Recently in Prayers Category

I've been noticing something interesting as I've listened to the Nicene Creed being recited at Mass in recent months. I've noticed that a significant number of people, including priests leading Mass, will omit the word "men" from the Creed. So instead of saying:

"For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven..."
They say:
"For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven..."

Has anybody else noticed this? I am curious to hear what people think since it is so subtle and don't know anyone who feels so strongly about omitting the word "men" from the Creed. Personally, I understand the word "men" in that case to mean "humankind" and not just males. It seems pretty obvious to me that Christ did not come only to save males and not females. Also, one should probably err on the side of obedience before deciding to change a statement of the Faith that has been formulated by the bishops at the Council of Constantinople.

When the bishops come together at a council and clarify a disputed matter, it is a strong statement of our Faith. I might be wrong, but my guess is that people who feel the need to omit "men" in the creed probably have issues with other teachings of the Church that are not politically correct. Unless someone responds with a good argument to drop or change it, I think it would be better to keep the word "men" in the Creed .

God bless,
Daniel

In an interesting move, Russell Crowe plans to be baptized along with his second son. The article isn't clear on Crowe's faith, but it does quote Crowe as saying, "If I believe it is important to baptize my kids, why not me?"

Pretty interesting. As you know, baptism actually has power and can change your life. So we're praying that Russell Crowe becomes a Saint.

God bless,
Jay

Please take a moment today to pray for the souls of those who died on 9/11. May God have mercy on them.

Our thoughts are also with their friends and families. And pray for those who think this type of violence is warranted as well.

God bless,
Jay

The Anima Christi is one of my favorite prayers, so I thought I would add it in full. Many Catholics still pray it after receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is exceptionally poignant at that point of the mass:

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me

Body of Christ, save me

Blood of Christ, inebriate me

Water from Christ's side, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me

O good Jesus, hear me

Within Thy wounds hide me

Suffer me not to be separated from Thee

From the malicious enemy defend me

In the hour of my death call me

And bid me come unto Thee

That I may praise Thee with Thy saints

and with Thy angels

Forever and ever, amen

God bless,
Jay

I am currently reading A History of Apologetics by Avery Cardinal Dulles. He includes this prayer of C.S. Lewis adjacent to the title page, I thought it appropriate for all of us who engage in apologetics. It's witty but oh so true :-)

The Apologist's Evening Prayer
From all my lame defeats and oh! much more
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalf
At which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of Thy divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.

Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
Of Thee, their thin-wore image of Thy head.
From all my thoughts, even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle's eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.

- C.S. Lewis

May God grant all of us His peace, love, and mercy during this Advent season.

In Christ,
Joe

This is an actual conversation between two of my children, Victoria (3 years) and Olivia (2 years):

Victoria: You want to go play baby dolls?
Olivia: No
Victoria: Do you want to go play baby dolls?
Olivia: No
Victoria: Do you want to go play baby dolls?
Olivia: No
Victoria: Yes, Olivia, let’s go play baby dolls.
Olivia: No
Victoria: Olivia, say ‘Yes’
Olivia: Yes
Victoria: Okay good, let’s go play baby dolls . . .
(and they go off to play baby dolls)

It occurred to me that this is exactly how we should be with our non-Christian friends. The Holy Spirit was speaking to me through the mouths of babies. For those who are living a functionally atheistic existence or a purely material one, we need to repeatedly and stubbornly call them to God.

Our job in all of this is simply being a reminder of God – a living witness to truth. I don’t mean that we constantly ask them to accept Christ over and over. I mean we talk about church, we invite them to religious events, we talk to them about the power of Advent and Christmas. We must work as a catalyst to help them come to God. I always go back to Jesus and the Pharisees in the Bible. He continued to preach to them over and over – even had His apostles preach to them after His ascension. He never gave up, because he knew they had free will to come back to God.

