In a universe replete with Space and Time and Bounty,
the Sign of the Times reads “No Room In The Inn.”
Conceived first in the Mind of God, and then in Mother’s womb.
There remains but little of Time for you.
Come home to My Arms, O Little One.
Outside of Time, in Mysterious Space,
My Angels will sing you a welcome.
Home, now, the Sonshine of Father’s Face.
They will never see the light of a birth day. Yet accomplishment will be theirs. Because God created them, because they exist, because they have mother and father, ancestors and life, because I want eternity as much for them as for myself, I pray God grant them merit and reward.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, through Whom and for Whom all things were created, I pray the blessings of mercy and forgiveness, redemption and conversion, be bequeathed to the lineage of the Little Ones soon to die; aborted, reduced, researched and materialized. Amen.
In the world to come, may you be thanked for the mercy that flowed in answer to this prayer straight from the throne of God to your fore-bearers countless in number. May you be embraced in eternity as you never were in life, save for the Heart of God.
Monsignor Raun, this morning:
We say, “We’ll believe it when we see it.” God says, “You’ll see it when you believe it!” He was speaking of conversions. The God who turned Saul into Paul is still in the business.
“When you awake, enter at once into My Heart, and when you are in it, offer My Father all your actions united to the pulsations of My Heart . . . If engaged in work of no value in itself, if she bathes it in My Blood or unites it to the work I Myself did during My mortal life, it will greatly profit souls . . . more, perhaps, than if she had preached to the whole world. You will be able to save many souls that way.” Our Lord to Sr. Josefa Menendez (1890-1923)
When you awake in the morning, let your first act be to salute My Heart, and to offer Me your own . . . Whoever shall breathe a sigh toward Me from the bottom of his heart when he awakes in the morning and shall ask Me to work all his works in him throughout the day, will draw Me to him . . . For never does a man breathe a sigh of longing aspiration toward Me without drawing Me nearer to him than I was before.” Our Lord to St. Mechtilde (1241-1298)
“It is not merely by praying that souls are saved, but through the actions of even the most ordinary lives lived for God . . . Offer Me everything united to My life on earth.
. . . Offer Me all the crosses of the world. There are so many, and few think of offering them to Me in expiation for sins . . .”Our Lord to Gabrielle Bossis (874-1950)
My prayer for this day:
Here I am Lord. My heart is all “Fiat.” Draw me and hide me in Your Heart. Bathe all my desires, my thoughts, my doings in Your Blood, that united to the beating of Your Most Sacred Heart, they may bear fruit to Your service and Your glory. Even my sighs, embraced by Your Holy Spirit, will flower infinitely beyond the power of the dust and ashes that I am. Amen
Where pray tell is Obama’s conscience? The Anchoress writes: Obama: Your conscience means nothing to me… after seeing the story she knew was coming:
“Taking another step into the abortion debate, the Obama administration today will move to rescind a controversial rule that allows health-care workers to deny abortion counseling or other family planning services if doing so would violate their moral belie, according to administration officials.
It makes me want to cry, while at the same time making me fighting mad, that life and conscience take yet another hit. The hit-man, Obama, means for that to keep happening, day after day, week after week, eating away at our morality. We will be losing bits and pieces of our humanity. Soon, we won’t recognize this country. A lot of Americans are re-thinking Obama, but where to from here? Obama will keep the pressure on. Here’s one man pushing back:
Day4 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 2/28/09
Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians: complete
Day 3 Lite Version
St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians: 8-14
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
From Epistle to Diognetus – chapter 6
To sum up all in one word–what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible.
Day18 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 3/17/09
St. Cyprian on the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): Secs. 1-9
Day 18 Lite Version
St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 1-9
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
Day3 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 2/27/09
St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7
Day 3 Lite Version
St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
What’s So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza.
I took this with me while riding my bike. You can go for miles, all the while wishing you could upload D’Souza directly into your brain. He takes on the atheists, the “brights”, modernists, progressives, Darwinists and sundry hogwash. Great discussion of Galileo and his reformation, the Crusades, the Inquisition and Darwin vs. Darwinism.
Day2 Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan 2/26/09
Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus:1-6
Day 2 Lite Version
Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus: 7-12
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
From the Ordination of Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Paul Mayers reflects with this silent video: What If God Were One of Us?
