Lumen Fidei - Summary of the Light of Faith

Lumen Fidei.
after the pope published the document lumen fidei, many have read it in diverse enviroments, but still there are some who have not yet come across the document. I took some time to read it and put some outlined summary of it, as I was giving a talk about it over the weekend to a group of couples of Christ for family life. here is the summary:

 OUTLINE OF THE DOCUMENT: LUMEN FIDEI – LIGHT OF FAITH.

 Introduction.

The encyclical starts with what the ancients put their faith in and proceeds to move directly to what our culture believes about faith – that it is something for the blind, those driven by emotion. But, at the same time, our culture is discovering that reason is not enough. Confusion has set in on what is good and evil, right and wrong. Faith in Jesus and love in Him gives us a new vision to see the world.

Promulgated on 29^th june 2013, and published on 5^th july, 2013.

1^st of two popes: Benedict XVI and Francis.

Readings:

1.      He. 11,1 – definition of faith.

2.      Ef. 2, 8-9 – saved by faith not works

3.      LK. 18, 8 – your faith saves you.

4.      Jm 2,14 – faith without works.

5.      1 cor. 13,13 – the three theological virtues – faith, hope, love.

6.      Rm 14,7 – kingdom of God.

 

CONCEPT OF THE LOGO

The logo is composed of a square, bordered field on which a boat, symbolizing the Church, is represented as sailing on a graphically minimal representation of waves. The main mast of the boat is a cross from which sails are displayed in the form of dynamic signs which compose the trigram of Christ (IHS). The background to the sails is a sun which, associated with the trigram, refers also to the Eucharist.

Important Remarks.

Faith is a “theological” and “supernatural” virtue given by God (no. 7).

This context connects the idea of faith with the idea of experience and personal encounter, which establishes a relation between man and God, without making it clear whether this is the intellectual relation of knowledge or the affective relation of love.

The central idea is that faith is first of all existential, the product of an encounter with the living God that reveals love and leads to communion (no. 4, no. 8).  It is essentially dynamic, openness to the promise of God and memory of [that promise about] the future (no. 9), openness to love (no. 21, no. 34), attachment to the source of life and of all fatherhood (no. 11), an experience of love (no. 47)…. It consists of “the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call” (no. 13).

 In other words: I believe in God because he is love and not because he is truthful.

 The necessity of faith in order to be saved is presented in a non-directive manner: the beginning of salvation is “openness to something prior to ourselves, to a primordial gift that affirms life and sustains it in being” (no. 19).

In short, faith, as it is presented in Lumen fidei, is first of all an experience of life and of love, fully realized in the “encounter with Christ” (no. 30): “Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment” (no. 26). Jesus is said to be the one savior because “all God’s light is concentrated in him, in his ‘luminous life’ which discloses the origin and the end of history” (no. 35)

If faith increases our knowledge, it is not initially and principally inasmuch as it teaches us certain objective truths by authorized testimony, but rather inasmuch as it unites us to the life of a subject, inasmuch as it initiates us, through loving thought, to another thought and another love.

It is not learning objective truths, but becoming united to the life of a subject and being initiated by loving thought to another thought and another love.

“Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history” (no. 13). “Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love. Through this blending of faith and love we come to see the

Kind of knowledge which faith entails, its power to convince and its ability to illumine our steps.

Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment. Faith’s understanding is born when we receive the immense love of God which transforms us inwardly and enables us to see reality with new eyes” (no. 26).

Chapter 1 – We Have Believed in Love (cf. 1 John 4:16)

1.      Abraham, Israel, Christian, salvation, ecclesial form of faith.

2.      Salvation History—the story of God’s people—to see faith throughout history. It begins with Abraham and finds its summation in Jesus.

3.      God is not something beyond us; He is someone who acts in the here and now. He is in our journey.

4.      Looking into our own history, can we perceive God´s intervention in it? Mention?

 

Chapter 2 – Unless You Believe, You Will Not Understand (cf. Isaiah 7:9)

1.      Seeks to understand the relationship between faith and several other aspects - Faith and truth, knowledge of truth and love, faith as hearing and sight, faith and reason, faith and search of God, faith and theology.

2.      Faith is rooted in reality when it is rooted in truth; that truth which does not become cold and impersonal. The truth which in faith possesses us; we do not possess truth. As we become more possessed by truth, we grow in humility and in the knowledge of the faith.