Statistically speaking, it is very unlikely that an adult raised by non-Christian parents will become Christian. It’s a scary thought, that many of our friends and loved ones might never accept God. However that statistic doesn’t take into account the power of God and the power of prayer. If we constantly pray for our friends and consistently bring God into our conversations, they can be overcome.

Protestants may not be familiar with the story of Monica, but it is a wonderful one. Monica was married to an atheist but tried to raise her sons as Christians. One son was particularly rebellious and purely sought pleasure in his life. He engaged in virtually every immoral act he could find, particularly if it involved pleasure. What was Monica’s response? She prayed every day for her son for twenty years and wept over his situation constantly. She asked every Christian she knew to pray for him. One man famously told her, “the child of those tears shall never perish.” She constantly told her son to come back to God and warned him of the consequences if he did not. Monica was a mother on a mission; to save her son. And she did.

St. Monica has been canonized for her example of a mother’s love. However, her son overshadows her: he was St. Augustine, one of the greatest theologians in Christian history. And he became a bishop in the Catholic Church. Monica’s example shows us the stubbornness and persistence with which we should work towards saving our friends and family members. At times it seemed like Augustine would never convert, but she persisted. I think we all have friends like that.

Just remember: this life is their only chance. Even if it means losing their friendship, a true friend works to save the soul of the friend. True love means not accepting the emptiness and isolation that materialism brings. Oh, and if they aren’t Catholic, then they aren’t receiving the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ in the Eucharist body, blood, flesh, and divinity. Don’t just become a nominal Christian, become a Catholic.

God bless,
Jay

To all of our beloved readers, "grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 1:7). I am writing this full of loss and sorrow, yet with joy. Joy because my dear friend and brother in Christ is now with He whom he loved with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, and with all his mind (cf. Lk 10:27).

He lived daily his commitment to God and family. He and his wife Marianne have six living children (Aaron, Jacob, Hannah, Rachel, Mary, and Rebekah) who are all signs of their parents' great love and faith. To be around this great family was to experience Christ's love and the joy of having a large family. He was a man for the family sacrificing any career aspirations to stay home and homeschool his beloved girls. He took his girls to Mass almost every morning, saying that the most important lesson of their day was the Mass and that all other learning would stem from that. He was so focused on raising his children to be holy. He was so proud of his children and found great joy in watching their lives unfold. And Marianne...Marianne was the love of his life. He would tell me that she was his comfort, his support, his life, and that her courage, devotion, determination, compassion, and love kept their family together. I wish I could express the great loss Marianne and her beloved children are experiencing now but it is impossible...so instead I wanted to put in words my memories and thoughts of Darius, my dear, dear friend.

Darius was a devout Catholic who had traveled a long road of faith. Darius came to Christ through Protestantism, and then, through years of prayerful discernment and indepth study of Sacred Scripture, historical writings, theological and philosophical works, and the teachings of the Catholic Church he came to believe, without any doubt, the absolute truth of the Catholic Faith. His life was a shining example of what it means to be Catholic. He was a man of the sacraments, being a daily communicant, an instructor of those preparing to baptize their children, a believer in frequent confession, a living witness of the power of the sacrament of marriage, and a man who deeply valued and respected the priesthood. He was a lector, considering it a great honor to be able to proclaim the Word of God at Mass. He was a man with a Eucharistic heart, placing the highest value on the Mass, where he would say he goes to be strengtened and refreshed for the journey and to encounter the Lord Jesus.

He was an "active" supporter and promulgator of the right to life, living it in a "contraception-free" marriage. He participated in first Saturday prayer services outside of abortion mills. He was involved in the pro-life marches here in Atlanta as well as elsewhere. He proclaimed the Gospel of Life from the roof tops to all who would listen or who had a mailbox. We could all learn much from his example.

Darius was a great intellect. I have met few men or women who could hold a candle to the wisdom and understanding of Darius Lecesne. He was an avid reader and seeker of truth. He had an extensive library and was always ordering new books. When Darius tackled a topic or issue he studied it thoroughly and sought out the ideas and opinions of others as well, always listening and trying to understand where the other was coming from. We would have long discussions on such topics as contraception and the dignity of the human person, priestly celibacy, feminism in the Church, the Eucharist, the culture of death, the works of Flannery O'Connor, conversion, the family in the modern age, etc. Oh I will miss our conversations....how I will miss them.

