The Inspired Traditionalist: October 2005

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Christ The King

Today is the Feast Of Christ The King. We honor and consecrate ourselves to the Most Sacred Heart. The High Mass has some changes from the regular High Mass that is celebrated see this site:
http://www.latin-mass-society.org/ordo/ordonotes.htm
It is a beautiful Mass including a Benediction Ceremony at the end with the Litany of The Sacred Heart of Jesus and An Act Of Consecration to The Sacred Heart.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Pray For The Latin Mass

Please continue to pray for the growth of Our Traditional Latin Mass. Keep the Priests and Bishops who fight so hard for this cause in your daily prayers. This week especially for Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos who tirelessly continues the battle to keep our rights as Catholics to have this Mass spread to all the faithful who want it so desperately.
Please read the link provided:
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/
click on Oct 14, By John Allen Jr
The Word from Rome
Then scroll down and click on the link
Outreach to Latin Mass Catholics proposal for final message dated Oct 15th

Sunday, October 16, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

17 years ago a beautiful little angel was born at 11:32 am. Her name is Ashley Margaret. Happy Birthday to my daughter. I am proud of the young lady you have become. May God Bless you and take care of you always. May all the saints and angels watch over you. Have a wonderful day!
Love Mom

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Answering The Call

One of the hardest things to do sometimes is to answer a call. Especially a call that involves courage. It is easy to avoid issues we are faced with. It is hard to deal "head on" with a problem. Most of us look for the easy way out. Why not, we ask ourselves? I think that God is asking more from us than the easy road. Every time we act on something we should ask ourselves a question. Is this how the Lord would ask us to handle this? Often times we don't even consider Him in our daily tasks or in our actions.
We should be constantly analyzing everything we do. In good conciousness, can we say that this would meet God's approval? This takes effort to apply in our scheme of living, and especially in the modern world. It takes practise implementing this thought process excessively in our life. It can also be very trying as well as exhausting. To keep this mental activity focused on a Christ centered thought path requires a desire to live according to His word. If we truly love Jesus, we will answer his call, and then initiate our acts accordingly. Not so easy to do sometimes, especially when it is in our will to do something different, or are afraid of what He is asking from us.
Generally, I have found that if you want something bad enough you won't "let up", on something until it is accomplished. I find the same has been true of Our Lord. He has this way of "not letting up", on us until we act on what He wants. He is always right when He is pushing us and has proved it over and over again. Yet, we still keep "fighting off", what scares us.
Facing issues and acting on them is exactly what we should do when He asks us to "Answer The Call".

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

The Feast of St Francis of Assisi

St Francis of Assisi is another one of my favorite saints. His role model for all is a very difficult one. Sometimes when I feel like I am "short changed" in life I turn to him. He lived a life of complete poverty and never wanted for anything more. The people who came in contact with him loved him dearly. He literally gave the clothes from his back to the poor on numerous occasions, and instructed those in his order to do the same. Mortifications were practiced by himself and his friars, and some acts were pretty harsh. If one of the friars did not give of himself completely, St Francis made sure they saw the wrong in what they were doing and had them correct it immediately.
He fasted severely and to the point of harm to his own body. He was in complete union with our Lord. I believe that God spent so much time coming to him and granted him such special graces because of the complete denial of himself and his oblation to God. He was quite an example of humility and meekness. He even carried the same sufferings of Our Lord by beholding the Sacred Stigmata.
This way of life for us is almost unheard of, and yet it really is truly the way to follow and become as close as we can to Christ.
Among one of his avid followers was St. Clare who took a vow of poverty as well, and an order was formed called the "Poor Ladies" now know as the "Poor Clares". This order of religious followed the same vows that the friars did in following the way of St Francis.
St Francis' influence is still being practiced today and the story of his life is worth while reading. The book "Little Flowers of St Francis", by St Bonaventure, describes his spirituality and his encounters in life. His life was truly an ultimate sacrifice. He is also known as the patron saint of animals and the enviroment.
I would like to end this article with the Prayer of St Francis, which is one of my favorites. The author of this prayer has published it anonymously. It has been said that it's author may have been a French priest.

Lord make me a channel of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy

Oh master grant that I may not so much seek;
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love with all your soul;
for it is in giving, that we receive;
and in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying, that we are born to eternal life

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Devotions and Novenas

Devotions are very important in our spiritual growth. They are a great way to honor a particular saint and pray for a special intention. This form of prayer keeps us focused on the important aspects of obtaining our goal of heaven, and a good way to divert satan as well. Satan does not like it when we pay particular care to remember to keep a novena going and focus on our Lord and our salvation. This is very pleasing to our Blessed Mother as well. The saints are very pleased that we honor them by praying for our intercession to them, for asking of the pardoning from our offences, and making our petitions perfected to be presented to God. There are graces and indulgences to be obtained if we follow a novena or special devotion. Today marks the feast day of a very special saint, St. Therese Lisieux, the Little Flower and Child of Jesus, and there are a few novenas and devotions to her that can be made in her honor. She vowed to Jesus that she would take care of us after she was in heaven and she continues to pray for our souls. We can honor her by saying a novena and thanking her for her intercession on our behalf. She is a very powerful saint and many souls have been guided by her.
There are so many novena's and devotions that can be followed and we should be encouraged to bring these into our life on a regular basis.
Some Novenas and devotions such as The Divine Mercy, devotion to The Sacred Heart, The Way of the Cross, Novenas for our priests, and many more can be found when you refer to this site:
http://olrl.org/pray/left.html
This is also First Saturday and the attendance of Mass and Confession together with our Lady's promises for special grace while saying the rosary should also be a good habit for us. Take the time to find in your day to devote time for a wonderful way of worship to Our Savior and Our salvation.