Me and What I Believe In.

Most people that I knew in my circles was born and raised to practice different religious beliefs.   One of my early childhood memories is the then a kid version of AngeLBeaR, and my first religious teacher is my late Ingkung James (my paternal grandpa).

I remembered the days where he taught me, from learning how to do the sign of the cross correctly, memorizing prayers, how to recite the rosary and when I finally learn how to read, I started to read the Bible.  Along the way, I stumbled, raised and fall in my journey of life.

There are times I am confused, wandering like a lost soul...then came the moments where it brings me to the path I am today.  I am still seeking my answers to lots of questions in life and still looking as I am typing this. Sometimes when I feel down, I would find solace and comfort by searching for some inspirational quotes, to lift my weary spirit, to give myself some hope when nothing in this world would want to offer.

One of it is this:

For over two thousand years, Christianity has been a a tremendous source of strength, support, and inspiration for millions of people all over the world. Whether it be in the Old or New Testament in the Bible, or the words written and spoken by Christian sages, saints, or other prominent christian figures, one can find a multitude of inspiriting Christian quotes.  
Perhaps you are feeling down or are stuck in life and looking for an inspirational messages to help pick you up and light your way. Maybe you are a parent wanting to convey some core teachings of Christianity to your child. Or perhaps you are an aspiring theologian looking for some inspiring words to complement your Christian studies. For all these cases, you will find the following list of inspirational Christian Quotes very useful.

Quotes From the Bible

”When dreams come true at last, there is life and joy.” (Proverbs 13:12)
”Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:8)
"It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18)
”He will give his people strength. He will bless them with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
”He had great success in everything he did because the Lord was with him.” (1 Samuel 18:14)
”We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (Isiah 26:3)
"For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation." (Luke 1:49-50)
”Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Quotes From Christian Authors and Influential Figures

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen.  Not only because I see it, but because I see everything that is by it. (C.S. Lewis)
"As we trust God to give us wisdom for today's decisions,  He will lead us a step at a time into what He wants us
to be doing in the future."  (Theodore Epp)
"Instead of complaining that God had hidden himself, you will give Him thanks for having revealed so much of Himself." (Blaise Pascal)

"To love someone means to see him as God intended him." (Feodor Dostoevsky)
"Bad will be the day, for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do because he is still, in spite of all, the child of God." (Phillips Brooks)
"If you judge people, you have not time to love them." (Mother Teresa)
"God speaks to us through our desires, then as we lay them at His feet, He helps us sort them out and quiets our hearts to accept what He has already prepared. " (Rosalind Rinker)

"All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors." (John Calvin)

"I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light." (Mary Gardiner Brainard)

Further Study

One can spend endless hours studying, contemplating, and delving into the deeper meaning of the inspiring words of Christianity, as countless theologians and sages have done before. If you are are a Christian counselor, the inspiring Christian quotes can also be a useful tool in your work or healing others. If you are an aspiring Christian counselor, it would be a worthwhile investment to pursue a Christian counseling degree to help you in communicating the message of God in your healing of people.

Sources:

Christian-inspirational-quotes.com
Innspirational-quotes.us/christian_inspirational_quotes.php
A-simple-christian.com/christian-quotes.html
Christian-at-heart.com/inspiring-christian-quotes.html


No, I am not saying that I am a really good Christian, but I am doing my best to live as a human - to do good to as much as God's creation as possible before I passed on.  

ps:  If you are wondering why my blog link name was 'charity1313' search for 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Still - Hillsong United

I feel uninspired and somewhat down lately. So as I was browsing through Youtube to find songs to put in my current play list, I found this song, entitled 'Still' by Hillsong. A song of hope, and courage.

"When the ocean's rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm..."

Hope this will give you hope as well. God Bless.

Praying for Our Dearly Departed On All Soul's Day

Today is a special day where special prayers were offered to our dearly beloved friends and family members that had departed. You will notice how clean the graves, and people flocked from all around to return home to visit and offer prayers and putting flowers on the graves of people who once were still alive, living and breathing among us, but now, only lingers in our minds and prayers.

All Soul's Day, as it was known - the day that comes after All Saint's Day (1st November), is where the faithful Catholics would held a special Mass to pray for the souls of the departed, hoping to assist the souls from Purgatory to Heaven. This day too, where the blessing of the graves will take place.