Darius was an artist and a writer. He combined the two, drawing beautiful cards of his favorite men and women and then writing wonderful letters. He was a man of letters. Darius wrote extensively to friends, family, as well as members of the government, the Church, and academia. It was a treat receiving a letter from Darius. Each time I would go to my mailbox and pull out one of those signature cards of his, a smile would come to my face, knowing that he only lived about four miles down the road. He loved to write...or rather type, and not with any state of the art computer but with his old beat up typewriter with its unique lettering. How I will miss his letters....

Darius was an athlete. He loved sports, but most of all he loved to run. Many of his visits would be after he had finished his evening run at the county park adjacent to my neighborhood. He'd walk in with his running suit and worn out UGA cap (he recently got new one that he was quite proud of). He also enjoyed swimming, soccer, basketball, and football. The last time I saw Darius we discussed at length the upcoming NFL playoffs.

Darius was a friend. He was a man devoted to his friends. He wouldn't hesitate to give you the shirt off his back, but best of all he would always take time to listen to you. Many a day I would stop by the Lecesne house to talk with Darius about this or that problem. I valued his counsel and always heeded his advice.

That's all I can put down for now....I am exhausted. I invite all his friends and family to add your recollections of Darius here. It is important that we honor his memory and that we continue to cherish the life of this great man, this holy man.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in Your peace.
Amen.

UPDATE: Marianne was the primary income earner for the Lecesne family. For the time being, she will be staying at home with her children. Any and all financial support that any of you can provide would be greatly appreciated. The Donation button below will take you to a PayPal page which will allow you to make a donation. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

In Christ,
Joe

Please pray for a close friend of the site, Darius Lecesne. Yesterday he suffered what appears to be a stroke and the doctors have only given him hours to live. The power of prayer is such that anyone can be healed and we hope it is God's will to heal Darius.

Darius does have a wife and six children (four girls, two boys). He is only 45 - your prayers are appreciated. We've written before about Darius here.

God bless,
Jay

UPDATE: Darius has passed away. Please pray for his soul and for his family.

The Lord’s Prayer – or the “Our Father” as many Catholics refer to it – is the perfect prayer. All Christians should agree to this. Taught to us by Jesus Christ Himself, it fits the needs of you on any particular day of your life. But how often do you pray it? The perfect prayer should certainly be said often, right?

Catholics say the Lord’s Prayer very often in comparison to protestant groups. Simply by praying it, we can contemplate the truth behind every line and begin to apply this truth to our lives. Repetitive prayer is not condemned by the Bible, no matter what you may think:

Matthew 6:7. “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words.

The King James Version translates it “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” [Emphasis mine]. The point is, the Gentiles were praying, but it was empty repetition – they had no intent on actually being obedient or growing through prayer. Vain is defined as “having no real value; worthless” by Websters. So we cannot pray without meaning what we pray. In fact, vain or empty prayers can happen by habit when we pray any nightly prayer without meaning what we say.

Right after this lesson on prayer Jesus teaches us the Our Father. I like how Thomas Howard puts it in On Being Catholic:

[In the Our Father] the whole mystery of God and man is opened to us. Father. Our Father. Who art in heaven. Hallowed. Every word open onto the whole vista. And the seven petitions place upon our very tongues all that a mortal should be saying on the long itinerary from his conception, stained by original sin, to the fruition of his journey in the Beatific Vision. It is a prayer to be said constantly, for insofar as I say it, investing myself in it with all earnestness, it will configure me to Christ.
It is also a prayer that may be brought into play when I am at a loss altogether about what to say. “Our Father, who are in heaven”: Catholics resort to this utterance in time of great perplexity, or of fear, or of grief, or of a hundred other taxing situations. One scarcely knows what words to frame: the Our Father Supplies one’s need.

