Sunday, February 26, 2012

Religious Liberties Homily by Fr. Maletta

This Homily addressed how President Obama is threatening our Religious Freedom and declaring war with the Catholic Church. Please take a few moments to listen. No one sums it up quite like Father Maletta.
February 5, 2012
St. John the Evangelist Parish
St. John, Indiana, USA
 
My friend Joann shared this with me.  Thank you Joann!




 

 

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Consecration to Jesus, Through Mary

 

What is the basis for this total Consecration? 

 St. Louis de Montfort recognized that at its very foundation Christian life is nothing less than a participation in the life of Jesus Christ.  Through baptism we belong completely to Christ and holiness, therefore, is the common vocation of all Christians.

The spirituality of total consecration that Montfort proposes bases itself in this reality which is the central mystery of Christianity – by means of his Incarnation and Cross, Jesus Christ has saved us and has made us true children of God the Father, filled with his Holy

 Spirit.  This is to say, Jesus, the Son of God the Father has shared in our human condition in every way so that we may be given a sharing in his Divine life.  This sharing of Jesus is not a partial sharing, but a complete sharing.  He has given himself to us even to the point of sharing our dying so that we may share in everything with him.

This sharing includes his relation with Mary because he who is truly the Son of the Almighty Father is also the son of Mary.  Furthermore, because Jesus has given himself completely to us through Mary, those who wish to give themselves completely to Christ must do the same.  Through Mary salvation came into our world and through Mary we can experience the fullness of this same salvation which is nothing less than a total sharing, a profound participation, in the life of Jesus Christ.  In the words of Louis de Montfort, no one can truly be a child of God the Father without also being a child of Mary.  Info made possible by montfortspirituality.org.
If you wish to make this act of Consecration, use this link:  Consecration to Jesus through Mary.

My Consecration

I made my Act of Total Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 2009, according to the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort. The priest who witnessed my consecration was Fr. Coultier.  With each year that passes, my love of Lord increases as my relationship with Jesus' mother, and mine grows more intimate.
I began my preparation to renew my consecration on Monday and today is day 3.  As I read each day, I plan to share any widom that resonates with me, throughout this Lenten season and my personal time of preparation.  In the past I have used different texts to prepare; this year I am using  TAN Classics: True Devotion to Mary with Preparation for Total Consecration.

Day 3 Wisdom

“For there a man makes great progress and merits greater grace where he overcomes himself more and mortifies himself in spirit.  But all men have not equal difficulties to overcome and mortify.  Yet he that is diligent and zealous, although he may have more passions to fight against, will be able to make a greater progress than another who has fewer passions but is withal less fervent in the pursuit of virtue…  It is a greater task to resist vices and passions than to toil at bodily labors. He that does not shun small defects by little and little falls into greater.  The greater violence thou offerest to thyself the greater progress thou shalt make.

To advance in virtue we must overcome and renounce ourselves in all things and die to the insatiable desires of our heart.  It is certain that we can merit in the service of God only in proportion as we do violence to ourselves.  Wherefore, let us fight against and subdue the irregular inclinations which allure us to sin or to relaxation of our fervor; by this means we shall secure our salvation.  A vigorous, constant, and generous effort to overcome ourselves, forwards us more in the ways of perfection…  The more we die to ourselves, the more we live to God; and the more we refuse to gratify ourselves, so much the more do we please Him.  How delightful must the life of that Christian be whose desires are so regulated that his chief happiness is in denying himself, and pleasing God!  How sure a means of obtaining a happy eternity!”

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Child's Prayer of Surrender


Our children, before they receive their First Holy Communion, have been given the opportunity to surrender their lives to Jesus.  When they make their commitment, on their own volition, I print the attached commitment card out for them to sign and then frame, in a picture frame to place in their bedroom.

I love this prayer and re-commit myself as often as I remember.


Dear Lord Jesus,
Please come into my heart, and be the Lord of MY LIFE.  
Be my God and my Savior.
Please send me your Holy Spirit to make me your disciple.
Thank you for giving up your life for me.  
Now I give my life to you.


Here is the template I use this form - Conversion Prayer Commitment

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Candlemas - The Presentation of the Lord



 

The Presentation of The Lord:

Forty days ago, we celebrated the feast of Christmas, the birth of Jesus.  According to the law of Moses, at the time of Christ's birth, for forty days after the birth of her son, a woman was excluded from public worship.  Then on the fortieth day, she would bring an offering of thanksgiving and praise to God for the safe birth of the child...  When Mary and Joseph went to the temple for purification, they took the child Jesus to be "consecrated to the Lord," and they offered a pair of turtledoves , the offering of the poor.  The were careful to observe all that the law required.  In the temple, they encounter Simeon, to whom the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would not see death until he had set eyes on  the Christ of the Lord.
Jesus is the light for all to see.  His coming brought light, and as Christians, we are called to carry and share the light of Christ with others.  (info from Saints and Feast Days, Sisters of Notre Dame)

Our Tradition:

Our family celebrates this beautiful feast day, a day of light, by reading the Gospel, Luke 2:22-40, and discuss it at breakfast (we read the daily Gospel every morning at breakfast). 
For afternoon "Snack and Bible", I read the summary from Saints and Feast Days: Lives of the Saints: with a Calendar and Ways to Celebrate and then the children perform a short skit that I created based on the Gospel, each playing a different part, as we run through it several times.  They love to perform skits!  We then attend the Holy Mass, celebrating the true light!  Mass starts with a candle blessing, each child has a candle to hold and Father blesses the candles.  The candles are then lit and we process to our seats.  It is beautiful.  
We are invited to take these candles home and light them for family prayer, rosary, and for any time we feel inspired to light them (storms, special intentions, etc.)
I have attached the skit that we perform.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Children's Rule of Life - Morning Routine


Children's Rule of Life - Morning Routine
Each of my children is learning to follow their own rule.  I have attached a copy of their morning rule.  When they have completed the items on their morning rule, they are welcome to join us for breakfast.  This, as with everything, is a work in progress.
Child's Rule - Morning