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December 4, 2008 –  Thursday of 1st Week od Advent      DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION: "Who shall enter the kingdom of heaven?" UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S): Spain's Rate of Abortion Doubles in a Decade SAINT OF THE DAY St. John Damascene  GENERAL MARIOLOGY Mary: Immaculate New Ark of the Covenant  DIVINE MERCY On Merciful Heart of Jesus Rays Of Mercy In My Heart  TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION: Synod Propositions 6-10   Monthly Index

DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION

Thursday (12/4): "Who shall enter the kingdom of heaven?" Scripture: Matthew 7:21,24-27 21 "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 26:1-6 “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city;  he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. ..Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD  is an everlasting rock.” (Is. 26:1,4) Meditation: What’s the best security against disaster and destruction? In the ancient world a strong city, an impregnable fortress, and a secure house were built on solid rock because they could withstand the forces of nature and foe alike. Isaiah speaks of God as an “everlasting rock” (Is. 26:4). He is the rock of refuge and deliverance (Psalm 18:2) and the rock in whom there is no wrong (Psalm 92:15). Scripture warns that destruction will surely come to those who place their security in something other than God and his kingdom. Jesus’ parables invite us to stake our lives on the coming of his kingdom or face the consequences of being unprepared when the day of testing and destruction will surely come. When Jesus told the story of the builders he likely had the following proverb in mind: "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm for ever" (Proverbs 10:25). What's the significance of the story for us? The kind of foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether we can survive the storms that are sure to come. Builders usually lay their foundations when the weather and soil conditions are at their best. It takes foresight to know how a foundation will stand up against adverse conditions. Building a house on a flood plain, such as a dry river-bed, is a sure bet for disaster! Jesus prefaced his story with a warning: We may fool humans with our speech, but God cannot be deceived. He sees the heart as it truly is – with its motives, intentions, desires, and choices (Psalm 139:2). There is only one way in which a person's sincerity can be proved, and that is by one's practice.  Fine words can never replace good deeds. Our character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we are tested. Do you cheat on an exam or on your income taxes, especially when it will cost you?  Do you lie, or cover-up, when disclosing the truth will cause you  injury or embarrassment? A true person is honest and reliable before God, one's neighbor and oneself.  His or her word can be counted on. If you heed God's word and live according to it then you need not fear when storms assail you. God will be your rock and your refuge. Is your life built upon the sure "rock" of Jesus Christ and do you listen to his word as if your life depended on it? "Lord, your are my Rock and my Refuge. Help me to conform my life according to your word that I may stand firm in times of trouble and find hope in your promises." Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27 1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever! 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation. 25 Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success! 26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!   RETURN TO TOP

UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS

Spain's Rate of Abortion Doubles in a Decade Growth Exceeds Every Other European Country   By Inmaculada Álvarez MADRID, Spain, DEC. 3, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Surgical abortions in Spain have increased in all age groups, especially among young unmarried women, reported the health ministry. A Tuesday statement reported that abortions numbered 112,138 in Spain last year, indicating an increase of 10% compared to 2006. This figure is double that of 1998 (53,847). One out of every five pregnancies ends in abortion, resulting in a rate of more than 300 abortions each day. According to the data, 97% of abortions were sought due to "risk for the physical or psychological health of the mother." Ninety-eight percent of the abortions were carried out in private clinics. This news hit the media at a time when the Spanish government is debating the reform of the present abortion law to give greater protection to women who want abortions and the doctors who perform them. Currently, abortion is allowed for cases of rape until week 12 of the pregnancy, until week 22 for cases of malformation of the fetus, and with no limit in cases where the physical or mental health of the mother is deemed at risk. A few days ago, the Institute of Family Policy (IPF) made a prognosis close to the figure published in Tuesday's report, as it anticipated that the official figure would exceed 110,000 abortions by the end of November. In a note Tuesday, Eduardo Hertfelder, president of IPF, requested the reform of the law to eliminate the possibility to appeal to the psychological health of the mother, which he said has become a "colander" to which women who wish to abort take recourse. "The effects of a colander such as the present law of abortion are not avoided with the development of a new law that is a greater colander -- which would increase the number of abortions -- but by eliminating the causes that propagate them," he affirmed. No. 1 cause In a report published at the end of last November, the IPF estimated that at present, abortion has become the leading cause of death in Spain, with 1.2 million deaths since 1985. Moreover, Spain is the European country in which the number of abortions has grown the most over the past five years (by 60%). According to the IPF, the present situation is the consequence of the "abandonment of women by the administration," given that there is no type of public assistance for those who decide to go ahead with their pregnancy. In fact, in its report IPF states that the results of a survey it carried out show that 30% of those who justify abortion adduce economic difficulties for opting for it. Esperanza Puente of the MotherNetwork agrees. She gave her testimony today before the sub-commission studying a reform of the abortion law. Puente explained in statements to the Spanish agency Europa Press that "the law that is approved is not the main point" if women are not offered an alternative to abortion. "Experience demonstrates that a pregnant woman who is informed, supported and given different alternatives to abortion decides to go ahead with the pregnancy," she affirmed. "And no one has regretted having had the child." RETURN TO TOP

DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT

December 4, 2008 St. John Damascene (676?-749)   John spent most of his life in the monastery of St. Sabas, near Jerusalem, and all of his life under Muslim rule, indeed, protected by it. He was born in Damascus, received a classical and theological education, and followed his father in a government position under the Arabs. After a few years he resigned and went to the monastery of St. Sabas. He is famous in three areas. First, he is known for his writings against the iconoclasts, who opposed the veneration of images. Paradoxically, it was the Eastern Christian emperor Leo who forbade the practice, and it was because John lived in Muslim territory that his enemies could not silence him. Second, he is famous for his treatise, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, a summary of the Greek Fathers (of which he became the last). It is said that this book is to Eastern schools what the Summa of Aquinas became to the West. Thirdly, he is known as a poet, one of the two greatest of the Eastern Church, the other being Romanus the Melodist. His devotion to the Blessed Mother and his sermons on her feasts are well known. Comment: John defended the Church’s understanding of the veneration of images and explained the faith of the Church in several other controversies. For over 30 years he combined a life of prayer with these defenses and his other writings. His holiness expressed itself in putting his literary and preaching talents at the service of the Lord. Quote: “The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But as many as received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....’ Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory” (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith).   RETURN TO TOP

GENERAL MARIOLOGY

Mary: Immaculate New Ark of the Covenant  By Jason Evert     From the foundation of the world, St. Paul tells us, we have been chosen to become children of God (Eph. 1:4-5). By the same measure, the Virgin Mary had been chosen from all eternity to become the mother of God. As Psalm 132:14 says, "The Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath chosen her for his dwelling." While other verses, such as Genesis 3:15 and Luke 1:28, are commonly used to explain the Immaculate Conception, the Sacred Scriptures offer a wealth of other references that add weight to the dogma. For starters, it should always be noted that Mary's selection as the dwelling place of God was not random. She had been prepared for him, as the Ark of the Covenant had been specially created to enshrine its sacred contents (Ex. 25:9). The Ark of the Covenant was made of incorruptible acacia wood, and was laden in and out with the finest gold. A golden lid was placed upon it, and golden angels were mounted atop this. On the lid were gold rings, and golden poles were placed through them so it could be carried by sanctified priests, and for good reason: it was a sacred dwelling. In it was to be found the bread from heaven, the word of God in the commandments, and the staff of Aaron, which was used as an instrument for Israel's redemption. However, these were only signs pointing towards the reality fulfilled in Christ. He was the true bread from heaven, the actual Word of God, and the true instrument of our redemption. If God commanded that such a lavish dwelling be created for bread, stone tablets and a stick, how much more would he splurge to make fitting the dwelling of the second person of the Trinity! Being the New Ark of the Covenant, how could Mary be a worthy dwelling place for the Second Person of the Trinity if she were, as John calls sinners, "of the devil"? (1 Jn. 3:8). If nothing unclean can enter heaven (Rev. 21:27), how could the very holiness of heaven enter something unclean? The Old Testament tells us, "wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul," or dwell "in a body under