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Topic Started: Thursday, 28. September 2006, 10:11 (1,254 Views)
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Rose of York
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Sunday, 11. February 2007, 17:37
Post #46
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- Derekap
- Feb 11 2007, 04:19 PM
I can't think where this contribution should go so I dared to choose Sermons on Line. Rose/Alan/Patrick are free to do what they like.
Derek I am happy to leave it on here, you chose an appropriate home for your posting.
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Keep the Faith!
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Eve
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Friday, 16. February 2007, 22:27
Post #47
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- Isidore Clarke O.P.
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18 February 2007 Seventh Sunday of the Year © Turning the Other Cheek fr Isidore Clarke calls for all of us to be ministers of reconciliation.
It's easy to be kind and loving towards those whom we like, to our family and friends, to those who are good to us. All this comes naturally. But Jesus expects much more of us, his followers.
In today's Gospel he tells us to love our enemies, to be good to those who harm us, to turn the other cheek when they strike us. Is Jesus being starry-eyed and unrealistic? Does his approach work? Let's first recognise that Jesus doesn't expect us to like everyone. There will be some people who get on our nerves, and we may have enemies who are determined to harm us.
So how does Jesus expect us to react to aggression? Our natural instinct is to hit back. Rightly, we think the aggressor must be stopped, otherwise he will think he can get away with harming us and other people. But experience tells us that retaliation tends to escalate. Each of us strikes back with a harder physical or verbal blow. The innocent victim is reduced to the tactics of the guilty aggressor. In the heat of anger we may well say or do things which we will later regret.
Retaliation doesn't work. Bitter, vengeful thoughts and actions destroy our peace of mind. Deep down we all long for the peace, which can only be achieved through reconciliation.
So let's see if Christ's approach does work. He sets out to defuse a hostile situation. He goes much further than the traditional negative formulation of the Golden Rule, which urges us not to do to others what we wouldn't want to be done to us. Certainly we must follow that rule. But Jesus expects us to have a positive approach to those who harm us. We must show them love by wishing them well, not evil, by doing them good instead of harm.
Surprisingly, such a positive, generous approach can defuse a tense situation and can sometimes turn an enemy into a friend. This way the innocent victim is not reduced to the violent behaviour of his opponent. Christ's approach is positive and constructive. He's not starry-eyed.
Elsewhere in the Gospels Jesus tells us that we do have the duty of stopping people from harming others. That not only causes pain to their victims, but also brings out the worst in those who do the damage. It's for everyone's good that we should help the aggressor to cease from being disruptive. Love, which wants to bring out the best in our enemies, should move us to correct them.
God's merciful response to sinners, not other people's way of reacting to their enemies, must provide the norm for our behaviour. Jesus tells us God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. We must be compassionate as our heavenly Father is compassionate. His love, even for the sinner, is steadfast and unshakeable. Instead of being brittle, it has the resilience to love the sinner and forgive him. God gives the sinner the mercy he needs, rather than the punishment he deserves.
That's the kind of love Jesus expects of us. And he gives us the perfect example of what that means. On the cross he asked his heavenly Father to forgive the very people who were responsible for his execution. Jesus certainly practised what he taught us in the Beatitude: 'Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.' We will be God's true children precisely through sharing the work of the Son of God --Christ the Peacemaker.
We are about to begin our Lenten preparations for the celebration of the death and resurrection of our saviour. As we seek God's mercy by confessing our sins, we should remember the petition of the Lord's Prayer, 'Forgive us our trespasses as -- insofar as -- we forgive those who trespass against us.' We have no right to seek God's mercy if we are not prepared to forgive those who harm us. Showing mercy is the greatest expression of love, the best way of doing good to those who harm us.
We could have no better Lenten resolution than to forgive when we've been hurt and apologise when we have caused pain. Let us all resolve to be what Paul calls 'Ministers of reconciliation'.
fr. Isidore Clarke is a member of the community at Holy Cross Priory, Leicester, and Provincial Chaplain to the Dominican Secular Institute.
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Eve
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Friday, 16. February 2007, 22:29
Post #48
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Members are invited to discuss the sermon.
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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PJD
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Saturday, 17. February 2007, 21:55
Post #49
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My parish priest gave his homily on this at the vigil Mass today.
His point was that we should at least do our best. Cannot be perfect in that regard; the only one who was perfect was Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not an easy topic!
PJD
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James
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Friday, 23. February 2007, 01:08
Post #50
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James
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I think in a lot of cases it may be better, at least I find it so, just to say nothing at all at the time and then at a later day ,when tempers have cooled down, to attempt a reconciliation then. There is an old saying "least said- soonest mended"
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Rose of York
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Friday, 23. February 2007, 01:19
Post #51
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If another person resents or dislikes you, and will not sort things out, it is a good idea to continue saying "Good morning". That leaves the way open for the person to respond, eventually.
