The Three Pillars of Lent...part two

Part Two: Concerning Prayer

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. "

The Sign of the Cross is a prayer in itself. It lets us acknowledge the Holy Trinity and be in the presence of God.

Prayer is a conversation with God. In any conversation, there must be a two-way communication. Therefore, listening and being silent is just as important as talking. This would let us hear what God has to say: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. (1 Samuel 3:9)"

"I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence - we need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what he says to us and through us that matters."

--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"The fruit of Silence is Prayer.

The fruit of Prayer is Faith.

The fruit of Faith is Love.

The fruit of Love is Service.

The fruit of Service is Peace."

--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

As Catholics, we are encouraged to pray always. St. Paul in Letter to the Colossians tells us about prayer; "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymn, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17)"

At SJB, we are blessed with the Norbertines presence and are fortunate for the opportunity to pray with psalms, hymn, and songs through the Liturgy of the Hours three times a day, on the weekdays. The schedule is as follow:

Weekday Liturgy of the Hours:

Office of Readings and Morning Prayer: 6:00 - 6:30 AM

Mid-Morning Prayer: 8:15 AM (*Rosary is after the 8:30 AM Mass)

Evening Prayer: 5:15 PM

The Liturgy of the Hours prayers in the Church each are followed by the Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the highest form of prayer. At SJB, it is a blessing to have three Masses daily, at 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, and 5:30 PM, making it convenient for many to attend Mass everyday. Also, on the weekends, SJB provides ten Masses, including one at Fairview Developmental Center, in four different language, which are English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and our latest addition of the Traditional Latin Mass. It is a true blessing to know that Jesus loves to meet us where we are.

Also at SJB, we are blessed to be able to pray before the Blessed Sacrament through Perpentual Eucharistic Adoration, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, in the Blessed Sacramanet Chapel, along with daily Adoration from 7-8 AM in the church and our monthly Adoration on the 10th of the month. Time before the Blessed Sacrament is time well spent.
If you have not signed up for Perpentual Eucharistic Adoration, please do at our homepage http://www.sjboc.org/ under "Ministries."
"Every moment of prayer, especially before our Lord in the tabernacle, is a sure, positive gain. The time we spend in having our daily audience wiht God is the most precious of the whole day." --Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

As St. Paul tells us, we should "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus." Blessed Mother Teresa concurred as she said, "You can pray while you work. Work doesn't stop prayer and prayer doesn't stop work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to him: I love you God, I trust you, I believe in you, I need you now. Small things like that. They are wonderful prayers."

This week, from Monday through Friday, SJB will have its Lenten Parish Mission by Fr. Wolfgang Seitz. Schedule is as follow:

8:30 AM --Mass

9:15 AM --Conference by Fr. Seitz in Church

10:00 AM --Rosary & Confessions

5:30 PM --Mass in Church (*Tuesday - Solemn Anniversary Mass of SJB Dedication)

6:00 PM --Soup Meal in Parish Hall (*Tuesday - Refreshments)

7:00 PM --Repeat of Morning Conference in Church

7:45 PM --Exposition, Rosary & Confessions (*Friday - Stations of the Cross & Confessions)

8:45 PM --Benediction (*Friday - No Benediction)

Please make an effort to come and see how we can better prepare for Easter.

Here's what the saints have to say about Prayer:

Singing is praying twice.

-St. Augustine

Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains.
-St. John Vianney

Our Lord gives to souls of prayer a deep understanding of Himself.
He never deceives them.
-St. Peter Julian Eymard

When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle. Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant.
-St. John Vianney

Prayer is the bulwark of chastity.
-St. Gregory the Great

Vigilance and prayer are the safeguards of chastity. You should pray often and fervently to be preserved from temptations against purity, and for the grace to overcome them.
-St. John Baptist de la Salle

Prayer is necessary for salvation; and therefore God, who desires that we should be saved, has enjoined it as a precept.
-St. Alphonsus Liguori

Prayer should be accomplished by grace and not by artifice.
-St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Faith believes, hope prays, and charity begs in order to give to others. Humility of heart forms the prayer, confidence speaks it, and perseverance triumphs over God Himself.
- St. Peter Julain Eymard

If we are able to enter the church day and night and implore God to hear our prayers, how careful we should be to hear and grant the petitions of our neighbor in need.
-St. John the Almoner

Love to pray. Take the trouble to pray. Prayer opens your heart until it is big enough to hold and keep God. We must know Jesus in prayer before we can see him in the broken bodies of the poor.

-Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Next week: Part Three - Fasting/Penance/Confession

The Three Pillars of Lent..part one

The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Part One: Concerning Almsgiving
"I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving, but do not give your leftovers. Give until it hurts, until you feel the pain."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Last week and this week, Fr. Hildebrand comments how important it is to give, especially during Lent and making a pledge in the Pastoral Services Appeal (PSA). The PSA will help the Catholic schools in need, Religious Educcation, Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Catholic Charities of OC, Detention Services, Catholic Deaf Community, Vocations, and many other ministries within the Diocese of Orange, as well as our very own Parish, SJB. When we give, we are not just helping others, but we, in return are helping ourselves too. Please give generously.

Watch the PSA Video:
http://www.rcbo.org/videos/videos/PSA_English.wmv

Online PSA Donations:
http://www.rcbo.org/donations/PSA/PSA_donations.php
Where it says: "Select Parish to Receive Credit For Your Gift", please scroll down and make sure to select: 2008 PSA St. John the Baptist Church

Pope Benedict XVI in his 2008 message for Lent said: "Almsgiving helps Christians conquer the constant temptation to become slaves to wealth and material goods." He continues, "Almsgiving helps us overcome this constant temptation, teaching us to respond to our neighbor's needs and to share with others whatever we possess through divine goodness." In another release, the pope said that the practice of almsgiving "represents a specific way to assist those in need and, at the time, an exercise in self-denial to free us from attachment to worldly goods."

