Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
12704 Foothill Blvd.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739-9764
(909) 899-1049 Fax (909) 899-3229
|
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church 12704 Foothill Blvd. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739-9764 (909) 899-1049 Fax (909) 899-3229
|
|
|
Elements of Basic Catholicism
Brief Statement of Christian Doctrine. CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The term "Article of faith" (De fide.) is used to identify the chief truths, which Christians must hold. Articles of Faith are the fundamental principles, which the Catholic accepts as absolute truth, without discussion as being certain and sure by virtue of the authority of God.
"The Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obligiing the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these" (CCC §88).
The Apostles' Creed. (De Fide.) See CCC §194
The Apostles' Creed is a formula of belief, in twelve articles, containing the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, whose authorship (in substance if not in words) tradition ascribes to the Apostles.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the
body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The Nicene Creed. (De Fide.) See CCC §187
There are two creeds that have the same name. The original Nicene Creed was issued in A.D. 325 by the Council of Nicea. It was composed by the Fathers of the Council in their conflict with Arianism and contains the term homoousios (consubstantial). It is comparatively short, ends with the phrase, "and in the Holy Spirit," and has attached to it four anathemas against Arianism. The more common Nicene Creed is more accurately the Nicene-Constantinople (381), is the creed now used in the liturgy, included the added phrase 'and the Son," and "died" and differs from the preceding in that it: 1. has more about the person of Christ; 2. omits the phrase "from the substance of the Father" after homoousios; 3. says more about the Holy Spirit; 4. adds the articles on the Church, baptism, the resurrection, and eternal life; and 5. contains no anathemas.
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of
the world to come. Amen.
The Ten Commandments of God. See CCC §2055, 2056 (De Fide.) Exodus 20:1-17.
"What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" "If you would enter into life, keep the Commandments" (Matthew 19:16-17). Christ - through the example of his own life and by his preaching - attested to the permanent validity of the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue contains a privileged expression of the natural law. It is made known to us by divine revelation and by human reason. 1. I AM the Lord thy God, who brought I thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage. You shall not have strange gods before me. You shall not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above) or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. You shall not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty) jealous, visiting the iniquities of fathers upon their children, unto the third and fourth generation of those that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of those that love me, and keep my commandments.
2. You shall not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the Name of the Lord his God in vain.
3. Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day. Six days shall thou labor, and shall do all thy works; but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: You shall do no work on it, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother,. that you may be long-lived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
9. You shall not covet thy neighbor's wife.
10. You shall not covet thy
neighbor's house, nor his servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that
is his.
Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-12 See CCC §1024, 1721
The promises of happiness made by Christ to those who faithfully accept his teaching and follow his divine example. Preached in the Sermon on the Mount, they are recorded in St. Matthew (5:3-11) and in St. Luke (6:20-22). In Matthew, there are eight (or nine) blessings of a spiritual nature, applicable to all Christians; in Luke there are four blessings of a more external character, addressed to the disciples. Luke's version also includes four maledictions threatened on those who do the opposite. In both versions, the beatitudes are expressions of the New Covenant, where happiness is assured already in this life, provided the person totally gives himself to the imitation of Christ. The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw us to the One who alone can fill it. They teach man the final end to which God calls us: The Kingdom, the vision of God, participation in the divine nature, eternal life, filiation, rest in God. They are in the heart of Jesus' preaching. They continue the promises made to the Chosen People from the time of Abraham to the time of Christ, fulfilling the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but also the Kingdom of heaven:
The Six Precepts of the Church.See CCC §2041
The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor.
1. "You shall attend Mass on Sundays, and all Holy days of obligation. This precept requires to participate in the Eucharistic celebration, when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the resurrection of the Lord. 2. "You shall confess your sins at least once a year." This precept ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness. 3. You shall humbly receive your Creator in holy communion at least during the Easter season." This precept guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's body and blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian Liturgy. 4. "You shall keep holy the holy days of Obligation." This precept requires the completion of the Sunday observance by participation in the principal liturgical feasts that honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. It requires, also, abstinence from those labors and business concerns that impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy that is proper to the Lord's day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body. 5. "You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence." This precept ensures the times of ascesis (self-discipline) and penance that prepares us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire freedom of heart and mastery over our instincts. 6. "You shall provide for the material needs of the Church." This precept requires the faithful to contribute to the Church according to their own abilities.
The bishops of the United States also stress as duties worthy of all Catholic Christians that they “join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church.”
