Category Archives: Prayer

by | December 22, 2013 · 3:08 pm

His Marvelous Works

Source: Our Daily Bread “Christmas Wonder” December 22, 2013

Remember His marvelous works which He has done. —1 Chronicles 16:12

After my first semester in seminary, my family was given airline tickets to fly home for Christmas. The night before our flight, we realized we had less than $20 for the trip. Parking, transportation, and other incidentals were certain to cost more than $20. Heartsick, we resolved to pray about it. Though our children were small (6 and 2), we included them in the prayer time.

As we were praying, we heard footsteps in the hallway of the apartment building, and then “whisk”—the sound of an envelope sliding under the door. Inside the envelope was an anonymous gift of $50.

The wonder reflected on our 6-year-old daughter’s face matched the wonder in our own hearts. Here was a mighty God writing His name on a little girl’s heart by hearing and answering our prayer in the same instant. And so we, like the psalmist David, could “talk of all His wondrous works!” (1 Chron. 16:9).

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by | December 20, 2013 · 2:25 pm

Catholic Doctrine on Holy Scripture

Dear God

“The books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach [the] truth. … Written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author” (Second Vatican Council, DV 11).

The Bible did not fall from heaven in its final form, nor did God dictate it to human scribes who copied it down mechanically. Rather “God chose certain men who … made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more” (Second Vatican Council, DV 11). One factor in recognizing particular texts as Sacred Scripture was their general acceptance in the Church. In the Christian communities there had to be a consensus: “Yes, through this text God himself speaks to us-this is inspired by the Holy Spirit!” Which of the many original Christian writings are really inspired by the Holy Spirit has been defined since the fourth century in the so-called canon of Sacred Scriptures.

How can Sacred Scripture be “truth” if not everything in it is right?

The Bible is not meant to convey precise historical information or scientific findings to us. Moreover, the authors were children of their time. They shared the cultural ideas of the world around them and often were also dominated by its errors. Nevertheless, everything that man must know about God and the way of his salvation is found with infallible certainty in Sacred Scripture. (Youth Catechism questions 14-15)

Dig Deeper: http://www.catholiccrossreference.com/catechism/#!/search/102-108

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by | November 12, 2013 · 5:51 am

Let us press on

I was intrigued by the Bible passage in my GodVine email today:

“Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”” – Hosea 6:3 (NIV)

  • In modern American Chrissy speak, “acknowledge” is a weak act. It’s the kind of thing you say about your debate opponent’s point, right before you say “but” and blow their case out of the water.
  • But “press on” is strong. It’s an action word, the kind of thing you say to encourage your fellow travelers to push through their weariness to get to the next rest stop or camping site or finish line. I like this latter idea. It goes well with “as surely as the sun rises” … the night gets awfully long and dark and discouraging, especially around 3 a.m.

I don’t know anything about the original language of this passage, but sometimes I feel I can get some sense of them by comparing parallel translations. I looked up a bunch and found these variations helpful:

Press on

  • So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn. (NASB)
  • Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn. (NLT)

Strive

  • Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming. (NABRE)
  • Let us know, let us strive to know Yahweh; that he will come is as certain as the dawn. (New Jerusalem)

Follow on

  • And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning. (ASV)
  • Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning. (KJV)

There’s a strong suggestion here that

  1. knowing God requires effort on our part and
  2. if we keep on keeping on, even when we feel worn out, He will surely come.

Praying - pew, shaft of light

Peter Kreeft lists 12 ways we can know the Lord @ http://peterkreeft.com/topics/12-ways.htm.

I think they can be boiled down to three:

  1. study,

  2. prayer, and

  3. doing God’s will.

The hard part is doing these things DAILY.

Come to think … the “daily” idea is in the Hosea passage’s reference to dawn, isn’t it? Hmm. Food for thought.

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by | November 11, 2013 · 5:17 am

Please keep praying for the victims of Haiyan

2013_11 Haiyan - ship in flattened homes

2013_11 Haiyan - birth

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24894529

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by | November 8, 2013 · 7:02 am

Please pray for victims of Haiyan

The most powerful storm ever to make landfall.

Katrina vs Haiyan

Category-five super typhoon Haiyan is ravaging the Philippines with winds approaching 200 mph early Friday, causing mudslides, flash flooding and storm surge waves up to 30 feet.

Millions of people in the country have fled to search for safety. Winds this bad can blow apart storm-proof shelters due to the pressure they create.

“It is the most powerful storm ever to make landfall,” Weather Channel lead meteorologist Michael Palmer told NBC News. “It is as strong a typhoon as you can get, basically.”

The storm slammed the islands of Leyte, Samar and the northern part of Cebu Province early Friday. Forecasters said the system will eventually move on to Vietnam and Laos.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/230999691.html

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by | November 7, 2013 · 5:26 am

Is prayer just a conversation with yourself?

Not at all.

A conversation with yourself is the ultimate in self-centered-ness. It’s a monologue where you’re the only one on stage. The spot light is on you, You, YOU.

