Holy Spirit stained glass window by Bernini, St. Peter's basilica, the Vatican

With Pentecost coming upon us this Sunday, a number of Catholic bloggers are writing posts related to the Holy Spirit that are very interesting and informative.  Rather than write one myself on a particular topic, I’m linking to the ones I’ve found useful and hope you might like them, too.

Joe Heschmeyer wrote a post, The Charismatic Movement and the Catholic Church at Shameless Popery, a blog he and Father Andrew Strobl write.  This deals with something I hadn’t heard of before: the “continuationist” and “cessationist” view of the Catholic Church, tongues, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

Also at Shameless Popery Heschmeyer wrote The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What They Are and How to Use Them in which I learned the difference between the Pentecostal interpretation of the Gifts and the Catholic viewpoint.  It comes down to gifts God gives to every baptized Christian and gifts He bestows on individuals.  I like how he brought up that the sacrament of Confirmation completes the gifts of the Holy Spirit we originally received at Baptism. Very interesting.

Reginaldus at The New Theological Movement wrote You’re not speaking in tongues, you’re just mumbling.  This is not a put down of the Charismatic movement but an explanation of several Bible verses that have been misused or misunderstood regarding speaking in tongues and what “speaking in tongues” really means.

Could Jesus speak in tongues? is Reginaldus’s answer to a question that never occurred to me but provides deeper understanding of this charism.

Hardened Hearts and Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit by Mary at The Beautiful Gate deals with a topic I’ve meditated on over the years.

In view of the tendency of many Christians today to claim that God would not be so “mean” as to condemn angels and saints to hell forever and that somehow after death you can have a second chance, a correct understanding of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s assurance that it is the only sin that can’t be forgiven in this world or the next logically shows that hell is eternal for all who go there. This should be a strong motivation to give up sin, to avoid the near occasions of sin, and to live the Two Great Commandments, keeping our eye on the prize.

This is a great prayer to the Holy Spirit – one that will keep us from blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: Psalm 19: 14: Cleanse me from my unknown faults!  From wanton sin expecially restrain Thy servant; let it not rule over me.

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V. Praised be Jesus Christ!

R. Now and forever. Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Last night Missouri was hit by the worst tornado in its recorded history.  A funnel ¾ of a mile wide and six miles long tore through Joplin, ripping the roof off St. John’s hospital, blowing out its windows, and piling up mashed cars three deep.  A 300 lb. man was sucked out a hospital window.  X-rays were found in backyards of Springfield, Bolivar and Willard, all towns about an hour or so away from the scene. Large trees were twisted and shredded and steel beams took the shape of pretzels.  At least 90 people have died in this storm and entire neighborhoods destroyed.  Rangeline, the main drag, is unrecognizable.

St. Michael the Archangel Defeats Satan

We live in southwest Missouri in a house of less than 800 square feet.  We have no place to go on our property should we encounter such a storm.  All we can do is pray for God’s protection in these times.  Fortunately, the system that devastated so much of this area skirted the small town we live in, but I assure you I was asking God to send plenty of angels to guard us.  And not those effeminate looking ones depicted everywhere.  We needed St. Michael’s mighty muscle and we got it.

Perhaps most remarkable last evening was something that happened between the two major storms that passed through.  I looked up to see a strange pale yellow orange light through the window.  It was as if someone had put a colored filter in front of a camera lens.  Roger and I went outside to discover that the entire world was bathed in that light.  The sky from the north and west was full of this soft color and it affected everything it touched.  I’ve only seen this phenomenon a couple of other times and it’s always been evening storm related.  Amid the destruction great beauty shone.

Today I’ve tried to reach friends that live just a few miles south of Joplin but the phone calls won’t go through.  Many cell towers are down and land lines have been affected.  I will keep trying.

With last evening’s events fresh in my mind, I was struck by today’s Lauds psalm 28:7-9  where we pray:

The voice of the Lord strikes fiery flames; the voice of the Lord shakes the desert, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Cades.  The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests, and in his temple all say “Glory!”

God did plenty of that yesterday.  When will all men glorify Him?

The next reading was 1 Chron. 29:10-13:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of Israel, our father from eternity to eternity.  Thine, O Lord, is magnificence, and power, and glory, and victory: and to Thee is praise.  For all that is in heaven and in earth is Thine.  Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art above all princes.

