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Online sermons
Topic Started: Thursday, 28. September 2006, 10:11 (1,252 Views)
Rose of York
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Eve
Mar 18 2007, 12:18 AM
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?

Some parents, hopefully a minority, reject their families. It is an increasingly common problem. I knew a woman who desperately wanted to help her mother, who was totally housebound. The daughter and her husband wanted to shop, cook and garden for the mother, who kept saying "I don't need your help." She got meals delivered, and a cleaner arranged by social services. Often would have neighbours running round after her doing all sorts of jobs, and she arranged it that they would come when the daughter called in, daily, after work. As a result the daughter and son-in-law were accused. by many, of being uncaring. I knew the truth about the situation, and I also knew they had spent money they could ill afford, on having the mother's home repaired on more than once occasion.

We cannot always judge by appearances.

I wonder if the Prodigal Son was unhappy at home? How had he been treated?
Keep the Faith!

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nelly k

Somtimes as a Mum and a wife, I feel like doing a Prodical son, and I think children often want and possibly need to do a prodical son, they need to grow up and understand what ther parents have done for them.
I meet a lot of Families in my work, and often the elderly Parent feels guilty about the workload they may now be giving there adult children, which in turn can make the adutl child feel bad, but it is a case of what comesaround goes around , theres children tend to have had very good family rlationships and dont forget that they were feed and loved and all that goes with it so they give back even if it is tuff, there will sadly always be many others who dont reap what they have sown, and then there are the Kids that are carers, now that is something else... nelly
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tomais

For some while now I have been in contact with Zimbabwe and Harare in particular; both individuals and press.
re this sermon- re the jesuit educated Prsd Magabe and my Catholic contacts- this sermon has just been dissipated by the " winds of change".
Ah me another series of disasociated words against cruet- deaf cruelty
Cold here in Edinburgh but what a climate in Zimbabwe- words words words.
And the UK government have just woken up from their lethargy-
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Rose of York
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tomais
Mar 18 2007, 05:23 PM
And the UK government have just woken up from their lethargy-

The UK Government tried to keep us thinking non stop about healthy eating, now global warming, so we would not take any notice of anything else on the political scene.
Keep the Faith!

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Deacon Robert
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Rose it is an old story when it comes to politicians "give them bread and circuses"
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Deacon Robert
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Saint Romanos the Melodious (? – around 560), Composer of hymns
Hymn 28, The Prodigal Child

“We had to celebrate… This brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life.”

The older son said to his father in anger: “I constantly obeyed your
orders, without disobeying a single one… and the prodigal one comes back to
you, and you make more of him than of me!”

The father had only just heard his son speak in this way, when he
gently answered: “Listen to your father. You are with me, for you never
distanced yourself from me; you did not separate yourself from the Church;
you are always present at my side together with all my angels. But this one
has come covered with shame, naked and with no beauty, crying: “Have mercy
on me! I have sinned, Father, and as one who is guilty, I implore you.
Accept me as a day laborer and feed me, for you love human beings, Lord and
master of the ages.”

“Your brother cried out: ‘Save me, holy Father!’… How could I not
have mercy, not save my son who was moaning and sobbing? … Judge me, you
who blame me… At all times, it is my joy to love human beings… They are my
creatures: how could I not have mercy on them? How could I not have
compassion when they repent? My entrails have brought forth this child on
whom I had mercy, I who am the Lord and master of the ages.

“Everything I have is yours, my son… The fortune you have has not
been diminished by this, for I don’t take away from it when I give your
brother gifts… I am the one and only creator of both of you, the one and
only father who is good, loving and merciful. I honor you, my son, for you
have always loved and served me. And on him I have compassion, for he is
surrendering entirely to his repentance. So you should share the joy of all
whom I have invited, I, the Lord and master of the ages.

“Thus, my son, rejoice with all who have been invited to the banquet,
and mingle your songs with those of all the angels, for your brother was
lost and now he has been found again, he was dead and contrary to all
expectations, he has risen.” The older son let himself be persuaded by
these words, and he sang: “Everyone, cry out with joy! ‘Happy is he whose
fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.’ (Ps 32:1) I praise you, o
friend of humankind, you who also saved my brother, you, the Lord and
master of the ages.”
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Eve
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Pressing On
Austin Milner O.P.

25 March 2007
Fifth Sunday of Lent ©

Fr Austin Milner preaches on St Paul's call to empty ourselves and be raised up with Christ.


Father Austin Milner
 
We are preparing to celebrate the paschal mystery and in our preparation we have to try not only to come to a better understanding of this mystery but to enter into it. We can only enter into it by learning to think as Christ thought.

In the epistle to the Philippians Paul exhorts his converts to adopt this way of thinking:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In today's second reading, from the third chapter of the same epistle, Paul encourages us by telling the story of how he himself has endeavoured to imitate Christ. Jesus did not count his identity with God a prize to be clung to: so Paul is abandoned his self-identity and his self righteousness as a born member of the people of God, a rabbi, and one who kept the law: 'Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.'

Like Christ he empties himself; 'indeed', he says, 'I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ.'