3.      Which are the truths which we seek to understand in our life?

Chapter 3 – I Delivered to You What I Also Received (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3)

1.      Church – mother of faith, sacraments, prayer, Decalogue, unity and integrity.

2.      The nature of our lives forces us to have faith in the truth others are giving us; our Christian faith is passed on from one generation to the next. We accept this faith in a community and in the communion of the Church. The sacraments allow us to experience this faith in a special way. (Baptism and Eucharist.)

3.      Is there any element of faith which I don’t understand or I don’t agree with in the history of the church?

 

Chapter 4 – God Prepares a City for Them (cf. Hebrews 11:16)

1.      Faith and common good, family, light for life in society, consolation and strength amid suffering.

2.      faith should be the foundation of our society, marriage and family which in turn helps form our other relationships as well.

3.      Proclaiming God publicly, God in our society: are we ashamed of him?

4.      Faith also provides strength in suffering. Faith does not answer every question, but provides a lamp to help us navigate through the darkness and the presence of God who is with us personally in our suffering.

5.      In the end, faith should provide us with joy. The sign of our faith lives should be a joy in Jesus.

6.      F.A.I.T.H. – face the reality, accept it, imagine a positive change, trust in God, and hope in Him.

 

Conclusion.

Blessed is she who believed – Lk 1,45.

When our own spiritual lives bear fruit we become filled with joy, which is the clearest sign of faith’s grandeur. Mary accepted Jesus with joy, we too should follow her example.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.

What do people do?

Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.

The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation. This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include: outdoor breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn; hiking; and fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.

Public life

Thanksgiving Day is national public holiday in Canada. Many people have the day off work and all schools and post offices are closed. Many stores and other businesses and organizations are also closed. Public transport services may run to a reduced timetable or may not run at all.

Background

The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.

Many thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later years.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Symbols

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia, which means "Horn of Plenty" in Latin, was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

Catholicity of the Universal Church

 Catholicity of the Universal Church

“Let us pray that the Holy Spirit makes us more and more ‘Catholic’”.

The etymology of the word “Catholic”, which is derived from the Greek word “kath’olon” meaning “according to the whole”, the Holy Father said that this totality of the Church can be explained in three fundamental aspects.

“The Church is Catholic because it is the space, the home in which the entire faith is announced, in which the salvation that is brought to us by Christ is offered to all,” the Pope said explaining the first aspect.

 

The Church allows us to encounter the mercy of God that transforms us because Jesus Christ is present in it, it gives the true confession of faith, the fullness of the sacramental life, the authenticity of the ordained ministry. In the Church, each one of us finds what is necessary to believe, to live as Christians, to become saints, to walk in every place and in every age.”

 

Making a comparison to life in a family, the Holy Father went on to say that the Church gives all what is needed to grow and to mature in life. It is impossible to fully grow and mature alone, without the help of a community, a family. Pope Francis called on the faithful to reflect on whether they participate in the life of the community or close themselves in their own problems.

 

Commenting on the second fundamental aspect, the Pope told the pilgrims that the Church is catholic because it is “universal” and “announces the Gospel to every man and every woman.”

“The Church is not a group of elite, it does not regard only a few. The Church has no closure, it is sent to all people and of mankind. It is the only Church that is present in the smallest parts [of the world],” the Holy Father said.

 

To feel in communion with the whole Church, he continued, is to feel part of the greater mission of going out to announce the Gospel. To announce and give witness of the faith “is not a matter of a few, but concerns me, you, each and everyone of us.”

 

The Harmony of Church

The Church as a “House of harmony” among all was the final fundamental aspect of the Holy Father’s catechesis. The unity and diversity of the Church, he said, combine together to become a wealth.

 

Pope Francis compared this harmony to that a symphony that, while comprised of different instruments, join together to make a beautiful harmony. Each of their respective sounds is not lost, but rather accentuated in the music.

 

“It is a beautiful image that tells us that the Church is like a great orchestra in which there is variety, diversity among the components, but does not enter into conflict, it does not oppose, it is a variety that is allowed to meld in harmony by the Holy Spirit; it is He who is the true “Maestro”, it is He who is the harmony,” the Pope said.

 

“Let us pray that the Holy Spirit makes us more and more ‘Catholic’”.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY, October 09, 2013 (Zenit.org)

Blessed Joseph Allamano, Founder of the Consolata Missionaries.