Thine are riches, and Thine is glory: Thou hast dominion over all. In Thy hand is power and might: in Thy hand greatmess, and the empire of all things.

Now therefore, our God, we give thanks to Thee: and we praise Thy glorious name.

We often forget that everything belongs to God.  Even things we make, plant, or raise, because none of it can be done without His power.  Our conceit seems to know no end in today’s world.

I believe that God is visiting chastisements like these upon all the earth to wake us up.  Or rather, His permissive will is holding back very little of what He has set in motion because, as the conversation went between God and Abraham over Sodom, we have not enough just men among us. I wrote about God’s permissive will in Lent, the “Why?” of Suffering, and the Japanese Tragedy.

The state of the world today is why I personally am often praying Bible verses like the ones here and in my Three Favorite Scripture Verses, along with the ending of the Divine Mercy chaplet.  I believe God is not calling just me, but as many as will do so, to keep Him first and foremost in thought, word, and deed, praising Him.  This is the right relationship we must see restored for the good of man.

Remember the many people who started attending church after 9/11?  A lot of them quit after awhile.  Meanwhile, the good  along with the bad suffer, and we know that we do not know the day or the hour of our passing so we must always be ready.

Please pray for those who died or were injured in last night’s storm, and for consolation for their families.  May conversions result from this tragedy. Rescue efforts continue in Joplin where 50% of the area is ruined.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

This past Divine Mercy Sunday is a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life.  Not just because of the beatification of Pope John Paul II, either.

While we were pleading for God’s mercy on the whole world, Navy SEALS pulled a job as expertly as any Israeli force and as gutsy.  In forty minutes Osama bin Laden was dead in Pakistan and shortly thereafter buried at sea.

I am very, very proud of our SEALS. They train for this kind of work daily.  And all over the world jihadist leaders got a strong message: No matter who you are or where you try to hide, eventually we will get you if you attack this country.

As for bin Laden, I prayed for his soul even though I didn’t much want to.  I only did it because Jesus died for him, too, and it is sad that he never opened himself up to know Our Lord.

The mercy God showed us by allowing his death is an incentive to keep praying for the end of wars, the conversion of sinners – including ourselves, and to continue to plead for God’s mercy on the world.  What mercy God may have shown bin Laden we cannot know.  But his death is a lesson to us to live the Gospel and always be prepared to meet Jesus as we surely will the moment our soul leaves the body.

For myself, I felt relief and gratitude to God first, and second, to our fine military. For awhile Al Qaeda will be in confusion, making attacks by them more difficult.  In the never ending war between the Palestinians and Jews, the terrorists have lost an icon of militancy.  As for the United States, now is a time for increased vigilance by the ordinary man, living in ordinary neighborhoods.  Revenge is a key component of jihadists everywhere and no doubt jihadists are in our midst.  Just look at Ft. Hood.

For the Christians living in Muslim dominated lands, we must pray that they remain steadfast in the faith and if God wills it, to continue to suffer martyrdom for the sake of Jesus.  This, too, is a cause to plead for Divine Mercy, especially on them.

Islam is the enemy of all mankind and the enemy of God Himself.  It thrives on death, destruction, violence and lies.  For now, at least, let us rejoice and glorify God that one terrorist leader can do no more harm.  Let us also pray that the families who lost loved ones on 9-11 will find some measure of peace.  The architect of that day is dead.

With the victory over bin Laden fresh in my mind, as I prayed Lauds from the Divine Office Monday morning these psalm verses jumped out at me:

Psalm 46

All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness,

For the Lord, the Most High, the awesome is the great king over all the earth…

For king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations, God sits upon His holy throne…

For God’s are the guardians of the earth; He is supreme.

Psalm 28

Give to the Lord, you sons of God, give to the Lord glory and praise.

Give to the Lord the glory due His name; adore the Lord in holy attire.

The Lord is enthroned above the flood; the Lord is enthroned as king forever.

May the Lord give strength to His people; may the Lord bless His people with peace!

Canticle of David (1 Par. 29)

Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our Father, from eternity to eternity.

Yours, O Lord, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor and glory.

For all in heaven and on earth is Yours; Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; Yours the prince supreme over all.

Riches and honor are from You; You govern all things.

In Your hand are power and might; Yours it is to give everything grandeur and strength.