But in this day of praying for the souls of people who are dear to us, let us also not forget to all souls in the purgatory where no one ever prayed for them. Souls for the babies whom were died of abortion, killing or miscarriages, for all of them has soul too. They might be still waiting, hoping someone would remember and pray for them as much as we pray for the souls of the people we knew.

The late John Paul II once stated "Christian love knows no boundaries and goes beyond the limits of space and time, enabling us to love those who already love this earth."

Let us not also forget, that praying for the souls of the departed is not only during All Soul's Day, but each and every time we pray, do remember them in our prayers as they really in great need from us. God Bless.

"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they maybe loose from sins." - 2 Maccabees 12:46

Prayer of St. Getrude to the Holy Souls

O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere -- for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own own home and for those within my family. Amen.

To An Old Friend, Congratulations!

It feels just like yesterday when I knew this wonderful young man who is my college senior. A funny person who loves to humor his friends, someone who loves and talks about his family a lot. Very humble. Can't remember how we get to know each other, and become friends (cause we never stopped squabbling with each other whenever we met! ^^) but I still remember that fateful afternoon I went to see him years ago and he told me his one big decision that will change his life to whom he is today. I am glad that I told him, "Go for it!"

Congratulations, Rev. Fr. Ronnie Alfred Luni for your ordination into priesthood on 25th July 2009. May God Bless you in everything that you do. =)

God's promises.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
--- Revelation 21:4

The Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.

Basic Q & A about Catholic weddings.

I was browsing for some ideas for my brother's coming wedding when I come across this website. If you are a Catholic and plans to get married someday, this website might gives you a little light on some of the common questions to the common problems that a couple face before planning a marriage. For instance:

Can we have our wedding someplace other than a church building?

In most cases, Catholics are required to be married in a Catholic church building (see Canon 1118). There are some exceptions. When a Catholic marries someone who is not Catholic, the Catholic party may request permission from the local bishop to celebrate the wedding at the other person's place of worship. Because Church law states that a wedding may be held in "some other suitable place" besides a Catholic church, it is technically possible that the local bishop might allow outdoor weddings, but few do.

No one would argue against the beauty of a natural setting; after all, creation reveals the presence of the Creator in a powerful way. But Catholics remember that Jesus Christ promised to continue to be present whenever his friends gathered in his name. The church building is the "house" in which the followers of Jesus do this on a regular basis to celebrate weddings and funerals and baptisms and confirmations and reconciliations and anointings of the sick—in short, all the most important events of their lives. For Catholics, it makes sense to begin a new household in this sacred house. Doing so symbolizes the new family's connection with the wider community of believers—not only those present at the wedding, but also all the parishioners who gather in that space, and ultimately, the universal Church.

Feel free to visit the website here: http://www.catholicweddinghelp.com/

It's just a basic guide. You can always consult to the priest at your local church for advice as well. Oh, I posted this beautiful wedding song by Ashley Reynolds titled 'On This Day'. Have a nice day! =)

Heal Our Land.

After with all the things that already happen in our world - disease, war, hunger, financial crisis, poverty, terrorism, even mother nature has shown her disappointment to the world. So let us all pray for Lord to heal our land...Amen.






If my people will humble themselves
Humble themselves and pray
If they seek my face and humble themselves
And turn from their wicked ways


I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins
I will hear from heaven and heal their land


[CHORUS]
Lord, heal our land
Father, heal our land
Hear our cry and turn our nation back to You
Lord, heal our land
Hear us oh, Lord, and heal our land
Forgive our sin and heal our broken land


Lord, we vow our knee, we humble ourselves
Humble ourselves and pray
Lord, we seek your face and humble ourselves
And turn from my wicked ways


Father in Your mercy, forgive our sins
Father in Your mercy, come heal our land


(Lord, heal our land
Father, heal our land)
Hear our cry and heal our broken land

God, Save Me!

There was a flood in a village.


One man said to everyone, "I'll stay! God will save me!"


The flood got higher and a boat came and the man in it said "Come on mate, get in!"


"No" replied the man. "God will save me!"


The flood got very high now and the man had to stand on the roof of his house.


A helicopter soon came and the man offered him help.


"No, God will save me!" he said.


Eventually he died by drowning.


He got by the gates of heaven and he said to God "Why didn't you save me?"


God replied, "For goodness sake! I sent a boat and a helicopter. What more do you want!"

