Tag: devotion
Are We Praying to Avert Catastrophe or Just Waiting for It?
All prophecies — at least, the vast majority — are conditional. Perhaps one can say: all prophecies since the New Testament. For prophesied events change, it seems — or can change — because conditions change. They are fluid situations. Note some major apparitions of the Blessed Mother and her qualifications: — at Fatima: “If what… Read More ›
Understanding Catholic Devotion To Mary
. . . it is not surprising that those who are not Catholic often have a completely wrong conception of Catholic devotion to the Mother of God. They imagine, and sometimes we can understand their reasons for doing so, that Catholics treat the Blessed Virgin as an almost divine being in her own right, as… Read More ›
The Icon Corner: A How to Guide
Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to create a “cell” in their own home– a special place set aside only for prayer and for Lectio Divina. This has been a long tradition for the Eastern Rite Churches. This article by Dr. Alexander Roman is a great introduction. Icon corners started out as a characteristically feature of an… Read More ›
Prayer corners aid ascent to Christ
Catholic News Agency (CNA): When Anand Bheemarasetti purchased a home in the Highlands neighborhood, he knew it came equipped with the rooms he needed—living room, dining room, bathroom, bedroom.Yet he decided the Lord of his life needed a room also.“I think God, being the most important person in our lives, should actually have space, too,”… Read More ›
Understanding Catholic Devotion to Mary
This is often forgotten by Catholics themselves, and therefore it is not surprising that those who are not Catholic often have a completely wrong conception of Catholic devotion to the Mother of God. They imagine, and sometimes we can understand their reasons for doing so, that Catholics treat the Blessed Virgin as an almost divine… Read More ›
A different story about St. Nicholas
The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still… Read More ›
Struggles with darkness often lead to eruption into light
It is a “dark” time of year, which means that those of Light shine all the brighter. It is like a seed. In the earth, before it bursts forth, a seed is in the darkness of surrounding ground and must reach forth and grow and endure against the darkness of soil before erupting into the… Read More ›
Little Motifications are the most important
Louis de Montfort points out that interior mortifications are more important than exterior ones, even though the latter are not to be disregarded. The conquest of selfishness, or self-will, is the greatest challenge. Even the good results of difficult practices of mortification may be spoiled by self-seeking. Hence he recommends that all exterior acts of… Read More ›
St. Bernard reminds us to properly prepare for the Lord’s Coming
[Yet people] observe these days (Advent) out of stale routine, without devotion or emotion. Further—and still worse—the remembrance of this condescension is turned into a pretext for the flesh. During those days you may see them preparing splendid clothes and special foods with utmost care—as if Christ at his birth would be seeking these and… Read More ›
Hill of Crosses
[Follow this link to view a three-dimension display of the Hill of Crosses.] Religious meaning The Hill of Crosses, where people not only from Lithuania have put crosses for couple centuries, witnesses faithfulness and trust of a Christian community to Christ and his Cross. This is an expression of a spontaneous religiousness of the people,… Read More ›