debt of sin" (Wis. 1:4). Since Jesus is Wisdom incarnate, it was not fitting that he dwell in a body under debt of sin. When all is considered, it would seem that to place Jesus in a vessel of sin would be like keeping the contents of the Ark of the Covenant in a shoebox. It is no wonder, then, that Our Lady revealed to Sr. Lucia that the rejection of her Immaculate Conception is one of the greatest offenses against her Immaculate Heart. Just as the dignity of the Ark was due to the holiness of its contents, Mary's holiness is a compliment to Christ, who sanctified her. It should be added that Mary's sanctification in the womb is a privilege that John the Baptist also shared (though without being immaculately conceived). According to Luke 1:15, he was "filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb"—upon the arrival of Jesus living in Mary. This serves as a clear example of Jesus applying the graces of his sacrifice back in time in order to sanctify one he loves, even before his own birth. Now if St. John was sanctified in the womb because he was the precursor of Christ, how much more should the Mother of Christ have been prepared in grace to be his very dwelling? Some object to the doctrine of Mary's sinlessness on the grounds that it "makes her equal to God." However, we must remember that God originally created man to be without sin. The angels and all souls in heaven are without sin—yet that does not make them equal to God, or detract from his glory. On the contrary, God's goodness is manifested when he sanctifies his creation. It is sin that detracts from the honor that he deserves. When Adam and Eve sinned, they acted in a manner that was beneath their dignity as beings made in the image and likeness of God. In light of the perfection to which God calls everyone, it is not human to sin—it is less than human. When God cleanses a person from all sin, he is making them most fully human—most fully what he intended for them to be. Archbishop Sheen explained this well when he wrote: There is, actually, only one person in all humanity of whom God has one picture, and in whom there is a perfect conformity between what He wanted her to be and what she is, and that is His own Mother. Most of us are a minus sign, in the sense that we do not fulfill the high hopes the Heavenly Father has for us. But Mary is the equal sign. The ideal that God had of her—that she is, and in the flesh. The model and the copy are perfect; she is all that was foreseen, planned, and dreamed. The melody of her life is played, just as it was written. Mary was thought, conceived, and planned as the equal sign between ideal and history, thought and reality, hope and realization. So, the question should not be, "was Mary conceived without sin?" but "how could Jesus not have made her so?" As the Protestant poet William Wordsworth described, Jesus made her "Our tainted nature's solitary boast." Or in the words of the book of Judith, "You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel; you are the fairest honor of our race" (Judith 15:9). If Jesus is the sun of Justice, Mary is the woman clothed with the sun. Jason Evert, a Catholic Apologist with Catholic Answers, holds a Graduate degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He specializes in the Catholic Church's teaching on chastity, giving seminars and talks to thousands of young people each year.  RETURN TO TOP

DIVINE MERCY

Dairy from St. Faustina On Merciful Heart of Jesus Rays Of Mercy In My Heart Jesus, make my heart like unto Yours, or rather transform it into Your own Heart that I may sense the needs of other hearts, especially those who are sad and suffering. May the rays of mercy rest in my heart (Diary, 514). God is very displeased with lack of trust in Him, and this is why some souls lose many graces. Distrust hurts His most sweet Heart, which is full of goodness and incomprehensible love for us (Diary, 595). RETURN TO TOP