Note: Everytime when we asked God to help us, He did send it to us...if only we realised that it came from the smallest things that we always took for granted. Have a blessed Sunday everyone! =)

Have A Blessed Easter Everyone!

Happy Easter Comments Tags

Wishing you and your family had a Blessed Easter!

Best wishes from,
AngeLBeaR & Family

Good Friday - To Remind Us The Cruxifiction of Jesus

After the Holy Thursday, we will be entering Good Friday before celebrating Easter this weekend.

Of the numerous Christian holy days on the liturgical calendar, Good Friday is perhaps the most solemn and profound memorial. Good Friday rituals and traditions are distinct from those of all other Church observances and add to Good Friday's considerable significance. The pulpit and the altar are bare, and no candles are lit.

The Church - stripped of its ornaments, the altar bare, and with the door of the empty tabernacle standing open - is as if in mourning. In the fourth century the Apostolic Constitutions described this day as a 'day of mourning, not a day of festive joy,' and this day was called the 'Pasch (passage) of the Crucifixion.'

The liturgical observance of this day of Christ's suffering, crucifixion and death evidently has been in existence from the earliest days of the Church. No Mass is celebrated on this day, but the service of Good Friday is called the Mass of the Presanctified because Communion (in the species of bread) which had already been consecrated on Holy Thursday is given to the people .

Traditionally, the organ is silent from Holy Thursday until the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil , as are all bells or other instruments, the only music during this period being unaccompanied chant.

Traditionally, the organ is silent from Holy Thursday until the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil , as are all bells or other instruments, the only music during this period being unaccompanied chant.

The omission of the prayer of consecration deepens our sense of loss because Mass throughout the year reminds us of the Lord's triumph over death, the source of our joy and blessing. The desolate quality of the rites of this day reminds us of Christ's humiliation and suffering during his Passion. We can see that the parts of the Good Friday service correspond to the divisions of Mass:

• Liturgy of the Word - reading of the Passion.
• Intercessory prayers for the Church and the entire world, Christian and non-Christian.
• Veneration of the Cross
• Communion, or the 'Mass of the Pre-Sanctified.'

In the seventh century, the Church in Rome adopted the practice of Adoration of the Cross from the Church in Jerusalem, where a fragment of wood believed to be the Lord's cross had been venerated every year on Good Friday since the fourth century. According to tradition, a part of the Holy Cross was discovered by the mother of the emperor Constantine, St. Helen, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 326. A fifth century account describes this service in Jerusalem. A coffer of gold-plated silver containing the wood of the cross was brought forward. The bishop placed the relic on the a table in the chapel of the Crucifixion and the faithful approached it, touching brow and eyes and lips to the wood as the priest said (as every priest has done ever since): 'Behold, the Wood of the Cross.'

Adoration or veneration of an image or representation of Christ's cross does not mean that we are actually adoring the material image, of course, but rather what it represents. In kneeling before the crucifix and kissing it we are paying the highest honor to the our Lord's cross as the instrument of our salvation. Because the Cross is inseparable from His sacrifice, in reverencing His Cross we are, in effect, adoring Christ. Thus we affirm: 'We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee because by Thy Holy Cross Thou has Redeemed the World.'

One may wonder why it was called 'Good Friday' when it's about Jesus' crucifixion and death? It's because of the 'good' that comes after His death. Without it then there will be no today. The cross - is a significance of triumph of the good.

Reference: http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/friday.php

Holy Thursday - The Last Supper

On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the first joy of the season, as we celebrate Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves before him. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, with the greatest tragedy and sorrow of the year.

So, we are looking forward for this Thursday's coming Holy Thursday.

Maundy Thursday, known officially in the Catholic Church as Holy Thursday, is the Thursday of Holy Week. Maundy Thursday commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Ordination, and begins the Paschal Triduum. The name "Maundy" comes from the Latin antiphon Mandatum Novum, i.e. "a new mandate." This new mandate from Jesus is taken from John 13:34: love one another as I have loved you.

Jesus shared the final meal with his disciples, called the Last Supper, on the night before he was crucified. The institution of the Holy Eucharist occurred during this meal, as indicated from the gospel excerpt below:

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:26-29 RSV)

Since Scripture and Tradition tell us that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, Jesus shared the important Last Supper with his apostles on a Thursday. The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) seem to suggest that the Last Supper was a Passover Meal. However, John suggests that Jesus was crucified before the Passover Meal, on the Day of Preparation. Perhaps the Last Supper was done in anticipation of the Passover Meal, or was a Kiddush or some other religious meal. The gospel of John does not record the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, while the synoptic gospels do. However, John's gospel records Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Holy Thursday traditions are derived from all four gospels.

The Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday begins the Triduum, which is the three-day celebration of the heart of the Christian faith: Christ's death and resurrection.

Holy Thursday is the most complex and profound of all religious observances, saving only the Easter Vigil. It celebrates both the institution by Christ himself of the Eucharist and of the institution of the sacerdotal priesthood (as distinct from the 'priesthood of all believers') for in this, His last supper with the disciples, a celebration of Passover, He is the self-offered Passover Victim, and every ordained priest to this day presents this same sacrifice, by Christ's authority and command, in exactly the same way. The Last Supper was also Christ's farewell to His assembled disciples, some of whom would betray, desert or deny Him before the sun rose again.

The Holy Thursday liturgy, celebrated in the evening because Passover began at sundown, also shows both the worth God ascribes to the humility of service, and the need for cleansing with water (a symbol of baptism) in the Mandatum, or washing in Jesus' washing the feet of His disciples, and in the priest's stripping and washing of the altar. Cleansing, in fact, gave this day of Holy Week the name Maundy Thursday.

The action of the Church on this night also witnesses to the Church's esteem for Christ's Body present in the consecrated Host in the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, carried in solemn procession to the flower-bedecked Altar of Repose, where it will remain 'entombed' until the communion service on Good Friday. No Mass will be celebrated again in the Church until the Easter Vigil proclaims the Resurrection.

And finally, there is the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament by the people during the night, just as the disciples stayed with the Lord during His agony on the Mount of Olives before the betrayal by Judas.

Have a Blessed Holy Week.

Reference: http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/thurs.php

The History Of Easter Eggs

Have you ever wondered about Easter Egg Origin?

Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given every year to celebrate the Easter holiday or springtime. For centuries, eggs have been part of our easter traditions...they are symbolic of new life and fertility, and are representative of resurrection.

The oldest tradition is to dye easter eggs or paint easter eggs, but newer traditions suggest giving chocolate covered easter eggs candy or plastic filled easter eggs with money or small toys in them.

Easter eggs history is thought to date back to pagan times (they were pagan symbols), although there is no real evidence of this being the original origin of easter eggs.

At Passover Seder, a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water symbolizes both new life and the Passover sacrifice offered at the Temple in Jerusalem. The ancient Persians painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration, which falls on the Spring equinox. This tradition has continued every year on Nowrooz since ancient times.

In Christian times, the easter egg origin has symbolic roots...an egg represents new life because of the chick within it. The Easter egg tradition may have celebrated the end of the privations of Lent--in the West, eggs were forbidden during Lent as well as other traditional fast days. Likewise, in Eastern Christianity, both meat and dairy are prohibited during the fast, and eggs are seen as "dairy" (a foodstuff that could be taken from an animal without shedding its blood). It was also traditional to use up all of the household's eggs before Lent began, which established the tradition of Pancake Day.

Another Orthodox tradition is the presenting of red colored eggs to friends while giving Easter greetings. According to a History channel documentary about Mary Magdalene and her role in Christianity, the custom derives from a biblical event. After the Ascension of Christ, Mary supposedly went to the Emperor of Rome and greeted him with "Christ is risen", whereupon he stated, "Christ has not risen no more than that egg is red" (pointing to an egg on his table). After making this statement it is said the egg immediately turned blood red. She then began preaching Christianity to him. The egg is symbolic of the grave and life renewed by breaking out of it. The red symbolizes the blood of Christ redeeming the world, represented by the egg, and our regeneration through the bloodshed for us by Christ. The egg itself is a symbol of the Resurrection while being dormant it contains a new life sealed within it.

For years, eggs have been embellished and exchanged at Easter, resulting in a rich amount of traditional crafts. Ranging from simply dyed shells to intricate works of art, decorated eggs can add color to the Easter egg hunt or become precious gifts to treasure.

Lent - Fasting & Abstinence

Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.

To fast is to do without food. Its purpose is to experience the effects of not eating. It also serves to be a penance or a sacrifice - for the purpose of strengthening us. When we don't eat, for even a little while, we get hungry. When we get hungry, we have a heightened sense of awareness. If, when we eat too much, we have a sluggish feeling, when we fast, we have a feeling of alertness. Fasting is a wonderful exercise whenever we want to sincerely ask for an important grace from God. It is not that our fasting "earns" God's attention, but by fasting, we clarify our thinking and our feeling. It is purifying and prepares us to pray more deeply.