He has renounced all his assets to trust solely in Christ and possess him alone -- like that one beautiful pearl the merchant found. Paul empties himself of any claim on God's favour he may have had and desired only to be found in Christ, to 'be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on the keeping of the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith'.

Paul knows that Christ came to reconcile the world to God, by making us all one with himself. He wants only to be seen by God as a member of Christ through trust in him, and thus be clothed in the righteousness of Christ himself. But if this is to happen he needs, like Christ to 'be obedient unto death', a death to his old self. And so Paul wants to 'share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death', in order that he 'may know him and the power of his resurrection, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead'.

This is what our celebration of the Paschal Mystery is about. We celebrate it so that we may know Christ and the power of his resurrection. But let us not delude ourselves. What Paul says about himself must be a warning to us: 'Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.'


Yes, we can be confident of this much, that Christ has made us his own, but if we are his own there is work to be done, there is a death to be undergone to all our false securities and self-righteousness. There is suffering to be willingly undergone so that we may share Christ's sufferings. Then God will exalt us as he exalted his Son. So, therefore, like Paul, 'forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,' we must 'press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus'.



fr Austin Milner teaches Christian Worship, Sacramental Theology and Church History at Blackfriars, Oxford.

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Rose of York
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Sermon - Life in the Spirit
Keep the Faith!

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Rose of York
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Progress in the Life of the Spirit
Rudolf Löwenstein O.P.

15 April 2007
Second Sunday of Easter (Low Sunday) ©

fr Rudolf Löwenstein looks at the Church's answers to an often-asked question.


Many of us will at one time or another have been confronted by the following question: 'But why do we have to go to Confession?' Certainly I can remember asking it as a child, and as a priest I have heard various people wonder just why it is necessary -- and anyway, as some people go on to inquire, 'Just who thought of it in the first place?'

The bare bones of an answer to that second question are quoted in today's Gospel passage: 'For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.'

The Church teaches us that Confession is one of the Sacraments and that we should go to Confession; article 1458 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that

Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us to form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.

So we are being reminded of just some of the benefits that we will accrue through the practice of regular attendance at Confession. And if that is the case, then why don't more people go to Confession so that they too might benefit by growing closer to God and his love?

In the light of the above quote on Confession and our subsequent reflections on the sacrament we could perhaps take the opportunity either to re-examine our own practices, or even discuss confession with our acquaintances or friends.

But what might we reflect on? How can we examine what we are doing if we are not doing it much or at all? Do we, for example, understand what each of the reasons the Catechism gives really means, and what its consequences are for our everyday lives?

First of all: 'to form our conscience'. How often are we not entirely sure what to do in a particular situation? How often do we really know what to do or say, and why? And without having access to a nearby catechism, or perhaps a priest, sister or religious, how often can we with confidence know what to do and be sure that we are acting in accordance with God's will and our true best interests?

Secondly: 'to fight against evil tendencies'. From our own experiences of attending confession we all know only too well what our weak points are. And however much it seems that we pick ourselves up only to fall again, each time that we do indeed pick ourselves up with the help of the sacraments, the fall (if it happens again) may not be so far.

Thirdly: 'let ourselves be healed by Christ'. We may not feel wounded, or perhaps we may feel perfectly happy with our lives, but healing can deal with all sorts of areas of our lives that need Christ's intervention or healing. We may not be consciously aware of everything in our lives that needs Christ's healing help -- but in submitting to this piece of teaching we are laying ourselves open to whatever actions God would like to be wrought within us. So let us have faith in what we are taught!

Fourthly: 'progress in the life of the Spirit'. The Holy Spirit is sometimes called 'the forgotten person of the Trinity'. Many Christians are happy to speak about the Father or Jesus, but when it comes to speaking knowledgeably and prophetically about the Holy Spirit, they are at a loss for words. So here we need to read or know more about the life of the Spirit before we realize what tremendous benefits can come to us. And that will be surely be a spur to more frequent encounters with this Sacrament.

So as we move towards Pentecost, we might remember that there is literally no better time to prepare for an increased awareness and participation in the life of the Spirit.


fr. Rudolf Löwenstein is an assistant priest in the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary and St Dominic, London, and teaches at St Christina's School in St John's Wood.


Reproduced by Catholic Cyberforum, with Permission from the Order of Preachers

Keep the Faith!

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Rose of York
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What do you all think of the Dominicans' sermons? I like them because they relate to my life, and guide me in how God and the Church want me to live it. The sermons are easy to understand.

I showed this one to a Catholic convert who wanted to know "why confess if it is not serious, we can say sorry direct to God". Well it is all serious!
Keep the Faith!

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nelly k

Rose I think it explains thing realy well , I ve printed it off, for refrance, nelly
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Eve
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This Week's Sermon from the Order of Preachers
 
Sheep Who Don't Follow the Herd
John D. O'Connor O.P.

29 April 2007
Fourth Sunday of Easter ©


fr John O'Connor preaches on the difficulty of following the voice of Christ in the modern world.

