You may have noticed over the past couple of weeks that the readings are clearly focused on the end of time. John has taken great pains to describe visions that he is seen about the next life in the next world. In the midst of all of this, perhaps the most important observation that John makes is the vision of a new heavens and a new earth. The reason I think that this is so important for us, is that all too often in our lives there are too many instances where we see things that are falling apart. I am not talking simply about physical things, although certainly watching someone age, and experience the inevitable hardships that come with growing older, is certainly quite important.
No, I am referring in so many ways to what we encounter time and time again in our world, throughout all ages of history. It’s not difficult to become overwhelmed by those things that we see occurring in our world. It’s sad in so many ways, that the things that human beings have been struggling with in terms of sin are still in our midst. People still do not get along, we still not learn to share, there are times are we treat people differently for very superficial reasons like the color of their skin, and the world is increasingly becoming a place of great disparity financially and otherwise.
If this is all there is, then indeed we are the saddest of peoples. About is not to suggest that life is miserable. I feel like I’m a pretty happy person. Perhaps you do too. But these events should remind us to focus our attention on the person of God who calls us to this new and extraordinary life. In the Psalms, God tells us that he is doing something new. In today’s reading John sees a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. And certainly the resurrection of Jesus changed everything about what it meant to be a follower of God. There was something far more important to hope for and to hope in because Jesus extends to each of us this tremendous gift of unending and eternal life.
It is important to remember that this newness occurs whether we see it or not. And so, it should be some comfort and consolation to those who may not feel that there is much new, or who may not see much new in their lives, to know that God continues to do these things, even when we are unaware.
source: http://www.deporres.net/category/daily-homily/
PRACTICAL THEOLOGY: New from Ignatius Press
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 18, 2014) St. Thomas Aquinas' theoretical and philosophical brilliance were evident in his writings, particularly his masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae. Aquinas also provided personal and practical wisdom in his highly acclaimed work. In his new book, PRACTICAL THEOLOGY: Spiritual Direction From St. Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Peter Kreeft provides 359 pieces of wisdom from the Summa Theologiae, which, Kreeft says, "are literally more valuable than all the kingdoms of this world because they will help you to attain "the one thing needful," or "the greatest good," the ultimate end and purpose and meaning of life.
Kreeft's book is unlike any other on Aquinas in that it provides the most practical analysis of the Summa Theologiae ever written. Aquinas had a reputation as an absent-minded professor, but he provided practical, personal and functional advice that helped his followers, including Kreeft, in their quest for sanity, happiness and union with God.
The 359 gold nuggets Kreeft selected helped him in the struggles of real life, to live in the real world and to grow closer to the Lord. He hopes they do the same for his readers. After each passage directly from Aquinas, Kreeft provides brief spiritual commentary to help explain it and apply it practical, personal, existential, "livable" thoughts.
Kreeft, who is an expert on Aquinas, has framed these readings as answers to questions that people actually ask their spiritual directors. Each answer is taken word for word from Aquinas.
Among the many topics Aquinas and Kreeft cover in PRACTICAL THEOLOGY include:
- The problem of evil
- Interpreting the Bible
- Love vs. knowledge
- Reconciling justice and mercy
- Human freedom and divine grace
- Angels and demons
- The need for theology
- Predestination and free will
- Three kinds of goods
"Peter Kreeft's writings fall into the category of true genius, and this work, PRACTICAL THEOLOGY, may be his opus," says Dan Burke, executive director, of the National Catholic Register. "Not only does Dr. Kreeft make Aquinas" thought more accessible, but he does so in what I believe to be Aquinas" most important gift to the Church, the revelation of truth illumining the path to union with God. If this path isn't quite clear to you, this is the book for you."
More Catholic books.
Stay Grateful, Stay in the Light
I do not know if you have noticed on Facebook, but there is an increasing number of people who are being challenged to be grateful. I have seen three day challenges, seven day challenges and even thirty day challenges. The idea is that for three, seven or thirty consecutive days a person who accepts the challenge is supposed to publicly post on Facebook what they are
grateful for, so that these things are not taken for granted.
I have heard that people who are grateful for things are healthier, and I know that when things are not going so well I do try to identify those things for which I am very grateful. It tends to turn my attention away from my troubles toward blessings I have in my life.
Taking the time to reflect upon those things for which we are grateful is a profitable exercise. It keeps us from taking things for granted. It keeps us from wallowing too much in the negative in life, to focus on what we have, rather than upon what we do not have.
It is interesting that not having what we want or wanting what we do not have is a tremendous cause of suffering in Buddhism. and is something we should strive to overcome. I have even tried to identify how negative things in my life can be things for which I am grateful. A setback at work can be turned into something positive when we express gratitude for having a job. Negative experiences can become positive simply in the way they can help us realize that even in our darkest hour we can find the positive light that gives us hope.
source: http://www.deporres.net/category/daily-homily/
grateful for, so that these things are not taken for granted.
