Pope statement

Pope: widows are image of Church seeking to stay faithful

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in the Casa Santa Marta - OSS_ROM

23/11/2015 13:31SHARE:
(Vatican Radio) The Church remains faithful if she keeps her eyes fixed on Jesus, but she becomes lukewarm and mediocre if she seeks comfort in worldly things. That was Pope Francis’ message on Monday as he reflected on the Gospel reading at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta…
Listen to our report:
Pope Francis noted that the reading from St Luke’s Gospel tells the story of the widow who puts her two coins in the temple treasury box, while other wealthy worshippers make a great show of the money they're putting in. Jesus says that “this poor widow put in more than all the rest” because the others were giving away money from their surplus wealth, while she, in her poverty, “has offered her whole livelihood”. In the Bible, Pope Francis said, the widow is the woman who is alone, who has no husband to look after her, who has to manage on her own, who survives on charity. The widow in this Gospel passage, he said, was “a widow who had placed her trust only in the Lord”. I like to look at the widows in the Gospel, he said, as an image of the “widowed” Church who is waiting for Jesus to return.
The Church is the bride of Christ, Pope Francis said, but her Lord has gone and her only treasure is in her Lord. If the Church remains faithful, then she leaves everything while waiting for her Lord to return. If she does not have so much faith in the love of her Lord, then she tries to get by in other ways, seeking security in things that are more of this world than of God.
The widows of the Gospels, the Pope continued, speak beautifully to us about Jesus and His Church. There is the widow of Nain who was crying as she accompanied her son to be buried outside the city gates. There is the widow who goes to the unjust judge in order to defend her sons, knocking on his door every day and bothering him continuously until he delivers a just sentence for her. This is the widowed Church who prays and intercedes for her children, Pope Francis explained. But the heart of the Church is always with Jesus, the Bridegroom in heaven.
According to the desert fathers, the Pope said, our souls also resemble the Church, and the closer our souls, our lives, are to Jesus, the more we are able to avoid worldly, useless things that lead us away from Christ. While the ‘widowed’ Church waits for Jesus, he said, she can be faithful, trusting that her husband will return, or she can be unfaithful to her widowhood, a lukewarm, mediocre, worldly Church seeking comfort in other things.
In these last days of the liturgical year, Pope Francis concluded, we would do well to ask ourselves if our souls are searching for the Lord, or if they’re looking for comfort in things which do not please the Lord. Let our souls say “Come Lord Jesus! Come!” And may we leave behind all those useless things which stop us staying faithful.
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THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE CHURCH *PART 1*

See how many of these historical tidbits surprise you!
There are some things that everybody knows about the Catholic Church, even if you aren't a Christian. For example, most people know that Catholic priests wear roman collars, and remain celibate (with some notable exceptions). Everyone knows who the pope is and that he lives in Vatican City, ensconced in Rome. But there are some surprising things even faithful Catholics don't know. Read these six things Catholics don't know about their church and see how many surprise you.


Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian friar regarded as the father of modern genetics.

 Highlights
By Marshall Connolly (Catholic Online)

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

7/28/2012 (3 years ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Catholic Church, history, facts, law, astronomy,

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - There are some things that everybody knows about the Catholic Church, even if you aren't a Christian. For example, most people know that Roman Catholic priests wear roman collars, and remain celibate. There are notable exceptions; such as former Anglican Ministers becoming Catholic priests after being received into full communion and Eastern Catholic priests who, like the Orthodox Clergy, can be chosen from among both celibate and married men. Everyone knows who the Pope is and that he lives in Vatican City, ensconced in Rome. But there are some surprising things even faithful Catholics don't know. Read these six things Catholics don't know about their church and see how many surprise you.

The Catholic Church once 'killed' the Olympics! With the summer Olympics coming to London, the entire world is atwitter with excitement. Many of those athletes will be Catholic and the Catholic Church in London will be celebrating a special opening mass for the games. But few, outside of church scholars and historians, may know that the Catholic Church once killed the Olympics. It's true!

The downfall of the ancient Olympics games began largely with Emperor Theodosius I, who passed a series of laws banning the degrading and dehumanizing practices of Roman paganism. While he did not specifically ban the games, he did ban many of the rituals associated with the games and their pagan origins. With the attendant rituals banned, including rites of worship to Zeus, to whom the games were dedicated, the games lost much of their perceived "religious" motivation. The last official games were held in 394 AD, although some historians claim the games persisted into the fifth century.

In any case, the decline and end of the ancient games was a direct result of the influence of the Catholic Church in the political and daily realm of the late Roman Empire and its culture. In an effort to stamp out dehumanizing and degrading practices of paganism and to unify the people under the one true religion, the ancient Olympics had to go.

Hospitals
Many modern hospitals are named for saints and are closely associated with the Church and religious orders.  However, fewer people understand that the first modern hospitals were industries of the Catholic Church. The Church has always viewed the provision of care to the sick as a part of the continuing admonisition of Jesus to heal the sick and the charge found in the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel to care for Jesus who is revealed in the poor whom He so loves.

