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TRÁI TIM
MẸ: NƠI CON NƯƠNG NÁU - ĐƯỜNG ĐẾN VỚI CHÚA |
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"Chúa Giêsu muốn dùng con để làm
cho Mẹ được nhận biết và yêu mến" |
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October 3/2009 - Saturday of 26th
Week of
Ordinary Time
LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION:
"Rejoice that your names are written
in heaven"
UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S):
Benedict XVI to Visit Cyprus
in 2010
SAINT OF THE DAY
St. Mother Theodore Guérin
GENERAL
MARIOLOGY
Book Six - Chapter IV
THE PRAYER IN
GETHSEMANI AND HOW MARY JOINED
THEREIN.
DIVINE MERCY
Divine Mercy in My Soul
NOTEBOOK VI
TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION:
Vietnamese American College Students'
Knowledge and Attitudes Toward HIV/AIDS
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DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION |
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Saturday (10/3): "Rejoice that your names are
written in heaven"
Scripture: Luke 10:17-24
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are
subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall
like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to
tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy;
and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that
the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written
in heaven." 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and
said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have
hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to
babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have
been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is
except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then turning to the disciples he
said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I
tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and
did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
Meditation: Do you know and experience in your personal life
the joy of the Lord? The scriptures tell us that "the joy of
the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his
disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones?
Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God himself, and
God alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times,
in success or loss, God always assures us of victory in Jesus Christ.
Jesus assures his disciples that he has all power over evil, including
the power of Satan and the evil spirits or fallen angels who conspire
against us. In fact, that is why Jesus came into the world to overthrow
the evil one (John 12:31). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been
given spiritual authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness
and evil (1 John 2:13-14).
Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the
wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God
and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord
of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he
has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and
at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All
fatherhood and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15).
Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the
love and knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the
things of God? Sinful pride springs from exaggerated self-centeredness.
It closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. The angels
fell into pride and were cast out of heaven. The virtue of humility, the
only true remedy against false pride, and which is very different from
the feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem, leads us to a true
recognition of who we are in God and of our dependence on God.
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and
humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they
see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust
in one who is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing
– the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity
of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility
inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root or
every sin and evil, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of
God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and
allows him as God to do all. God opposes the proud, but gives grace
to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like
humility inclines us to God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom.
Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's
beloved and that our names are written in heaven. Do you seek to be like
Jesus Christ in humility and simplicity of heart?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the
perfect revelation of God. One of the greatest truths of the Christian
faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not
simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God
personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from
Judaism and other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father.
Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our
Father. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote: "God loves each of us as if
there were only one of us to love."
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect
love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and
women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon
the cross. Jesus is the revelation of God – a God who loves us
completely, unconditionally and perfectly. Jesus also promises that God
the Father will hear our prayers when we pray in his name. That is why
Jesus taught his followers to pray with confidence, "Our Father who art
in heaven ...give us this day our daily bread." Do you pray to your
Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?
"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and
give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense
of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in
fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of
Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
Psalm 119:66-74, 127-130
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in thy
commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word.
68 Thou art good and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The godless besmear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep thy
precepts;
70 their heart is gross like fat, but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy
statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and
silver pieces.
73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I
may learn thy commandments.
74 Those who fear thee shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in
thy word.
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I direct my steps by all thy precepts; I hate every false
way.
129 Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to
the simple.
www.dailyscripture.net
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UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS |
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Benedict XVI to Visit Cyprus in 2010
Local Church Expresses Joy at the News
NICOSIA, Cyprus, OCT. 2, 2009 ( Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will visit Cyprus next June, a communiqué of the country's government announced today.
The Pope accepted the invitation that the Cypriot president, Demitris Christofias, extended last March 27 when he was received in the Vatican.
One of the main topics discussed during that meeting was ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
In that audience, the president also informed the Pontiff of the condition of numerous Christian churches and buildings in the north of the island, in the area governed by the Turks, which have been destroyed.
Vatican Radio reported that the local Church in Cyprus has received with joy the news of the Papal visit.
Archbishop Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Joseph Soueif, Maronite archbishop of Cyprus, and Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, expressed their great delight over this trip of Benedict XVI.
The radio program explained that Cyprus is currently playing an important role in the theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox.
In fact, the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church will meet in Cyprus for its 11th plenary session Oct. 16-23.
The Church leaders will examine a draft document outlined during a 2008 meeting in Crete. At present, the commission is reflecting on the role of the Bishop of Rome in the communion of the Church in the first millennium -- before the Great Schism of 1054.