And now, our God, we give You thanks and we praise the majesty of Your name.

Psalm 116

Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify Him, all you peoples!

For steadfast is His kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome to Sunday Snippets, a meme hosted by RAnn at This That and the Other Thing where bloggers get together to share posts from the past week.

This week I posted random thoughts on A Clean Heart Create in Me, O God.

Sabbath Moments mentions a few blessed moments of the past week.

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 64 is where I post reflections on that psalm.

Today is Laetare Sunday, one of the two Sundays of the year when celebrants may wear rose vestments.  Here is a true rose chasuble from the Saint Bede Studio in Australia.  Maybe you know a priest who would like to have a set made by this most able company.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

Jenny at Just a Minute hosts this meme.  I invite you to visit her to read other reflections on this Psalm.

The prayer of Psalm 64 could easily have been the words of Christ to His Father as He went about His public life.  They are easily the words of the contemporary Christians who seek to live the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes in daily life.  Nothing is more insidious than the sneaky, underhanded, malicious person who plots in secret to undermine the work of the Lord.

Father Paschal Botz, O.S.B. writes:

Couched in ancient images, the Psalm describes a modern situation: the ruthless intrigues of the wicked and God’s answer to the complaints of the righteous. In Old Testament times, the pattern of prayer includes cries for help, then details of the foes’ evil-doing, the self-defense of the sinner, God’s intervention for justice, and the joyful proclamation of the just man and assembly.  It seems that here the innocent man has to defend himself against planned evil, and in desperation he calls on God for protection.  Personal enemies attack him, not with real weapons, but with poisonous tongues that are worse than arrows and swords, with hidden malice more dangerous than open warfare.

God repays in kind.  He defeats the subtle plans and lays bare the stupidity of all evil plots for all men to see.  God’s work is so sudden that men must fear.  Divine wisdom is never at a loss against the deep thoughts of man. “Who can see us?”  This short-sighted question is for God to answer.  He tears away the mask of human cunning and deceit and makes an example of evil intent.  When “all men will fear,” His triumph puts to rest the concerns of the just.

vs. 2-7 Hear, O God, my voice in my lament; from the dread enemy preserve my life.  Shelter me against the council of malefactors, against the tumult of evildoers, who sharpen their tongues like swords, who aim like arrows their bitter words, shooting from ambush at the innocent man, suddenly shooting at him without fear.  They resolve on their wicked plan; they conspire to set snares, saying, “Who will see us?”  They devise a wicked scheme and conceal the scheme they have devised; deep are the thoughts of each heart. [As the pitched battle between good and evil accelerates in our times, we cannot help but see that nothing new is under the sun.  Man has not changed.  The greatest damage done to others has always been with the tongue to start, and today the only escape from the lies, half-truths, and deceit planned in darkness is to restrict our reception of television, internet and radio in our lives while devoting more time to prayer and praising God. Hearing and seeing the "bitter words" disturbs our peace of mind and can lead us into sin.  Unless we are called by vocation to enter the conflict, are we not better off praying for deliverance for all mankind from these evils and faithfully going about our daily duties?

Jesus said, "For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and defile a man" (Mark 7: 21-23).  God knows our hearts and will render to each of us our just desserts. ]

vs. 8-11 But God shoots his arrows at them; suddenly they are struck. He brings them down by their own tongues; all who see them nod their heads.  And all men fear and proclaim the work of God, and ponder what He has done.  The just man is glad in the Lord and takes refuge in Him; in Him glory all the upright of heart. [Sometimes we fall into thinking that we have to do something about the chaos and contention in this world by physically intervening.  For some that may be true, but for most of us, prayer and kindness to those we meet is what God is calling us to do. He will shoot the arrows of His choosing at the rabble rousers.  He is all-powerful and in His light their darkness will be revealed. The liars and deceivers convict themselves out of their own mouths.  We must always keep in mind that God and truth cannot be overcome.  We can rejoice in Him who cares for us, taking refuge under His powerful wings.

Lord, when I am anxious about the state of the world and of our country, remind me that You are in charge.  Give me the right prayers to say.  Do not allow me to sin by returning evil for evil, but rather give me the strength to do the duties You have given me.  Let me find peace and joy in You, and trust in Your goodness, justice, and power.]

