From Evening Prayer:
Lord, all-powerful King,
free us for the sake of Your Name.
Give us time to turn from our sins.
Tag Archives: Catholic
Lenten Reading Plan – Day 17 – Mar 16
"Sun Of Justice" ----- joann nelander
Day17 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 3/16/09
St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: chapters 60-68
Day 17 Lite Version
St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 61-68
Compilation of Lenten readings
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
The Monastery, The Desert & The Cross
Icon-Crucifixion -----c 2009 Joann Nelander
I’ve never been to a monastery, so peeking in will have to do. So glad Nelson is sharing.
“By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women You transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy.”
Religion and Morality Are Indispensable Supports of Democracy
The Left would like to place marriage, decisions regarding life and end-of-life, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and quite possibly cloning, outside of religious proscriptions. They would like to forget, or rather, re-write history. It is the Church’s message that is the foundational structure of our liberty, our National conscience, our democracy and our human rights. In fact, it is the message of Christianity that is the bench-mark of Western Civilization.
George Washington’s in his Farewell Address emphatically states, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them.”
John Adams, who followed Washington in the Presidency writes, “Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand…. The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a greater measure, than they have it now, they may change their rulers, and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty. They will only exchange tyrants and tyrannies.”
Issues of marriage, decisions regarding life and end-of-life, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and cloning are precisely where separation of church and state have meaning. Said another way, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” The Left would like to isolate the message of the Church, have us believe it speaks to practicing members alone. However, it is God who speaks through His Church, and God speaks from Eternity. He breaks into Time, all time, lighting up every Age. The Church’s commission obligates it to announce Truth to all peoples of all times. Their message is the stuff of a true humanity.
One Man’s Prayer
Paul Edwards, a columnist writing for Townhall.com, is compelled to pray for President Obama and more. After just 50 days in office:
“President Obama has clearly acted in opposition to righteousness by lifting the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, reversing the Mexico City Policy which forces the use of your tax dollars to fund abortions at overseas abortion facilities, and by acting to rescind the “conscience clause” which protects doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical personnel from participating in abortions against their personal, private convictions.”
“He has elevated science above God by appealing to science rather than to morality in deciding to sacrifice the lives of future generations of unborn children for the false promise of “cures” for the present generation.”
Edwards says he will pray for wisdom, strength and protection for our President but cannot pray that plans, that clearly oppose righteousness and do harm to people, succeed. He says that there is precedent for praying that unrighteous plans come to nothing:
“There is scriptural precedent for praying that the ungodly plans of God’s appointed leader fail. David repeatedly prayed that King Saul’s plans against him would fail.”
Does the agenda that so clearly “devalues the cause of life” that President Obama has instituted deserve our support? I’m praying for a righteous, moral, conscientious America, and that God will bring to naught evil plans that destroy life, make science a god and institute convenience as a dictator.
Edwards points to mainstream media pundit writing for Newsweek , Howard Fineman and American Enterprise Institute ‘s Kevin Hassett as reasonable men who “are now beginning to question whether or not Barack Obama is intentionally acting to harm the interests of the American people.”
Perspective for a New Day
Beginning another day and trying to get some perspective.
My Imitation of Christ Book I, chapter2:
Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.
The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?
If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.
Be Holy! 