Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

What drives us? That is the question that ought to be on our minds and hearts this weekend. St. Paul tells us he is compelled by the love of Christ, while the disciples were driven by fear. Certainly, the squall would have been terrible, but they should have already understood that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior of the world. God the Father would not allow Him to die this way. The disciples lacked the trust that Jesus displayed - He was asleep in the middle of the storm, in a sinking boat that was rolling with the wakes. The love of Christ ought to be what drives us. This phrase, in Greek, is most interesting. It could be understood as our love for Christ, Christ's love for us, Christ's love for the Father, or Christ's love for St. Paul's audience (the Corinthians), by extension the Church. Truthfully, it is all four. We are moved to love Christ as a response of His love for us, and for the Church, that He loves the Father. Our vocation is the way we live out this love. So do we follow Him with love, or do we avoid Him out of fear?

Pope's Letter on Year for Priests

The Pope's Letter on Year for Priests was released yesterday. Absolutely beautiful!

Thought from St. John Vianney

What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? It is God who, as our Savior, offers himself each day for us to his Father's justice. If you are in difficulties and sorrows, he will comfort and relieve you. If you are sick, he will either cure you or give you strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven. If the devil, the world, and the flesh are making war upon you, he will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist, and to win victory. If you are poor, he will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and eternity. Let us open the door of his sacred and adorable Heart, and be wrapped about for an instant by the flames of his love, and we shall see what a God who loves us can do. O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?

Litany of the Sacred Heart

In honor of the start of the Year for priests, I post the Litany of the Sacred Heart:

Litany of the Sacred Heart

Lord, have mercy ... ... Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy ... ... Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy ... ... Lord, have mercy

Christ, hear us ... ... Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us. ... ... Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father in Heaven, ... ... have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God, the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, One God,

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, ... have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,
Heart of Jesus, one with the Word of God,
Heart of Jesus, infinite in Majesty,
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God,
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,
Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven,

Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us,
Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love,
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
Heart of Jesus, well-spring of all virtue,
Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise,
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,
Heart of Jesus, treasure-house of wisdom and knowledge,
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells there dwells the fullness of God,
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,
Heart of Jesus, from whose fullness we have all received,
Heart of Jesus, desire of the eternal hills,
Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy,
Heart of Jesus, Generous to all who turn to you,

Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,
Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with insults,
Heart of Jesus, broken for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death,
Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance,
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,
Heart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation,
Heart of Jesus, victim of our sins
Heart of Jesus, salvation of all who trust in you,
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in you,
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ...
... spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ...
... graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, ...
... have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Make our hearts like to Thine.

Let us pray;
Father,
We rejoice in the gifts of love
We have received from the heart of Jesus your son.
Open our hearts to share his life
And continue to bless us with his love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Vocations

The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group has a page with a Vocations Prayer through the intercession of St. John Vianney:

A Prayer for Vocations
Through the intercession of St. John Vianney

O God our Father, You promised "I will appoint shepherds for My sheep who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble: and none shall be missing." (Jer. 23:4-5). Hear the prayers of Your flock. Through the intercession of Your beloved priest, Saint John Vianney, we beg You to call to the sacramental priesthood generous men who will desire nothing more than to serve You in imitation of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

And after You call them, we pray that You sustain the doubtful, console the discouraged, and strengthen the weak as they start the long and demanding preparation for the priesthood.

Mary, Mother of priests, and example of faithful, humble, and joyful acceptance of God's will, help all those who are called to the priesthood to open their ears and hearts to the gentle call of the Holy Spirit.

Who Is A Priest?

Ignatius Insight has reprinted an article Who Is A Priest? by Fr. Benedict Ashley, O.P. At quick reading, seems to be thorough and yet concise at the same time.

To preach well is to...

Insight Scoop posted an article about a book by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P., Why Preach: Encountering Christ in God's Word. The article stresses that a preachers task is speaking of the vocation of all men. They quote Pope Benedict, "The aim of preaching is to tell man who is and what he must do to be himself. Its intention is to disclose to him the truth about himself, that is, what he can base his life on and what he can die for."