Fr Isidore Clarke is so right when he says "Bitter, vengeful thoughts and actions destroy our peace of mind." Dwelling on such thoughts hurts self, the other person is unaware of the thoughts.
Praying for the person who hurts you, is another means of ridding oneself of such feelings. Is that selfish?
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Keep the Faith!
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James
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Friday, 23. February 2007, 22:24
Post #52
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James
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Of course it's not selfish Rose. Is it not written somewhere that you must first look to your own soul. Which is what you are saying really.
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Rose of York
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Friday, 23. February 2007, 22:26
Post #53
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James, all I know is, it works.
I've been there, done it, got the T-Shirt.
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Keep the Faith!
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Eve
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Friday, 9. March 2007, 22:26
Post #54
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ICN Weekend update - 10-11 March - Sunday Reflection & Saints
11 March 2007
- Fr Terry Tasard
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Father Terry writes:
It is very easy to cut God down to our size. That may sound bizarre but it happens when we create God in our own image; a God who reflects our values, who boosts our ego, who never challenges us. Today's scripture gives us pause for thought.
In the first reading from Exodus, Moses covers his face, afraid to look at the burning bush which symbolises the divine presence. God, it is clear, is awesome. Yet God is not remote, but one who sees the suffering of the Hebrew slaves and promises to bring them freedom. This is God who has slowly revealed himself in history, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Even so, God is greater than the greatest human understanding, for when Moses asks God his name, the reply is dizzying. I Am Who I Am. God is not one more thing in a universe of things. God is not one more force in a world of forces. God is the source of all life yet greater than all life, God is the power behind all human knowledge and yet beyond human understanding. God is not to be neatly named and parcelled up. Before God, we bow in utter respect.
God, however, does not leave matters there. God loves us and reaches out to us in Christ. Part of God's greatness is the greatness of his love. St Paul sees Christ in terms of Moses, inspired by God to lead his people into freedom, with this huge difference, that Christ, as Son of God, was able to feed his people himself. Hence the reference to Christ as a rock from whom his people drink it seems a strange image, until we recall that when they were thirsty in the desert at Meribah, Moses hewed a rock and from it flowed a spring of water from which the grateful people drank (Exodus 17.6).
God is awesome yet cares for us. Our behaviour cannot be hidden from God, who asks us to turn from whatever is harmful. God asks us in fact, to change our lives and to live by the highest good and the greatest love that we can. Repentance gives us the repeated opportunity to turn back on the right path. The opportunity for this is now. Time will not last for ever. The words of Jesus in the gospel are carefully balanced. Yes, he says, there are terrible things that happen in the world, and we are tempted to see these as divine wrath. Jesus draws a different conclusion. Tyrants will behave viciously. Ill-constructed towers will collapse. This is not necessarily God's will. Rather, we can use the moment and its seriousness, to review our life, renew our faith and commit ourselves once more to the path of life given us by God.
Fr Terry Tastard is Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Brook Green, London W6.
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Eve
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Friday, 9. March 2007, 23:00
Post #55
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- Irenaeus Vincent
- Order of Preachers
Bearing Fruit in Due Season Irenaeus Vincent O.P.
11 March 2007 Third Sunday of Lent ©
Fr Irenaeus Vincent ponders on the unhappiness of our world.
My dear friends, many people in world today are unhappy for one reason or another. Even those who may often smile are at times just putting on a brave face. For deep down inside they are hurt or upset about something or some things. And so bearing this in mind, I propose that the reason why so many people are unhappy or are unable to smile genuinely in our world today is very much rooted in two simple reasons.
The first reason why people are so unhappy in our world today is because many of us are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. When we read the newspapers or look at television, it is quite clear that many people are unhappy and making others unhappy because we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. The stories of war, poverty, prostitution, child pornography, sexual abuse, slavery, ambition and the like support this view.
So, since we are in the Lenten season, it may be good to ask ourselves a simple question: as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus Christ, am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Actually, we can feel free to personalize the issue and ask other questions as well: as a mother or wife, as a husband or father, as a student, as an employer or an employee, as a priest or a religious, am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Lent is a time to answer and ask serious questions like these.
The second reason why many people are unhappy in our world today is because we often have false expectations. And it is these very false expectations that can make us end up doing what we are not supposed to be doing. We seem at times to make demands on God, other people, ourselves and on the world in general that are totally unreasonable.