Prayer in the wee small hours, at Adoration or on the go, what a blessing! Listening and praying with a community at prayer, that’s what DivineOffice.org offers. It’s a banquet that Lent allows, even encourages! It is also good to remember that the Liturgy of the Hours is meant to be prayed aloud and in community.
Dane , the producer, offers free daily inspirational scriptures and prayers. His crew is talented and dedicated to bringing us Divine Office. They are “promoting the tradition of praying always through these ancient treasures of the Church.” This is not a blessing for Catholics only but for all Christians universally.
Lent is here. “There are few better ways to improve your observance of this season then to pray the Liturgy of the Hours as often as your schedule allows,” according to Dane at Divine Office.org. He says, “Instead of laying something down for Lent, you may want to consider taking something up… a renewed and invigorated dedication to prayer.”
“We hope everyone will enjoy these free daily inspirational scriptures and prayers. Listening to psalms in the morning as you start your day or at the conclusion in the evening is a wonderful form of prayer.”Dane
Everyday begins with God’s mercy. Everyday is a new beginning. As we open our eyes on this day, we begin again. As long as we are living and breathing this side of the Judgment, the sun comes up on our second chance.
Lent is the trumpeter sounding before the Final Trumpet of our lives. The noise of cacophony is interrupted with a clarion call “Repent.”
“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time. I heard you, and on the Day of Salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the Day of Salvation.”2 Cor 6:2
The death penalty is being debated in New Mexico. “It’s quite a debate” according to my pastor who finds irony in the fact that this debate rages while the death penalty is in fact “the most common penalty” known to man. “Every single one of us is under a sentence. We are born, so to speak, with a noose around our necks.”
“Our death is an absolute certainty..no second chances, no reincarnation!… ‘Human beings die once, and then the Judgment.’ Hebrews 9:27 ” What our pastor finds absolute madness, “insanity to the highest degree,” is that most people on this “Death March” to the grave, never ever stop to consider their end. “If we die in a state of grace, we shall live for all eternity. If we die in mortal sin, we shall be damned for all eternity.” No do-overs!
“The only guarantee of dying a holy death is living a holy life,” Monsignor Raun concluded.
In Left to Tell, Immaculee Ilibagiza tells her story of the Rwandan genocide. In 1981, many years prior to the Rwandan events( to which the world turned a blind eye,) Our Lady made them known through a series of apparitions (approved by the Church) to seven children, Alphonse, Anathalie, Marie Claire, Agnes, Stephanie and Vestine and Emanuel, a young pagan, known as ‘Sagastasha’ at the time of the revelations.
Approved apparition of Our Lady of Kibeho
In this present day, many of the people who where imprisioned after the genocide are being released and returning home. The time for healing is upon the village people of Rwanda. If this suffering country is to go forward with one heart, a healed and merciful heart, much prayer and forgiveness is needed. Only prayer can win this spiritual battle. A worthy Lenten prayer intention!
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
“Remember, O man, that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return”
A Lenten reflection on “Forgiving the Living” a phrase used by Immaculee Ilibagiza in her own story:
Left To Tell, Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Most of us struggle to forgive, finding it difficult to put aside our bumps and bruises. We savor our wounds as though they give us pleasure. We are a strange lot.
Imagine, if you can, living with the memory of genocide. Not a genocide across the world from you, but surrounding you; a genocide that includes your mother and father, your brothers, friends and all your neighbors in one way or another. Imagine a genocide you can smell and touch and that touches you, that calls your name, hunts you and haunts you.
For thousands in the world today, that is the reality. For one particular soul, Immaculee Ilabigiza, the author of Left to Tell, this reality has sprouted wings. She flies high above her small village in Rwanda living forgiveness, not as a half-hearted effort, but as a mission. A dream, that she believes was given her by God, opened her heart to the world. Her touch is one of grace and healing. Immaculee was left behind to let us know that in order to truly be alive to Life, we can and must forgive by the living grace of God.
Lent is more than reading but reading can set the stage.
My own recommendation is Left To Tell, Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza.