Seven Sacraments. (De Fide.) See CCC §1210
The seven sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.
Baptism - By which we are born into the new life in Christ. The fruits of this sacrament are:
Confirmation - By which we are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of this sacrament are:
The Holy Eucharist - By which Christ associates his Church and all her members with the sacrifice of the cross. The fruits of this sacrament are:
Reconciliation or Penance - By which sins after Baptism are forgiven. The fruits of this sacrament are:
Anointing of the Sick - By which a special grace is conferred during grave illness or old age. The fruits of this sacrament are:
Holy Orders - By which the task of serving in the name and in the person of Christ is conferred. The fruits of this sacrament are:
Matrimony - By which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love. The fruits of this sacrament are:
The Three Theological Virtues. Faith - Hope - Charity. See CCC §813
The three theological virtues are manifested in the following manner: The effect produced by the virtue of Faith is to make us believe in the existence of God and in his divine perfections. The effect of the virtue of Hope is to make us look for eternal salvation from God, as well as the means that are necessary for its attainment. The virtue of Charity causes us to find satisfaction in God, and to seek to please Him by keeping His commandments. These virtues are fitly termed theological, because God Himself is their object, their motive, and their Author. God is the object of faith; that is to say, we believe what God has revealed, and all that has reference to God Himself, to His being', His attributes, His works and His will. God is the motive of faith, for we believe that which He has revealed because He is omniscient and the highest truth. God is the object of hope; for we hope for eternal happiness after death, to see God and enjoy Him forever. God is the motive of hope, for we hope for eternal felicity because He is almighty, most bountiful, and faithful to His promises. God is the object of charity, for all our love centers in Him. God is the motive of charity, since we love Him because He is supreme beauty and sovereign goodness. God is also the Author of the three theological virtues, as the following reasons demonstrate: We receive the three theological virtues to render us capable of performing good works simultaneously with sanctifying grace. When the Holy Spirit enters into the soul, He transforms the powers of the mind, so that it can rise to God with greater facility. When He comes and imparts to us sanctifying grace, a light shines in our heart that awakens faith and hope (2 Cor. 4:6), and a fire is ignited, that kindles a flame of charity (Rom. 5:5). This action of the Holy Ghost within the soul is called the infusion of the three theological virtues. The three theological virtues are infused into the soul (Council of Trent, 6, ch. 7). The infusion of these virtues has a similar effect as have the rays of the sun in imparting light and warmth to the atmosphere. God does not force these virtues upon us; the freedom of the will is in no wise interfered with. The power of exercising the three theological virtues is imparted in Baptism (CCC §1266), and if it be lost, it is given again in the Sacrament of Penance. As the seed lies dormant in the bosom of the earth, until, under the influence of sun and rain, it germinates and grows, so the three theological virtues at first lie dormant in the soul of the child until he attains the use of reason, and through the action of grace and religious instruction they are developed and come to sight (in works). The baptized child resembles one who is asleep, who possesses the power of sight, but sees nothing, until he awakens from sleep and makes use of that power. So the power to exercise faith, hope, and charity are latent in the soul of the child, until with the use of reason they are brought into play, and their existence is made apparent. We ought to make acts of the three theological virtues frequently in the course of our life, especially before approaching the sacraments and at the hour of death. The means of making acts of the three theological virtues is to place before the mind the object and the motive of these virtues. In doing so, it is well not to employ the usual formula, but to express one's self in one's own words. Every time we make the sign of the cross, utter a prayer, or do a good deed, we make implicitly at least, an act of one or more of these virtues." Rev. Francis Spirago, The Catechism Explained, Tan Books (1899) p. 442-43. Imprimatur, +Patrick J. Hayes, Archbishop of NY, Oct. 18, 1921.
The Four Cardinal Virtues. See CCC §1805, 1834
A virtue is a habitual disposition to do good. Among all the virtues, there are four that play a pivital role and accordingly are called cardinal.
Prudence - Justice - Fortitude - Temperance.
