Catholic Spirituality and Devotion

[TheSunKing]

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Part I: CATECHISM 101

(What you need to know to be Catholic)

Recent survey points out that only 6 out of every 100 Catholics are well-versed in the teachings of the Church. Sadly enough, graduating from Catholic institutions is not a guarantee. A lot of "Catholic" groups have capitalized on the ignorance of our brothers regarding valid Church teachings to promote contradicting teachings in order to promote their own agenda.

You do not earn the Catholic badge because of your baptism -- it calls for more than that. It means responding to the tough call of being a soldier of Christ . It also means a heroic faithfulness of living a life that may be at odds with the opinion of the world. For a start, it means learning more about the Jesus and his Church. I hope that the Catechism crash course ill be including in the succeeding posts will help Catholics appreciate and learn more of their Faith.

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THE BEATITUDES

-- Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
-- Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
-- Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
-- Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
-- Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
-- Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
-- Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
-- Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
.
1. I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day
4. Honor your father and your mother
5. You shall not kill
6. You shall not commit adultery
7. You shall not steal
8. You shall not bear false witness
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods

The Two Great Commandments of Jesus
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1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Five Precepts of the Church

You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor
You shall confess your sins at least once a year
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season
You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church
You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church


The Four Marks of the True Church


The Church must be:

One (Romans 12:5)
Holy (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Catholic (Matthew 28:19-20)
Apostolic (Ephesians 2:19-20)
.
The Seven Sacraments

1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. Holy Communion
4. Confession
5. Marriage
6. Holy Orders
7. Anointing of the Sick


more...




The Basics

[TheSunKing]

[IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H64AjOKXmEA/UVeR0maDl3I/AAAAAAAAEAk/c8xlWgnAqXM*******165110152.jpg[/IMG]

(Pope Francis I, the 265th Successor of St Peter in the Universal Church)


Part II. CATECHISM 101
What Every Catholic Should Know

The Seven Deadly Sins

1. Pride: Unrestrained appreciation of our own worth.
2. Greed: Immoderate desire for earthly goods.
3. Lust: Hankering for impure pleasures.
4. Anger: Inordinate desire for revenge.
5. Gluttony: Unrestrained use of food and drink.
6. Envy: Sorrow over another's good fortune.
7. Sloth: Laxity in keeping the Faith and the practice of virtue, due to the effort involved.

The Seven Capital Virtues to Overcome the 7 Deadly Sins

1. Humility (overcomes pride)
2. Generosity (Overcomes greed)
3. Chastity (Overcomes Lust)
4. Meekness (Overcomes Anger)
5. Temperance (Overcomes Gluttony)
6. Brotherly Love (Overcomes Envy)
7. Diligence (Overcomes Sloth)

The Three Theological Virtues
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1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Charity

The Four Cardinal Virtues
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1. Justice
2. Prudence
3. Fortitude
4. Temperance

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Fortitude
4. Counsel
5. Knowledge
6. Piety
7. Fear of the Lord

The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit

1. Charity
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Long Suffering
8. Mildness
9. Faith
10. Modesty
11. Continence
12. Chastity

The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy

1. To admonish the sinner: "...there will be more joy in Heaven at the repentance of one sinner than at ninety-nine of the righteous who had no need of repentance." Lk. 15:7
2. To instruct the ignorant: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation." Mk. 16:1
3. To counsel the doubtful: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you...Let not your hearts be troubled..." Jn. 14:27
4. To comfort the sorrowful: "Come to me, all you grown weary and burdened, and I will refresh you." Mt. 11:28
5. To bear wrongs patiently: "...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you." Lk. 6:27-28
6. To forgive all injuries: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Mt. 6:12
7. To pray for the living and the dead: "Father, I desire that they, too, may be with me where I am..." Jn. 17:24

