September 20
"It is through the sacraments and the exercise of the virtues that the sacred nature and organic structure of the priestly community is brought into operation. Incorporated in the Church through baptism, the faithful are destined by the baptismal character for the worship of the Christian religion; reborn as sons of God they must confess before men the faith which they have received from God through the Church. They are more perfectly bound to the Church by the sacrament of Confirmation, and the Holy Spirit endows them with special strength so that they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ. Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer the Divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with It. Thus both by reason of the offering and through Holy Communion all take part in this liturgical service, not indeed, all in the same way but each in that way which is proper to himself. Strengthened in Holy Communion by the Body of Christ, they then manifest in a concrete way that unity of the people of God which is suitably signified and wondrously brought about by this most august sacrament.
-Lumen Gentium, No. 11
Today’s Reflection:
Why do you think the Eucharist is the "fount and apex of the
whole Christian life"?
photo cred: LongitudeLatitude
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by Serena Dyksen
When I was ten years old I began being groomed by my aunt’s husband as I babysat their children. He eventually raped me at the age of 13.
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The recent incident involving the pastor of a Tennessee parish who decided to purge the school library of Harry Potter books has kicked off another round of verbal sparring over whether or not these books are dangerous because they contain real spells. As this article will point out, these arguments reveal an alarming naivete about the “Craft” and the science of spell casting.
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Jesus’ words recorded in Sacred Scripture continue to speak to us just as clearly today as to the eager crowds who listened to Him on the hills of Galilee. The subject of prayer, which Jesus addressed often and practiced consistently throughout His time on earth, is one eminently worthy of revisiting. The Gospels make it clear that, by word and example, Jesus modeled for us the importance of a close personal relationship with the Father we share in common.
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September 19
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
-2 Corinthians 3:18
Today’s Reflection:
When we come with openness of heart to pray before the Presence of our Lord, we grow more and more into His likeness.
How is this evident in your life?
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September 18
"Can you not spend one hour with me?"
-Matthew 26:40
Today’s Reflection:
Jesus desires for us to spend time alone with Him. Sometimes our time of prayer or adoration feels dry. What are some ways that you can ignite your desire to be in His presence?
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The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the city of Phoenix cannot use an anti-discrimination law to force two artists to design and create custom wedding invitations expressing messages that conflict with their core beliefs.
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September 17
"In our inner life it is the Eucharist above all which expresses our personal union with Jesus...The more perfectly we become assimilated to Christ in the Eucharist the more perfect will be our unity in him."
-Canon Jacques Leclercq
Today’s Reflection:
How much do you desire to be united to Jesus? How is this reflected in your time with Him at mass and adoration?
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A botanica shop in MassachusettsJJ writes: “I live in a largely Hispanic section of town and there is a botanica shop here that sells a lot of Catholic items such as rosaries and statues along with items associated with Santeria. Is it okay to buy from these shops?”
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The skyline of Jersey City where multiple acts of desecration of Catholic churches have occurred in the past year.
The face of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was found smeared with dog feces outside of a downtown Jersey City, NJ church. It was the fourth act of desecration to occur in the area in the past year.
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