Prudence is the capacity of the mind to grasp, or comprehend, the good things of eternity and the means of attaining them. Through prudence we distinguish what is human from what is divine. The prudent Christian's thoughts are on gaining eternity. St. Thomas Aquinas said prudence is the eye of the soul. Without the light of the eye we cannot find our way nor without prudence can we discern the path to heaven. Without the eye we cannot make full use of our limbs, nor can we practice virtue correctly. [It is something like spiritual common sense.] Its opposite is a worldly wisdom or wisdom of the flesh that brings temporal advantage or sensual enjoyment, but this is the wisdom of foolishness. (1 Cor. 3:19; NIV). Justice enables us to willingly walk the narrow path of the commandments; the just man dreads the slightest deviation from it. The just man gives every one his due; to God, he gives worship, to proper authority, obedience, to subordinates, fairness, and to all, the love Christ commanded. Through temperance a person uses the good things of life to the extent needed for attainment of heaven. He does not eat or drink more than needed to support life, preserve health, and fulfill responsibilities. The temperate person does not strive with excessive eagerness after honors, pleasures, or sensual enjoyments. [Editor's note: this is not to say that pleasure, or fun, is wrong. It isn't! Often we need merely to indulge in moderation, an idea that is increasingly foreign to people today. The catechism says we are to avoid excess. See, CCC §2290. It has often been recommended to people who wish to grow spiritually to give up things that are not wrong so as to separate ourselves from worldly things that do not help us on our journey to heaven, and to do penance for past wrongs done to the others.] Fortitude enables a person to make sacrifices willingly for the sake of the Kingdom of God. He who possess the virtue of fortitude does not allow himself to be intimidated by ridicule, threats, or persecution. He is ready to suffer even death. He patiently endures all the afflictions that come upon him. He is like a diamond that no stone can break. Fortitude is more strikingly displayed in bearing great suffering than in undertaking great achievements, for suffering is more difficult than doing. "No saint was ever a coward. The holy martyrs showed fortitude in its highest degree." Rev. Francis Spirago, The Catechism Explained, Tan Books (1899) p. 444-46. Imprimatur, +Patrick J. Hayes, Archbishop of NY, Oct. 18, 1921.
See CCC §1830 Isa. 11: 2-3.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit belong in their fullness to Christ, the Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.
Fear of the Lord, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Understanding, Wisdom.
Recall the first coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of fiery tongues upon the apostles and disciples. For nine days they had been waiting and praying for this Spirit of truth and love, promised by Christ. They were fearful, uncertain, doubtful and weak. But, what a change came over them. With the Holy Spirit in their hearts they become strong and courageous, certain and zealous. They go forth from that upper room, guided by the Divine Dove, the Holy Spirit really taught the apostles all things. To understand more clearly and fully what the Holy Spirit did on that first Pentecost, and what He does for us during the Sacrament of Confirmation, we want to consider His gifts and workings. Ages before the coming of Christ this work was foretold. After the Assyrians had attacked and almost annihilated Israel, God had mercy on His chosen people, and promised them assistance in the words of the prophet Isaiah, 11:1-3: "And there shall come forth a shoot of the stock of Jesse and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and godliness. And He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord." There we have the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. What do they mean? 1. Wisdom is that gift by which we raise our minds above the fleeting things of earth and think of things eternal. It lights up the, mind, helping the intellect to look at revealed truth in the sublime sunshine of heaven. It helps us taste God, as it were and love God. 2. Understanding is that gift which throws a searching light upon the meaning of revealed truth. It helps us comprehend and know, as far as men can, the truths of. faith and the divine mysteries. It tell us exactly what this or that revealed truth really means. 3. Counsel is that gift which makes clear to us, amid the uncertainties of life, what makes for the glory of God, our own salvation, and the salvation of our neighbor. Counsel helps our practical minds to see what should be done in individual cases, and what are the best means to do it. Counsel points the path when the path is none too certain. 4. Fortitude is the gift, which helps us, with valor and courage, to observe faithfully the laws of God and His Church. It helps us overcome the dangers and difficulties on our Christian pathway to God. 5. Knowledge is the gift by which we judge correctly of created things, or creatures, and are taught to use them' correctly, and direct them to God, their final end. It shows us that the truths of faith are believable and acceptable, even from the standpoint of reason. Note the distinct difference between Christian and non-Christian knowledge. The former helps us put all things in their proper place and relation to their Maker. Mere knowledge, godless knowledge, is merely a piling up of facts and information, without any order or purpose. With this Christian knowledge St. Francis of Assisi was inspired to write his immortal "Canticle of the Sun," or Praise of all Creatures. 6. Piety is the gift by which we honor God as our Father. Piety is from an old Latin word which means devotion to one's parents. Christian piety is devotion to our heavenly Parent. It helps us take pleasure in prayer, spiritual reading and good works, because they please our Father. It helps us have at heart everything that will honor God. 7. Fear of the Lord is that gift which helps us revere and respect God and dread to offend His Divine Majesty. It is not a slavish, cringing feeling. It is the fear of loving children of a loving Father, who dread to offend Him because He is so good. It diverts us from evil and directs us to good. How desperately we need these gifts every day. Without them we are sailors tossed about in a storm, not knowing the direction, or, knowing it, not being able to follow it. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are without question great gifts essential for our sanctification and salvation. Each baptized and confirmed Christian should implore the Holy Spirit to inflame in his soul these gifts. Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II said, "With gifts and qualities such as these, we are equal to any task and capable of overcoming any difficulties."
