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Godly Gratitude

Posted by junix28 on March 14, 2011 in My personal notes & preferences

I heard God say one word today.

I thought He was playing pranks.

I scratched my head, ’cause the word He said was

“Thanks, my little one, thanks.”

“Thanks for what?” I mused and mused

and urged Him to explain.

“Thanks for all you are to me

In sunshine and in rain.

Thanks for accepting my limitless love

Thanks for trusting in me.

Thanks for accepting my infinite care

When it’s difficult to see.

Thanks for giving your burdens to me,

Mistakes and all the rest.

Thanks for overlooking the past

and believing that I know best.

Thanks for noting my gifts to you.

Thanks for resting a while.

Thanks for turning now and then,

to give your companion a smile.

And while I’m at it, thanks so much

for leaving the future to me.

(Sr Joan Metzner, MM)

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Children’s talk on their ANGELS

Posted by junix28 on March 14, 2011 in The THEATER OF LIFE...funny & serious scenes

Angels Explained By Children

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.

–Gregory, age 5

Everybody’s got it all wrong. Angels don’t wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.

–Olive, age 9

It’s not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there’s still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.

–Matthew, age 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.

–Mitchell, age 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he’s not much good for science.

–Henry, age 8

Angels don’t eat,but they drink milk from HolyCows!!!

–Jack, age 6

Angels talk all the way while they’re flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.

–Daniel, age 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there’s a tornado.

–Reagan, age 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.

–Sara, age 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who’s a very good carpenter.

–Jared, age 8

All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn’t go for it.

–Antonio, age 9

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.

–Ashley, age 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if

they don’t make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
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1st Sunday of Lent 2011 READINGS

Posted by junix28 on March 11, 2011 in Homilies

First reading

Genesis 2:7-9,3:1-7 ©

The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.

The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden.

Now the serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?’ The woman answered the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, “You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death.” ‘ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.’ The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.

Psalm

Psalm 50:3-6,12-14,17

Second reading

Romans 5:12-19 ©

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man’s sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Alternative second reading

Romans 5:12,17-19 ©

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Gospel

Matthew 4:1-11 ©

Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.’ But he replied, ‘Scripture says:

Man does not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God’ he said ‘throw yourself down; for scripture says:

He will put you in his angels’ charge,

and they will support you on their hands

in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’

Jesus said to him, ‘Scripture also says:

You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’

Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘I will give you all these’ he said, ‘if you fall at my feet and worship me.’ Then Jesus replied, ‘Be off, Satan! For scripture says:

You must worship the Lord your God,

and serve him alone.’

Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.

 

 

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ASH WEDNESDAY (Beginning of the Season of Lent)

Posted by junix28 on March 9, 2011 in F.Y.I. (For your Information)
SEASON OF LENT 

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Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,

TODAY, 9th March 2011 marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. The 40 days of preparation for the Easter season when Christians are called to renew their commitment to spiritual practices like prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent is an annual opportunity to grow in our faith, which means it’s about much more than giving up unhealthy foods or treats, as we may have done as children. It is about abstaining from whatever is unhealthy in our lives – gossip, laziness, lack of social conscience – and, most importantly, taking concrete steps to do something more. Challenge yourself this year, and go beyond the clichés of “giving up” something. Now is a great time to take stock of our spiritual life, and to grow in it.

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The number 40 has always had a special significance to the Church with regards to preparation:

  • Moses remained on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food and water while preparing to receive the 10 Commandments. (Ex 34:28)

  • Elijah walked 40 days and nights before arriving at Mount Horeb (another name for Mount Sinai). (1 Kg 19:8)

  • Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert before He began His public ministry. (Mt 4:2)

  • In Genesis, God sent rain upon the world for 40 days and nights while Noah remained in his ark.

  • The Hebrew people wandered for 40 years before arriving at the Promised Land.

  • The people of Nineveh repented for 40 days when they heard Jonah’s prophecy of doom upon them.

  • There is a traditional belief in the Church that Jesus lay in his tomb for 40 hours before His resurrection.

Traditional pillars of Lent – Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving

Prayer – More time spent in prayer should draw us closer to God. The faithful are encouraged to pray for the grace to live out our baptismal promises more fully.

Fasting – It is often an aid to prayer as hunger pangs are meant to remind us of our hunger for God. Fasting should also serve as a reminder of those without food because of poverty, those who are suffering injustices because of economic or political structures, or who are in need in any way. This is linked to our baptismal promises because, by our baptism, we are charged with a responsibility to show Christ’s love to the world especially to those in need. Fasting helps us to realise others’ sufferings and to lead us to greater efforts to alleviate them.

Almsgiving – A sign of our care and concern for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all that God has given us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral to the Christian life we are baptised into.

* * * * *

OBSERVANCE OF FAST & ABSTINENCE DURING LENT

Rules for Lent follow in (a), (b), and (c).

Abstinence from meat, and fasting, are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On all other Fridays of the year the law of the common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any one of the following:

a) prayer – for example, Mass attendance; family prayer; a visit to a church or chapel; reading the bible;

making the Stations of the Cross; praying the rosary.

b) self-denial – for example, not eating meat; not eating sweets or dessert; giving up entertainment to spend time with the family; limiting food and drink so as to give to the poor of one’s own country.

c) helping others – for example, special attention to someone who is poor, sick, elderly, lonely or overburdened.

All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast. All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain.

~

LENT LASTS FROM ASH WEDNESDAY (9 MARCH) TO THE MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER EXCLUSIVE (21ST APRIL). ON GOOD FRIDAY AND, IF POSSIBLE, ALSO ON HOLY SATURDAY UNTIL THE EASTER VIGIL, THE EASTER FAST IS OBSERVED.

* * * * *
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