good day, up at midnight so night prayers take care of Matins. Lauds is covered when waking up in the middle of the night and saying a Hail Mary or Our Father. Prime consist of morning prayers upon waking up. Terce is a form of meditative prayer when listening to an audio presentation on the go. Sext is noon Mass and None is an Adoration hour before the Blessed Sacrament at the Adoration chapel. For me the Angelus can satisfy Vespers, and lastly, compline is prayerful reading and study. This is so elementary, but my way of keeping the day covered eight times in a prayerful way. According to our state in life, we can't spend hours in each category, but everyone can hijack minutes here and there. On foolishness minutes can be wasted in a heartbeat, so grab some time and start a rule of life)
🌕 "Softened and humbled by spiritual dryness and hardships and by other temptations and trials in which God exercises the soul in the course of this [purifying night], individuals become meek toward God and themselves and also toward their neighbor. As a result they no longer become impatiently angry with themselves and their faults or with their neighbor’s faults. Neither are they displeased or disrespectfully impatient with God for not making them perfect quickly". By St. John of the Cross
🌑 "We see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?"
By Don Swagger
🎾 "Let us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of suffering. She is fading in body. Her father's mind and spirit are worn with grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed, unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death... Alas! why are children indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the parent of us all, will duly repay." By St. Peter Chrysologus
🌑 "We see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?"
By Don Swagger
🎾 "Let us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of suffering. She is fading in body. Her father's mind and spirit are worn with grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed, unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death... Alas! why are children indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the parent of us all, will duly repay." By St. Peter Chrysologus
Sharing a slice from the Marian Consecration week 3's video presentation by Fr. Gaitley. What touched me was hearing about the thirst of Jesus, and the next step was to make a personal response. What that is saying to me is this: He "Thirst" for me to allow Him to have the ultimate relationship with me. That equates to His living in me totally, as illustrated by this scripture verse from Galatians:
This living in me makes it possible for the work of perfection to be accomplished uncompromisingly. For scripture does say:
So perfection occurs as we allow Jesus to work within us by the Power of The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit operating now, is the same Holy Spirit that did so in the past and will continue to operate for all eternity, working great miracles.
The Blessed Mother Mary Immaculate, because of time she spent underneath the Cross at Calvary, knows very well the steep price that was paid for us, as we have been bought by the Precious Blood Jesus when he hung mounted on the cross. Therefore, we're not our own and we owe everything to Jesus. So we should give Him full access to our hearts.
The Blessed Mother Mary Immaculate, because of time she spent underneath the Cross at Calvary, knows very well the steep price that was paid for us, as we have been bought by the Precious Blood Jesus when he hung mounted on the cross. Therefore, we're not our own and we owe everything to Jesus. So we should give Him full access to our hearts.
In meditation it came how the Blessed Mother, Mary Most Holy, in the Consecration, brokers the best deal for her Son and for us. He wants all of us, and rightfully so He deserves what He has earned and paid dearly for. By our Consecration through Blessed Mary Immaculata to Jesus, He can continue to do the will of the Father in us to perfection. We can become molded in His image more and more. Only Jesus living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit can help us walk in the perfect will of God, and if we are interested in doing so, with God, all things are possible.
That is what the Mystical Incarnation is all about, Jesus within doing the will of God perfectly in us. More on that topic at another time.
Article; "From addiction to ordination: a homeless man's journey to priesthood", by Catholic News Agency, Mr. Alejandro Bermúdez, editor-in-chief
Info from this site: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/from-addiction-to-ordination-a-homeless-mans-journey-to-priesthood-17926/
"Claude Paradis was impoverished and homeless, living on the streets of Montreal, Canada. He struggled with addiction to both alcohol and drugs, with a future so bleak, he considered ending his own life.
He did not end his life, however, and today he is a priest who dedicates his time to serving the physical and spiritual needs of those trapped in poverty, prison and prostitution.
“The street brought me to the Church and the Church in the end brought me back to the street,” the priest told the Journal Metro.
This past December, as a sign of his closeness and solidarity with the homeless, Fr. Paradis decided to sleep on the street for the whole month, to care for the homeless people there with solidarity and charity.