I have heard that people who are grateful for things are healthier, and I know that when things are not going so well I do try to identify those things for which I am very grateful. It tends to turn my attention away from my troubles toward blessings I have in my life.
Taking the time to reflect upon those things for which we are grateful is a profitable exercise. It keeps us from taking things for granted. It keeps us from wallowing too much in the negative in life, to focus on what we have, rather than upon what we do not have.
It is interesting that not having what we want or wanting what we do not have is a tremendous cause of suffering in Buddhism. and is something we should strive to overcome. I have even tried to identify how negative things in my life can be things for which I am grateful. A setback at work can be turned into something positive when we express gratitude for having a job. Negative experiences can become positive simply in the way they can help us realize that even in our darkest hour we can find the positive light that gives us hope.
source: http://www.deporres.net/category/daily-homily/
Catholic Treasury of Prayers and Devotions: Kindle Edition
This treasury of prayers, now released on Kindle, will help you go to the Lord with courage and pray to receive God's grace.
Sometimes, the Pope said of prayers and devotions, one goes to the Lord "to ask something for someone;" one asks for a favor and then goes away. "But that," he warned, "is not prayer," because if "you want the Lord to bestow a grace, you have to go with courage and do what Abraham did, with that sort of tenacity."
This comprehensive treasury of Catholic prayer includes everyday prayers, devotionals, how to pray the rosary, litanies, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic prayers, prayers to prepare for confession, prayers to the saints, Marian prayers, family prayers, and more.
From Saint Benedict Press: Prepare the Way
Celebrating the Return of a Timeless Classic: The Beloved Queen of Apostles Prayer Book
Pauline Books & Media and the Daughters of St. Paul are pleased to announce the return of Queen of Apostles Prayer Book, a beloved classic in a soft leatherette gift edition. A favorite for more than fifty years, this treasured prayer companion with time-honored devotions including the Angelus, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Rosary, and now Mary, Untier of Knots is a comprehensive resource for daily prayer and meditation. 
Come home again to the richness of traditional Catholic prayers offered in this warm honey-brown gift edition. The handsome treasury reunites you with classic prayers accented with lovely religious art from the masters—a beautiful family heirloom to enjoy and hand down through generations. The updated version of this perennial favorite includes:
* Daily Prayers
* Prayers to the Holy Trinity
* Eucharistic Devotions
* Prayers to Our Lady
* Prayers to the Saints
* Seasonal Prayers
"It is my hope that the Queen of Apostles Prayer Book will inspire all who use it with a deep trust in the power of prayer, and that they will find encouragement and consolation in times of difficulty," says Pauline Books & Media Publisher Mary Mark Wickenhiser, FSP, compiler and editor of Queen of Apostles Prayer Book.
Queen Of Apostles Prayerbook
The Pope App: Check It out Today
Be sure to check out the Pope App, powered by news.va, which is run by the Pontifical Council for Social Communication.
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Pope Francis is bringing openness and humility to the Vatican | The Australian
It was 8.22pm on March 13, 2013 and in the square, the phones and tablets flashed in the dark like twinkling stars. The Francis era of the Roman Catholic Church began with a buona sera (“good evening”), spoken shyly but firmly into the microphone. In fluent Italian, Pope Francis joked that “my brother cardinals have gone to the ends of the Earth” in order to “give Rome a bishop”, asked for prayers for “our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI” and led the world in reciting an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be.
Read more.
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Abide, a New Prayer App That Wants to Connect You With God - Aleteia
It's probably safe to say that far more Catholics nowadays carry a smart phone around with them than a prayer book. And although there are many ways to access prayer websites on your phone, it's also safe to say that for many people, new technology has provided so much distraction that prayer time suffers.
There's a new app being launched today that promises to teach people to pray better, facilitate group prayer among people connecting with one another through digital devices, and spur people to spend more and better time in prayer, yes, without their cell phones around.
Read more.
There's a new app being launched today that promises to teach people to pray better, facilitate group prayer among people connecting with one another through digital devices, and spur people to spend more and better time in prayer, yes, without their cell phones around.
Read more.
Vatican astronomer, Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno wins Carl Sagan Medal
Michigan-bred Vatican astronomer and Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno will become the first clergyman awarded one of planetary science's most prestigious awards, when on Thursday in Arizona he receives the Carl Sagan Medal.
And then Consolmagno, for two decades the curator of the Vatican's meteorite collection, plans to head to metro Detroit where he grew up. He has a bittersweet assignment here: to retrieve and return to the Vatican three meteorites he loaned the Cranbrook Institute of Science in 2002.
And then Consolmagno, for two decades the curator of the Vatican's meteorite collection, plans to head to metro Detroit where he grew up. He has a bittersweet assignment here: to retrieve and return to the Vatican three meteorites he loaned the Cranbrook Institute of Science in 2002.