How often do you pray the Lord’s Prayer? Not nearly enough no matter. As you pray it, remember to concentrate on what you are saying, the obedience the prayer demands, and the perfect requests for assistance from God. A perfect prayer deserves to be prayed.

God bless,
Jay

Heavenly Father,
Like the Israelites of old, our ancestors in the faith,
Our country has struggled long and hard to be free
And to keep it’s freedom as a nation.
It too has met with success and failure
In trying to achieve its goals.
Let me take this holiday celebration
To ponder the strengths and weaknesses of my country.
Make me resolve always to do my part to keep it strong
And strive constantly to eliminate its weaknesses:
In the social, political, economic, and religious field.

Teach me to meditate on the teachings of your Son
Who brought us a message of peace and freedom
And instructed us to live as brothers and sisters.
His message took form in the vision of our founders
As they fashioned a nation
Where people might live as one.
May this message live on in our midst
As a task for people today
And a promise for tomorrow.
Thank you for your past blessings
And for that, with your help, we will achieve.

Happy 4th of July!

God bless,
Jay

Psalm 46:1-3. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth shall change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

Just a reminder to keep the children and adults affected by the Tsunami in your prayers. It seems to be fading from the news channels, but the need is very real. And our prayers have the power to heal - something those associated with our blog were reminded of in a definitive way the past few weeks.

God bless,
Jay

We just received word that my wife's cousin, Jennifer, is being rushed into surgery. She fell through the attic floor of her parents' garage and struck her head on the concrete floor. She has been lifelined to the hospital. They have informed our family that she has an artery bleeding on the brain. I ask all of you to join our family in prayer.

In Christ,
Joe

This is an excellent Christian poem about prayer and the Christ Child by Francis Thompson:

Little Jesus

Ex ore infantium, Deus, et lactentium perfecisti laudem.

Little Jesus, was Thou shy
Once, and just so small as I?
And what did it feel like to be
Out of Heaven, and just like me?
Didst Thou sometimes think of there,
And ask where all the angels were?
I should think that I would cry
For my house all made of sky;
I would look about the air,
And wonder where my angels were;
And at waking ‘twould distress me –
Not an angel there to dress me!
Hadst Thou ever any toys,
Like us little girls and boys?
And didst Thou play in Heaven with all
The angels that were not too tall,
With stars for marbles? Did the things
Play Can you see me? through their wings?
And did Thy Mother let Thee spoil
Thy robes, with playing on our soil?
How nice to have them always new
In Heaven, because ‘twas quite clean blue!

Didst Thou kneel at night to pray,
And didst Thou join Thy hands, this way?
And did they tire sometimes, being young,
And make the prayer seem very long?
And dost Thou like it best, that we
Should join our hands to pray to Thee?
I used to think, before I knew,
The prayer not said unless we do.
And did Thy Mother at the night
Kiss Thee, and fold the clothes in right?
And didst Thou feel quite good in bed,
Kissed, and sweet, and Thy prayers said?

Thou canst not have forgotten all
That it feels like to be small:
And Thou know’st I cannot pray
To Thee in my father’s way –
When Thou was so little, say,
Couldst Thou talk Thy Father’s way? –

So, a little Child, come down
And hear a child’s tongue like Thy own;
Take me by the hand and walk,
And listen to my baby-talk.
To Thy Father show my prayer
(He will look, Thou art so fair),
And say: “O Father, I, Thy Son,
Bring the prayer of a little one.”

And He will smile, that children’s tongue
Has not changed since Thou wast young!

God bless,
Jay

Please remember to pray for the children held captive in Russia today. The death toll numbers I'm hearing are scary . . . let's pray for healing and grace.

