You do not eat meat, but you devour your brother’: Fasting for the feasting part 2

Continuing her reflection on Lent, Sr Mary David writes about what we really need to “give up”.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus signals three ways in which we prepare for Easter: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. All three belong to our celebration of Lent. It is a question of giving our heart in prayer, our material body in fasting, and our material goods in alms. Thus these three great religious acts of the Gospel express each in its own way, an offering without reserve.

The Pope will soon be on Twitter

Benedict XVI will have his own Twitter account to communicate above all with youngsters. “He will not click on the “Send” button but will approve the content of messages”

Alessandro Speciale (from Vatican Insider)
Rome

The technophile Pope

The Pope will soon have his “own” Twitter account, which he will use to communicate with people about the Sunday Angelus prayer and his most important speeches. The news was announced by Mgr. Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, in an interview with Vatican Radio.

Blessed John Henry Newman on Lent

Is it not, I say, quite a common case for men and for women to neglect religion in their best days? They have been baptized, they have been taught their duty, they have been taught to pray, they know their Creed, their conscience has been enlightened, they have opportunity to come to Church. This is their birthright, the privileges of their birth of water and of the Spirit; but they sell it, as Esau did. They are tempted by Satan with some bribe of this world, and they give up their birthright in exchange for what is sure to perish, and to make them perish with it. Esau was tempted by the mess of pottage which he saw in Jacob’s hands. Satan arrested the eyes of his lust, and he gazed on the pottage, as Eve gazed on the fruit of the tree of knowledge  of good and evil. Adam and Eve sold their birthright for the fruit of a tree—that was their bargain. Esau sold his for a mess of lentils—that was his. And men now-a-days often sell theirs, not indeed for any thing so simple as fruit or herbs, but for some evil gain or other, which at the time they think worth purchasing at any price; perhaps for the enjoyment of some particular sin, or more commonly for the indulgence of general carelessness and spiritual sloth, because they do not like a strict life, and have no heart for God’s service. And thus they are profane persons, for they despise the great gift of God.

REMEMBERING OUR MORTALITY, WELCOMING GOD AND HOPING FOR THE RESURRECTION

Vatican City, 23 February 2012 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon, Ash Wednesday, Benedict XVI presided over the traditional penitential procession from the church of St. Anselm on Rome’s Aventine Hill to the nearby basilica of Santa Sabina where he celebrated Mass. Cardinals, archbishops, bishops, the Benedictine monks of St. Anselm, the Dominican Fathers of Santa Sabina and lay faithful participated in the event.

Following the procession, Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist and the rite of the imposition of the ashes. He received ashes from Cardinal Jozef Tomko, titular of the basilica, then distributed ashes to the cardinals and bishops present, as well as to various members of the faithful. Following the Gospel reading the Pope pronounced his homily, explaining that ashes are “an element of nature which through the liturgy become a sacred symbol, one of great importance on this day which marks the beginning of the Lenten journey”.

“Ashes are one of those material signs which bring the cosmos into the liturgy”, he said. “Although they are not a sacramental sign, they are nonetheless associated with prayer and the sanctification of Christian people”. In fact, before imposing them on the heads of the faithful, the priest blesses the ashes, and one of the formulae he may use to do so refers to a passage from Genesis: “You are dust and to dust you shall return”, the words with which God concludes His judgement after the original sin.

St. Peter Damian on Consolation from Sadness

St. Peter Damian, Doctor of the Church

Today, the 23th. Feb., is the Feast Day of St. Peter Damian according to the Tridentine Missal. Two days ago C P&S published a post on this great Saint who deserves to be more well-known than he actually is in our modern world. Thus, on this occasion, you, our dear readers, are invited to spend some more time to explore the spiritual fruit of our Saint of this day (A Letter by Peter Damian on the Consolation from Sadness. Source: Here):

Let us rejoice in the joy that follows sadness

You asked me to write you some words of consolation, my brother. Embittered by so many tribulations, you are seeking some comfort for your soul. You asked me to offer you some soothing suggestions.

But there is no need for me to write. Consolation is already within your reach, if your good sense has not been dulled. My son, come to the service of God. Stand in justice and fear. Prepare your soul; it is about to be tested. These words of Scripture show that you are a son of God and, at such, should take possession of your inheritance. What could be clearer than this exhortation?

Cardinal Dolan: I really want to be a Saint

Cardinal Timothy Dolan speaks with the media from the steps of the Pontifical North American College on Feb. 18, 2012

Rome, Italy, Feb 19, 2012 / 10:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York says he is happy to be a cardinal but that he is aiming for a higher calling.

“As grateful as I am for being a Cardinal, I really want to be a saint,” Cardinal Dolan said to the media after the Feb. 18 ceremony. “I mean that, and I’ve got a long way to go but it is all about holiness, it is all about friendship with Jesus and it is all about being a saint. And that’s what I want to be.”

Ash Wednesday and Lent: Fasting for the feasting part 1

With Lent starting today, Sr Mary David Totah OSB, reminds us what the liturgical season is really for.

It is good to remember that in the early Church the main purpose of Lent was to prepare the catechumens, the newly-converted Christians, for baptism which was performed during Paschal Vigil. Even for those of us who are baptized, Easter is our return every year to our baptism, and Lent is a preparation for that return – the slow sustained effort to perform our own pass-over into new life as Christians.