Showing posts with label Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Show all posts
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper
Remembering that incredible, eternally loving moment for mankind on Holy Thursday.
When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from not on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. “
~Luke 22 14-20
What a lovely description given to us by Pope John Paul II when he stated, “The Blood of Christ, while It reveals the grandeur of the Father’s love, shows how precious man is in God’s eyes and how priceless the value of his life.”1 Love can cost us much. His great love for us cost Jesus everything. May we “spend” in His service all the gifts given to us by God, loving others the way Jesus loves us. We thank Jesus and honor Him as we should when we participate in this beautiful love story, receiving Him gratefully and worthily, as often as we are able to.
In his first encyclical God is Love, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that “to become a source of love, we must constantly drink anew from Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, the original source of love, for it is from His pierced heart that the love of God flows…” 2.
1. Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life (New York: Random House, 1995), 45.
2. Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, (Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005), # 7.
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright, 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from not on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. “
~Luke 22 14-20
What a lovely description given to us by Pope John Paul II when he stated, “The Blood of Christ, while It reveals the grandeur of the Father’s love, shows how precious man is in God’s eyes and how priceless the value of his life.”1 Love can cost us much. His great love for us cost Jesus everything. May we “spend” in His service all the gifts given to us by God, loving others the way Jesus loves us. We thank Jesus and honor Him as we should when we participate in this beautiful love story, receiving Him gratefully and worthily, as often as we are able to.
In his first encyclical God is Love, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that “to become a source of love, we must constantly drink anew from Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, the original source of love, for it is from His pierced heart that the love of God flows…” 2.
You are so precious in God’s eyes,
and the value of your eternal soul is priceless.
God is at work in you.
_______________________and the value of your eternal soul is priceless.
God is at work in you.1. Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life (New York: Random House, 1995), 45.
2. Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, (Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005), # 7.
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright, 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Doctor Walked Into the Room, Told Her She Was Expecting, and Then Heard Her Sigh
Reflecting on the gift of life on the eve of my birthday, which is on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.
God is at work, in each one of us.
My mother retold the story for my children at the birthday party she threw in honor of the gift of my life this past Sunday.
Her doctor, who had a huge statue of the Virgin Mary in his office, walked in to the room and announced that my mother, who was 24 at the time, was pregnant again. I was baby number three. My brother was three, my sister wasn't yet two, and my dear mother was anemic and exhausted. As an infant my sister had to be fed every four hours around th
e clock. Naturally, my mother was anxious for history not to repeat itself.
At the time, there was a shift from encouraging mothers to breastfeed to encouraging mothers to bottle feed their infants with formula. This increased the likelihood that children would be conceived closer together. My mother was not able to nurse my sister, and although that was disappointing for her at the time, those very circumstances led to my being created.
The compassionate doctor picked up on my mother's tired sigh. He asked her if she had seen the couple that left his office before she came in. He said they were unable to have any children. My mother still remembers the story. When I was born, she asked the doctor how much I weighed hoping that more around the clock care wasn't needed. I was a healthy five pounder. My children listened intently as she recalled the doctor telling her she had another little girl.
God love my parents who did not view their children as something to be planned according to their schedules. They understood that children are planned by God. My brother, sister, and I were blessed to grow up with siblings close in age and we were each others' friends and playmates.
How things have changed in one generation. Today children are often viewed as a right, to be sought after at all costs, even to the point of compromising morality. Modern, and faulty thinking, says children must be planned, or delayed for unjustifiable reasons, or frozen, or discarded in a variety of different ways. Married couples use immoral contraceptives, or do not welcome children at all, or will take one or two and that's it. Abortion is legal in the United States and fifty million children have died as a result of this "choice."
We have children if we want, when we want, and how we want, and then half of all marriages end in divorce because it pleases us to seek happiness elsewhere, leaving our children without two full time loving parents the way God intended. The love of God should find its first expression within the family. Humility, love, sacrifice, service. How we insult our most loving and generous God with our ingratitude, arrogance, and self-centeredness!
How many people are even willing to acknowledge publicly that they include God in their family planning, and make it a point to be generously open to life? How many are persecuted by others for living it.