God bless,
Jay

PS - It's interesting to note that these terrorists are Muslim. For some reason, the news media seems to be avoiding this admission to a fault.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road through I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- - Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude

Heavenly Father,
You are the real foundation of nations, raising them up to serve and care for the people dwelling in their boundaries. I thank you for making me a citizen of this land of freedom and unlimited opportunity - which are the result of its Christian base.
Send forth your Spirit to this country and make it a source of wisdom and strength, order and integrity throughout the world.

Happy 4th of July!

God bless,
Jay

Prayer is a key aspect of every Christian's relationship with God. As C.S. Lewis eloquently put it, prayer doesn't change God, it changes us. Through prayer we grow in hope, love, and charity; we also seek God's assistance through grace to get through the suffering and problems we endure in this world.

In this view I'm adding this as a permanent prayer request page (link will be on the top left). Simply add your requests below and I will commit to praying for them (hopefully others will as well). Feel free to also add thank you notes to God when a prayer request is answered (this builds the faith of others).

Note that over time, I'll remove the older prayer requests, so that there will always be room for new ones. If yours is a permanent need, just come back every few months and add it.

May God bless you all,
Jay

Yesterday during mass we received the news that our parish priest at Christ the King, the Reverend Monsignor Frost, had experienced heart difficulties on Thursday. He was immediately taken to the heart hospital and underwent surgery on two of his main arteries. He is currently back at home, but is not strong enough to perform any of his duties or receive well-wishers. Once his strength is back up, he will have to endure more surgery on another artery.

Msgr. Frost is one of those rare people who have a gift to not only represent Christ in form through holy orders, but who has so fully immersed himself in that role that he is an astoundingly accurate picture of our Lord. Humble, compassionate, joyful, pious, orthodox, reverent, and most of all consumed with love, he is truly a father to his parish. He knows every parishioner by name and has the ability to make you feel as if you were the only person in the parish that he cares for. The parish has grown way beyond the capacity of our humble chapel (and from 2 masses to 6 masses between Saturday vigil and Sunday morning), and all during the seven years that he has been the pastor. This is a testament to Msgr. Frost's willingness to let Christ live through him. Sadly, it may also be what has taken his human heart to task.

Please pray for Msgr. Frost during this time. Pray also for Christ the King parish, as we all are deeply concerned for our Monsignor. The children especially, for whom he has a particular gift, are undoubtedly worried and confused. We seek consolation for ourselves, guidance for the attending physicians, and comfort and healing for Monsignor. Thank you all and God bless.

In Christ,
Dave

Family prayer is one of the best ways to insure your kids understand and grow in their faith. But it's not always that simple - sometimes families have trouble instituting a new prayer regimine (especially when older kids are used to not praying). So one of the easiest ways to begin family prayer is at meals (praying for God's blessing before eating). You can also add a family prayer at the end of any meal when the family is still gathered together.

So, along that vein I recently was given this prayer in church and thought it was very good for exactly this purpose:

Our forgiving Lord, We praise you for your unconvential love, compassion, and understanding.

It is through your sacrifice that we come together and praise you in song and prayer for all eternity.

Jesus, it is through our selfishness that we ignore others in need. Lord we are sorry for our sins and ask forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, please replace our sins of pride, anger and arrogance with love for others, compassion and serenity.

Remove our fear and doubts and help us do your will.

Good Shepherd, guide and protect us through the week.

We give you thanks, our Redeemer, for the gifts of friends, animals, food, family, and faith.

Father, with the Holy Spirit, watch over us and guide our actions.

Holy One, we adore you for all your love. Lamb of God give us strength to spread your peace.

Amen.

God bless,
Jay

Please pray for the soul of Bob Bottrell, my neighbor who passed away on this past Friday morning. He died of lung cancer sooner than was expected. His funeral will be on this Tuesday so please keep his wife Mary and his extended family in your prayers during this most difficult time.

Catholics are well known for praying the rosary, but what is the mystical prayer you’ve heard about? And do you need beads to pray it?