His hope was that he could accompany people in a difficult situation while also making the citizens of Montreal aware of the harsh reality faced by those living on the street.
Fr. Paradi founded an institution called Notre-Dame-de-la-rue (Our Lady of the Street). Each night, he goes out to bring food and shelter to those living on the streets. He also administers the sacraments, celebrates the Eucharist and even presides at funerals.
The priest is accompanied by one of his co-workers, Kevin Cardin, who also was addicted to drugs, but found help, changed his life and now has a family. Notre-Dame-de-la-rue has the support of the Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal, who has described the initiative as “a presence of the Church to give encouragement.” It also has the support of the city.
“Our mission is especially to give encouragement. Unlike the shelters, we go out to the people, a bit like a door-to-door service. We talk to them, sometimes we pray together before they go back to face the harshness of the street.”
Fr. Paradis knows how hard life on the street is. After growing up in the Gaspé region and working in Cowansville as a nurse, he came to Montreal 25 years ago. However, he was unable to find a job. “Isolation and despair took hold of me,” he said.
Living on the street, he thought about committing suicide. “I started doing cocaine and then crack,” he recalled. MIn a letter posted on the website of La Victoire de l'Amour (the Victory of Love), Fr. Paradis tells how he met the Lord.
“I had the privilege of meeting God just at the moment I was doubting Him. On a little back street in Montreal, abandoned by people, there was nobody there. Passing by the old church, impelled by I don't know what instinct, I turned back in there.”
At that moment, he had a deep and intense encounter with God. He realized he did not want to die, but rather wanted to become “a man of the Church.”
Fr. Paradis went on to fight his addictions and now ministers to many people who face the same challenges he struggled with years ago.
The 57-year-old priest has dedicated the rest of his life to serving the poor, saying “on the street is where I want to be, until I die.”
Info from this site: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/from-addiction-to-ordination-a-homeless-mans-journey-to-priesthood-17926/
"Claude Paradis was impoverished and homeless, living on the streets of Montreal, Canada. He struggled with addiction to both alcohol and drugs, with a future so bleak, he considered ending his own life.
He did not end his life, however, and today he is a priest who dedicates his time to serving the physical and spiritual needs of those trapped in poverty, prison and prostitution.
“The street brought me to the Church and the Church in the end brought me back to the street,” the priest told the Journal Metro.
This past December, as a sign of his closeness and solidarity with the homeless, Fr. Paradis decided to sleep on the street for the whole month, to care for the homeless people there with solidarity and charity.
His hope was that he could accompany people in a difficult situation while also making the citizens of Montreal aware of the harsh reality faced by those living on the street.
Fr. Paradi founded an institution called Notre-Dame-de-la-rue (Our Lady of the Street). Each night, he goes out to bring food and shelter to those living on the streets. He also administers the sacraments, celebrates the Eucharist and even presides at funerals.
The priest is accompanied by one of his co-workers, Kevin Cardin, who also was addicted to drugs, but found help, changed his life and now has a family. Notre-Dame-de-la-rue has the support of the Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal, who has described the initiative as “a presence of the Church to give encouragement.” It also has the support of the city.
“Our mission is especially to give encouragement. Unlike the shelters, we go out to the people, a bit like a door-to-door service. We talk to them, sometimes we pray together before they go back to face the harshness of the street.”
Fr. Paradis knows how hard life on the street is. After growing up in the Gaspé region and working in Cowansville as a nurse, he came to Montreal 25 years ago. However, he was unable to find a job. “Isolation and despair took hold of me,” he said.
Living on the street, he thought about committing suicide. “I started doing cocaine and then crack,” he recalled. MIn a letter posted on the website of La Victoire de l'Amour (the Victory of Love), Fr. Paradis tells how he met the Lord.
“I had the privilege of meeting God just at the moment I was doubting Him. On a little back street in Montreal, abandoned by people, there was nobody there. Passing by the old church, impelled by I don't know what instinct, I turned back in there.”
At that moment, he had a deep and intense encounter with God. He realized he did not want to die, but rather wanted to become “a man of the Church.”