Linking for Lent:
Fr.Raniero Cantalamessa, ofmacp:
Happy Catholic: Julie’s Lenten Reading
The Anchoress: Lenten Reading Suggestions
Day 1 Lenten Reading Plan here.
The Lite version of the Plan
Compiled by Church Year. Net
| 2009 Date | Day in Lenten Fast | Lite Reading |
| 2/25 | 1 | Epistle to Diognetus: 1-6 |
| 2/26 | 2 | Epistle to Diognetus: 7-12 |
| 2/27 | 3 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7 |
| 2/28 | 4 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians: 8-14 |
| 3/2 | 5 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 15-21 |
| 3/3 | 6 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 1-5 |
| 3/4 | 7 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 6-10 |
| 3/5 | 8 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 11-15 |
| 3/6 | 9 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 1-7 |
| 3/7 | 10 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 8-14 |
| 3/9 | 11 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 15-21 |
| 3/10 | 12 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 22-29 |
| 3/11 | 13 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 30-37 |
| 3/12 | 14 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 38-45 |
| 3/13 | 15 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 46-53 |
| 3/14 | 16 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 54-60 |
| 3/16 | 17 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 61-68 |
| 3/17 | 18 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 1-9 |
| 3/18 | 19 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 10-18 |
| 3/19 | 20 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 19-21 |
| 3/20 | 21 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 1-9 |
| 3/21 | 22 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 10-16 |
| 3/23 | 23 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 17-25 |
| 3/24 | 24 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 26-33 |
| 3/25 | 25 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 34-41 |
| 3/26 | 26 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 42-49 |
| 3/27 | 27 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 50-58 |
| 3/28 | 28 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 59-66 |
| 3/30 | 29 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 67-73 |
| 3/31 | 30 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 74-81 |
| 4/1 | 31 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 82-89 |
| 4/2 | 32 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 90-94 |
| 4/3 | 33 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XX |
| 4/4 | 34 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXII |
| 4/6 | 35 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (1-11) |
| 4/7 | 36 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (12-23) |
| 4/8 | 37 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 1-4 |
| 4/9 | 38 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9 |
| 4/10 | 39 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI): complete |
| 4/11 | 40 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon LXXII (On the Lord’s Resurrection): complete |
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
I’m beginning today with a question: How did the first Christians do it?
In a world of propaganda and hype, of relativism and materialism, I ask myself what do I have that can change darkness into Light? In truth, I have what Christians have had from the beginning. I have the Savior of the world. Jesus words after His Resurrection from the dead were:
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Mark16: 15
In effect, go tell My story!
It is more than a story. It is power. It is the single most important act in all of human history with eternal consequences. The world has run after other gods. I have run after other gods. That’s not the end of the story though.
Tomorrow begins Lent. For myself, I’m resolved to tell the story everyday of Lent. Lent will change me and then the world. Like the first Christians, we must begin by telling the story of Jesus’ death on the Cross and His Resurrection from the dead. Proclaim it!
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John3:16–18
Paul told us we don’t need to be polished and eloquent. To the Corinthian Greeks, Paul writes, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
That is my story. I’m resolved to tell it today.
Update: O HappyDay:
Procession of the Cross
The Candidate for the Sacred Priesthood – Jeffrey Neil Steenson
Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Calling and Presentation of the Candidate for the Priesthood Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Prostration and Litany of the Saints
Ordained and Invested
Kiss of Peace
Greeting by Rev. Fr. Scott Mansield
Presentation of the Gifts by the Steenson Family
Eucharist
A Few Words
Recessional – Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Recessional and Blessing by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Thanks Be To God!
As celebrations for Mardi Gras are well underway, my thought is obvious. For God’s sake and ours, there’s got to be a better way. The Divine Office for today includes this from the Office of Readings:
“I thought to myself, ‘Very well, I will try pleasure and see what enjoyment has to offer.’ And there it was: vanity again! This laughter, I reflected, is a madness, this pleasure no use at all. I resolved to have my body cheered with wine, my heart still devoted to wisdom; I resolved to embrace folly to see what made mankind happy, and what men do under heaven in the few days they have to live.”
