Tuesday, November 30, 2010

End Times Hype

With all his end times anxiety, it's occurring to me that all the hype, even among Christians, blatantly ignores Christ's teachings.

Christ's own words seem to contradict the popular end times podium.

Christ:

"Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? . . . But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6)



Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mass for Deceased Cardinals and Bishops

Overheard in the Sacristy had this great post regarding a beautiful tradition in the Church. The Vatican offers a Mass for the departed souls of cardinals and bishops each year during the month of November dedicated to the holy souls. Read the article Here.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

St. Gertrude (Feast Day Nov. 16) Prayer for the Holy Souls

St. Gertrude's Prayer for the Holy Souls

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said:

'Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory. Amen.'

Fr. John Hardon explains the devotion to the Poor Souls.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Traditional Latin Mass of Thanksgiving

The Four Ends of Sacrifice:
Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation, Prayer

Thanksgiving: To give thanks to God for His benefits. "Put in one heap," says St. Leonard of Port Maurice, "all the gifts, all the graces, you have received from God - so many gifts of nature and of grace; yes, the very life, too, of His Son Jesus, and His death suffered for us, which in themselves immeasurably swell the great debt which we owe to God - and how shall we ever be able sufficiently to thank Him? The law of gratitude is observed by the very beasts, who sometimes change their cruel anger into gentle homage to their benefactors; and how much more, of course, has this law not to be observed by man, gifted as he is with reason and so nobly endowed by the divine liberality!

"Now, the way most fully to thank our good God - our supreme benefactor - is taught us by the Royal Psalmist, holy David, who , led by divine inspirations to speak with mysterious references to this divine sacrifice, indicates that nothing can sufficiently render the thanks which are due to God, excepting holy Mass: 'I will uplift on high the chalice of the Lord,' that is, I will offer a sacrifice most grateful to Him, and with this alone I shall satisfy the debt of so many and such signal benefits . . . He Himself also gave us the example when, in the last supper, before the act of consecration in that first Mass, He raised His eyes to heaven, and gave thanks to His heavenly Father: 'Elevatis oculis in coelum, Tibi gratias agens fregit'. " (1)


Prayer

God, of Whose mercies there is no number, and of Whose goodness the treasure is infinite; we render thanks to Thy most gracious Majesty for the gifts Thou has bestowed upon us, evermore beseeching Thy clemency, that as Thou grant the petitions of them that ask Thee, thou will never forsake them, but will prepare the reward to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Secret

Receive as a sweet savor, O Lord, this sacrifice of thanksgiving: do Thou in the future shield from all harm those whom until now Thou has been pleased to hear and to save: and grant that they may serve Thee better and love Thee more. Through our Lord.

Post Communion

O God, Who suffers no one that hopes in Thee to be over afflicted, but listens kindly to their prayers: we thank Thee for having heard our prayers and granted our desires, and devoutly entreat Thee that what we have received may make us worthy to be delivered from all adversities. Through our Lord.



(1) Lassance, Rev. F. X.; 1945; The New Roman Missal; p. 18-19.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

November 11 - Veterans Day Prayer for Deceased Veterans

Many departed world war two veterans have no one to pray for them. Let us remember them in our prayers this Veteran's Day so that we may meet them in Heaven to thank them for their service.
PRAYER FOR DECEASED VETERANS
"O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, look kindly on your departed veterans who gave their lives in the service of their country. Grant that through the passion, death, and resurrection of your Son they may share in the joy of your heavenly kingdom and rejoice in you with your saints forever. We ask this through Christ our Lord."*

Purgatory is God's merciful plan for those who because, although imperfect, their virtue, acts of charity towards their neighbor, or sincere devotion Him did not deserve punishment of an eternity without the Beatific Vision of God in Heaven. Let us then pray for all departed veterans this Veteran's Day.



Mansions of the Lord

"To fallen soldiers let us sing,
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing,
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord

No more weeping,
No more fight,
No friends bleeding through the night,
Just Devine embrace,
Eternal light,
In the Mansions of the Lord

Where no mothers cry
And no children weep,
We shall stand and guard
Though the angels sleep,
Oh, through the ages let us keep
The Mansions of the Lord"**

* CatholicOnline
** landsed1@yahoo.com for lyrics

Fr. Gonzales also offers another Veteran's Day Prayer at his site: Overheard in the Sacristy