Fr. Paradis went on to fight his addictions and now ministers to many people who face the same challenges he struggled with years ago.
The 57-year-old priest has dedicated the rest of his life to serving the poor, saying “on the street is where I want to be, until I die.”
"Taste and See: Experiencing God with Our Sense of Sight": an online retreat
(The up coming meat dishes will be an online retreat. It's a new year, so this makes for a good start. We just completed the do it yourself retreat with Fr. Micheal Gaitley (Thanks Cathy, Claudia, Katie, and Ricky, for joining me in the Marian Consecration. This time around decided to do this with a few via three way calling. On Marian Consecration day, as Divine Providence would have it, in church to say the Consecration prayer with me were: Curt, Deregal, Huey, and Sienna. Their inclusion, all though they did not journey the 33days with us, reminded me of this scripture:
(The up coming meat dishes will be an online retreat. It's a new year, so this makes for a good start. We just completed the do it yourself retreat with Fr. Micheal Gaitley (Thanks Cathy, Claudia, Katie, and Ricky, for joining me in the Marian Consecration. This time around decided to do this with a few via three way calling. On Marian Consecration day, as Divine Providence would have it, in church to say the Consecration prayer with me were: Curt, Deregal, Huey, and Sienna. Their inclusion, all though they did not journey the 33days with us, reminded me of this scripture:
So the Holy Spirit rested on them. As we gathered, we had a wonderful mini prayer meeting in church to conclude the consecration. Sienna and Curt was going somewhere else, but they were led to attend church at St. Teresa's. Deregal's visit with me was suppose to have been a couple of weeks ago, and my cousin Huey was coming to tune up the car a week ago but ended up coming the day of our Consecration. It was perfect how things turned out and that they received an unexpected blessing)
Info from this site:
www.ignatianspirituality.com/24641/taste-and-see-experiencing-god-with-sense-of-sight
Part 1
"Welcome to the Taste and See: Experiencing God with Our Senses online retreat. Each Monday we’ll explore one of the senses as a way to encounter God. We begin with the sense of sight.
Our sight is a gift, one that we use nearly every waking moment of the day. We take in so much with our eyes: traffic lights, the dishes on the kitchen counter, the blinking cursor on the computer screen, the leaves changing on the trees outside the office. Try to count everything that has crossed your line of vision in the space of an hour, and it’s an impossible task.
Some of these things we barely notice; they dance outside our peripheral vision. Others we focus on solely out of obligation, like that paperwork for the insurance company or the water boiling on the stove.
But in a quiet moment, when our time is our own, what do we choose to look at? When we are free to turn our eyes where we wish, what do we select as the object of their gaze? And do those sights renew us?
In our media-saturated world, we have many options about what to look at, and not all of it refreshes our souls. I’ll admit to my own weakness here: I spend more time than I care to admit looking at online sale items or following updates on social media. This is fine up to a point, but the fact is that I often end up feeling more restless than satisfied by what I’ve seen. So there is something to be said for making our visual life an intentional part of our prayer. When we have a little bit of quiet time in the evening, in the morning, or at a lunch break, it can be helpful to take a few moments gazing at something that makes us feel centered.
Maybe that something is a lighted candle, wavering and dancing to its own rhythm. Maybe it’s a photo of a loved one whose life is an integral part of our own. Maybe it’s a book of photography that celebrates the beauty of the natural world. Maybe it’s a picture of Jesus, Mary, or one of the saints, reminding us of the faith that provides a framework for our lives. Looking at something with intention is a powerful form of prayer. In the act of gazing, we get to focus deeply on one thing, savoring its presence and quieting our hearts. We notice little details about a beloved object that we didn’t know before. And we are reminded that God puts many beautiful things before our eyes, constantly inviting us to see them—and God himself—in a new light.
❤️Prayer
Begin. Center yourself. Take three deep breaths and open yourself to God’s presence.
💟Give thanks. Thank God for the gift of sight and for the world full of wonders that lie before our eyes.
💟Review. Think over the last day. Identify some of the things you saw. Which ones did you look at only because you had to? Which ones did you choose to look at and gaze upon? Which ones left you feeling most centered and fulfilled?