My reflections then turned to wisdom, stupidity, folly. For instance, what can the successor of a king do? What has been done already. More is to be had from wisdom than from folly, as from light than from darkness; this, of course, I see:” Ecclesiastes 2:1-3
“The wise man sees ahead,the fool walks in the dark.” Ecclesiastes 2:14
The Church Fathers showed the Church the way though centuries of attack and heresy. They speak loudly today as the world speaks heretically louder than ever. Now the attacks on the Church and Truth are both more blatant and more subtle. So ready, set, go! Take on the liars for Lent!
For the “wise man” looking forward to this time of new submission, here’s the ticket!
Compiled by Church Year. Net
| 2009 Date | Day in Lenten Fast | Lite Reading |
| 2/25 | 1 | Epistle to Diognetus: 1-6 |
| 2/26 | 2 | Epistle to Diognetus: 7-12 |
| 2/27 | 3 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 1-7 |
| 2/28 | 4 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter to the Ephesians: 8-14 |
| 3/2 | 5 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Ephesians: 15-21 |
| 3/3 | 6 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 1-5 |
| 3/4 | 7 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 6-10 |
| 3/5 | 8 | St. Ignatius of Antioch: Letter To the Magnesians: 11-15 |
| 3/6 | 9 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 1-7 |
| 3/7 | 10 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 8-14 |
| 3/9 | 11 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 15-21 |
| 3/10 | 12 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 22-29 |
| 3/11 | 13 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 30-37 |
| 3/12 | 14 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 38-45 |
| 3/13 | 15 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 46-53 |
| 3/14 | 16 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 54-60 |
| 3/16 | 17 | St. Justin Martyr: First Apology: 61-68 |
| 3/17 | 18 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 1-9 |
| 3/18 | 19 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 10-18 |
| 3/19 | 20 | St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church (Treatise I): 19-21 |
| 3/20 | 21 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 1-9 |
| 3/21 | 22 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 10-16 |
| 3/23 | 23 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 17-25 |
| 3/24 | 24 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 26-33 |
| 3/25 | 25 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 34-41 |
| 3/26 | 26 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 42-49 |
| 3/27 | 27 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 50-58 |
| 3/28 | 28 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 59-66 |
| 3/30 | 29 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 67-73 |
| 3/31 | 30 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 74-81 |
| 4/1 | 31 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 82-89 |
| 4/2 | 32 | St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: 90-94 |
| 4/3 | 33 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XX |
| 4/4 | 34 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXII |
| 4/6 | 35 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (1-11) |
| 4/7 | 36 | St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII (12-23) |
| 4/8 | 37 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 1-4 |
| 4/9 | 38 | St. Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 5-9 |
| 4/10 | 39 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI): complete |
| 4/11 | 40 | St. Leo the Great: Sermon LXXII (On the Lord’s Resurrection): complete |
Printer-Friendly Version of Outline: Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan PDF
There is also a heavy duty version of the plan: Complete Version : Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan: With Texts
The Anchoress is right on. This is cool indeed! A priest with a heart for the poor brings doodling celebs into the picture to do good with their pictures. The big bucks their art brings are really great when they’re turned into loaves and fish.
My God, I believe and I adore You. Be ever before the eyes of my heart and mind that I may see You in all circumstances and look for You in those I meet today. I place Your blood over my heart, before my lips and around my mind as I pray and before I venture forth into this day. May Your good angels, and Your saints assist me, especially in drawing my thoughts to You. Be glorified, My Love, in the Church, in the world and in me.
And they all said…….AMEN!
Particular to this day: May I remember that it’s Sunday and spend lots of time with You. Amen
THE ORDINATION OF JEFFREY NEILL STEENSON TO THE SACRED PRIESTHOOD
SATURDAY,THE TWENTY-FIRST OF FEBRUARY,TWO THOUSAND AND NINE
At SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS CATHOLIC CHURCH, RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO
Procession of the Cross
The Candidate for the Sacred Priesthood – Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Calling and Presentation of the Candidate for the Priesthood Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Prostration and Litany of the Saints
Ordained and Invested
Kiss of Peace
Greeting by Rev. Fr. Scott Mansield
Presentation of the Gifts by the Steenson Family
Eucharist
A Few Words
Recessional – Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Neill Steenson
Recessional and Blessing by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Thanks Be To God!
The Joy of a Good Conscience (Bk2,Chap6):
Into Stillness 