Blessed Joseph Allamano
Founder of the Consolata Missionaries.

Also known as Giuseppe Allamano, Joseph was born on 21 January 1851 at Castelnuovo d' Asti near Turin in Italy. Note that Castelnuovo is the birth place of well known saints, such as Saint Giuseppe Cafasso , who was, as a matter of fact, Blessed Allamano’s uncle, brother to his mother; and Don Bosco. Joseph was the fourth born of five children. His father died when he was three years old. Young Joseph studied at the Salesian Oratory in Valdocco, Italy and was lucky enough to have Don Bosco as his confessor and spiritual adviser. Answering the call to the priesthood, Joseph entered the diocesan seminary of Turin in November 1866. He was ordained on 20 September 1873. Thereafter, he was first appointed Spiritual director of the Turin seminary and then in October 1880, Father Joseph was appointed Rector of the main Marian Shrine of the diocese of Turin, the Consolata Shrine. As Rector, Blessed Allamano remodeled the shrine, and made it a source for spiritual renewal throughout the diocese.
As Spiritual director of Turin seminary, Father Allamano noted that many priests were eager to become missionaries. This led to his founding of the Consolata Missionaries( Priests and Brothers) on 29 January 1901. One year later, the first shipment of priests left for Kenya, soon to be followed by others. The missionaries reached Kenya in 1902.
On 29 January 1910 Father Allamano founded the Consolata Missionary Sisters for women with a missionary vocation. Blessed Joseph Allamano devoted his best care and attention to his missionaries, through personal contacts, letters, and meetings.
He died on 16 February 1926 at Turin, Italy. Venerated on 13 May 1989 by Pope John Paul II and beatified on 7 October 1990 by Pope John Paul II

Blessed Joseph Allamano
Pray for us!

9 Ways to Find Peace of Mind in Tough Times.

9 Ways to Find Peace of Mind in Tough Times.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,
it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
―Vivian Greene

1.  Learn to trust yourself.

“It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is.  As you heal and grow, it will all work out.  Relax and trust yourself.”

Repeat that in your mind every morning.  Because the truth is, it all works out in the end.  Put your full trust in yourself by following your intuition and doing your best, and then move forward one step at a time with faith and confidence in the future.  Life will not forsake you.  Love, persistence and hard work combined rarely lead a person astray in the long run.

If you have faith in your abilities, if you stay true to the path that feels right, if you channel your passion into action, you will ultimately achieve a breakthrough.  In other words, as soon as you trust yourself you will know how to heal and grow.

2.  Focus on what you’re learning.

Mistakes and setbacks are simply a form of practice.

If the road is easy and free of bumps, you’re likely going the wrong way.  The bumps in the road teach you what you need to know to progress down a path that is all your own.  Sometimes things have to go wrong in order to go right.  Sometimes you need to change a flat tire or two before you can move on.

Bottom line:  Your journey isn’t supposed to be easy, it’s supposed to be worth it.  To never struggle is to never grow.  There is no perfectly smooth road to anyplace worth going.

3.  Ease your expectations.

Life is under no obligation to give you exactly what you expect.  Whatever it is you’re seeking will rarely ever come in the form you’re expecting.  Don’t miss the silver lining because you were expecting gold.

You must see and accept things as they are instead of as you hoped, wished, or expected them to be.  Just because it didn’t turn out like you had envisioned, doesn’t mean it isn’t exactly what you need to get to where you ultimately want to go.

4.  Open up to someone you trust.

You aren’t alone; let someone special in when you’re in a dark place.  You know who this person is.  Don’t expect them to solve your problems; just allow them to face your problems with you.  Give them permission to stand beside you.  They won’t necessarily be able to pull you out of the dark place you’re in, but the light that spills in when they enter will at least show you which way the door is.

Above all, the important thing to remember is that you are not alone.  No matter how bizarre or embarrassed or pathetic you feel about our own situation, there is someone in your life who has dealt with similar emotions and who wants to help you.  When you hear yourself say, “I am alone,” it’s just your insecurities trying to sell you a lie. 

5.  Use hope to drive positive action.

Only in the dark can you see the stars.  The stars are hope.  Look for them.