The Catholic Church was the original healthcare provider, establishing the first hospitals for the care of the sick and the poor in ancient Rome after the legalization of Christianity. The homes of early bishops and wealthy Christians were popular places for treatment of the sick. Later, special places were built to house patients as well as pilgrims.

Mary, Mother of Mercy part 2

like little children), then it only stands to reason that we are dependent upon the mother in God's family, Mary our Mother, to "mediate" to us (that is, to pass on to us) everything that we need. Dr. Miravalle explains for us the truth behind these exalted titles, "Mediatrix":

We see the beginning of Mary's unique sharing in the salvific mediation of Christ at the Annunciation, where the free consent of the Virgin to be the Theotokos, the "God-bearer," mediates to the world Jesus Christ, Savior and Author of all grace.

It is in virtue of Mary's yes that He who is the source and mediation of all graces of redemption came to the human family. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth...And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (Jn 1:14, 16). Mary's moral and physical mediation of Christ as Mother brought into the world the Uncreated Grace from which flows every grace received in his Body, which constitutes the People of God. The Church confirms: "From Him flows out into the body of the Church all light through which the faithful receive supernatural enlightenment, and every grace, through which they became holy, as He himself is holy ... (Pius XII, Mystici Corporis).

The maternal mediation of Mary in bringing to the lost world its Savior was already prophesied in the ancient prophecy (cf. Gen 3:15), where the Woman would bring to the world as Mother the seed of victory over Satan. It is Mary, the New Eve, who by freely and physically mediating the New Adam, source of our salvation in grace, becomes "for the whole human race," as St. Irenaeus tells us, "the cause of our salvation."


In short, Mary, as Mother of our merciful Savior, is rightly called the Co-Redemptrix and the Mediatrix of all His graces and mercies to us. She plays a unique and unequalled role in God's plan to shower His mercy upon us all. Like any true and loving mother, her children can be trustfully and completely dependent upon her to bring us all that we need for life and growth. And that's all that Mary's "mediation" really means. It sounds complex at first, but it's really as simple and dependable as a mother's love!

Mary, Mother of Mercy part1

our reflections on Mary's role as "Mother of Mercy" by showing that she is the true "masterpiece" of God's mercy in the world, through the gift of her Immaculate Conception.

But there is much more about Mary's merciful motherhood for us to explore. It's a mystery so deep that we have only just begun!

The second reason we are right to call Mary "Mother of Mercy" is that she was the one chosen to be the Mother of God — in other words, she was the Mother of the merciful Savior, and in this way she literally brought Divine Mercy Himself to birth in our world. Of course, this is nothing more than the common faith of the Church. When Mary humbly accepted the angel Gabriel's call, she actually conceived in her womb, and brought to birth into our world, the merciful God made flesh, Mercy Incarnate, Jesus Christ.

In the conclusion of his encyclical Veritatis Splendor (1993), Pope John Paul II summarized this Gospel truth for us:

Mary is Mother of Mercy because her Son, Jesus Christ, was sent by the Father as the revelation of God's mercy (cf Jn 3:16-18). Christ came not to condemn but to forgive, to show mercy (cf Mt 9:13). And the greatest mercy of all is found in His being in our midst and calling us to meet Him and to confess, with Peter, that He is "the Son of the living God" (Mt. 16:16). No human sin can erase the mercy of God, or prevent Him from unleashing all His triumphant power, if we only call upon Him. Indeed, sin itself makes even more radiant the love of the Father who, in order to ransom a slave, sacrificed His Son: His mercy toward us is Redemption. This mercy reaches its fullness in the gift of the Spirit who bestows new life and demands that it be lived. No matter how many and great the obstacles put in His way by human frailty and sin, the Spirit who renews the face of the earth (cf Ps 104:30), makes possible the miracle of the perfect accomplishment of the good. This renewal, which gives the ability to do what is good, noble, beautiful, pleasing to God and in conformity with His will, is in some way the flowering of the gift of mercy, which offers liberation from the slavery of evil and gives the strength to sin no more. Through the gift of new life, Jesus makes us sharers in His love, and leads us to the Father in the Spirit.


It is ironic that this very simple theological truth — that Mary is our Mother of Mercy because she gave birth to our merciful Savior — has now become the focal point for a modern theological controversy: the claim that as Mother of Mercy, she is also the "Co-Redemptrix," and the "Mediatrix of all graces." The issue is not as complex as these theological phrases sound. Dr. Mark Miravalle, professor of theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, tells of an encounter with Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she expressed the truth of the matter in all its simplicity:

Sacred Scripture profoundly reveals the role of our Blessed Mother as Co-Redemptrix. At the Annunciation, when Mary says "yes" to the angel and thereby gives her "fiat" (Lk 1:38), she gives to the Redeemer the instrument of redemption, His human body. In a discussion I had with the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta regarding the solemn papal definition of the co-redemptive role of Our Lady, within the first two minutes of speaking, Mother said, "Of course she is Co-Redemptrix, of course. She gave Jesus his body and the body of Jesus is what saved us." I replied, "Mother, that's the difference between sanctity and theology. You say in two minutes what it takes the theologians three volumes to write." (from Divine Mercy: The Heart of the Gospel, published by the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, 1999).