Here's what catholic.org has said about almsgiving:
"It is a sign of our care for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all that God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life we began when we were baptized."

Here's are what the saints has said about almsgiving/charity:
"Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering, today somebody is in the street, today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today, yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Jesus known, loved, served, fed, clothed, sheltered. Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorroe we will not have them if we do not feed them today."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Charity unites us to God... There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect."
--Pope St. Clement I

"Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God."
--St. Catherine of Sienna

"One thing that I ask of you: Never be afraid of giving. There us a deep joy in givng, since what we receive is much more than what we give."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Next week: Part Two - Prayer

Latin Mass

"The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven" has come to SJB.

"If there is anything divine among man's possessions which might excite the envy of the citizens of heaven (could they ever be swayed by such a passion), this is undoubtedly the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, by means of which men, having before their eyes, and taking into their hands the very Creator of heaven and earth, experience, while still on earth, a certain anticipation of heaven. How keenly, then, must mortals strive to preserve and protect this inestimable privilege with all due worship and reverence, and be ever on their guard lest their negligence offend the angels who vie with them in eager adoration!"
--Pope Urban VII (1634)

The first Traditonal Latin Mass at SJB was celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent by our very own Fr. Philip, who wore a violet Roman Fiddleback Vestment and the Norbertine white biretta.

The church pews were all filled and some had to stand in the back. Some had the Latin-English Order of the Mass from Una Voce booklet, while others had their very own versions, and some either shared or not have any books to follow the Mass by. With the booklets and the missalettes, the Latin Mass let us become more focus and aware on what is really going on during the Mass. It let us know when to sit, kneel, and stand throughout the Mass. It let us learn the responses in Latin and understand the unique prayers being said in the mass, even when they are not said aloud. It also points out the celebrant detailed gestures at the altar because the we are not able to see them.

The reverence shown by all the faithful during the Mass was admirable. The way the silence was kept during the Canon of the Mass, let the faithful be still and breathless as the bells are rung during the consecration. It inspires others to be attentive and keep reverence during Mass. The communion process, though was slow, gave us more time to pray fervently and diligently.

The SJB Choir was astonishing in making the Latin Mass sound beautifully. The Altar Servers were careful in how they assisted Fr. Philip before the altar.

The Latin Mass is sure to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful for SJB.

Talking about Lent

"Tell the children about God and His Saints. During the holy time of Lent, speak to them of their suffering Savior. During Paschal time, of His glorious Resurrection. During Christmas time, of His Birth. You will see what a profound impression it will make on the minds of your children."

-St. John Vianney

What does Lent means to YOU?

Lent is starting early this year with Ash Wednesday being on February 6, 2008 and Easter is also early on March 23, 2008. Every year on Ash Wednesday, the day that we, Catholics are obliged to fast and abstain from meat, it becomes a challenge to stay within the rules and find the true meaning of Lent for oneself.

What are the Rules? Here's what was written from the back cover of our Church calendar:

CHURCH REGULATIONS REGARDING FAST & ABSTINENCE DURING LENT

¨Abstinence from meat (beast or fowl) is to be observed by all Catholic 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent. This obligation prohibits eating of meat, but not eggs, milk products, or condiments of any kind, even though made from animal fat."

¨Fasting means limiting oneself to one full meal on a given fast day. Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On fast days, two additional smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength. However, the two smaller meals together may not equal one full meal. Moreover, eating solid foods between meals on fast days is not permitted."

So here's how I found my meaning of Lent last year on Ash Wednesday:

Last year, I had to go the 6:30 AM morning mass, because I had work and I was taking a class at night. Because I woke up early, I became superhungry. According to the Lenten regulations, I can eat two small meals (as long as they don't equal to be a full meal) and one full meal. To many, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but as for me, I usually skip it or I just have one piece of bread with the Norbertine Sister's yummy jams in the morning. So, on Ash Wednesday, I had my one piece of bread with jam. For lunch, I went out with a friend and we shared a fish burrito combo from Rubios. During work, I realized that when I focus on fasting, it becomes harder to fast. With all the access to food and snacks, the temptation to snack is harder to battle, but because when I have a bottle of water sitting on my desk, I am reminded that, water is the only thing I can drink that day and that Lent was a time of cleasing of the soul. After work, I had a night class from 6:30PM until 9 PM, and starved until I came home, only to make a fish sandwich for dinner and trying not to commit the sin of gluttony.

Besides the fasting and abstinence, I was encouraged to leave the ashes in the sign of the cross on my forehead for the whole day, even during work and night class. The truth was that I never left the ashes for the whole day. I usually just wipe it off when I got home from the evening Ash Wednesday mass. I didn't know whether or not I can clean/wash the ashes away or not, so I left the ashes on my forehead during work and class. My co-workers did comment on my thick ashes, so did my professor. And whenever they commented, I would just smile because I didn't know what else to say. Eventhough, it was tough at first, feeling a little ashamed of my Catholicity, but it made me stronger and proud to be a Catholic and reminded me of the cross that was made for me to carry.

Lent reminds me that I am made from ashes by God, in His image, and that I am His. I am encouraged to carry my cross with a smile. With the cross, Lent reminds me to cleanse my soul through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance, not just during Lent but throughout the year. Through the cross and penance, Lent tells me that there is hope where there is God because Jesus died and was resurrected.

So, what does Lent means to you?