Sheep are often ridiculed for their lack of intelligence. This common perception was behind the cartoon I saw on a t-shirt recently, where two sheep are chatting, and one says to the other: 'Sure, I follow the herd---not out of brainless obedience, mind you, but out of a deep and abiding respect for the concept of community.'

When Jesus tells us about the sheep that listen to his voice, we like to think of ourselves as being the sort of sheep he is talking about. We like to think of ourselves as being like the clever sheep of the cartoon. We follow out of conviction and principles. But is this really true? Perhaps the joke is on us. In spite of our 'individualistic society', most of us, if we are honest, have at least some 'sheep mentality'.

Most of us follow what others do, conforming to our society of many voices, a society that tells us we are all liberated, that we all have free choice. Yet society holds great sway. What we see and hear in the media shapes our attitudes and influences how we think. Those whom we meet in our daily lives through their values and their behaviour affect our own standards and expectations.

We certainly live in an age where Christian or religious values in general cannot be assumed. In the space of fifty years a sea change in attitudes has occurred. Instead of there being pressure to conform to religious practice and values, the pressure now operates in a very different direction. This has an impact on young people in particular. Young men and women who wish to live out Christian values face immense challenges. Gone are many of the support structures to guide them that their parents' generation would have taken for granted.

Just consider the challenges these young adults face. The majority of their peers have a very different understanding of how to conduct relationships from that of the Christian vision. This generates considerable pressure on these young people trying to find their way in a world where the joy of finding someone with whom one could imagine sharing one's life is not something that can be taken for granted.

Of course, the pressure to conform to voices contrary to the Gospel is nothing new. Imagine the plight of many Christians and people of good will in Nazi Germany, to give one obvious example. But we do not need to think of such dramatic circumstances. Countless people in all sorts of situations at all points in history have refused to do wrong at great personal cost to themselves. It is difficult to take a stand and refuse to follow what the crowd is doing. It is difficult to take a stand and refuse to endorse the behaviour of those with whom one lives and cares about.

It is into the midst of this perennial problem of many voices that Christ's words come. Indeed, the early Christians, who would have first heard this Sunday's Gospel, were a community that was forced to take a stand against very strong pressure to give up their faith in Christ. These words would have been all too relevant to them.

Yet, if Christ's words about sheep imply that not everyone listens to his voice, it is a message of encouragement to those who do:

I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.

It has never been easy to follow Christ, which is why so many of us do it badly. Yet Christ is clear that the sometimes difficult road of listening to his voice is the way to true and authentic life in God. Other voices may impress more, flatter us and provide more allure, but what they give will be shallow and not lead to lasting happiness.

As our world is one where we have witnessed a proliferation of voices calling for our attention and allegiance, it takes a well-tuned ear to hear the voice of Christ amidst so much noise. The voice of Christ does not try to dazzle us, to manipulate us or to control us. It is a voice that is not for mindless sheep, but for sheep who decide for themselves and who are prepared sometimes not to 'follow the herd.'


fr. John O'Connor is Parish Priest of the parish of St. Columba in Glasgow.



http://torch.op.org/preaching/sermon/1157

Reproduced on the forum with the kind permission of the Order of Preachers
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Eve
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This week's sermon from the Domicans reinforces what some members of this forum have said, that the culture in which we are born, affects our beliefs.

Would any members like to comment?
Howdy Folks. Has anybody seen my husband lately?
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Rose of York
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<!--QuoteBegin-Sheep Who Don't Follow the Herd
John D. O'Connor O.P.+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Sheep Who Don't Follow the Herd
John D. O'Connor O.P.)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->

Most of us follow what others do, conforming to our society of many voices, a society that tells us we are all liberated, that we all have free choice. Yet society holds great sway. What we see and hear in the media shapes our attitudes and influences how we think. Those whom we meet in our daily lives through their values and their behaviour affect our own standards and expectations.

We certainly live in an age where Christian or religious values in general cannot be assumed. In the space of fifty years a sea change in attitudes has occurred. Instead of there being pressure to conform to religious practice and values, the pressure now operates in a very different direction. This has an impact on young people in particular. Young men and women who wish to live out Christian values face immense challenges. Gone are many of the support structures to guide them that their parents' generation would have taken for granted.

Just consider the challenges these young adults face. The majority of their peers have a very different understanding of how to conduct relationships from that of the Christian vision. This generates considerable pressure on these young people trying to find their way in a world where the joy of finding someone with whom one could imagine sharing one's life is not something that can be taken for granted. [/QUOTE] How very true. When I was a child most of the people I knew well went to Church or Chapel. Whether Catholic or Protestant, all believed marriage was the only acceptable vehicle for the conception of children. Divorce was rare. Couples just did no cohabit. Drugs were the great new medicines available from the new National Health Service. Young men were pleased they were no longer expected to shoot people, once the war was over.

So, if there was peer pressure, it was to live according to Christian principles. Now the peer pressure is, to make up one's own mind what is right and what is wrong and accept that "everybody has a right to their opinions and it takes all sorts to make a world".

Membership of a parish helps keep me on a fairly even keel (hopefully!)
Keep the Faith!

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