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy

1. To feed the hungry: "For I was hungry and you gave me to eat." Mt. 25:35
2. To give drink to the thirsty: "...I was thirsty and you gave me to drink..." Mt. 25:35
3. To clothe the naked: "I was...naked and you clothed me..." Mt. 25:36
4. To visit the imprisoned: "I was in prison and you came to me." Mt. 25:36
5. To shelter the homeless: "...I was a stranger and you took me in..." Mt. 25:35
6. To visit the sick: "...I was sick and you cared for me..." Mt. 25:36
7. To bury the dead: "Amen, I say to you, insofar as you did it for one of these least of my brothers, you did it for me." Mt. 25:40

THE FOUR SINS CRYING TO HEAVEN FOR VENGEANCE

1. Willful murder (including abortion) : And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10).

2. The sin of Sodom: Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me.” (Genesis 18:20-21).

3. Oppression of the poor: “You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.” (Exodus 21-23)

4. Defrauding laborers of their wages: “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brethren or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns; you shall give him his hire on the day he earns it, before the sun goes down (for he is poor, and sets his heart upon it); lest he cry against you to the Lord, and it be a sin in you.” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

THE SIX SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Presumption of God's mercy.
2. Despair.
3. Impugning the known truth.
4. Envy at another's spiritual good.
5. Obstinacy in sin.
6. Final impenitence.

NINE WAYS OF BEING ACCESSORY TO ANOTHER'S SIN


1. By counsel.
2. By command.
3. By consent.
4. By provocation.
5. By praise or flattery.
6. By concealment.
7. By partaking.
8. By silence.
9. By defense of the ill done

The Basics

[TheSunKing]

(Pakistani Christians dying on the streets after the massacre)


The Spate of Christian Martyrdom
(a reflection)

Recent news story tells us a vivid image of the atrocities committed against Christians in the midst of other communities. Just recently, 78 people were massacred by armed Muslims in Pakistan while attending Mass. The pictures are heartbreaking -- and no one has heard of any condemnation for these attacks from the "Christian" governments of the West. The only leader who condemned such violence was Pope Francis.

This month also, more than 100 Churches were burned in Egypt in ONE DAY! The stories of the witnesses are just too much to bear. Christians were beaten and killed for just being Christians. Daughters were abducted and forced into marriage to their Muslim neighbors. Christian stores in Cairo were marked with a big red X and burned. Christian villages were evacuated for fear of Muslim reprisals.

Last week in India, a church was mobbed by Hindus and the resident pastor was forced to convert to Judaism. Nuns and priests were killed in the villages by Hindu extremists. Easter services were disrupted by Hindus forcing Christian converts to revert back to their old religion.

In China, the Communist government has detained a bishop for expressing his allegiance to the Pope. A lot of Christians were forced underground, worshipping in caves and tunnels for the crime of being Christian and refusing allegiance to Communism. A lot of these Christians were imprisoned for not giving up their faith.

(Victim of the Kenyan Jihad)

Very recently, in Kenyan Muslims have waged jihad headed by a female British convert. This lead to a death toll of 170+ Christians. While a lot of apologists have tried to distance religion from these spates of violence, these atrocities are all convincingly religious-motivated anti-Christianity.

A lot of Christians in this forum have expressed outrage over Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons. Lengthy discussions were spent, but the same people were silent on the atrocities committed against our Christian brothers. While martyrdom was a Christian virtue, it does not mean we could allow persecution on them while we do nothing. We are enjoying privileges that our persecuted Christian brethren don't have. We have forgotten to be thankful that our culture has been forgiving. We are thankful that we have the freedom to express our thoughts We have forgotten to be thankful that we can walk and attend Mass safely without any threat of death and violence. These brave Christians have been living each day of their lives with swords hanging over their heads. In Pakistan, christian communities have been subjected to apartheid by their Muslim neighbors. Job discrimination were so common.

While we complain loudly at how unforgiving the Church is to our whims and our desires, we have forgotten to take note of the "true people of the Church" -- the suffering, the persecuted, and the martyred for the sake of their faith. Have we expressed solidarity with them? Have we prayed for them? Have we done something for their sake?


Lord Jesus, Protect and Strengthen Them.

(Egyptian Christians Praying in a Burned out Church)

[noy]

Lord, we pray for the souls of those who died because of their Faith in You.
we lift up to you the hearts of their families whom they've left behind.