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for living so generously and lovingly. As a parent now myself, I know that truly living your faith nobly and heroically was not easy. Thank you for not demanding that I be exactly what you had in mind, exactly when you wanted. Thank you for not putting me on your wish list, after a big house or a new car. Thank you for accepting me into your lives and for loving me in imitation of Christ.
I love this picture. taken when my children were little,
when they were already being taught to value life.
The children I went on to have,
My little hand on the day I was born,
the very hand (lefty) that went on to write five books,
all of which have to do with the
eternal and immeasurable love God has for every single person,
without exception.
God is at work, in each one of us.
My mother retold the story for my children at the birthday party she threw in honor of the gift of my life this past Sunday.
Her doctor, who had a huge statue of the Virgin Mary in his office, walked in to the room and announced that my mother, who was 24 at the time, was pregnant again. I was baby number three. My brother was three, my sister wasn't yet two, and my dear mother was anemic and exhausted. As an infant my sister had to be fed every four hours around th
e clock. Naturally, my mother was anxious for history not to repeat itself.At the time, there was a shift from encouraging mothers to breastfeed to encouraging mothers to bottle feed their infants with formula. This increased the likelihood that children would be conceived closer together. My mother was not able to nurse my sister, and although that was disappointing for her at the time, those very circumstances led to my being created.
The compassionate doctor picked up on my mother's tired sigh. He asked her if she had seen the couple that left his office before she came in. He said they were unable to have any children. My mother still remembers the story. When I was born, she asked the doctor how much I weighed hoping that more around the clock care wasn't needed. I was a healthy five pounder. My children listened intently as she recalled the doctor telling her she had another little girl.
God love my parents who did not view their children as something to be planned according to their schedules. They understood that children are planned by God. My brother, sister, and I were blessed to grow up with siblings close in age and we were each others' friends and playmates.
How things have changed in one generation. Today children are often viewed as a right, to be sought after at all costs, even to the point of compromising morality. Modern, and faulty thinking, says children must be planned, or delayed for unjustifiable reasons, or frozen, or discarded in a variety of different ways. Married couples use immoral contraceptives, or do not welcome children at all, or will take one or two and that's it. Abortion is legal in the United States and fifty million children have died as a result of this "choice."
We have children if we want, when we want, and how we want, and then half of all marriages end in divorce because it pleases us to seek happiness elsewhere, leaving our children without two full time loving parents the way God intended. The love of God should find its first expression within the family. Humility, love, sacrifice, service. How we insult our most loving and generous God with our ingratitude, arrogance, and self-centeredness!
How many people are even willing to acknowledge publicly that they include God in their family planning, and make it a point to be generously open to life? How many are persecuted by others for living it.
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for living so generously and lovingly. As a parent now myself, I know that truly living your faith nobly and heroically was not easy. Thank you for not demanding that I be exactly what you had in mind, exactly when you wanted. Thank you for not putting me on your wish list, after a big house or a new car. Thank you for accepting me into your lives and for loving me in imitation of Christ.
I love this picture. taken when my children were little, when they were already being taught to value life.
Because my parents chose to love sacrificially,
my three children had the chance to be born.
my three children had the chance to be born.
Because my parents had their focus on eternity,
Joseph Karl Publishing exists today.
Joseph Karl Publishing exists today.
The children I went on to have, and the books we went on to write.
Because my parents chose life,
my children and I were able to write the books God assigned to us,
to let everyone know that they are loved and valued beyond measure.
my children and I were able to write the books God assigned to us,
to let everyone know that they are loved and valued beyond measure.
True love leads to life,
and many, many, many other beautiful things.
and many, many, many other beautiful things.
My little hand on the day I was born, the very hand (lefty) that went on to write five books,
all of which have to do with the
eternal and immeasurable love God has for every single person,
without exception.
Value and peacefully defend every person's right to life,
from conception until natural death.
My birthday wish,
on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple,
is an end to legalized abortion
in the United States and throughout the world,
and that every single person feels so loved,
that no one would even consider having one.
True love leads to life.
from conception until natural death.
My birthday wish,
on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple,
is an end to legalized abortion
in the United States and throughout the world,
and that every single person feels so loved,
that no one would even consider having one.
True love leads to life.
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