Unique Ideas to Celebrate St. Valentine's Day

I was supposed to publish this post last year, but for whatever reason it was, I forgot to post it. So for #4, it refers to last years DOH campaign.

UNIQUE IDEAS TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S DAY

As one of my co-teacher was reading a a certain magazine, she came across an article about unique ways to celebrate Valentine's Day. As she was reading them aloud, I was answering her back and giving some of my "unique ideas." So I decided to blog them up. Here they are:

1. ATTEND HOLY MASS. I think there is no better way to celebrate the Day of Love than to express our love to the first one who loved us and that is the Triune God.
2. For married couples, SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH EACH OTHER (or if you have kids with them). Valentine's day should not be equated with the consummation of the love thing, there is more to that!
3. For unmarried couples, DO NOT CONSUMMATE YOUR LOVE UNTIL AFTER YOU GET MARRIED. The let-us-consummate-our-love-to-prove-our-love-with-each-other ideology is based from non-sense. Love is not just physical attraction, there is a much more deeper idea behind it. Also, if you think contraceptives are good, think again you are just making it worst. So the best way to prevent it is to just ABSTAIN FROM IT.
4. If ever you see government officials handing out contraceptives to couples in the middle of a busy street, I advise you to PRAY FOR THEIR SOULS, so that the Almighty God have mercy upon them forgive them their sins and bring them to life everlasting.

On Sexagesima Sunday

O God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do: mercifully grant, that by the protection of the Doctor of the Gentiles we may be defended against all adversities. Though our Lord…
- Collect for the Mass

Today the Latin Church celebrates Sexagesima Sunday. Sexagesima means “sixtieth” an approximation of the sixtieth day before Easter. In the Greek Church, this Sunday is known as Meatfare Sunday for this is the last day for eating meat in preparation for Pascha.

Notice that St. Paul is mentioned many times in the proper of the Mass, this was because the Stational Church was at the Basilica of St. Paul, Outside the Walls. The Collect refers to him as the “Doctor of the Gentiles” and the Epistle relates his sufferings.

In the Gospel (Luke 8:4-15), our Lord tells about the parable of the sower. A certain sower scatters seeds but some fell on the road, on rocky areas, on thorny areas and on good ground. Our Lord further explains that the seed refers to the Word of God. The first three places where the seed fell refer to men who heard the Word but were not good enough to keep it in their hearts and apply it to their lives. On the other hand, good ground refers to men who hears, keeps and applies the Word.

Fr. Zuhldorf in his blog article WDTPRS Sexagesima Sunday: “that we may be fortified against every adverse thing”, relates the seed of the parable, in context with the Holy Mass, as the “Host… Christ the High Priest sows in us”.

How do we receive the Word of God, made flesh? Do we receive him with unrepented and impure heart just like bad ground? Or, do we receive him with a contrite and pure heart just like good ground? Let us pray to receive him worthily in Holy Communion and in the Scriptures.

Further Readings:

• Luke 8:4-15

• Mershman, F., article Sexagesima in Catholic Encyclopedia, 1912.

• Zuhldorf, blog post WDTPRS Sexagesima Sunday: “that we may be fortified against every adverse thing” in WDTPRS, 2012.

On Septuagesima Sunday

Photo credits: Una Voce of Orange County

Ite et vos in vineam meam, et quod justum fuerit dabo vobis. - Matt. 2,4

Today our Holy Mother Church, using the Missal of 1962, celebrates Septuagesima Sunday, the start of Septuagesimatide. Among our Eastern brothers, this Sunday is called the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. This Sunday also marks the season of Septuagesimatide which ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday

Septuagesima, in Latin, means seventieth. It was termed as such in reference to Quadragesima Sunday (First Sunday of Lent) although it does not correspond to the seventieth day before Easter, it is merely an approximation of the number. The nomenclature is a symbolism of the seventy years of Babylonian captivity of the Jerusalem.

On this day, the Church starts to prepare for the Great discipline of Lent. Thus, violet vestments are worn and the Alleluia and the Gloria are not said during the Mass. This was the case in memory of the tradition, before the reign of Pope St. Gregory I, of starting the season of penance on this Sunday.

The Gospel for today is about the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20.1-16). It is about a householder looking for workers in his vineyard. At the end of the day, he paid his workers equal amounts of wages despite them not working with equal amounts of time.

The vineyard represents the world and the householder represents the Almighty God. The different times he went out symbolizes the different times he asked men to work for His Church. The wage represents eternal life.

Truly, God is asking us to work in his vineyard. There are many things to do in his vineyard, that is why he gave us different talents as St. Paul relates to his letter to the Corinthians (cf. I Corinthians  12.4ff).

Another point in the Gospel is when the householder gave the wages some workers complained because he gave them all the same amount when some of them just worked for a few hours. The householder responded “I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?”

The above is what we, as employees should ponder always. Sometimes, we always complain that we have so many works to do and yet we receive the same salary as those that have fewer duties. Let us just offer our work to God and we will see that our work will become lighter.

O Lord, we beseech You, graciously hear the prayers of Your people, that we who are justly punished for our sins may be mercifully delivered for the glory of Your name. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

References:

• The Gospel according to St. Matthew (Matthew 20.1-16)
• Mershman, F. (1912). Septuagesima. The Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine’s The Church’s Year. Septuagesima Sunday.
• Rev. Adrian Fortescue’s Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described.

On the Purification of Mary

Picture source: Guardian Angel

"Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuæ Israel."

- Luc. 2:32

Today the Roman Catholic Church, according to the Usus Antiquor, celebrates the feast of the Purification of Mary. “Presentation of the Lord” is the current title in the 1970 Missal, while “Meeting of the Lord” is what the Greek Rite calls this feast.

