February 13, 2013 - Ash Wednesday! This marks the beginning of the Lenten Season for Catholics and some other denominations. Unlike the olden days, we have things a whole lot easier as our only days of Fast are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The lenient ‘no meat' rule of recent times is rescinded and all Fridays in Lent are ones of abstinence. Although I have heard a few priests, over the years, remind the congregations about this, I don't think the message actually gets through to the majority. I remember taking my children to Costco one Friday during Lent for a meatless snack. The snack area was packed with people and I'm sure a majority of them were Catholic yet every person sitting there was having something with meat.
Ash Wednesday is also the day everyone comes out of the woodwork and even if they haven't attended Mass the rest of the year, they show up for the ‘free' ashes. Some people actually think that you will have bad luck if you don't receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday. Seems to me, one would face worse than bad luck to only attend Mass once a year. I remember shopping one Ash Wednesday after Mass and a woman ahead of me in line at the check out kept staring at me. When she walked over, I was prepared to explain and defend the ashes on my forehead. Surprisingly, she asked, "Where did you get those and did you have to attend Mass to get them?"
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. According to the Church year, it occurs 46 days before Easter and is a ‘moveable' feast which can be on the calendar as early as February 4th our as late as March 10th.
According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert. Ash Wednesday is our 40-day liturgical period of fasting and prayer. We get the name Ash Wednesday by the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the people. This reminds us of our mortality and of our repentance. The ashes used are gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday.
The one aspect I dislike about the Ash Wednesdays of recent years are the untrained extraordinary ministers distributing ashes. The solemnity of the occasion is often marred by the female ministers who grin and greet people they know as they haphazardly smear on ashes. I guess that it might be God's way of getting us ready for offering up sacrifices for the duration of Lent!
Just remember that if you are a Catholic, know that Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. You will not have bad/good luck depending on whether you receive ashes or not. One person actually told me that when I wiped off ashes that had gotten into my eyes and nose that I had to turn in the used tissue to the priest as it had to be burned in respect. Not so. No meat today or on the Fridays of Lent. If you are an adult, fasting today and Good Friday. And since this is the beginning of a penitential season, try not to trample other people in line for ashes. I'm sure the priest has enough to go around!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
The Pope's resignation speech . . .
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.Hope this upcoming election result is 100% better than the US 2012 one!
It doesn’t take much to get the news people going. Last look at the news reports, the following clergy are purported to be in the ‘running’ for the next pope. Time will, of course, tell, but it is interesting to read up on each of them and wonder who will appeal to the voting cardinals as the newly-appointed pope will affect their lot in church life.
Cristoph Schonborn of Austria is on the list. From Italy,Angelo Scola is named as a possibility. Marc Ouellet of Canada is a consideration. I have a good friend and monsignor in Nigeria and know that he and his country would welcome Francis Arinze as the next pope. From Ghana, Peter Appiah Turkson is recognized as a good possibility. Not to be left out, Timothy Dolan from the United States has come into the discussion. One of the conservative talk show hosts just put in his two cents on the possible outcome and suggests Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines.
We will be in the dark about the final vote among the cardinals until after February when Pope Benedict XVI steps down. The world is always full of surprises and we will either be pleased and happily surprised about which of the list is actually elected pope or shocked at the election of a man we never considered. It’s all in God’s own time and we can only pray for the discernment of the cardinals as they vote in this rather historic papal election.
Cristoph Schonborn of Austria is on the list. From Italy,Angelo Scola is named as a possibility. Marc Ouellet of Canada is a consideration. I have a good friend and monsignor in Nigeria and know that he and his country would welcome Francis Arinze as the next pope. From Ghana, Peter Appiah Turkson is recognized as a good possibility. Not to be left out, Timothy Dolan from the United States has come into the discussion. One of the conservative talk show hosts just put in his two cents on the possible outcome and suggests Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines.
We will be in the dark about the final vote among the cardinals until after February when Pope Benedict XVI steps down. The world is always full of surprises and we will either be pleased and happily surprised about which of the list is actually elected pope or shocked at the election of a man we never considered. It’s all in God’s own time and we can only pray for the discernment of the cardinals as they vote in this rather historic papal election.
You won't know the time or the place . . .
It was a shock to find out the Pope was stepping down at the end of February. It's been around 600 years since the last time this happened. The first thing that happens are the flurries of speculations of whether this is the end times or not. As I recall, it has been pretty clear that our concept of time is not God's knowledge of time so trying to guess or make educated surmises are a waste of time. These days should be ones of faith in God's touch in our lives. We shouldn't be trying to out think God's timeline for us and the world. I'm willing to bet that thousands upon thousands of people will have their personal 'end time' long before the final end of the world. A parishioner asked our pastor this morning if this was a prelude to THE end times and he sighed and said that it had about as much veracity as the end times we were warned about last year. In frustration at events in our life, many are often heard to exclaim, "God only knows!" I think this little exclamation applies to current circumstances because it IS only God who knows!