A British colony until 1960, Cyprus was divided after its independence between the ethnic Greek and Turkish populations. After a series of clashes between the two communities, in 1974 an attempt to annex the island to Greece prompted Turkey to invade the North of the country. This region later became the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is not recognized by the international community.
The country, comprised of approximately 78% Greek Orthodox and 18% Muslims, joined the European Union in 2004.
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DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT |
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http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay
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GENERAL
MARIOLOGY |
THE DIVINE HISTORY AND
LIFE
OF THE
VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD
BOOK SIX
The Marriage
at Cana; How Most Holy Mary Accompanied the Re-
deemer of the
World in His Preaching: the Humility shown by the
Heavenly Queen
in regard to the Miracles Wrought by Her
Divine Son;The
Transfiguration of the Lord;His Entrance
into
Jerusalem; His Passion and Death; His Triumph
over Lucifer
and his Demons by His Death on
the Cross; the
Most Sacred Resurrection
of the Savior
and His Wonderful As-
cension into
Heaven
CHAPTER IV.
THE PRAYER IN GETHSEMANI AND HOW MARY JOINED
THEREIN.
Let us now return to the Cenacle, where the Queen of
heaven had retired with the holy women of her company. From her retreat,
by divine enlightenment, She saw most clearly all the mysteries and
doings of her most holy Son in the garden. At the moment when the Savior
separated Himself with the three Apostles Peter, John and James, the
heavenly Queen separated Herself from the other women and went into
another room. Upon leaving them She exhorted them pray and watch lest
they enter into temptation, but She took with Her the three Marys,
treating Mary Magdalen as the superior of the rest. Secluding Herself
with these three as her more intimate companions, She begged the eternal
Father to suspend in Her all human alleviation and comfort, both in the
sensitive and in the spiritual part of her being, so that nothing might
hinder Her from suffering to the highest degree in union with her divine
Son. She prayed that She might be permitted to feel and participate in
her virginal body all the pains of the wounds and tortures about to be
undergone by Jesus. This petition was granted by the blessed Trinity and
the Mother in consequence suffered all the torments of her most holy Son
in exact duplication, as I shall relate later. Although they were such,
that, if the right hand of the Almighty had not preserved Her, they
would have caused her death many times over; yet, on the other hand,
these sufferings, inflicted by God himself were like a pledge and a new
lease of life. For in her most ardent love She would have considered it
incomparably more painful to see her divine Son suffer and die without
being allowed to share in his torments.
The three Marys were instructed by the Queen to
accompany and assist Her in her affliction, and for this purpose they
were endowed with greater light and grace than the other women. In
retiring with them the most pure Mother began to feel unwonted sorrow
and anguish and She said to them: "My soul is sorrowful, because my
beloved Son is about to suffer and die, and it is not permitted me to
suffer and die of his torments. Pray my friends, in order that you may
not be overcome by temptation." Having said this She went apart a short
distance from them, and following the Lord in his supplications. She, as
far as was possible to Her and as far as She knew it to be conformable
to the human will of her Son, continued her prayers and petitions,
feeling the same agony as that of the Savior in the garden. She also
returned at the same intervals to her companions to exhort them, because
She knew of the wrath of the demon against them. She wept at the
perdition of the foreknown; for She was highly enlightened in the
mysteries of eternal predestination and reprobation. In order to imitate
and co-operate in all things with the Redeemer of the world, the great
Lady also suffered a bloody sweat, similar to that of Jesus in the
garden, and by divine intervention She was visited by the archangel
saint Gabriel, as Christ her Son was visited by the archangel Michael.
The holy prince expounded to Her the will of the Most High in the same
manner as saint Michael had expounded it to Christ the Lord. In both of
them the prayer offered and the cause of sorrow was the same; and
therefore They were also proportionally alike to one another in their
actions and in their knowledge.
While they were approaching, the Lord returned third
time to his Apostles and finding them asleep spoke to them: "Sleep ye
now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come ; behold the Son
of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go.
