ANGER vs MEEKNESS - Day 5

Anger in the Bible

Genesis 4:5-8 but for Cain and his offering he [the LORD] had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Psalms 37:8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!  Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Proverbs 14:16  A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Proverbs 14:29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,  but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 29:22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Proverbs 30:33 For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

James 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Matthew 5:21-24 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift…” (Jesus’ words)

Galatians 5:19-25 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:26-28 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Colossians 3:8, 12-13 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

One Minute Each Night

America is considered a Christian country.  Nevertheless, according to 2009 statistics, there are approximately per year:

• 1.37 million abortions 
• 120,000 suicides
• 68,000 rapes
• 39,417 drug induced deaths
• 24,518 alcohol induced deaths
• 16,799 homicides
• 50% marriages ended in divorce

"You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment." (Matt 5:21)

" I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel," and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. (Malachi 2:16)

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town." Matthew 10:15 

I do not know where the following originally came from.  It was emailed to me by a friend. 

May God forgive our country for the many evils we have allowed.

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT

During WWII, there was an adviser to Churchill, who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute, to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect, as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America; The United States of America, and our citizens, need prayer more than ever!!!

If you would like to participate, each evening at 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific), stop whatever you're doing, and spend ONE minute praying for:

• the safety of the United States,
• our troops,
• our citizens,
• peace in the world,
• the upcoming elections,
• that the Constitution will remain the basis for the laws governing our land,
• and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.  Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.  Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join us.

May God have mercy on America and may we turn back to what our Nation was founded on: IN GOD WE TRUST.  AMEN!

ANGER vs MEEKNESS - Day 4

St. Francis De Sales devotes two chapters on anger and meekness/gentleness in his book, Introduction to the Devote Life.

1. Of Gentleness Towards Our Neighbor And How To Remedy Anger
2. Of Gentleness Towards Ourself

In the first chapter, he offers many points; the most striking for me was: "...this miserable life is only a journey to the happy one; do not let us therefore be angry with one another in the way, but let us journey onward with our brethren and companions, gently, peacefully and amiably... St. James says quite shortly and without reserve that the anger of man worketh not the justice of God."

So much unnecessary pain, divorce, family division and lonely lives are lived because anger destroys our ability to love, forgive and be at peace with one another. I believe it is one the devil's sneakiest tools. We think we have the right to be angry and hold on to it, because we can find reasons to justify it -- but are our reasons more valued by us than our own interior peace and the soul of the one we are angry at?  

I think we do value our inner peace, and the well being of those whom we are angry with. However, I think that we are also often afraid to let go of that anger. We don't make peace because to release that angry hold on the other is to lose some control over the offender and the situation. We may also find it hard to respond with humility and meekness because our own failings haunt us. It is often easier to be angry at someone else and blame them for our miseries -- we don't want to take a close look at ourselves. We may be insecure, prideful, and remorseful of past misdeeds. We may be so angry at ourselves that we find comfort in sharing the anger.

In his second chapter on anger, St. Francis reminds us to treat ourselves gently, so that we may further be healed from our own inner sources of pain. He says: "When many commit a great fault, who, when they have given way to anger, are annoyed at being annoyed, are vexed at being vexed, and at having fretted; for by this means they have kept their hearts preserved and steeped in anger: and although the second anger seems to destroy the first, yet it serves as an opening for a new anger...hav[ing] no other source than self-love, which is troubled and disquieted at seeing ourselves imperfect... Lift up your heart, then, quite gently, when it falls, humming yourself profoundly before God by acknowledging your misery, without being in the least astonished by your fall, since it is not surprising that weakness should be weak, and feebleness, feeble, and misery, miserable. Nevertheless, detest with your whole heart the offense against God and with great courage and confidence in His mercy, pursue once more the practice of virtue which you had forsaken."  

ANGER vs MEEKNESS - Day 3

Meekness is one of those words that are cringed at. Often the image of a weak person comes to mind, "Meek? I don't want to be meek."

Properly understood though, it is the antidote to many of our self-made problems.

Dictionary.com defines meekness as:

meek

adjective, meek·er, meek·est.