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary

Every now and then, a scripture passage grabs ahold of me and won’t let go.  All during Lent the Magnificat antiphon for weekdays, absent a particular feast, haunts my mind.  I find myself contemplating it at odd times and places.  It seems a perfect fit to introduce Mary’s beautiful prayer at Vespers – she was the most clean of heart of all God’s creatures.

A clean heart create in me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Found in Psalm 51:10, these words summarize what we are doing in Lent – repenting, letting God clean up our hearts, and resolving to remain on the upright path of the Lord.

Random thoughts on the first part:

• A clean heart is a pure heart.
• The pure of heart shall see God (Matt. 5: 8).
• The pure heart is undivided.  It is focused on God and godly pursuits.
• The pure heart is detached from the things of this world, using them only in service of the greater work of getting to heaven.
• The pure heart rejoices in doing the will of God.
• The pure heart is full of charity which bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13: 7).
• The pure heart reflects the face of Christ to all.
• When we ask God to create a clean heart in us, we admit we cannot do it of our own volition.  Only He can give us the grace to be so.
• To ask for a clean heart implies that we know we have sinned.  God gave us the grace to see our sinfulness and to ask Him for forgiveness.  Compunction accompanies purity of heart.
• God creating a clean heart in us is a sign of His divine mercy, compassion, and love.

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross, c. 1565, Titian (Tiziano) (b. 1490, Pieve di Cadore, d. 1576, Venezia), Oil on canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid

Random thoughts on the second part:

• A steadfast spirit is an upright spirit that holds to God’s will.  It cannot be swayed by power or wealth or promise of any earthly reward.
• To ask God to renew a steadfast spirit in us implies that we have given in to temptation, waffling where we should have planted our feet firmly and refused to budge from “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14: 6).
• God renews a steadfast spirit within us by grace.  Again, we must ask for it.  In asking, we admit our helplessness to do it on our own.
• A steadfast spirit is upheld by the power of God and cannot be torn down regardless of the persecution it faces.
• The steadfast spirit walks the Way of the Cross with Jesus, imitating Him in faithfulness to the Father.
• The steadfast spirit is yoked to Christ, Who makes the burden light (Matt. 11: 30).
• The steadfast spirit bears the burden of souls with Christ, praying for deliverance and salvation of sinners.
• The steadfast spirit shines with the light of Christ (John 8: 12; Matt. 5: 14).
• The steadfast spirit combined with a pure heart bestows moral authority on our actions.

I walk the Way of the Cross in Mary’s company whose clean heart and steadfast spirit loved without reserve.  May I be granted a similar faithfulness and attachment to the will of God.

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

Welcome to Praying the Psalms, hosted by Jenny at Just a Minute.  Visit her to read others’ thoughts on this psalm.

Sometimes we forget that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as devout Jews prayed the psalms.  In this psalm we hear Christ’s longing for His Father and the clear condemnation of liars and murderers, particularly the deceitful demons who desire our souls. Father Paschal Botz, O.S.B. writes:

…He kept constant vigil for the Father, also during the watches of the night.  His humanity is also the hand that grips us tightly and leads us to the Father.  True God and man, He came to pick up mankind and bring us home.  Therefore, His heavenly longing was for our benefit.

vs. 1-4 O God, You are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.  Thus have I gazed toward You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory, for Your kindness is a greater good than life; my lips shall glorify You. [True thirst is very painful.  Parched, thirsty earth like a parched, thirsty soul cannot bear life. The mad seeking of satisfaction on earth is the sign of a parched soul seeking God, even when she does not realize it - seeking to bear the life of grace and union with the Trinity.

When we are shriveled in sin, if we turn our gaze toward God, we will see His power and glory in His mercy. It is almost impossible, maybe really impossible, for us to comprehend the depth and breadth of God's love for each of us individually.  When we assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we see Him with our spiritual eyes in the sanctuary and glorify Him with the voice of the Church. His kindness is a greater good than earthly life - it is our eternal inheritance for seeking and following Christ.]

vs. 5-9  Thus will I bless You while I live; lifting up my hands, I will call upon Your name.  As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied, and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise You.  I will remember You upon my couch, and through the night watches I will meditate on You: that You are my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I shout for joy.  My soul clings fast to You; Your right hand upholds me. [If we praise God faithfully on earth, meditate on the mystery of His love day and night, we have, through our free will, placed ourselves under His protection.  We have every reason to shout for joy because no one and nothing can separate us from Him.  Our souls are satisfied in the reception of the Holy Eucharist, the richest banquet we have ever been invited to.