This feast commemorates the purification of Mary after being ritually “unclean” and the presentation of Jesus as the first-born. These events in the lives of Jesus and Mary are found in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22ff). These were done in accordance with the Law of Moses (cf. Exodus 13:12-15 and Leviticus 12).

Apart from above, the meeting of the Holy Family with Simeon and Anna is commemorated. God promised Simeon that he would not die until he has seen the Christ. Upon seeing the Christ, he blessed God and said a hymn. This hymn is sung during Compline in the Divine Office and is known by its latin name, the Nunc Dimittis. Also Simeon prophesized that Mary’s “soul a sword shall pierce.”

Prior to the reform of the Second Vatican Council, a blessing of candles preceded the Mass and consisted of five orations, the blessing and incensing of the candles, singing of the Nunc Dimittis during the distribution of candles, and a procession inside the Church with three antiphons, thus this feast was also referred to as Candlemas. The blessing commemorates the prophecy of Simeon that the Lord shall be “a light to the revelation of the Gentiles.”

This feast is one of the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and coincidentally is a feast of the Lord. However, after the Conciliar reforms, the emphasis on the Purification of Mary and Candlemas were suppressed to give more emphasis to the Presentation of the Lord.

This feast illustrates the virtue of obedience whereas the Holy Family obeyed the commandments of the Father. Jesus, being the Son of God, did not need to conform to the Laws for he was the Lawgiver but he still obeyed the laws out of love for his Father. The same is true with Mary for she did not need ritual purification for she was stainless. Let us pray to God, through the intercession of Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna, to grant us the virtue of obedience.

Almighty, eternal God, we humbly beseech Your majesty that, as Your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the nature of our flesh, so may You grant us to be presented to You with purified minds. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Reference:

•        The Gospel according to St. Luke (Luke 2,22ff).
•        Holweck, F. (1908). Candlemas. In The Catholic Encyclopedia.

a blessed Christmas!

Photo credits: MSNBC.com

A blessed Christmas!

Excerpt from URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI (CHRISTMAS 2011)

[My emphases in bold letters -fsl]

"Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of the Virgin Mary, and say: “Come to save us!”  Let us repeat these words in spiritual union with the many people who experience particularly difficult situations; let us speak out for those who have no voice...

"May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave hardships as a result of the recent floods."

Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall: Did you know the 7 Sorrows of Mary conform to the ...

Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall: Did you know the 7 Sorrows of Mary conform to the ...: The Seven Sorrows of Mary are one of the most fruitful topics of mental prayer. On Fridays especially, the Seven Sorrows are a way to bette...

CEAP-Press Release: ‘AND THEY SPAT AT HIM’ A Statement of CEAP on the Exhibit ‘Politeismo’

CEAP-Press Release: ‘AND THEY SPAT AT HIM’ A Statement of CEAP on the Exhibit ‘Politeismo’

Some Facts about the Feast of the Assumption

Today is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the 1962 Missal, this feast has a rank of first class. On the other hand, the 1970 Missal gives it a rank of solemnity. Here are some facts about this feast:

1. On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, infallibly and dogmatically declared that “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”[1]

2. Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox calls this feast the Dormition of the Theotokos (the falling asleep of the Mother of God).

3. The Eastern Church started to celebrate the feast on August 15 since the 6^th century.[2]

4. “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”.[3]

5. There is one variation to the story of Mary’s Assumption. According to which one of the apostles, often identified as St Thomas, was not present at the death of Mary, but his late arrival precipitates a reopening of Mary's tomb, which is found to be empty except for her grave clothes. In a later tradition, Mary drops her girdle down to the apostle from heaven as testament to the event.[4]

6. This feast confirms us in the virtue of hope, whereby we seek holiness of life in the midst of our ordinary duties. At the same time, it exhorts us to see heaven as our final home.[5]

7. “Our Lady assumed into heaven is the guarantee of the Lord's fidelity to his promise: he reserves a munificent reward for his humble Servant because of her faithful cooperation with the divine plan, which is a destiny of fulness, happiness, glorification of her immaculate soul, her virginal body, perfect configuration to her Risen Son.”[6]

---

[1] Cf. Pius XII, Constitution Munificentissimus Deus.

[2] Cf. Holweck, F. (1907). The Feast of the Assumption. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from New Advent: Retrieved August 8, 2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm

[3] Cf. Rev. 12:1 (DRV)

[4] Cf. Ante-Nicene Fathers - The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, vol. 8 page 594

[5] Cf. 2011 Ordo of the Philippines

[6] Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus.

[7] Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary

Come, Holy Spirit

Today is Pentecost Wednesday. See previous post for a brief explanation of the nomenclature. Let us invoke the Holy Spirit for the speedy recovery of our School Director, Rev. Fr. Jose E. David, for unity among people with different ideals, and for peace among nations. Let us also include in our prayers our Supreme Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI (Italian news agency reports that the Pope has become one of the "easy targets" of some terrorist groups) and also that the Fraternity of St. Pius X may be granted an official position within the Church. 

VENI, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium, et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.	COME, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur; R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.	V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Oremus: DEUS, qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti: da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de eius semper consolatione gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.	Let us pray: O GOD, Who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that, by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

RH Bill & Divorce

• We have not yet been spared from the terrible onslaught of the RH Bill and yet our solons are scheming to have divorce legalized in our nation. These two, RH Bill and divorce, are some of the many forces that destroy the very foundation of our society – the family. Let us stand for what is right, oppose the RH bill and the legalization of divorce. Let us oppose the culture of D.E.A.T.H.! May the Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary guide and protect our families! May they enlighten the minds of our law makers!

• Read more about the stand of the Catholic Church regarding the "culture of life" an opposition to the "culture of death": Bl. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, (1995). 

Written on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen, 2nd class. A.D. MMXI