With this being the first Sunday of Advent, let us pause with all of the adversity in the world and focus on our Lord Jesus, In the Latin Church, the ecclesiastical year begins with Advent. During this time we are admonished :

1. to prepare ourselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,
   
2. thus to make our souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and
   
3. thereby to make ourselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.
   

With this in mind, will try to focus on those items that would reflect the above. Some links may not be Catholic, as the message is the main thought.

"The actual season of Advent came into being toward the middle of the sixth century. Its orientation was entirely different from Lent, which was already established. There was no trace of ascetic preparation for Christmas. At first, the Advent Season was determined as the six Sundays leading up to Christmas. Pope St. Gregory the Great (591-604) reduced them to four, perhaps hoping to more clearly mark the difference between Advent and Lent. Before the seventh century, Christmas was a secondary feast, especially in Rome. But it came to take on more and more importance. Advent evolved in the same way. It became more solemn. Also, its orientation changed. From being a time to prepare for Christmas, it became a time to attend to the glorious return of the Lord. Today, the Sunday liturgies celebrate Advent in its double perspective of waiting for the Second Coming of the Lord (First and Second Sundays) and the immediate preparation for the feast of Christmas (Third and Fourth Sundays). The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about Advent, "When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present the ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for, by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for His Second Coming." (CCC #524)" - The Meaning of Advent, November 30, 1997, Brother John Raymond

Advent Thoughts:

1. 'Advent' things to do
   
2. Advent Intercessions for Life
   
3. Sowers of God's Peace
   

Links:

1. Advent Prayer from the excellent website of Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune, Mississippi. This is one of the best I have seen from a parish.
   
2. Two Days Thoughts about yesterday and tomorrow.
   

For many of us, the Christmas Tree is put up right after thanksgiving. Since the tree is a 'family tradition' for many, I found a blessing for the Christmas Tree. During the season of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany do not forget why our Father did, what he ordained.

Gracious Father in Heaven, who knows yesterday, today, and tomorrow for each and every one of your children. We humbly thank you for your love and concern for the eternal state of our souls; by sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the lamb without blemish. The lamb who was sacrificed for our sin, we beg of thee to teach us how to love as you; enable us to love as you, and may those that we touch understand the meaning of Christian Love.

Fill us with continued graces and humility as we joyfully await your return, to join the homeward bound procession behind those who died in You. Give us the strength to be obedient as you were with your Father. We raise our hands and eyes towards heaven as we give you thanks for all that you do; seen and unseen.

Blessed Mother, ark of the new covenant, hear our prayers, supplications, our cries, sighs and tears. Intercede for us as you approach the throne of your Son, Jesus Christ; lay our prayers at the feet of our saving Lord and carry our prayers to His Holy Ears..

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary give us strength.

Amen

St Joseph; Pray for Us.

St Michael; Protect Us.

Amen

- Reported by Bro. Francis Patrick Mary, OLSM(s), Correspondent-at-Large @ 4:16 PM

Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I spent most of the past two days perusing the news, trying to find a pure bright spot. For the most part it is gloom and doom. On perusing the internet news, it was one defeat after the other, with the final score; Secular Humanism 14, Christians 0.

I was reading about the ICCL(Irish Council for Civil Liberties ), it reminded me to be similar to the ACLU.

The founding principles of the ICCL are stated as:

"The ICCL shall be independent of all political and religious organisations and shall work actively to promote a tolerant, inclusive, pluralist and secular society in Ireland. It shall carry out its work in an egalitarian, pluralist and inclusive manner. All ICCL activities shall be carried out in accordance with the aims set out in this Constitution. Those aims apply to the internal structures, processes, activities and decision-making procedures."


ICCL Aims:

1. To defend and promote the human rights and civil liberties of individuals and groups;
   
2. To defend and promote women’s rights as human rights;
   
3. To defend and promote international human rights standards in Ireland;
   
4. To inform public opinion on matters which impact on human rights and civil liberties;
   
5. To monitor the observance of human rights and civil liberties in Ireland;
   
6. To carry out research into human rights;
   
7. To influence decision-making in the area of human rights and civil liberties;
   
8. To develop links with other national and international organisations working in the sphere of human rights and civil liberties;
   
9. To take any steps incidental to the achievement of the foregoing aims.
   

I then found this in regards for ministers speaking out about concerns, "Ireland's 1989 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act prohibits the publishing or distribution of material that is "threatening, abusive or insulting" or "likely to stir up hatred." The law carries a maximum six-month jail term."