May the Holy Spirit pour His powerful gifts into the
heart of every- one this Pentecost. May the Holy Spirit guide each one of you.
May He guide our leaders and statesmen, our professional people, our parents,
our teachers, our students. May the Divine Dove show us the way and help us to
follow it. May the Spirit of God abide with us forever.
The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. See CCC §1832
The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory.
Living a spiritual life -- which we are all striving to do in varying degrees -- bears witness to the fact that we belong to God as his beloved children. This witness involves us completely; it involves every aspect of our lives as Paul the Apostle says in Romans 10:31: "Whatever you eat, then, or drink, and whatever else you do, do it all for the glory of God." This is to truly live in communion with God's Spirit. And if we truly live in communion with God's Spirit, then that Spirit will manifest itself through us in all that we do and say. We refer to this manifestation of God's Spirit within us as the fruit of God's Spirit. The way God's Spirit manifests itself most convincingly is through its fruit. St. Paul in Galatians names the fruits of God's Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control." The fruits of God's Spirit really speak for themselves. When we manifest them in our lives, especially in the ways we relate to one another, they become the manifestation of God's presence in the world.
For our
part, when we express in our lives these fruits of God's Spirit, we expect
they will have some sort of influence on the world we live in, or at least on
that small portion of the world we inhabit. We want to be productive; we want
to see the tangible results of our work. But oftentimes, and unfortunately,
we are disappointed with the results of our efforts; sometimes our efforts
seem to be a waste of time as far as others are concerned. This, of course,
can bring on discouragement in our practice of virtue; we can become weary of
the battle. It is at times like these that we must turn to Christ -- to Jesus
himself who died as a failure on a cross; to all appearances there was no
success there to be proud of. Still, the fruitfulness of Jesus' life is
beyond any human measure. Jesus was, indeed, the ultimate manifestation of
the fruits of his Father's Spirit. And we, as faithful witnesses of Jesus,
must trust that our lives too will be fruitful, even though we cannot always
see the fruit. Indeed, like Moses who led his people to the Promised Land but
was not allowed to enter it himself, we may never see the fruit of our lives
for it may only become visible to those who live after us. What is important
in the present time is how well we love. We must leave the rest up to God,
faithfully trusting that he will make our love fruitful, whether we actually
see that fruitfulness or not.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy. See CCC §2447
The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbors, spiritual and bodily necessities. Giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity; it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.
The traditional seven forms of Christian charity in favor of the soul or spirit of one's neighbor, in contrast to the corporal works of mercy that minister to people's bodily needs. They are:
To counsel the doubtful, To forgive offences, To instruct the ignorant, To bear wrongs patiently, To admonish sinners, To comfort the afflicted, To pray for the living and the dead.
See CCC §2447
The seven practices of charity, based on Christ's prediction of the Last Judgment (Matthew 5:3-10) that will determine each person's final destiny. They are:
To feed the hungry, To give drink to the thirsty, To clothe the naked, To harbor the harbor less, (Shelter the Homeless) To visit the sick, To visit the captive, and
To bury the
dead.
Holy Days of Obligation are Feast days to be observed by attendance at Mass and rest, as far as possible, from unnecessary servile work. The number and dates of these vary among countries. In the United States there are six holy days:
January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension; August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; November 1, the solemnity of All Saints; December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception; December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whenever January 1, the solemnity
of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or
November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday,
the precept to attend Mass is set aside.
The Seven Capital Sins and the opposite Virtues. See CCC §1866
The Capital Sins can be classified according to the virtues they oppose. They are called "capital" because they engender other sins, other vices.
Note:
The 7 Capital
Sins, also known as "The 7 Deadly Sins," are those sins that give rise to
other sins. They were first enumerated by Pope
St.
Gregory the Great in "Moralia in Job."