💟Think of the images or decorations you have hanging on the walls of your home. Choose two of your favorites. Why are they there? Do they inspire you or comfort you? Are they visual reminders of precious parts of your identity or life experiences? Take some time to reflect on what these images say about you and about God’s plan for you.
💟Look ahead. Tomorrow, make yourself more conscious of what you choose to look at and why.
❤️Action
Take some time each day this week to sit and gaze at something that inspires you or comforts you. Slow your breathing and be present in the moment. Imagine God watching you and taking delight in your enjoyment of his creation.
Don’t miss any of the posts in this retreat series. Subscribe to dotMagis to receive posts in your inbox. Go more in-depth with the themes of this retreat by reading Ginny Kubitz Moyer’s book Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses."
Info from this site:
www.ignatianspirituality.com/24641/taste-and-see-experiencing-god-with-sense-of-sight
Part 1
"Welcome to the Taste and See: Experiencing God with Our Senses online retreat. Each Monday we’ll explore one of the senses as a way to encounter God. We begin with the sense of sight.
Our sight is a gift, one that we use nearly every waking moment of the day. We take in so much with our eyes: traffic lights, the dishes on the kitchen counter, the blinking cursor on the computer screen, the leaves changing on the trees outside the office. Try to count everything that has crossed your line of vision in the space of an hour, and it’s an impossible task.
Some of these things we barely notice; they dance outside our peripheral vision. Others we focus on solely out of obligation, like that paperwork for the insurance company or the water boiling on the stove.
But in a quiet moment, when our time is our own, what do we choose to look at? When we are free to turn our eyes where we wish, what do we select as the object of their gaze? And do those sights renew us?
In our media-saturated world, we have many options about what to look at, and not all of it refreshes our souls. I’ll admit to my own weakness here: I spend more time than I care to admit looking at online sale items or following updates on social media. This is fine up to a point, but the fact is that I often end up feeling more restless than satisfied by what I’ve seen. So there is something to be said for making our visual life an intentional part of our prayer. When we have a little bit of quiet time in the evening, in the morning, or at a lunch break, it can be helpful to take a few moments gazing at something that makes us feel centered.
Maybe that something is a lighted candle, wavering and dancing to its own rhythm. Maybe it’s a photo of a loved one whose life is an integral part of our own. Maybe it’s a book of photography that celebrates the beauty of the natural world. Maybe it’s a picture of Jesus, Mary, or one of the saints, reminding us of the faith that provides a framework for our lives. Looking at something with intention is a powerful form of prayer. In the act of gazing, we get to focus deeply on one thing, savoring its presence and quieting our hearts. We notice little details about a beloved object that we didn’t know before. And we are reminded that God puts many beautiful things before our eyes, constantly inviting us to see them—and God himself—in a new light.
❤️Prayer
Begin. Center yourself. Take three deep breaths and open yourself to God’s presence.
💟Give thanks. Thank God for the gift of sight and for the world full of wonders that lie before our eyes.
💟Review. Think over the last day. Identify some of the things you saw. Which ones did you look at only because you had to? Which ones did you choose to look at and gaze upon? Which ones left you feeling most centered and fulfilled?
💟Think of the images or decorations you have hanging on the walls of your home. Choose two of your favorites. Why are they there? Do they inspire you or comfort you? Are they visual reminders of precious parts of your identity or life experiences? Take some time to reflect on what these images say about you and about God’s plan for you.
💟Look ahead. Tomorrow, make yourself more conscious of what you choose to look at and why.
❤️Action
Take some time each day this week to sit and gaze at something that inspires you or comforts you. Slow your breathing and be present in the moment. Imagine God watching you and taking delight in your enjoyment of his creation.
Don’t miss any of the posts in this retreat series. Subscribe to dotMagis to receive posts in your inbox. Go more in-depth with the themes of this retreat by reading Ginny Kubitz Moyer’s book Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses."
Video Presentation: "Our Lady of Fatima ", by Ven Bishop Fulton J Sheen
YouTube video link:
youtu.be/YWzPU1oeViM
YouTube video link:
youtu.be/YWzPU1oeViM