Here are the links for this issue:

1. Bishop's comments spark legal investigation
   
2. Soulforce To Protest "Unholy Crusade" By The Catholic Church
   
3. Legal Warning to Church
   

This is one tip of one iceberg, as the days go forward, there will be more. As more legislation is passed against Christians, for taking a public stand for Christ Jesus against what is evil, the more each individual will go through tribulation in speaking out against hate and evil. In paragraph 1933 of the Catechism, we are to hate the sin/evil, "This same duty extends to those who think or act differently from us. The teaching of Christ goes so far as to require the forgiveness of offenses. He extends the commandment of love, which is that of the New Law, to all enemies. Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred of one's enemy as a person, but not with hatred of the evil that he does as an enemy."

Read John 15 and 2 Peter Chapter 3, Luke 21:12, 2 Timothy 3

From the Catechism:The Church's ultimate trial

675 Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.



676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatalogical judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism.



677 The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.

From 2 Peter 3, reflect on these closing passages, vs 13-18:

"But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures. Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. (Amen.)"

O Jesus, eternal High Priest, Good Shepherd, Font of Life, Who by a special favor of Thy most tender Heart hast given to us our priests in order to accomplish in us those holy ideals with which Thy grace inspires our hearts, let Thy mercy, we beseech Thee, come to the aid of our priests.


Grant them, O Jesus, lively faith in their works, unshakable hope in their trials and fervent charity in their intentions. May Thy word, radiant with eternal Wisdom, become through continual meditation, the never failing nourishment of their interior life; may the examples of Thy Life and Passion be renewed in their conduct and sufferings for our instruction and as a light and consolation in our sorrows.


Grant, O Lord, that our priests, free from all earthly attachments and solicitous for Thy glory alone, may persevere to their last breath in the fulfillment of duty and in purity of conscience. And when in death they deliver into Thy hands a task well done may they have in Thee, Lord Jesus, their Master on earth, the eternal reward of the crown of justice in the glory of the Saints. Amen. - Prayer of Pope Pius XII
- Reported by Bro. Francis Patrick Mary, OLSM(s), Correspondent-at-Large @ 12:29 AM

Just a quiet post this time. Reflect on "Why we do the things we do?" Reflect on the perception of others. Reflect on why we must evidence Christ in all that we do.

Purity of Intention and the Way of Life

"Like Mother Teresa, St. Faustina loved Jesus in the Eucharist and added to her name, “Of the Most Blessed Sacrament.” She knew that living the mercy of God was paramount in her life, and doing all things out of love of God was what really mattered. St. Therese of the Little Flower never traveled to distant lands, yet is the Patroness of all Missionaries. St. Faustina, like St. Therese, stayed in Poland, yet this uneducated nun is known the world over as the "Great Apostle of Divine Mercy."
Lastly, why do we do the things we do? Are intentions pure, or is there an underlying motive? Doing things out of love, and striving to do all things in His Will is paramount. Our Lord told St. Faustina, “ My daughter, let three virtues adorn you in a particular way: humility, purity of intention and love” (Diary, 1779)."

"Catholicism is convinced that there can be no absolute autonomous self apart from our essential connection with a community, no personal freedom without obligation to other people -- especially children and the elderly, the weak and the defenseless. Absolute personal freedom without regard for the needs of others, and a commitment to justice and service, always ends up as a kind of bondage, a slavery to impulse to violence and degradation."Catholic Worldview

1. Power-tower 'terrorist' arrested in California
   
2. Supreme Court Won't Rule on Ten Commandments
   
3. Bishops' angry reaction: Full text
   
4. Conservatives accuse US Episcopalians of splitting church
   

As Archbishop Buechlein states:

"Surely we agree that evangelizing catechesis or preaching and also worship and prayer cannot succumb to the weight of plausibility (that is, public approval) over doctrine and theology in the practice and life of the Church."

From Three Secret Strategies of Satan to Destroy our Children, our Families, our Culture, and our Church "

Prayer For Freedom from Addictions

Lord Jesus, you prayed with the words of the prophet Isaiah, "I have come to set the captives free." We are captive and need your healing touch. Open our hearts to receive your gift of grace, that releases us from our bondage and addictions and gives us...

...freedom from cares and worries that stifle our happiness;

...freedom from sins that cling to us, and to which we cling;

...freedom from all compulsive behavior that prevents our becoming what You, Lord, have planned for us.

Bring us, loving Savior, to the experience of abundant life which you promised. Amen.

Prayer for the Present Moment

Dear God, I spend so much time reliving yesterday or anticipating tomorrow that I lose sight of the only time that is really mine- the present moment. You give me today one moment at a time. That's all I have - all I ever will have.

Give me the faith which knows that each moment contains exactly what is best for me. Give me the hope which trusts you enough to forget past failings and future trials. Give me the love which makes each moment an anticipation of eternity with you. We ask this in the name of Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen.

- Reported by Bro. Francis Patrick Mary, OLSM(s), Correspondent-at-Large @ 12:24 AM