"All of us, but especially the young, are immersed in a culture of zapping"
This is a quote from Pope Francis in his latest Apostolic Exhortation: GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE - ON THE CALL TO HOLINESS IN TODAY’S WORLD (point 167, page 35)
Father Marcus brought this quote to my attention yesterday in his homily. It really piqued my interest so I downloaded the Exhortation document above and I am more than half way through it. I also downloaded the Pope's other Apostolic Exhortations and am looking forward to reading them.
The scripture reading for yesterday's mass was on the "Jesus, the bread of life" discourse in John chapter 6.
"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”" (John 6:35)
Father Marcus pointed out that Jesus, through the apostle John, took an entire chapter in the Gospel to explain the mystery of the True Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. But in today's culture of zapping we may easily miss the significance of such a deep and powerful mystery that can empower our lives. Let me quote what Pope Francis has to say:
"167. The gift of discernment has become all the more necessary today, since contemporary life offers immense possibilities for action and distraction, and the world presents all of them as valid and good. All of us, but especially the young, are immersed in a culture of zapping. We can navigate simultaneously on two or more screens and interact at the same time with two or three virtual scenarios. Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend.
168. This is all the more important when some novelty presents itself in our lives. Then we have to decide whether it is new wine brought by God or an illusion created by the spirit of this world or the spirit of the devil. At other times, the opposite can happen, when the forces of evil induce us not to change, to leave things as they are, to opt for a rigid resistance to change. Yet that would be to block the working of the Spirit. We are free, with the freedom of Christ. Still, he asks us to examine what is within us – our desires, anxieties, fears and questions – and what takes place all around us – “the signs of the times” – and thus to recognize the paths that lead to complete freedom. “Test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thess 5:21)."
One of the reasons for my returning to the Catholic Church is the availability of the Sacraments. Having regular Holy Communion and Reconciliation has helped me grow in holiness. I thank Jesus for offering himself, body, blood, soul, and divinity in the holy sacrament of the altar during each daily mass.
"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'" (CCC 1323)
"“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which
I will give for the life of the world.”" (John 6:51).
Friday 20 April 2018
Friday 13 April 2018
Glory Be... who was, and is, and is to come
The three prayers that I say many times throughout the day are the Lord's prayer, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. The Lord's prayer is straight from scripture (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4). It is the prayer Jesus taught us. Hail Mary is also from scripture (Luke 1:28; John 1:14; and Luke 1:42). The Catechism of the Catholic Church (ccc 2676) "In Communion with the holy Mother of God" has this to say about the prayer:
Hail Mary [or Rejoice, Mary]: the greeting of the angel Gabriel opens this prayer. It is God himself who, through his angel as intermediary, greets Mary. Our prayer dares to take up this greeting to Mary with the regard God had for the lowliness of his humble servant and to exult in the joy he finds in her.
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: These two phrases of the angel's greeting shed light on one another. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace. "Rejoice . . . O Daughter of Jerusalem . . . the Lord your God is in your midst." Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. She is "the dwelling of God . . . with men." Full of grace, Mary is wholly given over to him who has come to dwell in her and whom she is about to give to the world.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. After the angel's greeting, we make Elizabeth's greeting our own. "Filled with the Holy Spirit," Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary "blessed." "Blessed is she who believed. . . . " Mary is "blessed among women" because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord's word. Abraham. because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God's own blessing: Jesus, the "fruit of thy womb."
And then the Glory Be prayer. Where does it come from? Until this morning I had no clue. Then the scripture passage I read came to light. In Revelation 4 "Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
Hail Mary [or Rejoice, Mary]: the greeting of the angel Gabriel opens this prayer. It is God himself who, through his angel as intermediary, greets Mary. Our prayer dares to take up this greeting to Mary with the regard God had for the lowliness of his humble servant and to exult in the joy he finds in her.
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: These two phrases of the angel's greeting shed light on one another. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace. "Rejoice . . . O Daughter of Jerusalem . . . the Lord your God is in your midst." Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. She is "the dwelling of God . . . with men." Full of grace, Mary is wholly given over to him who has come to dwell in her and whom she is about to give to the world.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. After the angel's greeting, we make Elizabeth's greeting our own. "Filled with the Holy Spirit," Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary "blessed." "Blessed is she who believed. . . . " Mary is "blessed among women" because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord's word. Abraham. because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God's own blessing: Jesus, the "fruit of thy womb."
And then the Glory Be prayer. Where does it come from? Until this morning I had no clue. Then the scripture passage I read came to light. In Revelation 4 "Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created and have their being.”" (Revelation 4:8-11)
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created and have their being.”" (Revelation 4:8-11)
Gloria Patri, as this prayer is also known, "is found in the books of Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, 1Timothy, Hebrews, Peter and Revelations. St. Paul uses these
doxologies in almost every one of his epistles in some variation." (Catholic Answers)
"The dictionary defines doxology as “an expression of praise to God, especially a short hymn sung as part of a Christian worship service.” The word doxology comes from the Greek doxa, (“glory, splendor, grandeur”) and logos,
(“word” or “speaking”). Most doxologies are short hymns of praise to
God in various Christian worship services, often added to the end of
canticles, psalms, and hymns." (GotQuestions.org). "The earliest examples are addressed to God the Father alone, or to Him through the Son and in or with the Holy Ghost. The form of baptism (Matthew 28:19) had set an example of naming the three Persons in parallel order. Especially in the fourth century, as a protest against Arian subordination (since heretics appealed to these prepositions..).. the custom of using the form: "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost", became universal among Catholics. From this time we must distinguish two doxologies, a greater (doxologia maior) and a shorter (minor).
The greater doxology is the Gloria in Excelsis Deo in the Mass. The
shorter form, which is the one generally referred to under the name
"doxology", is the Gloria Patri. It is continued by an answer to the
effect that this glory shall last for ever." (slightly modified from the New Advent)
Glory Be is a quick prayer to remind me of the heaven I so long for. Like the four living creatures and the twenty four elders, I can now practice the joy of worshiping my heavenly Triune God in heaven, while I sojourn on my remaining days on this earth.
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