The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for.  And the most you can do is live inside that hope as you work for what you want.  Do not admire what you hope for from a distance, but live right in it.  Get deeply involved with the thoughts and activities that keep your hope alive and your intention possible.

No, hope alone will not save you from despair.  Hope empowers you to strive and grow even when your circumstances are in shambles.  The road that is built with hope is more pleasant than the road built in despair, even though they both may seem to lead you to the same place in the short-term.  But it is the positive growth you attain on your way to this temporary place that will benefit your final destination.

It’s all about balance – accepting reality without giving up on what needs to be done to reach your desired destination in the long run.

6.  Move TOWARDS something instead of AWAY.

“Don’t think about eating that chocolate cookie!”  What are you thinking about now?  Eating that chocolate cookie, right?  When you concentrate on not thinking about something, you end up thinking about it.

The same philosophy holds true when it comes to freeing your mind from a negative past.  By persistently trying to move away from what you don’t want, you are forced to think about it so much that you end up carrying it’s weight along with you.  But if you instead choose to focus your energy on moving toward something you do want, you naturally leave the negative weight behind as you progress forward.

Bottom line:  Instead of concentrating on eliminating the negative, concentrate on creating something positive (that just happens to replace the negative). 

7.  Take a few steps back.

Everything seems simpler from a distance.  Sometimes you simply need to distance yourself to see things more clearly.

You are more than whatever is troubling you.  A very real part of you exists beyond your worries, beyond your doubts, independent from the troubles and frustrations of the present moment.  Step back and observe yourself as you experience each moment.  Be present.  Watch yourself as you think, as you take action, as you experience emotions.  Your body may experience pain, and yet that pain is not you.  Your mind may encounter troubles, and yet you are not those troubles.

Think of the most difficult challenge you face right now.  Imagine that it’s not you, but a close friend who is facing this challenge.  What advice would you give her?  If you could step back and, instead of being the subject, look at your situation as an objective observer, would you look at it any differently?  Think of the advice you would give your friend if your friend were in your shoes.  Are you following your own best advice right now?

Don’t allow your current troubles to cloud your thinking.  Take a few steps back and give yourself the benefit of this distance, and then give yourself some great advice.

8.  Give yourself time.

Take all the time you need.  Emotional healing is a process; don’t rush yourself through it.  Don’t let others force you through it either.  Moving on doesn’t take a day; it takes lots of little steps to be able to break free of your broken past and your wounded self.

Take today breath by breath, one step at a time.  Never let trouble from the past make you feel like you have a bad life now.  Just because yesterday was painful doesn’t mean today will be too.  Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us.  Today you have a choice to explore these parts of yourself.  Give yourself the needed time and permission to explore and heal.

9.  Look for the beginning in every ending.

A wise man once said, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”  Today is a new beginning; treat it that way.  Stop thinking about what might have been and starting looking at what can be.

Say to yourself: “Dear Past, thank you for all the life lessons you have taught me.  Dear Future, I am ready now!”  Because a great beginning always occurs at the exact moment you thought would be the end of everything.

The floor is yours...

What’s gives you peace of mind when times are tough and stressful? 

Rom 12:12: Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

Christ the King

Christ the King

Jesus Christ is our King -----all things have been created in Him, through Him, and for Him and as the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, He is the perfect image of God.

It is of faith that Jesus Christ, as Man, has the fullest spiritual power, leading to salvation, establishing the Church and her Sacraments, and disposing of all graces in the supernatural order. In virtue of the union of His human nature with the Divine, He possesses still greater power, which is the foundation of His Kingship.

We, as individuals, must strive to be subject to Christ the King most perfectly, in mind, will, and heart, because we were purchased at the price of His Own Precious Blood. Christ must be King of the home and all human society.

Citations on the Kingship of Christ from Scripture

"I Myself have set up My King on Zion, My holy mountain You are My Son; this day I have begotten You. Ask of Me and I will give You the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall rule them." -Ps 2:6-9

"The Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father. He shall be King over the house of Jacob forever and His Kingdom will be without end." -Lk 1 :32-33

"The Kingdom of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the Gospel!" -Mk 1:14

"My Kingdom is not of this world. At this Pilate said to Him, 'So, then, You are a king?' Jesus replied: 'You are right in saying I am a King. The reason I was born, the reason why I came into the world, is to testify to the truth.' " -Jn 18:36-39

NOVENA PRAYERS
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be before praying the following prayer:

Novena Prayer.
JESUS, Thou didst declare that Thy Kingdom is upon the earth, but not of the earth; it is a spiritual, supernatural Kingdom, the Kingdom of truth. It fights with the power of conviction, and conquers by this means the hearts that by right belong to it. Thou Thyself art witness to this truth, and Thou Thyself art the Truth.

Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly a King because Thou hast come into the world to institute among people the rule of God; every person who is of the truth, who believes in God and recognizes His authority in human affairs, owes Thee a loyal and undivided allegiance and "hears Thy voice."

As a Christian I am a member of Thy Kingdom, and Thou art my King. To Thee I owe loyalty, obedience, and love. Help me to carry out these most sacred duties toward Thee. I wish to be "of the truth " that is "a child of God" and gladly to hear Thy voice and follow Thee in all things. I accept Thee as my King and submit to Thy authority.

Reign supremely in my heart and in my life. Thy reign is heavenly peace; Thy law is love. Help me to pray and work that Thy Kingdom may come into every soul, every family, every nation.
Jesus, since I honor Thee as my King, I come to Thee with great confidence, asking Thee to grant this special favor, if it be Thy holy Will:

(Mention your request).
Lord Jesus Christ, my King, I adore Thee as the Son of God, and through the prayers of Thy most loving Mother I beg of Thee, send me from out of the abundance of Thy loving Heart the grace of the Holy Spirit in order that He may enlighten my ignorance, purify and sanctify my sinful heart, and confirm me in Thy holy love. This I request through the love of the Father and the Holy Spirit, through Thine infinite mercy, and through the merits of all Thy Saints. Amen.

Consecration
CHRIST, Jesus, I acknowledge Thee as King of the universe. All that has been made has been created for Thee. Make full use of Thy rights over me.
I renew the promises I made in Baptism when I renounced Satan and all his pomps and works. I promise to live a good Christian life. Especially, I undertake to help, to the extent of my means, to secure the triumph of the rights of God and of Thy Church. Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee my poor efforts so that all hearts may acknowledge Thy sacred Royalty and the Kingdom of Thy peace may be established throughout the entire universe.

Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady of Aparecida - Oração a nossa Senhora Aparecida

Prayer to Our Lady of Aparecida

Lady Aparecida, a son of yours who belongs to you unreservedly "totus tuus" called by the mysterious plan of Providence to be the Vicar of your Son on earth, wishes to address you at this moment. He recalls with emotion, because of the brown color of this image of yours, another image of yours, the Black Virgin of Jasna Gora. Mother of God and our Mother, protect the Church, the Pope, the bishops, the priests and all the faithful people; welcome under your protecting mantle men and women religious, families, children, young people, and their educations. Health of the sick and Consoler of the afflicted, comfort those who are suffering in body and soul; be the light of those who are seeking Christ, the Redeemer of all; show all people that you are the Mother of our confidence. Queen of Peace and Mirror of Justice, obtain peace for the world, ensure that Brazil and all countries may have lasting peace, that we will always live together as brothers and sisters and as children of God. Our Lady Aparecida, bless all your sons and daughters who pray and sing to you here and elsewhere.
Amen.

 

__________________

 

Novena de Nossa Senhora Aparecida

Ó incomparável mãe Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida,
Mãe de Deus, Rainha dos Anjos, Advogada dos pecadores,
Refúgio e consolação dos aflitos e atribulados...
Nossa Senhora Aparecida,
cheia de poder e de bondade,
lançai sobre nós um olhar favorável,
para que sejamos socorridos por Vós,
em todas as necessidades em que nos acharmos.

E de modo particular hoje, nesta novena, faço meu pedido

(diga agora sua intenção)

Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Padroeira do Brasil
Livrai-nos de tudo o que possa ofender-Vos
e ao Vosso Santíssimo Filho Jesus.
Nossa Senhora Aparecida, preservai-nos de todos os perigos da alma e do corpo,
Dirigi-nos em todos os assuntos espirituais e temporais,
Livrai-nos da tentação do demônio,
Para que, trilhando o caminho da virtude,
Possamos um dia ver-Vos e amar-Vos
na eterna glória.
Nossa Senhora Aparecida rogai por nós.
Nossa Senhora Aparecida intercedei por nós.
Nossa Senhora Aparecida fazei-nos dignos das promessas do Teu Filho.
Amém.