A conversation with God is the ultimate in radical openness to the Supreme Being. It’s a dialogue with the One who is truly at the Center of the Universe, yet who loves you more than you can possibly imagine.

In prayer, God speaks as He wills. Sometimes, you’ll go to Him sad or feeling weak and He will console you and give you strength. But other times, you’ll go to Him hoping for a hug or a pat on the back, only to have Him hand you an assignment.

That’s part of why prayer … real prayer … is so challenging. It only happens when you open yourself totally to the will of God.

Prayer A passion for the presence of God

Catholic Catechism section (2729-2733) and other references:

http://www.catholiccrossreference.com/catechism/#!/search/2729-2733

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by | November 5, 2013 · 1:56 am

Adopt A Pray-er

Adopt an Anti

The #1 abortuary in Alabama started a fund-raiser called “Adopt an Anti” in which pro-aborts “adopt” a specific pro-lifer who habitually comes to the clinic to pray, promising to make a $5 or $10 donation to the clinic each time the adoptee shows up.

Seriously! An ADOPTION campaign at a clinic that offers NO adoption services for pregnant women who might want to choose something other than infanticide.

‘Bama Students for Life responded with their own fund-raiser called “Adopt an Abortion Abolitionist” in which pro-lifers adopt a specific group member and makes a donation to Students for Life whenever that person goes to the clinic to pray.

  • Adopt an Anti plans to use the funds they raise to help kill more babies.
  • Students for Life plan to use the funds to help support needy young mothers.

Sources:

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by | October 29, 2013 · 4:14 pm

When to pray?

Anyone who loves another person and all day long never gives that person a sign of his love does not really love him.

So it is with God, too. Anyone who truly seeks him will keep sending him signals of his longing for his company and friendship.

2013_10 17 Pope Francis tweets

Someone who does not pray regularly will soon not pray at all.

Get up in the morning and give the day to God, asking for his blessing and to “be there” in all your meetings and needs.

Thank him, especially at mealtimes.

At the end of the day, place everything into his hands, ask him for forgiveness, and pray for peace for yourself and others.

Praying at the very least in the morning, at meals, and in the evening is a tradition dating back the earliest days of Christianity.

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by | October 24, 2013 · 1:51 pm

How can my everyday routine be a school of prayer?

Someone who seeks union with Jesus in the morning can be a blessing to the people he meets, even his opponents and enemies. Over the course of the day he casts all his cares on the Lord.

  • Such a person has more peace within himself and radiates it to others.
  • He makes his judgments and decisions by asking himself how Jesus would act at that moment.
  • He overcomes fear by staying close to God.

In desperate situations he is not without support. He carries the peace of heaven within him and thereby brings it into the world. He is full of gratitude and joy for the beautiful things, but also endures the difficult things that he encounters. This attentiveness to God is possible even at work.

A Bible that's falling apart

Everything that happens to us can be an occasion for prayer. The more deeply we live in union with God, the more deeply we understand this.

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” – Psalm 9:9 (NIV)

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by | October 14, 2013 · 11:18 am

If you are interested at all in what I think about Mary

Here’s the short version:

  • God chose Mary to be the mother of His Only Son, Jesus.
  • Jesus is my brother, which makes Mary my mother too.
  • God carved “Honor thy mother” on to Moses’ stone tablets.

Here’s the long version:

Catholic doctrine makes a sharp distinction between “latria” (the worship given to God alone) and “dulia” (the veneration or respect paid to the saints and angels as the servants and friends of God).

“Hyperdulia” is the veneration offered to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Extra dulia. Super duper dulia. But NOT latria. Not EVER.

My kids understood this in elementary school when they were assaulted by little Protestant boys for “worshiping” Mary. It became obvious when I spoke to the moms that it was 99% BOYS (who happened to be Protestant) teasing GIRLS (who happened to be Catholic) … but still. Those boys didn’t come up with the idea that “Catholics worship Mary” all on their own.

Catholic teaching is crystal clear on the matter. We do NOT worship Mary. Period.

Do some Catholics go overboard with their Marian devotions? Yeah. Some. But it’s really rare, especially these days. Try and find yourself a Catholic who even knows the rosary is a meditation about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, never mind one who knows the Mysteries by heart or … oh my goodness …. ever actually says a rosary. It’s pathetic.

What is the rosary? http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/devotionals/rosaries/how-to-pray-the-rosary.cfm

Rosary

Where does this idea even come from that God doesn’t like it when we pay attention to His mom?!

Does anybody honestly think when we love on our significant others that Jesus grumbles because we’re not paying 100% attention to Him and Him alone?

How much more is God not displeased by the attention Catholics pay to the woman He chose to grow, birth, suckle, nurture, instruct and stand by Jesus?

Jesus is the only reason Mary is special; honoring her glorifies Him.

Plus, no matter how much attention we pay her, she ALWAYS directs our attention to Him.

Always.

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