The rosary is actually probably not objectionable to most protestants once they understand what it’s all about. Basically, the rosary is a way of praying the Gospels. Most commonly, the rosary is prayed using beads to help those praying it remember where they are during the prayer (this allows you to focus). The beads are broken into five sections, each of which is designed to allow the one praying to focus on some aspect of the Gospels. I’ll give an example of this below. However, the beads aren’t necessary to the prayer and many people have small “finger rosaries” that allow them to keep track without carrying around the full rosary.

The rosary involves three main prayers all taken from Scripture. First is the Our Father, which everyone knows. The second is the Hail Mary, which as we’ve explained in this article is taken primarily from Scripture (this prayer asks Mary to pray for us), and the Doxology, which may be less known:

The Doxology: Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

There are other prayers involved, such as the Apostles Creed and the Prayer of Fatima:

Prayer of Fatima: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.

I doubt most people have a problem with that wording. But the purpose of the rosary is to focus on specific events in the Gospel. This intimate focus allows us to better understand the Bible and Jesus. It also allows us to really focus on the reality of Christ’s work and life on earth. This is not vain repetition (which is condemned in the Bible), but sincere, heartfelt repetition. I think even protestants tend to repeat the Lord’s Prayer.

What are some of the events we meditate or focus on? The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), the Crucifixion (all Gospels), etc. Most of the main events in the Gospels are included at one time or another. Each time we pray, we use one of the main themes: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, the Glorious Mysteries, or the Luminous Mysteries. Each theme contains five major events from the Gospels. For example, the Sorrowful Mysteries include: the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion. Each is used during one of the five sections of the rosary.

The rosary is a wonderful way to dedicate time and energy toward becoming closer to God. As Pope John Paul II said in his apostolic letter On the Most Holy Rosary, the rosary “has all depth of the Gospel message in its entirety.” The rosary is the perfect way to escape our hectic modern life and rediscover intimacy with God.

God bless,
Jay

For those who aren't aware, Saint Patrick was a real man who was born around 389 A.D. During his life, he became a priest and bishop in Ireland, where he saved countless souls - most were pagan at the time.

From St. Patrick's Confession:

It was not any grace in me, but God who conquereth in me, and He resisted them all, so that I came to the heathen of Ireland to preach the Gospel and to bear insults from unbelievers, to hear the reproach of my going abroad and to endure many persecutions even unto bonds, the while that I was surrendering my liberty as a man of free condition for the profit of others. And if I should be found worthy, I am ready to give even my life for His name's sake unfalteringly and gladly, and there (in Ireland) I desire to spend it until I die, if our Lord should grant it to me.

Here is the story of St. Patrick's life. May the Lord work through all of us as He did through St. Patrick.

God bless,
Jay

"I have cast myself into the hands of Almighty God, for He rules everything."
- - St. Patrick

This is an article long in coming, but certainly due. The Rosary. What is it? Why does it benefit one to pray it? Where did this prayer come from? How come I can't find it in the Bible? For many Catholics and Protestants alike these are common questions. So let us take a closer look at this incredible prayer.

The Rosary is a beautiful combination of vocal prayer and meditation that centers upon the greatest Gospel mysteries in the life of Jesus Christ and secondarily in the life of the Mother of Jesus. It is an "incarnational" prayer, a prayer consisting of both vocal and mental prayer that serves to incorporate both body and soul into spiritual communion with Our Lord. - Dr. Mark Miravalle, S.T.D., Introduction to Mary: The Heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion, pg. 86

This is very adequate summary of what the Rosary is. It is, as all prayers ultimately are, Christocentric (or focused on Christ), for in truth even the mysteries that focus on Mary only happened because Christ willed them to. But let's first look at the history of this prayer.

