St Ignatius Loyola said while giving a retreat that the answer to most questions in life is "Perhaps". Shall I keep my good resolutions? Perhaps. Shall I remain long in the grace of God, or fall back into sin? Perhaps. Shall I be saved? Perhaps. But there is one question whose answer is not "Perhaps": Shall I die and be judged? Most certainly.
This was the example preached, and indeed the import of Fr Rowe's sermon at Mass today: like the unjust steward in the parable, we shall in due season appear before the dread tribunal of Christ, and be sentenced. Live, therefore, now and hereafter in such a state, fortified by grace, prayer, and the sacraments, as shall merit a favourable judgement!
This morning I slept in, but made it to church in time for confession, and then was asked to help serve: for the 11.15 am Mass was not to be the usual Low Mass, but a sung Mass, with Quartessence providing chant and polyphony, so I wasn't needed in the choir instead. I was struck by the fact that all the servers were adult men, the majority married with children (unlike myself, of course). The reason for the change in schedule - Michael's first child, Teresa Marie, was to be baptised after the Mass. In the event, I remained on to assist Fr with the baptism (and ancillary ceremonies: enrolment in the Miraculous Medal and Brown Scapular, and consecration to Our Lady), and after that joyful event came over to the party following.
Of your charity, please pray for little Teresa Marie, that she abide in goodness and love all the days of her life, and so pass to eternal bliss with Christ.
I'm going over to my aunt's place tonight to mind it for her while she's away; since I have some time off work, I plan to keep tomorrow as a day of retreat, and have planned a schedule of prayer: please God it bear fruit.
I plan amongst other things to consider the Epistle (Rom. viii, 12-17a) of this Sunday, and its Collect:
Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God; and if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ.
Largire nobis, quæsumus, Domine, semper spiritum cogitandi quæ recta sunt, propitius et agendi: ut, qui sine te esse non possumus, secundum te vivere valeamus. Per...
(Grant to us, we beseech Thee, Lord, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we who cannot exist without Thee, may be able to live according to Thee. Through...)
This was the example preached, and indeed the import of Fr Rowe's sermon at Mass today: like the unjust steward in the parable, we shall in due season appear before the dread tribunal of Christ, and be sentenced. Live, therefore, now and hereafter in such a state, fortified by grace, prayer, and the sacraments, as shall merit a favourable judgement!
This morning I slept in, but made it to church in time for confession, and then was asked to help serve: for the 11.15 am Mass was not to be the usual Low Mass, but a sung Mass, with Quartessence providing chant and polyphony, so I wasn't needed in the choir instead. I was struck by the fact that all the servers were adult men, the majority married with children (unlike myself, of course). The reason for the change in schedule - Michael's first child, Teresa Marie, was to be baptised after the Mass. In the event, I remained on to assist Fr with the baptism (and ancillary ceremonies: enrolment in the Miraculous Medal and Brown Scapular, and consecration to Our Lady), and after that joyful event came over to the party following.
Of your charity, please pray for little Teresa Marie, that she abide in goodness and love all the days of her life, and so pass to eternal bliss with Christ.
I'm going over to my aunt's place tonight to mind it for her while she's away; since I have some time off work, I plan to keep tomorrow as a day of retreat, and have planned a schedule of prayer: please God it bear fruit.
I plan amongst other things to consider the Epistle (Rom. viii, 12-17a) of this Sunday, and its Collect:
Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God; and if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ.
Largire nobis, quæsumus, Domine, semper spiritum cogitandi quæ recta sunt, propitius et agendi: ut, qui sine te esse non possumus, secundum te vivere valeamus. Per...
(Grant to us, we beseech Thee, Lord, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we who cannot exist without Thee, may be able to live according to Thee. Through...)
No comments:
Post a Comment