Behold he that will betray Me is at hand (Mark 14, 41). Such were the
words of the Master of holiness to the three most privileged Apostles;
He was unwilling to reprehend them more severely than in this most meek
and loving manner. Being oppressed, they did not know what to answer
their Lord, as Scripture says (Mark 14, 40). They arose and Jesus went
with them to join the other eight disciples. He found them likewise
overcome and oppressed by their great sorrow and fallen asleep. The
Master then gave orders, that all of them together, mystically forming
one body with Him their Head, should advance toward the enemies,
thereby teaching them the power of mutual and perfect unity for
overcoming the demons and their followers and for avoiding defeat
by them. For a triple cord is hard to tear, as says Ecclesiastes (4,
12), and he that is mighty against one, may be overcome by two, that
being the effect of union. The Lord again exhorted all the Apostles and
forewarned them of what was to happen. Already the confused noise of the
advancing band of soldiers and their helpmates began to be heard. Our
Savior then proceeded to meet them on the way, and, with incomparable
love, magnanimous courage and tender piety prayed interiorly: "O
sufferings longingly desired from my inmost soul, ye pains, wounds,
affronts, labors, afflictions and ignominious death, come, come, come
quickly, for the fire of love, which burns for the salvation of men, is
anxious to see you meet the Innocent one of all creatures. Well do I
know your value, I have sought, desired, and solicited you and I meet
you joyously of my own free will; I have purchased you by my anxiety in
searching for you and I esteem you for your merits. I desire to remedy
and enhance your value and raise you to highest dignity. Let death come,
in order that by my accepting it without having deserved it I may
triumph over it and gain life for those who have been punished by death
for their sins (Osee 13, 14). I give permission to my friends to forsake
Me; for I alone desire and am able to enter into this battle and gain
for them triumph and victory" (Is. 53, 3).
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DIVINE MERCY
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Divine Mercy In my soul
The Mercy of the Lord I will sing Forever.
Divine Mercy in my soul.
Sr. Faustina, Diary
NOTEBOOK V I
J.M.J.
My day is
drawing to a close,
Even now I glimpse the refulgence of Your light, O my God.
No one shall learn of what my heart is feeling;
My lips shall fall silent in great humility.
Even now, I draw nigh to the eternal nuptials,
To heaven unending, to spaces without limit.
I long for no repose or reward;
The pure love of God draws me to heaven.
Even now, I go to meet You, eternal love
With a heart languishing in its desire for You.
I feel that Your pure love, Lord, dwells in my heart,
And I sense my eternal destiny in heaven.
Even now, I go to my Father, in heaven eternal,
From the land of exile, from this vale of tears,
The earth can no longer hold back my pure heart,
And the heights of heaven have drawn me close.
I go, O my Bridegroom, I go to see Your glory,
Which even now fills my soul with joy
There were all heaven is plunged in Your adoration,
I feel that my worship is pleasing to You, nothingness though I am.
In eternal happiness, I will not forget those on earth,
I will obtain God’s mercy for all,
And I will remember especially those who were dear to my heart,
And the deepest absorption in God will not allow me to forget them.
In these last moments I know not how to converse with others.
In silence I await only You, O Lord.
I know the time will come when all will understand the work of God in my
soul.
I know that such is Your will. – So be it.
O truth, o thorny life,
In order to pass through you victoriously
It is necessary to lean on You, O Christ,
And to be always close to You.
I would not know how to suffer without You, O Christ.
Of myself I would not be able to brave adversities.
Alone, I would not have the courage to drink from Your cup;
But You, Lord, are always with me, and You lead me along mysterious paths.
A weak child, I have begun the battle in Your Name.
I have fought bravely, though often without success,
And I know that my efforts have pleased You,
And I know that it is the effort alone which you eternally reward.
O truth, O life and death struggle,
When I rose to do battle, an inexperienced knight,
I felt I had a knight’s blood, though still a child,
And therefore, O Christ, I needed Your help and protection.
My heart will not rest from its efforts and struggle
Until you Yourself call me from the field of battle.
I will stand before You, not to receive a reward,
But to be drowned in You, in peace forever.
O Christ, if my soul had known, all at once, what it was going to have to
suffer during its lifetime, it would have died of terror at the very sight;
it would not have touched its lips to the cup of bitterness. But as it has
been given to drink a drop at a time, it has emptied the cup to the very
bottom. O Christ, if You Yourself did not support the soul, how much could
it do of itself? We are strong, but with Your strength; we are holy, but
with Your holiness. And of ourselves, what are we? – Less than nothing…
My Jesus, You suffice me for everything else in the world. Although the
sufferings are severe, You sustain me. Although the times of loneliness are
terrible, You make them sweet for me. Although the weakness is great, You
change it into power for me.