And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:37-42)

This Lent I am invited not only to see what my Savior did for my redemption, but to stand guard against anything or anyone that would seek to breach my security and take those benefits from me. During Lent I am especially reminded of this constant spiritual struggle, perhaps most intense for me throughout the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the source and summit of our worship and being. My husband and I often talk about this struggle, because we have three children three and under who demand our constant attention at church, and it is extremely hard to concentrate on the readings and the Real Presence. Upon reading this scripture passage, I asked myself is it merely coincidence that the average church service lasts about one hour? Is it also coincidence that often I have trouble concentrating in church for that one hour? Is it "the tempter's power" that makes my mind wander with various distractions? It's amazing how much can crowd in to fill up an hour, especially if that hour is supposed to be dedicated to you, O God. In our experience, we have discovered that sitting in a pew rather than a cry room helps our children as well as us be more reflective and participate in Mass. Also making sure they are well fed before Mass and letting them only look at children bibles or faith related books during Mass helps all of us to focus on Christ. After Mass we approach the altar as a family and say a prayer together or light candles for people. At this point if things have been crazy during Mass, my husband and I take turns sitting quietly in the pew rereading the scripture passages and reflecting on the Mass. Above all we find that what helps us most is realizing that God is most pleased that we come to Mass as a family and that when we do have to deal with a difficult child, Christ is giving us the opportunity to serve Him through our little one with loving patience and kindness, and we can offer this sacrifice back to Him. I hear clearly Christ's words to Satan's temptations in the desert, "You shall worhship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve." Even in church - maybe especially in church - help me to learn that faithful response .... and put it into practice.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. - Matthew 4:1-2

And they said to Him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." - Luke 5:33-35

Lent is that time in the desert for Catholics, it represents the forty days and nights our Lord spent in the desert as well as the forty years the Jewish people spent in the desert after being freed from Eygpt, as well as the forty day fasts of Moses and Elijah. Fasting is an ancient tradition that has always been tied to almsgiving and prayer. Throughout Sacred Scripture it generally is associated with two things: penance and preparation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say about fasting:

1969 The New Law practices the acts of religion: almsgiving, prayer and fasting, directing them to the "Father who sees in secret," in contrast with the desire to "be seen by men" (cf. Mt 6:1-6; 16-18). Its prayer is the Our Father (cf. Mt 6:9-13; Lk 11:2-4).

Here the Church directly points to the relationship between almsgiving, prayer and fasting.

The Catechism goes on to explain the two purposes I mentioned earlier: penance and preparation.

Fasting as a form of Penance
1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others....
1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).
- CCC pgs. 360-361

Fasting as a form of Preparation
1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church. Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.
- CCC pg. 350

Our thoughts and prayers are with Carlie Brucia and her family this morning.

Earlier I posted a request for prayers when I found out that someone I know was planning an abortion. Well, good news: the appointment has been cancelled and the mother has now decided to keep the baby. A child that had no chance owes you thanks for the opportunity to live. Thank you for praying.

My wife essentially took matters into her own hands and acted to save the child's life as well - I'm so glad to have her.

Remember, every abortion stopped is a child's life saved. Thank you.

God bless,
Jay

I know someone who is considering having an abortion. Please pray that she will reconsider her options.

On a political note: it's pathetic that in this country a woman can secretly go have an abortion without the father's knowledge - she is killing his child as well.

God bless,
Jay

Mark 2:1-5. And when He (Jesus) returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." [my emphasis]

This passage of the Bible has always fascinated me because of one thing: this man’s sins were forgiven because of the faith of his friends, not by his faith. St. Jerome equated this paralytic to one who is unable to come to God because of “spiritual paralysis.” This suggests that through our faith others may be saved. Wow!

Ultimately this goes back to prayer and its ability to change the world. These men had faith that Jesus could heal their paralytic friend, so they took him and did whatever necessary to bring about his healing (physical and spiritual). I think it’s important for us to remember that we can bring about spiritual healing in others through our faith that Jesus can do anything and wants to heal those in most need of His mercy.

Pray for your lost friends and family today. I’m asking God that my faith may be strong enough to help them. One final note: the friends didn’t just have faith, they acted on it. This suggests we must do as well as pray.

God bless,
Jay

Since we have a significant number of non-Catholics visit the site, I thought I would post the Nicene Creed, which sums up what Catholics believe very effectively. This creed is known by virtually all Catholics (and repeated at Mass).

The Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
one in being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

AMEN.

This is a great summary of what the Catholic Church teaches.

God bless,
Jay

Father Groeschel was apparently struck by a car this weekend and critically hurt. More news on Fr. Groeschel here. Please pray for him.

God bless,
Jay

UPDATE: The latest news on Father Groeschel is here. He is currently undergoing several medical procedures, so our prayers are still needed. I'll continue to update as appropriate.

Lord God, author of all wisdom,
Teach me how to do my work as
a father according to Your will.
Enlighten my mind that I may understand
what to tell my children
when it is necessary to give them
direction or advice.
Give me good judgement to understand
true spiritual values and
to guide my family in Your ways.
The world makes little of Your
wisdom and is not instructed
in Your ways, and close contact
with the world makes it easy to become
dulled to things of solid spiritual worth.
Be my guide at all times, that
I may be a true father and husband,
sensitive always to the divine wisdom
that only You can impart.
God, by the light of the Holy Spirit
You instruct the hearts of Your faithful.
Grant that I may be truly wise and
ever enjoy His consolation,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

This is from a prayer card I've had for years. Not sure where the prayer comes from, but I thought it was very good.

Dear Lady of Guadalupe may you continue to be our guide in defending life at all stages and thank you for ever leading us to your divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Greetings dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. May His peace and love be with all of you.

I just wanted to bring to all of our readers attention that we have had a lot of our Protestant brothers and sisters visiting our site. Many of them have posted multiple comments and questions about the Catholic Faith. We welcome their involvement and created this site to help promote and spread the truths of our Faith. An important part of that ministry is prayer.

In John's Gospel, Jesus says "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:20-21).

I am calling on all of you Catholics to pray for their conversion to the Catholic Faith, that Jesus Christ might open their minds and hearts to the fullness of truth, that can only be found in the Catholic Church.

We beseech the Holy Spirit to come to each of them, to speak to their heart, and to fill them with His wisdom.

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your Love, send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created and You shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

In the Love and Peace of the Most Blessed Trinity,
Joe

Thanks to everyone who visits, reads, and posts on our blog. We’ve enjoyed the comments and the challenges; I think everyone benefits when conversation is started.

Also a big thanks goes out to those who have defended our country in the past or are currently defending our country (and the families that have men and women currently defending us). You are always in our prayers.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day and eats some great food! May God continually bless each and every one of us.

Jay

Yes, it's true: Governor Bush deserves our credit and our applause. He just signed into law a bill allowing Terri Schiavo to live despite the wishes of some.

You can read the story here.

What an amazing example of the power of prayer. It's also a sign that we should simply and confidently trust in God. Even when it seems all is dark, He is still in control. It appeared to many that Terri was past saving - her feeding tube, after all, had been removed. And yet reality is changed to fit God's plans.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this. Also, be sure to click here for our local debate on the value of Terri's life - it's gotten quite interesting in the last few days.

Be sure to visit Times against Humanity and TerrisFight.org for continuing coverage.

Jay

Just wanted to say a special thanks to John Paul II for his leadership, vision, and committment to Truth over the last 25 years. The Pope has been the heart of the world and moral center of the universe through some dark times. And yet he remains courageous, morally strong, and focused on God.

May we have a Pope as perfect over the next 25 years!

Jay

My grandfather passed away this morning. He was a good man and I hope he had made his peace with God. Please say a prayer or two for his soul and for our family. As Maria noted earlier we should be happy that he’s moved on to a better place, but it’s the sadness that gets stuck in your throat.

Jay

October 5th - 12th marks the national week of prayer and fasting to end abortion, contraception, and euthanasia. Please take the time to offer up sacrifices and to include these intentions in your prayers this week. The tide is turning, good will prevail. Have hope and faith that your prayers will be answered.
Maria

I think the only appropriate activity today is prayer and silent meditation.

May God bless us all and give us the wisdom we lack.

Stories from 9-11 and beyond.