Father we ask for justice in the name of Jesus your Son our Lord
with the intercession of the Virgin Mary our Mother with all the angels and saints in Heaven.

Amen

[TheSunKing]

How to Meditate Like a Catholic


Meditation is a very powerful yet the most neglected form of prayer. It is, as the saints practiced it, is a very active type of prayer where we strive to reach the very essence of God's message for humanity. Developing a deep spirituality through meditation brings divine peace. Likewise, it "provides an experience that is more fulfilling, and deeper in accomplishing an understanding of God’s presence due to disciplined and purposeful reflection".


In the secular anarchy of chaos, perplexity and confusion, the Catechism greatly promotes this pious practice: Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, to engage thought, imagination, emotion, and desire for the greater good of themselves, Christ, and the Church.


Here are the basic steps to Catholic-style meditation:


1. Place yourself in God's presence.
The best way to do it is a quiet place were you can focus on your prayer. Visiting the Church or praying in front of the blessed Sacrament -- which works best for me.


2. Ask for God's help.
You ask Him to grant the particular grace that you are seeking at this time. It is also where you renew your hope, your love, and your faith in him. Asking for God's help is a way to acknowledge that all benefits of this meditation come directly from Him.


3. The Actual meditation.
You can select a passage from the Bible, a particular writing from a saint, a sacred image or even a beautiful landscape. You reflect on what it means, what it shows about God and what message does it convey to you personally. Asking questions would sometimes help -- it allows us to guide our meditation carefully.


4. Commitment.
You can say a simple prayer of committment to do something worthy as a result of the meditation. Usually, our actions should be guided by whatever you think the Lord is asking you to do to please him. With prayer comes action, and a certain commitment to do something pleasing and useful is what makes Christian meditation different from being a mere exercise of the mind.


5. Give thanks.
We acknowledge God's beneficence and for granting us the grace to engage in prayer and serious reflection. St. Francis de Sales admonishes us to “take care to keep your heart undisturbed lest you spill the balm it has received; in other words, keep silence as long as possible and transfer your attention to other things quietly, trying to retain the fruits of your prayer as long as you can.”

[TheSunKing]

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
and the Great Persecution of Diocletian

Did you know that ....

The Great Persecution began after Christians began making the Sign of the Cross while Diocletian was performing divination through sorcery? The priest-sorcerers failed to read the future on animal entrails, because the demons being consulted fled after Christians within his group made the sign of the cross. Upon the blame put forth by the priest-sorcerers, Diocletian began the most extensive persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.

This Sign, while despised and rejected by most Protestants, and also misunderstood by all too many Catholics is in reality, one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have. The story goes on from Lactantius' account:



""" Diocletian, as being of a timorous disposition, was a searcher into futurity, and during his abode in the East he began to slay victims, that from their livers he might obtain a prognostic of events; and while he sacrificed, some attendants of his, who were Christians, stood by, and they put the immortal sign on their foreheads. At this the demons were chased away, and the holy rites interrupted. The soothsayers trembled, unable to investigate the wonted marks on the entrails of the victims. They frequently repeated the sacrifices, as if the former had been unpropitious; but the victims, slain from time to time, afforded no tokens for divination. At length Tages, the chief of the soothsayers, either from guess or from his own observation, said, “There are profane persons here, who obstruct the rites.”
Then Diocletian, in furious passion, ordered not only all who were assisting at the holy ceremonies, but also all who resided within the palace, to sacrifice, and, in case of their refusal, to be scourged. And further, by letters to the commanding officers, he enjoined that all soldiers should be forced to the like impiety, under pain of being dismissed the service. Thus far his rage proceeded; but at that season he did nothing more against the law and religion of God. After an interval of some time he went to winter in Bithynia; and presently Galerius Cæsar came thither, inflamed with furious resentment, and purposing to excite the inconsiderate old man to carry on that persecution which he had begun against the Christians."""


The Sign of the Cross presents a different worldview that many try to abolish: the Catholicity of the Church. While heretics may admit that there have been no sufficient grounds for rejecting this practice, early Christians find this simple prayer a very effective tool to ward off paganism that was very pervasive in their times (and ours).