To abstain is to not eat meat. Its purpose is to be an act of penance - an act of sacrifice, that helps us grow in freedom to make much bigger sacrifices. Of course, it would not make sense to make the sacrifice of not eating meat, and then eat a wonderful meal I might enjoy even more. Many people eat a vegetarian diet, for a variety of reasons, and eating meat is not even an issue. It might be possible to abstain from a non-meal that I really like, on all the Fridays of Lent. It should be noted that many people in this world cannot afford to eat meat or do not have access to it. Part of our abstaining from meat can place us in solidarity with so many of our sisters and brothers around the world.

When many of us were children, we might remember our giving up candy for Lent. And, it seemed like a real sacrifice. As we grew up, it was often more difficult to decide what special thing to do, to make Lent a special season - to get our attention and to prepare ourselves for deeper sacrifices.

What would help me grow in freedom? That's the question to ask. For some of us, it could be, committing ourselves to give up judging others, every single day of Lent. For others, it could be giving up a bad habit we've developed. For still others, it is obvious what seems to be the important choice for me during Lent.

For many of us, the choice may not be to give something up, but to add something to our daily lives during Lent. We may commit ourselves to extra prayer time. We may decide to do some service to the poor, once a week during Lent. We may choose to increase our almsgiving to the poor - perhaps related to something we choose not to do, e.g., some might choose not to go out to eat one night a week, and to give that total amount to the poor.

All Christians should try the disciplines of fasting and abstinence and Lent is a good time to begin. If you haven’t tried it before, attempt to add these two disciplines to your spiritual exercises this year and continue them until Easter. Try to willingly [plan your Lenten meals] reduce the amount of food eaten each day, abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays [and if you fail one day, start again the next], and see if it doesn’t make a difference in the way you control all of your urges, both spiritual and fleshly. Then you will have discovered both the treasures of Lent, and the joys and benefits of fasting.
Whether it is fasting, abstaining or other acts of penance, the whole desire we should have is to use these means to help us grow closer to our Lord and prepare ourselves "to celebrate the paschal mystery with minds and hearts renewed."

May our Lord bless us all on this journey ahead.

Have A Blessed Lent.

Ash Wednesday - The Beginning of Lent

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.

It is a somber day of reflection on what needs to change in our lives if we are to be fully Christians. It was not always the way we know it today. Ashes marked on the forehead of worshippers were not given to everyone, but only to the public penitents who were brought before the church. Much like Hester Prynne bearing her scarlet letter, these open and notorious sinners were marked publicly with the sign of their disgrace.

As time went on, others began to show their humility and their affection for the penitents by asking that they, too, be marked as sinners. Finally, the number of penitents grew so large that the imposition of ashes was extended to the whole congregation in services similar to those that are observed in many Christian churches on Ash Wednesday.

We who will bear the ashes upon our foreheads stand with those whose sins may be more public, but not, according to the Scriptures, more grievous to the heart of God. And so we make our confessions. . . . If you only knew the secrets of my heart, if you only knew the sins that I am capable of contemplating, if you only knew some of the schemes I have considered – and of course God does know – then you would know that I, too, am a sinner.

Ashes are signs that we are all in this sin business together, and that the difference between the good in us and the bad in us is sometimes frightfully thin. We so often fall short of the Faith we claim. We have treated people as things and we have treated things as if they were valuable people. And so we look into our hearts and make the ancient prayer of one notorious sinner our own: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10)

Lent is a season that reminds us to repent and get our lives centered, our priorities straight, and our hearts clean. This holy season offers us a new chance to say, "yes" to the Lover of our Souls who created us, who made us in his own image. Lent is the time for a restoration project that will reveal the beauty of God’s design for us, showing once again the scale, proportion, and priorities intended by our Maker.

Further, Lent is a season of hope and with ashes on our foreheads and hope in our hearts, we go forth to love and serve. For by God’s grace in Christ, we do not have to stay the way we are.

Remember, you are nothing but dust: Precious dust, molded and formed in the womb by a loving God, precious, precious and beloved are you.

Remember, you are nothing but dust, and to dust shall you return: Unique and precious, you are created for eternity.

