A woman once came to speak to me about some difficulties she was having. At some point in the conversation, it came out that she could not pray to God the Father, but insisted on addressing all her prayers only … Continue reading
Category: Spiritual Life
A Short Meditation on the Religious as a ‘Living Sacrifice’
“I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) In this passage, Saint Paul employs specifically liturgical language. For “sacrifice,” the Latin … Continue reading
Concerning Strength and Weakness
At first blush, it may appear vain or proud for a Catholic to desire “strength.” After all, the Apostle tells us that, “the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong” (I Cor. 1:27b). … Continue reading
The Power of Forgiveness and the Beautiful Conversion of a Jew
Some recent research on the subject of aeviternity led me to Life Everlasting, by the celebrated Dominican, Père Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. Tangential to his main purpose in distinguishing time, aeviternity, and eternity, the learned friar tells of the conversion of a … Continue reading
But the Church Really Is ‘Just a Building’
For some strange reason, in numerous conversations I have had with Protestants, the same statement has been made over and over by the other party while discussing the nature of the Church: “The Church is not a building!” The observation … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost: Absólve, quǽsumus, Dómine, tuórum delícta populórum: ut a peccatórum néxibus, quæ pro nostra fraglitáte contráximus, tua benignitáte liberémur. Here is my … Continue reading
On Leaves and Martyrs and the Glory of God
Here in rural New England, we are blessed to be surrounded this time of year with something I did not grow up with in Louisiana: fall color. The varied hues of reds, oranges, and yellows, dazzle the eye, while the … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Largíre, quǽsumus, Dómine, fidélibus tuis indulgéntiam placátus et pacem: ut páriter ab ómnibus mundéntur offénsis, et secúra tibi mente desérviant. Here … Continue reading
Time and Salvation
Eternal salvation is the single most urgent matter facing humanity. Whether or not we live the life of grace here and of beatitude hereafter does objectively matter more than any other concern we face either corporately or individually. Anyone with … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
(Last year, there were a couple of Sundays I missed in the What’s in That Prayer series. One of them was this past Sunday. I was unable to post it over the weekend this year because of our recent annual … Continue reading
Saint Thomas on ‘the Division of Grace’
Saint Ignatius Loyola was, before becoming a saint, a man of practical affairs, being a career soldier and aristocrat. I say “before becoming a saint” using the narrow, strict notion of the word saint, that of being someone excellently holy, … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, da nobis fídei, spei et caritátis augméntum: et, ut mereámur asséqui quod promíttis, fac nos amáre quod prǽcipis. … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Omnípotens et miséricors Deus, de cuius múnere venit, ut tibi a fidélibus tuis digne et laudabíliter serviátur: tríbue, quǽsumus, nobis; ut … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui, abundántia pietátis tuæ, et mérita súpplicum excédis et vota: effúnde super nos misericórdiam tuam; ut dimíttas quæ … Continue reading
What’s in That Prayer? The Collect for Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Here is the oration that the Church prays in the Mass and Office for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Deus, qui omnipoténtiam tuam parcéndo máxime et miserándo maniféstas: multíplica super nos misericórdiam tuam; ut, ad tua promíssa curréntes, cœléstium bonórum … Continue reading