Sins Against the Holy Spirit. See CCC §1864
Sins against the Holy Spirit are major offenses that carry a stubborn resistance to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and a contempt of his gifts. The traditional list of sins against the Holy Spirit was drawn from various works of St. Augustine: Presumption. They are despair of one's salvation, envy of another's spiritual good, opposing known truths of faith, obstinacy in sin, presumption of God's mercy, and final impenitence. Because those who sin in this way, resisting grace, do not wish to repent, we say that their sins cannot be forgiven them. However the CCC §1864, says of the sin against the Holy Spirit: "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit... Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss."
Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance. See CCC §1867
Willful murder (Genesis 4:10) The sin of Sodom or homosexual acts (Genesis 18:20) Oppression of the poor (Exodus 2:23) Defrauding laborers of their wages (James 5:4).
See CCC §1868.
By counsel - By command - By consent - By provocation - By praise or flattery -
By
concealment - By partaking - By silence - By defense of the ill done.
Three Eminent Good Works. See CCC §1458, 1473, 1815, 1829, 1853, 2044, 2447
The three eminent Good Works are Prayer, Fasting, and Alms-deeds.
Prayer, Fasting, and Alms-deeds, are called the eminent Good Works, because they are remarkable above all others for the precious fruits they produce. They are especially pleasing to God, because they devote to Him, they give to Him and His service, all that we are and all that we have. By prayer we offer Him our souls and hearts, with all their affections. It is this which God wants supremely, a return of our love for His love. By fasting we offer our body with all its powers and senses. By alms-deeds we use for God's glory and honor and service, our earthly possessions. Prayer means raising the mind and the heart to God. It means praising God; it means thanking God; it means begging God's pardon; it means asking God for things of body and soul. To pray is something all of us can and must do. Prayer can take many forms: Spiritual thinking is prayer. Dwelling upon some phrase from Scripture, some incident in the lives of the saints, some happening of daily life that has a spiritual idea in it - these are forms of what is called meditation or mental prayer. Prayer need not be long and formal. We have hundreds of short prayers, ejaculations as we call them, which can be said in the twinkling of an eye, which can be said almost everywhere and any- time during the day or night, which can be said without prayer-book and without kneeling down. Some examples: "Jesus, Mary and Joseph;" "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours;" "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit." Vocal prayer takes the form of the Rosary, Litanies, and of the many expressive and uplifting thoughts in our manuals of devotion. Fasting has a wider meaning of penance and self-denial: It means primarily observing the laws of fast and abstinence of the Church. It means denying ourselves certain lawful pleasures. It means taking up certain painful duties or tasks. It means doing difficult things, even though we do not have to do them. It means bearing labor and trials with patience. It means manful resistance of temptation. The effects of fasting and penance in general, are remarkable: It appeases the anger of God at sin. It subdues the passions. It inspires good thoughts and desires. It renews and revives the spiritual man. It obtains the pardon of sin. It atones for past sin. It clears the intellect. It often benefits bodily health. Faith that shows itself in frequent, fervent prayer, and in large-hearted self-denial, such as fasting and abstinence, will save you and will save the world. Alms-deeds means giving aid to our neighbor-and neighbor means every other human being - for God's sake. It means sharing the gifts of God with the children of God. It takes many forms: Giving food and clothing to the poor. This is not a mere theoretical suggestion, something reserved for saints and saints alone. There are many Catholics who give clothing, new and used, to people who can use it. There are Catholics who feed poor families. You don't read about these charities in the papers or the parish report, but you will hear about it when the eternal records are read. Supplying money for food and clothing. Many know not what to give, or to whom to give it. They give to those who do know the needy and their needs. Every pastor is acquainted with families or individuals who can use help, although they never ask for it. Alms-deeds includes any kindness shown to others. This may be in the form of taking care of a child or invalid while others go to church. Corporal works of mercy, are alms-deeds. So, too, are the spiritual works of mercy. They all take time and effort, and usually mean some sort of sacrifice.
Mortal and Venial Sins See CCC §1855-9
Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in the Scripture; became part of the apostolic tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience.
Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of the sinner. It requires a new initiative of God' s mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished within the sacrament of Reconciliation,
For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be present: grave matter, full knowledge of the evil of the act, and full consent of the will. Those who commit and remain in mortal sin are excluded from the kingdom of God; they are separated from Jesus; they evict the Holy Spirit from their hearts. They incapacitate themselves for life in the Church, particularly for the reception of Holy Communion, which expresses and nourishes the living unity of humankind redeemed in Jesus.
|
