Re: Virtues: Gratitude
Fr: Excerpted from Bishop Charles Chaput (2007 Nov 22). “Thanksgiving: Acknowledging our dependence on God.” The Bishop Speaks. http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/67533
"The Roman statesman Cicero once said that, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." Gratitude expresses our dependence on others. By its nature, it leads to humility and wisdom, because a grateful heart understands than none of us is really independent. We have obligations to each other. We also have needs from each other. We're designed to depend on each other as a family; and to depend as a family on God.
"… Thanksgiving is a call to Christians to recover who we really are: children of God with family duties to each other. Gratitude leads to humility; to seeing our true place in creation. And humility is the beginning of sanity - the clarity of mind to see what's right, what's wrong, what needs to be done, and the willingness to do it.
"… The Protestant Christians who began this tradition nearly 400 years ago practiced their gratitude in the midst of scarcity, disease, high mortality and a harsh new land. Precisely because of their suffering, they understood their own limitations; their radical dependence on God."
This article is courtesy of the Denver Catholic Register.
Monday, December 31, 2007
virtues: patience: ss
re: "bear one another's burdens" (eph 6:1-10)
v9 "so let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up."
v9 "so let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up."
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
hope for sinful humanity
fr: excerpted from bsp. thomas wenski (2007 dec 25). "celebrating god's gift of love." [section: bishops speak]. http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/68390
"A world without God, Pope Benedict tells us in "Spe Salvi," is a world without hope. Such a world is a world grown cold - and dark. And such is the world of those who would live without God; or, worse, against God.
"Yet, because of that child wrapped in swaddling clothes, surrounded by animals and ignorant shepherds, we dare to hope. "Christ does not save us from our humanity, but through it; he does not save us from the world, but he came into the world, so that through him the world might be saved" (Pope Benedict XVI, "Urbi et Orbi," 2006).
"In the birth of Christ, the hope of mankind is restored. For this reason, at Christmas - more than any other time of the year - we can look toward the future with renewed confidence. Despite our sinfulness, despite our greed, our pride, our lust, our envy - these things that are at the root of human misery, poverty and war -we are not lost. God refuses to give up on his creation: It was through love he created us; and in love we are redeemed."
"A world without God, Pope Benedict tells us in "Spe Salvi," is a world without hope. Such a world is a world grown cold - and dark. And such is the world of those who would live without God; or, worse, against God.
"Yet, because of that child wrapped in swaddling clothes, surrounded by animals and ignorant shepherds, we dare to hope. "Christ does not save us from our humanity, but through it; he does not save us from the world, but he came into the world, so that through him the world might be saved" (Pope Benedict XVI, "Urbi et Orbi," 2006).
"In the birth of Christ, the hope of mankind is restored. For this reason, at Christmas - more than any other time of the year - we can look toward the future with renewed confidence. Despite our sinfulness, despite our greed, our pride, our lust, our envy - these things that are at the root of human misery, poverty and war -we are not lost. God refuses to give up on his creation: It was through love he created us; and in love we are redeemed."
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
conscience: ss
re: "raphael's exhortation" (tob 12:6-10)
vv9b-10 "those who give alms will enjoy a full life, [10] but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies."
vv9b-10 "those who give alms will enjoy a full life, [10] but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies."
Sunday, December 9, 2007
cardinal virtue: fortitude: examples: david's warriors
re: "David's mighty men" (2 sam 2:8-39) (cf. also 1 chr 11:10-47)
(1) eleazar
vv9-10 "... the israelites withdrew, [10] but he STOOD HIS GROUND. he struck down the philistines until his arm grew weary, through his hand clung to the sword. the LORD brought a great victory that day...."
(2) shammah
vv11-12 "... the army fled from the philistines. [12] but hhe TOOK HIS STAND in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory."
(3) benaiah
vv20-21,23 "benaiah son of jehoiaka was a valiant warrior form kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of ariel of moab. he also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. [21] and he killed an egyptian, a handsome man. the egyptian had a spear in his hand; but beniah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. [22] .... and david put him in charge of his bodyguard."
(1) eleazar
vv9-10 "... the israelites withdrew, [10] but he STOOD HIS GROUND. he struck down the philistines until his arm grew weary, through his hand clung to the sword. the LORD brought a great victory that day...."
(2) shammah
vv11-12 "... the army fled from the philistines. [12] but hhe TOOK HIS STAND in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory."
(3) benaiah
vv20-21,23 "benaiah son of jehoiaka was a valiant warrior form kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of ariel of moab. he also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. [21] and he killed an egyptian, a handsome man. the egyptian had a spear in his hand; but beniah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. [22] .... and david put him in charge of his bodyguard."
Saturday, December 8, 2007
theological virtue: hope
re: acronym of hope
fr: fr. romuald p. zantua, ds (founder of disciples of hope), as quoted by fr. ronnie "joshua" alvero, ds, 2007 dec 8
h.o.p.e. = happiness out of patient endurance
fr: fr. romuald p. zantua, ds (founder of disciples of hope), as quoted by fr. ronnie "joshua" alvero, ds, 2007 dec 8
h.o.p.e. = happiness out of patient endurance
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
cardinal virtue: fortitude: example of daniel
re: "daniel in the lion's den" (dan 6:10-18)
v10-11 "although daniel knew that the document [prohibiting worshipping any god other than king darius, the mede, for 30 days, cf. v7] had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward jerusalem, and to get down on his knees 3 times a day to PRAY to his god and praise him, just as he had done previously. [11] the conspirators came and found daniel praying and seeking mercy before his god."
v10-11 "although daniel knew that the document [prohibiting worshipping any god other than king darius, the mede, for 30 days, cf. v7] had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward jerusalem, and to get down on his knees 3 times a day to PRAY to his god and praise him, just as he had done previously. [11] the conspirators came and found daniel praying and seeking mercy before his god."
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