A Big Heart Open to God

AMERICA ^ | Sept 2013 | Antonio Spadaro, SJ

[Arthur McGowan]

I pray the breviary every morning. I like to pray with the psalms. Then, later, I celebrate Mass. I pray the Rosary. What I really prefer is adoration in the evening, even when I get distracted and think of other things, or even fall asleep praying. In the evening then, between seven and eight o’clock, I stay in front of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour in adoration. But I pray mentally even when I am waiting at the dentist or at other times of the day.

[ravenwolf]

I pray on my knees in front of my statue of Mary from the time i get up of a morning 4 am until my wife calls me for breakfast and i pray mentally as i eat.

On my way to work i get down on my knees in front of Mary and pray for five minutes, and on my drive to work i always stop at least twice and get on my knees in the walmart parking lot as i have a 30 minute drive.

When i get to work i always stop in the break room and pray until time to punch in and when work starts i am not allowed to to be away from my post so i spend 8 hours counting beads because my job does not require my hands.

I also spend my lunch time praying for all of those lost souls that i work with that say they don,t have time to Pray because of doing my job, :yeah right:, so being hungry when my shift ends i just stop and Pray once on the way home.

My wife has dinner ready so being hungry i spend thirty minutes with out praying but i do Pray and count my beads while my wife is bathing me.

Then i spend four hours in front of my statue of Mary and after that i pray myself to sleep and believe it or not i even pray all of the time that i sleep.

I think the Bible says something about not doing your alms before men but my Church sure don,t teach that nonsense.

[mlizzy]

I think the Bible says something about not doing your alms before men but my Church sure don,t teach that nonsense.

Being a carnival-barker is wrong. Praying in public (or encouraging prayer), however, is not. [The late] Fr. John A. Hardon (a good friend of Mother Teresa's), once said:

One final word. All that I have said was not only an exhortation to say the Rosary. Absolutely not! I am pleading with you to become apostles of the Rosary. Promote the Rosary. Urge the Rosary. Teach the Rosary. Shall I say, advertise the Rosary. It is through the Rosary that we can bring countless souls back to Christ from whom they have strayed. It is through the Rosary that we can make them lovers of Christ through the mediation of His Mother, the Mother of Miracles since the marriage feast at Cana even to the dawn of eternity. [emphasis; mine]

Since I have a disability that is always hard to deal with and on some days impossible to withstand, I carry a rosary around with me about 50% of the time. It not only helps me get to where I'm going (and back), but many people have commented on it, as it's beautiful in addition to being functional. In brings up wonderful conversations, as many folks are non-attending Catholics, but remember their First Communions with joy, etc. I do not know your affiliation, but some non-Catholics bring up that verse [I think] because they don't want others to be encouraged to pray asking intercession [of Mary].

If it hadn't been for the wonderful woman on Facebook telling me about her Eucharistic prayers, I never would have thought it possible that I too could accomplish what she did.

[mlizzy]

Whoops, you said alms... I put that post up too quickly... was in a hurry to give alms to the church... -lol-

[Iscool]

It is Jesus who is present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, which He gave to us at the Last Supper. So, the Pope prays for an hour each evening just feet away from Jesus.

And when the pope leaves, Jesus is left sitting there in that 'thing'...

[Iscool]

Very elementary questions...A little bible research will reveal the answers to you...

[Iscool]

He is not present in body. In the Eucharist, he is living, present in His Body.

Jesus is in heaven...He never left heaven...He is sitting at the right hand of the Father...Nowhere is there any evidence that Jesus leaves heaven...

The story of Jesus leaving heaven is a myth...It is more Greek mythology...Jesus told us he was going to heaven and he sent the Holy Spirit to take his place on earth...

[ravenwolf]

Whoops, you said alms... I put that post up too quickly... was in a hurry to give alms to the church... -lol-

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If i advertised it to the world every time i stopped and helped some one i think it would be the same thing.

But think nothing of it, i goof more than i don,t goof.,,, lol

[mlizzy]

There's plenty of evidence, but according to your postings, nothing you would believe. I think a good argument is that Jesus can do anything He would like to do, and why wouldn't He want to nourish His flock?

[mlizzy]

And when the pope leaves, Jesus is left sitting there in that 'thing'...

Heavens no! Jesus is never left alone in the monstrance.

[Arthur McGowan]

I know you believe it is pointless and sinful to ask our deceased relative and friends, or saints, to pray for us.

Is it also pointless and/or sinful to ask angels—such as the angel Jesus says is assigned to each of us—to pray for or assist us in any way?