I do not know how to describe all that I suffer, and what I have written
thus far is merely a drop. There are moments of suffering about which I
cannot write. But there are also moments in my life when my lips are silent,
and there are no words for my defense, and I submit myself completely to the
will of God; then the Lord Himself defends me and makes claims on my behalf,
and His demands are such that they can be noticed exteriorly. Nevertheless,
when I perceive His major interventions, which manifest themselves by way of
punishment, then I beg Him earnestly for mercy and forgiveness. Yet I am not
always heard. The Lord acts toward me in a mysterious manner. There are
times when He Himself allows terrible sufferings, and then again there are
times when He does not let me suffer and removes everything that might
afflict my soul. These are His ways, unfathomable and incomprehensible to
us. It is for us to submit ourselves completely to His holy will. There are
mysteries that the human mind will never fathom here on earth; eternity will
reveal them.
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CATHOLIC TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY |
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Vietnamese American College Students' Knowledge and
Attitudes Toward HIV/AIDS
| By Jenny K Yi
In the United States today, Asian and Pacific Island
Americans (APIs) are an ethnic minority whose rates of HIV
infection are lower than those of Blacks or Hispanics.[1] This
lower incidence may reflect a variety of factors, including
behavioral differences in intravenous drug use and sexual
behavior and underreporting of HIV infection in Asian
Americans.[1-3]
Yet there is cause to be concerned about the future incidence
of HIV infection in the Asian American communities. Available
information suggests that AIDS cases among Asian Americans are
increasing rapidly[4-6] and that the incidence of AIDS is
increasing at a higher rate among APIs than among Whites.
Between 1992 and 1993, newly reported AIDS cases among APIs
increased by 129% (from 335 cases reported in 1992 to 767 in
1993), compared with 117% among Whites (from 22,240 to
48,240).[7] A 1993 expansion of the case definition in the AIDS
Surveillance Report resulted in a large increase in reported
cases that year, followed by declines in numbers of reported
cases each year from 1994 through 1996[7] However, it should be
noted that the 561 AIDS cases among APIs during 1996 was higher
than the number (335) reported during 1992. Unfortunately,
current data on AIDS cases and HIV infection have not been
separately collected among Asian ethnic groups in the United
States, and AIDS cases in this group may also be underreported
or underestimated because of misclassification of race or
ethnicity on the medical records that are the source of
information on disease rates.
Asian American college students report lower rates of sexual
activity relative to other racial and ethnic groups, yet once
they become sexually active, their risk-taking behavior patterns
are similar to those of young adults in other ethnic
groups.[8-11] Furthermore, researchers have found that Asian
American college students are no different from their non-Asian
counterparts in terms of the prevalence of premarital sexual
behavior and increasing acceptance of premarital sexuality.[4,
10, 12, 13] Heterosexual Asian Americans are engaging in
high-risk sexual practices, such as sexual intercourse without
condoms. To date, few published studies have reported on
HIV-related knowledge and attitudes in the Asian American
population.
The incidence of AIDS is increasing at a higher rate among
male homosexual Asian and Pacific Islanders than among all White
males.[7] HIV/AIDS among gay or bisexual APIs has been the
subject of little research, which may reflect APIs' lack of a
common culture, history, or language. In many Asian cultures,
denial and suppression of homosexuality are prevailing
attitudes, and speaking of sexuality remains taboo?
Acculturation into a society where education about homosexuality
exists may be difficult for APIs; learning about HIV and AIDS
may therefore be problematic because so few culturally and
linguistically appropriate HIV prevention education services can
be found in the community.
In this study, I examined the knowledge and attitudes
associated with HIV/AIDS and AIDS prevention in a sample of
Vietnamese American college students. I hope that the results of
this assessment can help health educators develop culturally and
linguistically relevant educational materials. I attempt to
examine the role of acculturation in explaining the students'
knowledge and attitudes toward prevention, defining
acculturation conceptually as the process of change that occurs
from continuous contact between cultural groups in an atmosphere
in which one cultural group is dominant over the other. I viewed
acculturation as a multifaceted phenomenon composed of three
dimensions language, ethnic identity, and sociocultural
preference.
If the level of acculturation is an important influence on
knowledge and attitudes toward health issues, in general, then
it is reasonable to hypothesize that acculturation is also
related to knowledge and attitudes associated with HIV/AIDS and
AIDS prevention among Vietnamese American college students.
Identifying these possible differences is important because of
their potential use in future development of culturally
appropriate and sensitive HIV prevention programs targeted
toward APIs. The study will provide empirical data specific to
Vietnamese American college students and help narrow the
information gap that currently impedes efforts to develop
appropriate education programs.
METHOD
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