Long but important Read...

Bishop Athanasius Schneider: On the question of a Heretical Pope

HERE from Rorate Caeli

HERE from One Peter Five

I have to admit...if I read too much from these two sites, I become "human" in the sense that I, too, want to fight...to protect...to beat down those who oppose the Church!

I love tradition...I love the Church...I love Jesus Christ our Lord!!!

I, as a man, want to protect it (Him)... BUT...that is not my job...sinful & weak as I am.

My "job" is to know, love and serve the Lord!!!

To have faith that God will handle the situation! 

If he chooses to use me, He will provide me with the necessary wisdom & knowledge to do so...my human emotions are not those he will (likely) utilize!

By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, "the obedience of faith." ~ CCC 143

To summarize this article in my simplistic terms...

HAVE FAITH!!!

God will provide the answer in HIS time...which is not human time! 

He has a plan! Trust in Him!

This does not mean to do nothing, BUT, at the same time, do not suggest that WE will solve this problem. Do not despair! 

Jesus Christ is the HEAD of the body, of which we are a PART...the solution will come from the TOP...from the HEAD

So...

...PRAY, PRAY & PRAY some more...Fasting and Mortification won't hurt either!

Live your life, be a disciple of Christ...so that others "want" what you have!!!

Great Reads to Reflect On

Chaput: "God doesn't lose'
...Good article that re-affirms just who wins in the end & how we need to "handle" or "check" our emotions...especially anger!

Bishop Schneider's Analysis...Just the Answer we are looking for
Summary of Bishop Scheider's article that is also posted

Discovering Tradition: A Priest's Crisis of Conscience
One that needs some reflection to discern...
But stirs up some questions and emotions that I have had about the Church as it pertains to V2!

Cardinal Sarah: God never abandons His Church

Divine Office...

HERE
Outstanding talk by The Liturgy Guys (HERE) on the Liturgy of the Hours (Brievery) or "rightly" referred to as...The Divine Office!

This is the Prayer of Christ to the Father...The public prayer of the Church...Christ, Our Head Leads us, His body, in prayer to our Father!
Our Brother taught us how to pray and this Office (or work) of prayer is just that...It is our adopted brother, Jesus Christ, praying and continuing to pray, and we are able to join Him in doing so.

They "unpack" Chapter 4 ~ "The Divine Office" of  Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC)
This is the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy solemnly promulgated by Pope Paul VI, Dec. 4, 1963...
And something, as potential deacons, we should learn a thing or two about.

Just their "unpacking" of this first statement (83 SC) is mind-blowing. You could listen to the first part of this and just reflect...and be in awe!
Listen and LEARN... 
We are praying with, in, and through Jesus Christ!!!
WOW!!!
Bold emphasis is mine

Christ Jesus, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile that hymn which is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven. He joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise (SC 83).

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Hence all who render this service are not only fulfilling a duty of the Church, but also are sharing in the greatest honor of Christ's spouse, for by offering these praises to God they are standing before God's throne in the name of the Church their Mother (SC 85).

Reflect on this before you think you HAVE to do Morning/Evening Prayer...Re-read SC 85 and understand just WHO you are in front of when praying this Office!

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Pray the Divine Office, and you will "hear" the voice of our Lord...There is NOT a good reason NOT to pray the office... 

The divine office, because it is the public prayer of the Church, is a source of piety, and nourishment for personal prayer (SC 90).

Your personal prayer life will grow when you pray the Office...

As a beginner, I thought I was praying the office, but in reality, I was reading the office. 
All good prayer takes 2 things:
1) Devotion ~ doing it for the Love of God...
2) Attention ~ this determines how efficacious your prayer will be...
I am by no means an expert or full grown in my prayer life, but I feel that I am now praying more than just reading the office. And there is a noticeable difference within me. Moving from reading to praying takes time, intention and focus. But most of all time...the structure can be frustrating at first, but as you work thru it and take TIME to learn, it becomes easier...be patient...it will bear great fruit!

GREAT READ ~ Spirit of the Liturgy

What Became of the Spirit of the Liturgy

#LENT

This is the "dry season"...The churches penitential season...
A time to reflect, slow down and LISTEN.

Jesus began His ministry with a 40 day fast in the desert...

Fasting (and giving something up for Lent) has been talked about a lot and I have some thoughts on it.
But the simple thought is this...if we can curb our appetite and "give-up" something, we make room for God. When you feel that little hunger pain, say a prayer, reflect on God, have a conversation.

A big more advanced is the thought on the will and the faculties.
By curbing our appetite and lower faculties from sweets, candy, sugar, coffee, tv, etc (whatever you choose to "give-up"), you make room for the upper faculties to progress. It is these upper faculties that need to be engaged to grow in/with Christ and get closer to God.
Get distracted during prayer? That is a lower faculty not letting you stay focused...
Discipline yourself... Discipline yourself in the little things and the big things will start to take care of themselves...

This Lent...maybe the best thing I saw/heard was from our March Formation Weekend Closing remarks (from Fr. Felix, I assume). I had to be at State Powerlifting and really missed being with my fellow brothers, but Paul A. sent me his notes...this is what struck me:
~ Quality vs. Quantity
~ Make your current prayers more quality

Here is my take away...

Prayer has two purposes:
1) To Glorify God
2) To make us better (Save our soul and make us more holy)

Prayer must be done with devotion and attention (focus)!
Devotion of prayer that we do it because we love God and want to be close to Him.Prayer is more efficacious the more attention we pay to it...

I have a post on Prayer HERE

So THIS Lent...I am trying to really focus when I do Morning/Evening Prayer.

HERE is a great devotion for the days of LENT that, while reading, you cannot help but focus on this season...It is call the 30 Days Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary in honor of the Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.