The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated every year on September 14, recalls three historical events, namely the finding of the true Cross by Saint Helena--the mother of Emperor Constantine; the dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulcher and Mount Calvary; and the restoration of the true Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius II.
William Blake's poem, 'The Poison Tree' exactly suits my own angry responses, having been taught, mainly by religious figures, to keep my anger in check, like the poet the resentment of having to shut up, put up, and overlook others' wrong doing doesn't always resolve the issue, in fact it can make it so much more worse so the opening verse is so prescient:
I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
In this week's edition of "Gospel Truth”, the late Jill Bevilacqua and Seán-Patrick Lovett bring us readings and reflections from the Gospel of St. Matthew 18:21-35 of the Twentieth-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
From the Gospel according to Matthew (MT 18:21-35)
On September 8, we marked the Feast of the Nativity of Blessed Mary. On Saturday, September 12, the world marks the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Blessed Mary.
The Holy Bible sums up the greatness of Blessed Mary saying, "And the name of the virgin was Mary." (Luke, I, 27)
Mary is a name so lofty, so great and so majestic. It is a name as familiar to us as the name of our mothers, as the sunshine, as the beauty of white snow, and as the beauty of nature.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah often said India was not a country, but a subcontinent of nationalities whose leadership should focus on ‘peace within and peace without.’
This is not new. In 1919 Sir Halford Mackinder observed:
“Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; who rules the World Island commands the World.”
The divine knowledge of a soul is always a merciful knowledge.
We can never be in a true relationship with God until we discover that we are only known mercifully. Not just loved with intermittent mercy after sinning and repenting once again, but that we cannot be looked at, that we cannot be known by God or drawn to him except as a soul in need, poor and destitute, incapable of avoiding collapse and ruin without divine intervention.
Press reports indicate that the Holy See and Burkina Faso have finalized an agreement that guarantees the Church the possibility of carrying out her mission in the west African nation.
The accord, which entered into effect on Monday, September 7, was finalized after being signed at the Vatican on July 12, 2019.
A statement released by the Holy See Press Office notes that the agreement recognizes the “public legal personality of the Church and its institutions.”
"Have you been informed about the activities of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan?"
Have you checked the CCSM websites in both Arabic and English to get informed about the latest and breaking news in all fields of life?
These are among the various questions being murmured every by people of all walks of life when referring to the CCSM as well as its unique and outstanding activities in the field of Christian media.
September 8 marks the Feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary. This day is the greatest and the most important day in history because it marks the birth of a blessed woman who was chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world. Blessed Mary is the spiritual mother of all people and the holiest of God's creatures.
WHO IS BLESSED MARY?
The Holy Bible addresses blessed Mary saying, "For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it." (Wisdom 7: 29)
While reading the Holy Bible, one can encounter a Biblical verse that has a resounding effect on daily life. It is a verse that abounds with hope and gives a profound impression of bright days to come once one can grasp the meaning of this verse.