Remember, you are nothing but dust: And that makes you free—free from human ambition—free from prideful denial —free from fear—free; free at last!

Remember, Dust you are, and as dust you are loved and free.

Have a blessed Ash Wednesday!

Advent Season Is Here!

Here goes another coming of the long awaited season. It feels just like yesterday we celebrated Christmas and now, the season is here, once again. Before the actual celebration came, we, Christians (Catholics, in this case) began the coming of Jesus' birth celebrations 4 weeks before the date to prepare ourselves spiritually which was known as Advent.

What is Advent?

The word “advent” means “coming.” As the first season of the church year, Advent marks the coming of Jesus, both his first coming in the Incarnation and his second coming at the fulfillment of God's purpose. The Gospel readings for Advent focus on John the Baptist, the herald of Jesus' coming, and on his mother Mary, the bearer of his coming.

Advent is a penitential season, meaning it is a time for confessing one's sins and sitting with God. In the early years, Advent was a 40-day season of preparation for baptism, much like Lent. Baptisms were performed on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). When Christmas Day (December 25) became the more prominent holiday, Advent became a four-week prelude to Christmas. During Advent, churches that use altar hangings and clergy vestments will use the color purple (as is the case during Lent), or, if available, a dark blue.

Many churches and families use an “Advent wreath” to mark the four Sundays of Advent. These sets typically have purple candles for the first, second and fourth Sundays, and a pink or rose candle for the third Sunday, known as “Gaudete Sunday” (from the Latin word “Rejoice”), when tradition allowed an easing of the Advent fast.

Popular Advent hymns emphasize the theme of coming. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come Thou, Long-Expected Jesus” are two examples.

The arrival of Advent Sunday in late November or early December means the start of a new cycle in the lectionary of assigned readings. Most liturgical churches use a three-year cycle (Years A, B and C), each focused on a different Gospel. Year C, which began December 3, 2006, focuses on the Gospel of Luke.

Source: http://www.explorefaith.org/faq/calendar/advent.html

God Bless!

The Lent Season is here...

I was browsing for an inspirational Lent Season Quote to post to my shoutout and found this beautiful message written by Bishop Iker from Diocese of Ports Worth. I think it would be nice to share it all with you. Have a Blessed Lent Season.

For Reflection: Bishop Iker’s Lenten Message

This message by Bishop Iker, of the Diocese of Fort Worth is posted on the diocesan website. Good questions for examining our hearts and helping us repent and seek true reconciliation with and in and through Christ this Lent.

————-
http://www.fwepiscopal.org/bishop/bishop.html

A time for reconciliation

The purpose of Lent and the mission of the Church are one and the same: reconciliation. Lent is a season of reconciliation. The Church’s mission is a ministry of reconciliation. The appeal of Lent and the message of the Gospel are the same: “We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (II Cor. 5:20)

But, of course, there is a catch here, isn’t there? Unless we are reconciled to one another, we cannot be truly reconciled to God. Unless we are forgiving, we cannot be forgiven. Jesus taught us to pray “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” For most of us, this is a hard lesson to learn, and we are continually challenged to put it into practice.

One of the most striking prayers in the Prayer Book’s service for marriage is this one, offered for the newly married couple: “Make their life together a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.” (BCP, page 429) That’s not a bad summary of the ministry of reconciliation that God has given to every one of us. We are to be reconcilers and healers in a world full of divisions, enmity and strife. We are to work for unity and harmony and peace in a world (and in a Church!) where there is so much estrangement, disharmony and brokenness.

Ultimately, our hope for reconciliation is in Jesus Christ alone, for He is the one who gives healing to brokenness and enables us to be forgiving when hurt and offended. Unity and peace among us are the works of the Holy Spirit, not something we accomplish. We are free to accept these gifts or to reject them. We are free to cooperate with Him or to work against Him. Reconciliation cannot be forced upon us; it can only be received as a gift.

Where does Lent find you this year? Alienated and at odds with others; full of strife and animosity; angry, resentful and hurt? Or working on reconciliation & moving towards forgiveness, healing and peace?

St. Paul’s words to the Church in Ephesus are as important for us today as when he first wrote them: “He is our peace … He has broken down the dividing walls of hostility … so making peace … that He might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)

May this Lent bring us true reconciliation, in our relationship with God and in our relationships with one another.

Faithfully in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker

Bishop of Fort Worth

source: http://lent.classicalanglican.net