1.

humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.

2.

overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.

3.

Obsolete . gentle; kind.

Origin: 
1150–1200; Middle English meke, meoc  < Old Norse mjūkr  soft,mild, meek.

The primary definition is what is meant when we say Jesus was meek or when we quote His Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." 

The secondary definition is the way it is used and understood in secular society.  

If meekness really is oppressive suppression of personality, morals and will, then I agree with the secular understanding: "avoid being this".  However, since meekness is "humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others," it is apparent that it is actually an incredible strength.  I like to think of it as: not letting the antagonist get under the protagonist's skin. It is control of the inner battle of the soul.  It is choosing to respond well in unfavorable circumstances. It is counting to ten and then responding with gentleness to the enemy that attempts to provoke the angry giant within us.

Think of the Hulk. Dr. Bruce Banner when taking certain measures can avoid transforming into a huge green creature of destruction. Likewise, the measures, that is, the habit of controlling our temper, is the virtue of meekness.  

"The servant of the Lord must be gentle, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose." (2 Tim. 2:24–25)

I Thirst

"I thirst." This is what Jesus said on the Cross.

Like all of Jesus' words I believe that they are full of meaning and thus, can be interpreted in many ways, and without contradiction. Here are my two favorite interpretations:

• If you are a fan of Dr. Scott Hahn, you will understand them both literally and figuratively in light of the Passover and the "fourth cup".  Dr. Hahn's in-depth theological study of Christ's words on the Cross (which ultimately led to his conversion) is a beautiful Scriptural explanation of an apostolic dogma, that is, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

He talks about how the Jesus' words "I thirst" (with the drink of vinegar on a hyssop branch) is the same participation of the fourth cup in the new Passover meal.

Dr. Hahn will tell you that in receiving the Eucharist, we are receiving not bread, but a Person. The Church teaches that we receive Jesus's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in even the smallest particle of the consecrated Host.  Jesus is fully present as He promised.

To receive Jesus physically in the Eucharist, is to become one with Him. To prostrate oneself before Him during adoration is to come before Him as Mary Magdalene did. In His presence we become secure and at peace. In Him, we know that we will be saved from all the things that want to stone us.  But to trust Him, we have to know Him.

• If you understand the words "I thirst" as Fr. John Riccardo does, you will understand better Jesus' deep and personal love for you.  Fr. Riccardo talks about how Jesus thirsts for us individually. He interprets Jesus' words to mean, "I thirst for YOU." This interpretation begs the question, "what is my relationship like with Jesus? He thirsts for me.  Do I thirst for Him?"

Fr. Riccardo challenges his listeners to examine that prayer is not words, but a relationship. And thus, the Eucharist is the most intimate prayer.

 Fr. Riccardo tell us how to be transformed so that we can begin to recognize Him in our lives.

Thu, 4 October 2012

Series on Prayer-Session 1

This year the Church celebrates the Year of Faith, giving us the opportunity to answer the question Jesus asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am?” Fr. Riccardo begins a three-part Series on Prayer with this talk from October 3rd. The handouts from this session are available here.

Direct download: YOFPrayer1.m4a
Category:Year of Faith -- posted at: 2:03 AM

Thu, 11 October 2012

Series on Prayer-Session 2

This year the Church celebrates the Year of Faith, giving us the opportunity to answer the question Jesus asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am?” Fr. Riccardo continues the three-part Series on Prayer with this talk from October 10th. A list of Fr. John's questions for reflection from this presentation may be downloaded here.

Direct download: YOFPrayer2.m4a
Category:Year of Faith -- posted at: 1:38 AM

Thu, 25 October 2012

Series on Prayer-Session 3

This year the Church celebrates the Year of Faith, giving us the opportunity to answer the question Jesus asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am?” Fr. Riccardo continues the three-part Series on Prayer with this talk from October 24th. The handouts from this session are available here.

Direct download: YOFPrayer3.m4a
Category:Year of Faith -- posted at: 1:45 AM

For more from Fr. John Riccardo, go here: http://frjohnriccardo.libsyn.com