In today's Gospel, Jesus's parable is a perfect example of the three issues referred to: unhappiness, not doing what we are supposed to be doing and false expectations. As regards unhappiness, the owner of the vineyard was quite disappointed with the progress of the fig tree and was eager to cut it down. But why was he unhappy? Firstly, the fig tree was not doing what it was supposed to be doing -- that is, producing fruit. Secondly, the vineyard owner had false expectations about the fig tree, thinking that once it was planted it should bear fruit.
Thank God, the fellow who was looking after the vineyard brought the owner to his senses. Not only did the farmer show the owner that the fig tree needed to be constantly nurtured through manure and given constant care; but more importantly, he noted that even if this was done, there was no guarantee that all would be well. No wonder his words were: 'it may bear fruit next year.' Indeed, a similar lesson can be applied to our Christian lives.
No matter how much we may be nurtured and cared for by the Eucharist, God's Word and the Holy Spirit, there is no guarantee that all of us will naturally bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. No wonder throughout the Gospel Jesus throws the ball back into our hands and says 'But unless you repent you will all perish.' And yes, Jesus may sound harsh, but the point to remember is this: Jesus just wants us to be happy and the more we follow him sincerely the more we will produce fruit, fruit that will last.
fr. Irenaeus Vincent lives and works in Barbados, part of the English Province's Vicariate.
Reproduced by kind permission of the Order of Preachers
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Eve
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Friday, 9. March 2007, 23:01
Post #56
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That is my kind of sermon. Christianity related to OUR lives.
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Eve
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Sunday, 18. March 2007, 01:01
Post #57
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- Independent Catholic News
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Sunday 18 March 2007
Father Terry writes:
There is one vocation which we all share. St Paul reminds us that: 'God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation' (2 Cor. 5. 18). Some translations, like the RSV, actually say, 'gave us the ministry of reconciliation'. This is a calling for us all.
The ministry of reconciliation should weave in and out of our lives. Most obviously, when we forgive others, we are reconcilers. The same is true when we in our turn have to ask forgiveness of others, and seek to make amends. We should also be reconcilers in the community. Sometimes we inherit ancient grievances, which can make one section of the community resent another. Healing this can be very difficult, because it calls on us to be brave and to resist the tides of prejudice that sweep around us. Most difficult of all, perhaps, we are called to be reconcilers in our family. When a family is wounded the hurt can run deep, and talk of reconciliation can often sound glib. There are, indeed, times when we can only watch and pray.
The gospel today offers us the wonderful example of reconciliation in Jesus, parable of the prodigal son, the wastrel who runs off with his father,s money (Luke 15.11-32). To ask for an inheritance in advance was a scandalous thing. Jewish law at the time allowed this, but it was tantamount to saying that you wished your father dead. Yet the father, far from nursing resentment, is a model of reconciliation. First we read that he sees his son 'a long way off', has clearly been longing for his return (v 20). Then when the elder son boils over and is (understandably) jealous, the father seeks to reconcile him too: 'Your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found, (v 32). These last words were woven into the hymn we know so well 'Amazing Grace', by its author, John Newton. Newton had known what it meant to be lost, and to escape from despair through realising God,s love. Reconciled to God, he could begin to accept himself and build his life anew. Which included repenting from his role in the slave trade.
Fr Terry Tastard is Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Brook Green, London W6.
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Eve
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Sunday, 18. March 2007, 01:02
Post #58
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Am I alone in having a little sympathy with the son who stayed at home?
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Rose of York
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Sunday, 18. March 2007, 01:15
Post #59
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I empathise with the younger son, he had just got on with his daily life, and possibly seen his parents ageing while they grieved for the loss of their eldest son. He must have often thought "Where is he? How could he do this to our parents? Does he care that MY heart was broken?" They never threw a party to celbrate the fact that the younger boy had remained loyal, but look at this bit from the sermon:
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To ask for an inheritance in advance was a scandalous thing. Jewish law at the time allowed this, but it was tantamount to saying that you wished your father dead. Yet the father, far from nursing resentment, is a model of reconciliation. First we read that he sees his son 'a long way off', has clearly been longing for his return (v 20). Then when the elder son boils over and is (understandably) jealous, the father seeks to reconcile him too: 'Your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found, (v 32).
Your brother here was dead and has come to life' he was lost and is found.
That is the bit few preachers mention. The younger brother should be thrilled, the older boy who had been his childhood friend, has returned to the family, and the brothers can start rebuilding their friendhip.
Beautiful!
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Keep the Faith!
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Eve
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Sunday, 18. March 2007, 01:18
Post #60
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We hear of children taking their parents for granted. That upsets parents - but do parents take their children for granted? Do they take it as a duty their children have to help them, and forget to thank them?
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Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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