In times of temptation, if we retreat evermore into His shadow, the Enemy cannot come close.  We are borne above evil by His powerful wings.

The more attached we are to Christ, the right hand of the Father, the more He upholds us, for surely we have not the power to uphold ourselves.]

vs. 10-12 But they shall be destroyed who seek my life, they shall go into the depths of the earth; they shall be delivered over to the sword, and shall be the prey of jackals.  The king, however, shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory, but the mouths of those who speak falsely shall be stopped. [Jackals live in dry, open country, hunt at night, and prey upon small creatures.  Like predatory demons, they seek the weak and darkened intellects and wills.  If we kill the life of Christ in ourselves or facilitate the killing and drying up of grace in others, we will be torn apart spiritually - darkened and disintegrated. Christ our King rejoices in our Father.  All who swear by Him ("I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" - Jn. 14:6) will share His glory.  Meanwhile, those who align themselves with Lucifer, who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44), will be in eternal pitch blackness - destroyed with no hope.  Lord, let me seek You and look toward You and swear by Your Truth always.]

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V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome to Sunday Snippets – A Catholic Carnival, hosted by RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing.  Visit her to see posts of the past week by other Catholic bloggers.

This week I admit to being distracted by the events in Japan, so I spent extra time praying for the Japanese and contemplating a post I will be writing based on some of the images coming out of that ravaged country.  Meanwhile,  I wrote:

St. Thomas Inspired by the Dove of the Holy Ghost – a commentary on Sassetta’s great work for a Carmelite convent in Sienna.

Sabbath Moments – a few ways God touched my life this week.

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 62 – a reflection on this great psalm of abandonment to Divine Providence.

The North American Nebula in Infrared

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away (Mark 13:31, Lk. 21:33).  Gazing at the wonders of the universe with the help of NASA Spitzer is always a meditation on the greatness and beauty of God.  Yet we know that what we see and experience today will one day no longer be.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth was gone, and the sea is now no more (Rev. 21:1)

Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat? But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth. ( 2 Peter 3:11-13).

If what Spitzer and Hubble show us now, glorious as it is, will dissolve, how beautiful will the new heaven and earth be?  Lent is about preparing ourselves for the beauty, peace, and justice that is to come.  It is about hope.

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome and please join us at RAnn’s This That and the Other Thing for some Catholic blogger enjoyment where we share our posts for the week.

This was a big pro-life week for our nation.  To join in I wrote A Hidden Cost of Abortion and The Quiet Duel – A Pro-life Film.

For simple enjoyment I posted a video a friend sent me: The Beauty of Mathematics.

For my reflections on Psalm 55, visit Praying the Psalms – Psalm 55.

Sabbath Moments is an enjoyable meme hosted by one of our fellow bloggers, Colleen.

And here’s another striking image from our Hubble telescope.  How can there not be a God?

The Rippled Red Ribbons of SNR 0509

Want to subscribe to posts by email? Visit the third box in the sidebar.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Here we are with another round of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn at This That and the Other Thing. Visit her to read other Catholic/Christian bloggers’ posts for the week.

My favorite source for Advent meditation is the beautiful Rorate Caeli Desuper (Advent Prose), both from a music and prayer standpoint.  I wish I had a superb recording of the Benedictines of Fontgombault to put behind a video I’d like to make of it, if only I knew how!

I put several little inspirational things to meditate on quickly at Something to Chew on for Advent.

Advent with Mary and Joseph is an article in the December Una Voce Arkansas Ozarks Regional Newsletter.

At Hail, Mary I put my favorite painting of the Immaculate Conception, quotes from Mass and the Divine Office for the day, and tied it up with a comment on concupiscence. I like short quotes that run in the back of my mind all day on a feast.

Sabbath Moments are real blessings from God.

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 48 is my meditation from a Christmas perspective.

Our Lady of Guadalupe under the title: Morning Star, Norma Salazar Orozco, oil on canvas

Today just wouldn’t be right without a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a link to my article about her along with a quote from my December 11 post from last year.  I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for over a year now!

The painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe in this post is by Norma Salazar Orozco, a gifted Mexican artist from a family of gifted artists.  Visit her site and see how she has used Our Lady’s image from the tilma to illustrate Mary’s different titles.  Among their many subjects, the Orozco family is obviously devoted to honoring the Blessed Mother in art.  If you love art, you will love the work of this family and their story.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

Welcome to Sunday Snippets.  How about joining us at RAnn’s blog, This, That and the Other Thing, to read posts from other Catholic/Christian bloggers? Participating in the meme has been great for me this year because I’ve encountered many wonderful and talented people and I’m sure you will, too.

This week I wrote about one of my favorite saints on his feast day: St. Andrew, the Relationship Broker.

Another Catholic Blog I Like is an introduction to David’s Wheat for Paradise site.

Sabbath Moments and Praying the Psalms – Psalm 47 were two other posts.

This week was also a milestone for me because I went “live” with my new site, editing&proofing.com with a blog of tips for writers in addition to offering my services of editing and proofing.  If you know a writer who needs an editor, send them over – please!  No doubt I’ll have to do a little more tweaking on the appearance, but at least I’m not embarrassed to have others see it now.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above to read why I am ending my posts with this.)

OK, now let’s really praise Him. Take a look at this striking video of time lapse photography by Tor Even Mathisen published here under the Creative Commons license. HT to APOD.

Flowing Auroras Over Norway

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

Saturdays Jenny at Just a Minute hosts the Praying the Psalms meme.  Join her to see what others write about Psalm 35.

This Psalm is the plaint of the Just One, our Lord, who was plotted against, reviled, falsely accused and crucified. Father Paschal Botz, O.S. B. comments:

The Psalm contains the story of Christ and Christians.  It gives a preview of the Savior’s tragedy and enshrines forever the complaints, trust, and victory of the poor man. On every page of the Gospel, Christ’s enemies are out to catch Him.  They carefully planned their sinful strategy.  They accused Him of blasphemy, of stirring revolt, even of possession by the devil.  The leaders from Galilee to Jerusalem tried to make Him an enemy of the people and a sinner.  At His trial they set up false witnesses.  Former mutual enemies, like Pilate and Herod, became friends to secure His defeat.  Behind all this hid the prince of this world. Never was an accused man more innocent than Jesus, who sees this psalm fulfilled in His own regard: “They hated me without cause” (v. 19).

As we struggle to be Christlike we will be set upon by the demons of hell through humans happy to co-operate with them. But because of our sinful nature, we may, without vigilance, also become co-operators of Satan against our neighbor who is himself struggling to be Christlike. He, then, would have the same right to lament in these words of Christ from vs. 15-16, Yet when I stumbled they were glad and gathered together; they gathered together striking me unawares.  They tore at me without ceasing; they put me to the test; they mocked me, gnashing their teeth at me.

Imagine that every time we give in to temptation our demonic adversaries are dancing and shrieking with glee.  They glory in our destruction and sell us every conceivable lie to ensnare us. Every moment of our lives they are plotting our eternal destruction but we have hope and confidence in our victory in Christ. Taking refuge in Him we do not have to be enslaved either in this life or in the next even if outwardly we are forced into situations we abhor.  No one can take away closeness to Christ in our hearts as long as we continually work on our relationship with Him.  We are never lost when we carry Him within us.

vs. 17-18 How long, O Lord, wilt Thou look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my life from the lions! Then I will thank Thee in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise Thee. [Sometimes God allows us to go through great trials to test and strengthen our virtue.  Persecutions seem to be unending, from the local malicious gossip to oppressive laws.  But overcoming the adversity permitted by God with His power is what makes us saints.

Jesus told us in Matt. 5: 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If we truly live as Christians, we will be persecuted, sometimes even unto death.  But vs. 18 foretells what our future holds: heaven, the eternal todah (Thanksgiving) where we will be completely free and praise Him forever in the midst of all the angels and saints.]

v.  27-28 Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad, and say evermore, “Great is the Lord who delights in the welfare of His servant.”  Then my tongue shall tell of Thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. [As we imitate Christ at the last supper washing the feet of His apostles, we can be sure that God delights in our welfare. We see that Christ was vindicated in the resurrection from the dead and know that if we stay true to Him we also shall rise on the last day.  No one can take that away from us regardless of how wealthy and powerful they are in this life.  As Christians, our message is always one of hope, no matter how dark the day. We witness to the world the righteousness and mercy of God and praise Him always, especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in the Divine Office.  In the next world our praise will be endless.]