[Iscool]

There's plenty of evidence, but according to your postings, nothing you would believe. I think a good argument is that Jesus can do anything He would like to do, and why wouldn't He want to nourish His flock?

That is falsely assuming Jesus wants to sit in this wafer til someone eats him...

Jesus does nourish his flock...Spiritually...

Christians are nourished each and every day by the Spirit who indwells us...

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Every day...Without the Eucharist...

Col 1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

[Arthur McGowan]

Actually, no. He is put back in the tabernacle.

And of course, Jesus is not “alone.” While He is sacramentally present in the Eucharist (as He promised at the Last Supper, when He said, “This is my body...This is my blood”), He is in Heaven, at the right hand of the Father.

[caww]

“....Is it also pointless/sinful to ask angels—such as the angel Jesus says is assigned to each of us—to pray for or assist us in any way?....”

Why would any individual pray to anyone other than Jesus? Common sense tells us He’s the King and we have direct access to Him at any time...and He has asked we make our requests known to HIM.

It would seem people who have a need to go elsewhere aren’t comfortable enough taking to Jesus. I think it has much to do with whatever their relationship is with Him....maybe their too distant from Him...maybe they haven’t spent enough time with Him to build the ralationship of trust....but it likely falls on their relationship with Him and where that is.

[Arthur McGowan]

Did your mother ever pray for you in her life? Should she not bother, since Jesus does everything?

Would you ASK your guardian angel for any kind of assistance?

If not, why not?

If not, then wasn’t it pointless for God to appoint an angel specially responsible for you?

[jodyel]

I just have a heart to share the Lord and show others how He has worked in my life and want that so badly for them as well. But it seems I have wandered into a catholic vs. protestant slug fest and, quite frankly, don’t see much of the Spirit of the Lord on either side.

I go straight to the throne of God and make my prayers known and He delights in answering them for me. It is not up to me to convince you of anything relating to your religion, Arthur, and I really had no idea how dear these things are to you and other Catholics. When/if the Lord chooses to reveal any truth to you, He will.

In the meantime, I will just continue to post things that show how the Lord has worked in me and for me and you may take from them, or not, as you will.

May God bless you,
Jody

[Arthur McGowan]

Look of “Communion of Saints,” and see if makes any sense to you.

[jodyel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_of_saints

I read this, and no, it doesn’t make sense to me...but that is because I believe Scripture as revealed to me by the Spirit. Catholics have scripture down pat but it is the interpretation thereof that is not correct.

But, again, it takes the Spirit of the Lord revealing Himself in your spirit for you to understand. My beloved grandmother, who was my Christian example, went to be with the Lord in 2009. I did not grieve for her at all...in fact, I rejoiced because I knew she was with Him....and I long to be there too.

To long for physical death is the hope of ever believer because we are instantly with Christ. I don’t pray for my grandmother or to my grandmother....she has been made perfect in the Lord already and is in heaven with all those who have gone before. Believer’s celebrate death because our salvation is sure and we know we will be with Him the instant we pass from this world to the next.

Awhile back I came across this book on Google and read thru some of the deathbed confessions.....some are from unbelievers and some from believers. You may choose to make of it what you will, but in my experience of death the believer’s testimonies ring true....actually they all do for where each individual, according to his spiritual state, will be spending eternity. As believers, we simply have no doubt where we will be when we die, and you may too.

http://books.google.com/books?id=fy20dDbgu-MC&pg=PA523&dq=deathbed+voltaire&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sDVJUoWKFvO_2QWzhoG4Cw&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=deathbed%20voltaire&f=false

I hope that answered your question.

[mlizzy]

That is falsely assuming Jesus wants to sit in this wafer til someone eats him... Jesus does nourish his flock...Spiritually... Christians are nourished each and every day by the Spirit who indwells us...

Well the Spirit must be working within you, because I never used to be able to read your commentary without feeling like I just took 2 Niacin tabs. :)

That being said, Jesus is not "trapped" in the monstrance. He could leave at any time, just like He could have fled off the Cross, but He remains [and remained] ....... to nourish us [to speak to us] and to listen to what we have to say.

http://www.fightingirishthomas.com/2011/12/perpetual-eucharistic-adoration-chapels.html

Don't you think it would be cool if Jesus came to this earth daily in Body form? Wouldn't you want to see Him? Would you ignore His Presence, or would you run, fly, walk, or drive to catch just a glimpse? That's what we as Catholics have. This is our belief. He is there! This is why so many enjoy reading about the saints, as they all carried the same message of the Living Christ within the Eucharist; no man or woman not fed by the Eucharist, could have matched the strengths of the saints.