As Mother of Mercy and Co-Redemptrix, Mary is also rightly called the "Mediatrix of all graces," and in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater (1987), Pope John Paul II called her "Mediatrix of Mercy." If we think of ourselves as the little children in God's family (and that is precisely what Jesus said we must become:

prayer of the holy rosary

Pray for Peace, Pray from the Heart"





1

While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and then recite the Apostles Creed.



The Sign of the Cross



In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.



The Apostles Creed



I believe in God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into Heaven and is seated
at the right-hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen.



2

Recite the Our Father on the first large bead

The Our Father (or The Lord's Prayer)



Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.


3

Recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity on each of the three small beads


Hail Mary



Hail, Mary, full of grace!
The Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.
Holy, Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.


4

Recite the Glory Be on the same last bead of the 10th Hail Mary

Glory Be to the Father



Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be
world without end.
Amen.


5

Recite the Fatima Prayer "Oh My Jesus” on the same last bead of the 10th Hail Mary

O My Jesus



O my Jesus,
forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of hell,
and lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those in most need of your Mercy.
Amen.


6

Recall the first Rosary Mystery and recite the Our Father on the large bead

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.


7

On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also refered to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery

Hail, Mary, full of grace!
The Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.
Holy, Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.


8

Recite the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer on the small bead of the last Hail Mary

Glory Be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now  and ever shall be
world without end.
Amen.

O my Jesus,
forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of hell,
and lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those in most need of your Mercy.
Amen.


9

Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima prayer while reflecting on the mystery

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,  (1 X)
hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail, Mary, full of grace!  (10 X)
The Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.
Holy, Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

REFLECTION

""" Riches are a good handmaid, but the worst mistress ( Francis Bacon )
 
    St. Francis Xavier, who was a professor at the university of Paris, left his worldly pursuits and dedicated himself for the service of God at the age of 28, at Montmartre in 1534. The biblical verse, which converted him, is the words of our lord, "what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his soul (MK 8 : 36). "He became one of the greatest missionaries of all times. He took the Gospel far and wide. He preached and won people for God in India, Ceylon, Malacca, Indonesia, and Japan. He renounced everything to regain Christ. What a contrast we have between this young man of the 16th century and the nameless rich young man of the Gospel. One  left everything, followed Christ and attained eternal life, and the other clung to everything, refused to follow Christ and forfeited eternal life. The journey of the young man in today's Gospel began well but ended up tragically. The journey of the rich young man in today's Gospel is a journey of a seeker that was terminated in the end with a tragedy. Let us see the different stages he underwent as a seeker.

    1) We First Meet Him As A Sincere seeker
   
     There are a lot of good things that could be said about this man. Although he was young, he showed an interest in spiritual things. He was rich yet he cared for his soul. He consistently obeyed the commands of the law of Moses. He was humble. As a young man he not only honored his parents but was also willing to get the spirituall advice of a poor, uneducated, itinerant Preacher. He was also wise because in all his wealth and righteous possessions, he still considered that he might lack something.
      When he came to Jesus he knelt down at the feet of Jesus and asked him, "Good master, what must i do to inherit eternal life?" This young man questioned Jesus not out of simple curiosity, not to trap or fix Him in a problem. There was a sincere desire in him to seek the truth. He was a sincere seeker. The Bible says, When Jesus looked at him, he loved him." But the sad truth is that the story goes downhill from this point.
     
      2) In The Second Stage, We see this Young Man a Shallow Seeker
     
      Superficially, the man seems like a holy man. When Jesus quotes the commandments - "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You must not steal, You shall honor your father and mother ...." The man said, I have kept these laws from my youth." When you look at these commandments, all except one are negative commandments. He led a very respectable life - he did not do harm to anybody.  That was good, but it was not good enough. He has not done any harm; it is true. But what good had he done? He had so much wealth,so much possession, but what had he done with his riches? Did he go out in helping others? Respectability consists in not doing harm to others, but Christianity consist in doing good things to the others. When Jesus suggested him to do something good, the man refused.
      He wanted to seek eternal life, without sacrifice. Without emptying himself he wanted to fill himself with God. His search for eternal life did not have the commitment. He was a shallow seeker. He came to Jesus to get eternal life without any willingness to change himself.

CHURCH JOKE

Can a Man ever do a wrong Transaction with God?

My friend invited me to his church for a thanksgiving service, and I sat at the front row,when it was time for offering, the offering basket was passed around. Despite d Pastor charge for good offering, I still hurriedly and secretly pulled out N50 from my pocket and dropped it. Just then, the person behind me tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a N1,000 note. I smiled, how generous, then majestically I looked around and put the N1,000 in the basket and passed it on, then I turned and thanked d man seriously for being so generous. He replied "don't mention'' be more careful next time, it fell from your pocket" WhaaaaT!!!!!???????....... Usher please wait, wrong Transaction!!!!!!!!! Don't laugh alone share it and make someone smile...