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above for why I end my posts this way.)

On Saturday’s we join Jenny at Just a Minute to reflect on words of a particular Psalm.  Meet me and other bloggers who enjoy short meditations on these classic  prayers.

It’s easy.  If you are a blogger, just write a post on today’s psalm with a link to Just a Minute, go there and fill out your name and post address in the Mister Linky application, and presto!  Others will find you at Jenny’s place.  If you aren’t a blogger, just enjoy reading our posts and leave a comment if you are so moved.

Psalm 32 is one of the penitential psalms of the Church and a good one to recite after confession. “Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name..” (Luke 1: 49)

v. 1-2  Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. [To be blessed is to be full of the grace of God.  God is all truth and the man who's spirit contains deceitfulness is pairing with the great Adversary who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning against God.  We must not fool ourselves or rationalize our sins, for to do that is to forgo true repentance.  When we examine our conscience we must hide nothing from ourselves or from God. We must admit all transgressions completely so that God may heal us.  Only He can forgive our sins.  We cannot forgive our own sins.]

v.3-4  When I declared not my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. [With repeated, deliberate sin our body and soul waste away.  Our ability to love God, neighbor and ourselves shrivels.  We are attached to something poisonous that wastes away the good in us until we lack the strength to overcome any temptation.  God's hand leaves us no peace.  His love is so great, and His desire to unite us to Himself so powerful that He nudges us constantly until we confess. If we resist claiming our transgressions in full, we prolong our inner agony.  We can only recover by deep repentance, confession, and amendment of our life with the help of God's grace.]

v. 5-7  I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;then Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.  Thou art a hiding place for me, thou preservest me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with deliverance. [Our safest refuge is in the heart of the Lord, the Christ whose heart was pierced with a lance, the one who hides us from evil. When our relationship with the Lord is made right, we desire to urge everyone who is God-oriented to praise Him for His eternal love of us.  The sick who have been made well by repentance are made new, and a fresh start is cause for joy.  At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Great Thanksgiving, we re-present to the Father His Son who has encompassed us with deliverance by the shedding of His precious blood.]

v. 8-11  I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eyes upon you.  Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not keep with you.  Many are the pangs of the wicked; but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! [Sin is stubborn and irrational behavior, a fruit of a wrong relationship with God. We are admonished not to be senselessly stubborn, because God will curb us in His way if necessary and we will suffer the consequences of our stubbornness.  How many times have I persisted stubbornly in doing what I want rather than what God wants?  How many times do I give into bad habits I am too lazy to battle against?  Am I not the stubborn mule?  And do I not feel the whip for this stubbornness?  How much of my difficulties in life and relationships are because I won't give in to God? Lord, I need to abandon myself to You, to wrap myself in your steadfast love and not look with longing backwards to my evil ways.  Let me shout with joy from an upright heart infused with the Holy Spirit that is directed towards Thee alone.]

V. Praised be Jesus Christ.

R. Now and forever.  Amen.

Click on the link above for the reason I ended the post this way.

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

On Saturdays we join Jenny at Just a Minute for the Praying the Psalms meme.  Meet me and other bloggers who reflect on a new psalm each week, and leave comments if you are so moved.

In this psalm, which alternates between bewailing his physical and mental sufferings and the treachery of others, and expressing complete trust in God, King David exposes the misery and helplessness of the human condition. The final verses contain a great exhortation, a great call to action for the Christian.  But before we get there, we stop along the way to join Christ on the Cross in verse 5:

v.5: Into Thy hands I commend my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me O Lord, O faithful God. [Recounted in Luke 23:46, we see our Savior, apparently a great failure over Whom Satan has apparently triumphed, making the final offering of Himself to His Father. With these words on His dying lips, Christ shows us that no matter how dark things seem to earthly eyes, with the heavenly eyes of the soul we know without a doubt that we are redeemed, that God is faithful to His promises, that with true repentance comes true forgiveness, and we will not be put to shame (cast into hell) forever.