CATHOLIC  TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY

Synod Propositions 6-10   Conclusions of Episcopal Assembly on Word of God   VATICAN CITY, DEC. 3, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here are translations of the synodal propositions 6-10, which were submitted to Benedict XVI at the end of the world Synod of Bishops on the "Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church," held in October at the Vatican. ZENIT will publish a translation of the remaining propositions in subsequent services. * * * Proposition 6 Patristic reading of Scripture Not to be neglected for the interpretation of the biblical text, is the Patristic reading of Scripture, which distinguishes two senses: literal and spiritual. The literal sense is that signified by the words of Scripture and found among the scientific instruments of critical exegesis. The spiritual sense concerns also the reality of the events of which Scripture speaks, taking into account the living Tradition of the whole Church and of the analogy of the faith, which implies the intrinsic connection of the truths of the faith among them and in the totality of the design of divine Revelation. Proposition 7 Unity between Word of God and Eucharist It is important to consider the profound unity between the Word of God and the Eucharist (cf. "Dei Verbum," 21), as expressed by some particular texts, such as John 6:35-58; Luke 24:13-35, in such a way as to overcome the dichotomy between the two realities, which is often present in theological and pastoral reflection. In this way the connection with the preceding Synod on the Eucharist will become more evident. The Word of God is made sacramental flesh in the Eucharistic event and leads Sacred Scripture to its fulfillment. The Eucharist is a hermeneutic principle of Sacred Scripture, as Sacred Scripture illumines and explains the Eucharistic mystery. In this sense the Synodal Fathers hope that a theological reflection on the sacramentality of the Word of God might be promoted. Without the recognition of the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, the intelligence of Sacred Scripture remains unfulfilled. Proposition 8 Word of reconciliation and conversion The Word of God is word of reconciliation because in it God reconciles all things to himself (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 1:10). God's merciful forgiveness, incarnated in Jesus, raises the sinner. The importance of the Word of God in the sacraments of healing (Penance and Anointing) must be underlined. The Church must be the community that, reconciled by that Word that is Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesians 2:14-18; Colossians 1:22), offers all a space of reconciliation, of mercy and of forgiveness. The healing force of the Word of God is a living call to a constant personal conversion in the listener himself and an incentive to a courageous proclamation of reconciliation offered by the Father in Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21). In these days of conflicts of all kinds and of inter-religious tensions, in fidelity to the work of reconciliation fulfilled by God in Jesus, Catholics are committed to give example of reconciliation, seeking to share the same human, ethical and religious values in their relationship with God and with others. Thus they seek to construct a just and peaceful society. Proposition 9 Encounter with the Word in reading sacred Scripture This Synod re-proposes forcefully to all the faithful the encounter with Jesus, Word of God made flesh, as event of grace that reoccurs in the reading and hearing of the Sacred Scriptures. Taking up a thought shared by the Fathers, Saint Cyprian reminds: "Attend assiduously to prayer and to "lectio divina." When you pray you speak with God, when you read it is God who speaks with you" ("Ad Donatum," 15). Hence, we sincerely hope that from this assembly a new season will spring of great love for sacred Scripture on the part of all the members of the People of God, so that from their prayerful and faithful reading in time the relationship with the very person of Jesus will be deepened. In this prospective, it is hoped -- in so far as possible -- that each of the faithful will personally possess the Bible (cf. Deuteronomy 17:18-20) and enjoy the benefits of the special indulgence connected with the reading of Scripture (cf. "Indulgentiarum Doctrina," 30). Proposition 10 The Old Testament in the Christian Bible Jesus prayed the psalms and read the laws and the prophets, quoting them in his preaching and presenting himself as the fulfillment of Scripture (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 4:21; 24:27; John 5:46). The New Testament has drawn constantly from the Old Testament the words and expressions that allow it to recount and explain the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (cf. Matthew 1-2 and "Es passim"; Mark 6:3; Luke 24:25-31). At the same time, of the rest, his death and resurrection "gave these same texts a fullness of meaning that at first was inconceivable" (Pontifical Biblical Commission, "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church," III A 2). Consequently, apostolic faith in Jesus is proclaimed "according to the Scriptures" (cf. 1 Corinthians 15) and presents Jesus Christ as the "yes" of God to all the promises (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:20). For these reasons, knowledge of the Old Testament is indispensable for those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because -- according to the word of St. Augustine -- the New Testament is concealed in the Old and the Old is revealed in the New (cf. "Quaestiones in Heptateucum," 2, 73). Hence, we hope that in the preaching and in catechesis due account will be taken of the pages of the Old Testament, explaining it appropriately in the context of the history of salvation and help the People of God to appreciate it in the light of faith in Jesus Lord.   RETURN TO TOP

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