Being aware of this and abiding by the knowledge doesn't stop the rumors from flying. One person said this is coming about because we didn't consecrate Russia to the Blessed Mother. When this event was questioned, I believe they went directly to Sister Lucia of Fatima who confirmed that it had been done correctly. Naturally, the nay sayers said the information from Sister Lucia hadn't been truthfully transmitted.
Others are nodding sagely and saying that the successor of Pope Benedict XVI will be the last pope of all time. Some even go as far as to say the last pope will be the Antichrist. So, how do they know and why are they the privileged ones to be receptors of this information?
Some religions are sure that this as yet unnamed pope will not only be the last pope but the Antichrist. At one time, they also thought that Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II would plotting together to form a one-world religion. I'm pretty sure it didn't happen!
Whenever there is a major change in the world, people panic and start digging up reasons to explain it. Personally, I don't know if the end times are on the horizon and I wouldn't dare to state an opinion on that as an option for our seemingly limited future. Aside from prayer and sacrifice during the upcoming Lent, my only plans for the future are to live my life the best I can until my time here on earth is done.
Lately, the world is not a great place. Sin has replaced modesty, religion, and common sense. Instead of worrying about the last days, we might make the best of each day as if it were to be our last. Prayer turns hearts to a higher level.
Being aware of this and abiding by the knowledge doesn't stop the rumors from flying. One person said this is coming about because we didn't consecrate Russia to the Blessed Mother. When this event was questioned, I believe they went directly to Sister Lucia of Fatima who confirmed that it had been done correctly. Naturally, the nay sayers said the information from Sister Lucia hadn't been truthfully transmitted.
Others are nodding sagely and saying that the successor of Pope Benedict XVI will be the last pope of all time. Some even go as far as to say the last pope will be the Antichrist. So, how do they know and why are they the privileged ones to be receptors of this information?
Some religions are sure that this as yet unnamed pope will not only be the last pope but the Antichrist. At one time, they also thought that Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II would plotting together to form a one-world religion. I'm pretty sure it didn't happen!
Whenever there is a major change in the world, people panic and start digging up reasons to explain it. Personally, I don't know if the end times are on the horizon and I wouldn't dare to state an opinion on that as an option for our seemingly limited future. Aside from prayer and sacrifice during the upcoming Lent, my only plans for the future are to live my life the best I can until my time here on earth is done.
Lately, the world is not a great place. Sin has replaced modesty, religion, and common sense. Instead of worrying about the last days, we might make the best of each day as if it were to be our last. Prayer turns hearts to a higher level.
Placing bets on the new pope . . . already?
I guess it isn't quite so bad betting on the outcome of the next papal election as we aren't in mourning for a recently deceased pope . . . but . . . still . . .
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/11/pope-resigns-betting-idUSL5N0BBF9X20130211
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/11/pope-resigns-betting-idUSL5N0BBF9X20130211
Pope Benedict . . .
When people of faith make decisions, they pray and find examples . . .
http://www.taylormarshall.com/2010/07/pope-benedict-xvis-new-devotion-to-pope.html
http://www.taylormarshall.com/2010/07/pope-benedict-xvis-new-devotion-to-pope.html
Prayers for Pope Benedict XVI
It was with great sadness that I read the news, this morning, that Pope Benedict will be resigning the end of this month. In our strange and changing world, another odd occurrence seems to be part of it. I can understand his reasons of health but it feels like a real blow. A lot of prayer needed to insure we have a successor that will hold up the precepts of our Faith as well and as diligently as Pope Benedict. I'm happy that he will find some rest from the enormous duties of overseeing the Catholic Church but will miss his guiding hand in our world. God bless him for all he has done for us and God bless him in his well-deserved retirement.
There have been so many firsts in our world over the last few years and nothing should surprise us . . . but, yet, we continue to be surprised and wonder at God's Hand in all this and how things will all work out. No time to stop praying but to increase those prayers.
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” he told the cardinals. “I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only by words and deeds but no less with prayer and suffering. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/02/11/pro-life-pope-benedict-xvi-resigns-citing-poor-health-concerns/
There have been so many firsts in our world over the last few years and nothing should surprise us . . . but, yet, we continue to be surprised and wonder at God's Hand in all this and how things will all work out. No time to stop praying but to increase those prayers.
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” he told the cardinals. “I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only by words and deeds but no less with prayer and suffering. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/02/11/pro-life-pope-benedict-xvi-resigns-citing-poor-health-concerns/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
From the Vatican, 10 February 2013