From the hour of Compline in the Divine Office on Fridays:

R.  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (which is repeated)

V.  For You have redeemed us, O Lord, God of truth.

R. I commend my spirit.

V.  Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

R.  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

The Church prays this before sleep that should we die in the night, we will sleep in the Lord. It has always been a favorite of mine because of the expressed abandonment to Divine Providence and reminder of Christ's suffering.  We can never ponder enough that final act of self-sacrifice that culminated in our redemption, and we can never express trust in God too much. ]

And now the great exhortation:

v. 23-24: Love the Lord all you His faithful ones! The Lord keeps those who are constant, but more than requites those who act proudly.  Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord. [To be constant does not mean we never sin.  It means that we constantly repent and attempt in good faith to live the Gospel.  We keep our eyes on the words and example of Christ and seek His light.  Getting distracted by the evil in this world and willfully placing ourselves in occasions of sin disturbs constancy and impedes us on that road through the narrow gate.

The proud and haughty who live as if they are above the law and who abuse the anawim will be requited according to their crimes, an eternal and horrifying requital from which there is no escape. Just as the Jews suffered in the temporal world, so we continue to suffer today from the proud.  Although the Lord has come and opened the gates of heaven for us, we must courageously walk in His bloody footsteps, for the servant is not greater than the Master. But each day affords us many opportunities to be stouthearted and hope in the Lord, especially when we are tempted to revenge, to contumely, and to nursing hurt feelings. Lord, that I may be humble and trust in Thee completely - that I may follow Thee courageously with an unwavering heart.]

Last week I wrote about how hackers had cost me both money and peace of mind.  Admittedly, my first reaction was to think of some colorful curses like the well-known Arabic one: “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.”  I even came up with a few highly applicable and intricate ones of my own.  But St. Paul writes in Romans 12: 17-19,

To no man render evil for evil. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.

It’s clear the Lord’s message is, “Forget about it and let Me take care of it.” Now that is not so easy, but it surely is best. After all, it’s a trillion to one odds that I would ever be able to get direct satisfaction from these predators.  But what of future wrongs?  Until we’re dead, we always have the opportunity for someone to work us over.  How can I develop the mindset God wants me to have so I can really let go and leave things up to Him?

As I was pondering these things, it so happened that my Bible fell open at Psalm 9B (10).  How this occurred I don’t remember, but it seems that the lesson was meant for me and I have been mulling it over all week.  Human nature hasn’t changed in the thousands of years since this prayer was written.  But this psalm surely can bring consolation to the abused and afflicted.  In fact, it describes daily life in a corrupt society we must all deal with and still stay Christian.  As you read this, fill in your own blanks to see how it applies.

1.  Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof?  Why hide in times of distress?

2.  Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived.

3.  For the wicked man glories in his greed, and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at naught.  The wicked man boasts,

4.  “He will not avenge it”; “there is no God,” sums up his thoughts.

5.  His ways are secure at all times; your judgments are far from his mind;

6.  all his foes he scorns.  He says in his heart, “I shall not be disturbed; from age to age I shall be without misfortune.”

7.  His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

8.  He lurks in ambush near the villages; in hiding he murders the innocent; his eyes spy upon the unfortunate.

9.  He waits in secret like a lion in his lair; he lies in wait to catch the afflicted; he catches the afflicted and drags them off in his net.

10.  He stoops and lies prone till by his violence fall the unfortunate.

11.  He says in his heart, “God has forgotten; he hides his face, he never sees.”

12.  Rise, O Lord!  O God, lift up your hand.

13.  Forget not the afflicted!  Why should the wicked man despise God, saying in his heart, “He will not avenge it”?

14.  You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow, taking them in your hands.  On you the unfortunate man depends; of the fatherless you are the helper.

15.  Break the strength of the wicked and of the evildoer; punish their wickedness; let them not survive.

16.  The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations have perished out of his land.

17.  The desire of the afflicted you hear, O Lord; strengthening their hearts,

18.  you pay heed to the defense of the fatherless and the oppressed, that man, who is of earth, may terrify no more.

Since Holy Scripture is of the Holy Spirit, these inspired words show clearly how God regards those who prey upon the poor. This psalm is both a caution never to throw in with evildoers, and a consolation to the oppressed. If our eyes are unwaveringly fixed on God, the evil men of this world and the demons of hell behind them cannot terrify us.  Yes, I trust in God to deal with the hackers, scammers, murderers, liars and thieves in life as St. Paul urged, and will pray this psalm often that they be prevented from harming others.  I pray also never to be their useful idiot.