"This mark is preeminently the baptismal conformation to Christ, the Sign of the Cross is a fitting reminder since it expresses belief in the principle Christian truths, the Trinity, Christ and the Cross which won our salvation."



IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT....

ewtn, blog

[TheSunKing]

Remembering the Martyrs of the "Enlightenment"


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The Dialogues of the Carmelites

The Martyrdom of the 16 Discalced Carmelite nuns of Compiegne, convicted and sentenced to death for refusing allegiance to Atheism has been a very popular topic among literary circles. Books and a musical have been dedicated in their honor. Its unique place in operatic history is one of a kind -- where it explores the nature of Catholic faith, as well as the weakness and strength of the characters. The main character was only able to overcome her weakness when she joins the nun's procession to their deaths at the guillotine.

The story is about a young woman (Blanche de la Force) who is afraid of the world, and seeks comfort by joining a religious order. However, she finds neither peace nor solace, because the French Government was forcing all citizens to deny their belief in Jesus or the Catholic Church, and speak allegiance to the new deity.

The nuns, led by the old Prioress exhorted everyone to be stick to their faith. Urged by her brother to escape the convent (and eventually recite the oath to save her life), Blanche left the nuns and the convent.

When arrests and executions of Catholic priests, nuns and faithful were closing in, the remaining Carmelites enter a pact of martyrdom -- to live as martyrs of the faith and offer themselves as victims to divine justice for the restoration of peace to France and the church. It is only when she suddenly reappears to join
her sisters in their solemn procession to the guillotine that she seems finally to
have come to terms with her fear.

As a Catholic, the dialogue is a beautiful story of our struggles for our faith -- to deny or to keep it in the face of death. Anyway, much more inspiring are the extraordinary bravery of the nuns to resolve and die as willing sacrifice to restore peace for the Church and their nation.

During their execution, the usually noisy crowd was very silent as they sang Veni Creator Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit). Exactly ten days later, the nuns' wish to restore peace was granted:

Maximilien de Robespierre, the mastermind of the persecutions, was put through the guillotine facing up, so that he can see his death (the blade) approaching while it cut through his neck.
His death officially ended the Reign of Terror in France.

[ohohoy]

my christian faith keep me safe from dangers and success to my business.. i love you lord with all of my heart..

[noy]

my christian faith keep me safe from dangers and success to my business.. i love you lord with all of my heart..

that's nice bai

[TheSunKing]

(A family in prayer)


PRACTICES OF CATHOLIC SPIRITUAL LIFE


As Catholics, there are several ways of grounding our life in Christ by adhering to various spiritual practices that are always available to us. These enable us to deepen our relationship with Christ, and uniting ourselves with the Divine through these treasures that has been handed to us since the early days of our faith.


1. PRAY. Pray every day, at the very least, in the morning and at night.


2. READ THE BIBLE. Read and pray with the Gospels.


3. ATTEND MASS. Go to Mass if possible, every day and be sure to receive the Eucharist at Mass.


4. CONFESSION. Participate at least monthly in the sacrament of reconciliation.


5. PRACTICE VIRTUE. Live a life of virtue by practicing imitating Christ in both attitude and behavior.


6. DISCERN and DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING. Engage in regular spiritual reading focused upon understanding Catholic Christian spirituality: find Catholic books on discernment and/or spiritual traditions and carefully read them. Enter Spiritual Direction with an experienced Director who can provide adequate guidance.


7. SOCIALIZE. Socialize with good people, and allow this positive energy to inspire your discernment.Talk regularly (via telephone, email or in person) to a person of good reputation and also to members of a religious congregation.


9. SERVE. Make a formal commitment to service, by volunteering in some type of social ministry sponsored by your Parish community or Diocese/Archdiocese.


10. PIETY AND DEVOTIONS. Practice devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and in particular pray the Rosary and ask for the intercession of Our Lady and the saints. Participate in Eucharistic adoration and Holy Hours, opening your heart before the Blessed Sacrament.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back..."

Jeremiah 29:11-15