Pope Francis Hails John Paul II Role in Fall of Berlin Wall
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has hailed St. Pope John Paul II's role in the fall of the Berlin Wall and urged people to build bridges by opening hearts.
Francis marked the 25th anniversary Sunday of the destruction of the wall symbolizing the Cold War by appealing to all those of good will to foster a "culture of coming together" to bring down all barriers still dividing the world.
Greeting people in St. Peter's Square, he paid tribute to those who worked for the Berlin Wall's end, including those paying with their lives. John Paul II's championing of the Solidarity union in his native Poland is credited with helping bring the demise of Soviet bloc communism.
Pope Francis Hails John Paul II Role in Fall of Berlin Wall
Francis marked the 25th anniversary Sunday of the destruction of the wall symbolizing the Cold War by appealing to all those of good will to foster a "culture of coming together" to bring down all barriers still dividing the world.
Greeting people in St. Peter's Square, he paid tribute to those who worked for the Berlin Wall's end, including those paying with their lives. John Paul II's championing of the Solidarity union in his native Poland is credited with helping bring the demise of Soviet bloc communism.
Pope Francis Hails John Paul II Role in Fall of Berlin Wall
Pope mulls removing Catholic church charges for marriage annulments | CTV News
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced the hardships Catholics can face when seeking marriage annulments, revealing he once fired an official who tried to charge thousands of dollars for one.
Francis told participants at a Vatican course for officials dealing with annulments that as bishop of Buenos Aires, he was dismayed to learn that some faithful needed to travel hundreds of kilometres (miles) and lose days of work to reach church tribunals.
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/pope-mulls-removing-catholic-church-charges-for-marriage-annulments-1.2088123#ixzz3IUQYL2qF
Raleigh seminarian’s letter to Brittany Maynard
Last week I came across the heartbreaking story of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer one year after her wedding. When doctors suggested that she might only have six months to live, she and her family moved from California to Oregon in order to obtain the prescriptions necessary for doctor-assisted euthanasia. She is devoting her last days to fundraising and lobbying for an organization dedicated to expanding the legality of assisted suicide to other States.
Brittany’s story really hit home, as I was diagnosed with a very similar incurable brain cancer in 2008 at the age of twenty-four. After years of terrible headaches and misdiagnosis, my Grade III brain cancer (Anaplastic Astrocytoma) proved to be inoperable due to its location. Most studies state that the median survival time for this type of cancer is eighteen months, even with aggressive radiation and chemotherapy. I was beginning an exciting career as a naval officer with my entire life ahead of me. I had so many hopes and dreams, and in an instant they all seemed to be crushed. As Brittany said in her online video, “being told you have that kind of timeline still feels like you’re going to die tomorrow.”
I was diagnosed during my second Navy deployment to the Northern Arabian Gulf. After many seizures, the ship’s doctor sent me to the naval hospital on the Persian Gulf island nation of Bahrain, where my brain tumor was discovered. I remember the moment I saw the computer images of the brain scans – I went to the Catholic chapel on base and fell to the floor in tears. I asked God, “why me?” The next day, I flew home to the United States to begin urgent treatment. A few months after radiation and chemotherapy, I was discharged from the Navy and began formation for the Roman Catholic priesthood, a vocation to which I have felt called since I was nineteen years old. Despite all of the hardships and delays in my training and formation over the past six years, I hope to be ordained to the transitional diaconate this Spring and to the priesthood one year later.
Read more.
Brittany’s story really hit home, as I was diagnosed with a very similar incurable brain cancer in 2008 at the age of twenty-four. After years of terrible headaches and misdiagnosis, my Grade III brain cancer (Anaplastic Astrocytoma) proved to be inoperable due to its location. Most studies state that the median survival time for this type of cancer is eighteen months, even with aggressive radiation and chemotherapy. I was beginning an exciting career as a naval officer with my entire life ahead of me. I had so many hopes and dreams, and in an instant they all seemed to be crushed. As Brittany said in her online video, “being told you have that kind of timeline still feels like you’re going to die tomorrow.”
I was diagnosed during my second Navy deployment to the Northern Arabian Gulf. After many seizures, the ship’s doctor sent me to the naval hospital on the Persian Gulf island nation of Bahrain, where my brain tumor was discovered. I remember the moment I saw the computer images of the brain scans – I went to the Catholic chapel on base and fell to the floor in tears. I asked God, “why me?” The next day, I flew home to the United States to begin urgent treatment. A few months after radiation and chemotherapy, I was discharged from the Navy and began formation for the Roman Catholic priesthood, a vocation to which I have felt called since I was nineteen years old. Despite all of the hardships and delays in my training and formation over the past six years, I hope to be ordained to the transitional diaconate this Spring and to the priesthood one year later.
Read more.
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