Of Grace and Faith

Sources of Grace - Our Lady's Scapular

Soon after the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16) I was preparing for prayers at the local nursing home chapel. Those prayers always include an inspirational story, and one of the best sources of them is the Ave Maria magazine that comes out 4 times a year from PO Box 118, Midland WA 6936. Annual subscriptions for Australians are $15, and for the rest of the world $20.

It was a busy morning, so I just grabbed the magazine (Jul Aug Sep 2014 Issue) and knew I'd find something good to share from it. When the time came I opened it up at random, and found two stories about Our Lady's Brown Scapular. Both of them were good.

But then the thought came, 'I wonder if I have ever included the Scapular in the Sources of Grace series?' I should do something about that.

May

Sources of Grace - Reading Scripture

Reading Scripture is a Source of Grace that needs to be a daily part of our lives.

Listening to the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament and the Gospel in the readings at Mass is essential for us. We need to hear it with our ears, 'So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ.' Romans 10:17

But we also need to take time to ponder it, and learn from it, just like Mary, the Mother of Jesus did.

Jan

Rebuilding Parish Life

Our Of Grace and Faith study group continued through 2014 on a monthly basis, and has already had its first meeting of 2015. Each month we are going through 2 pages worth of Evangelii Gaudium, the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis which presents his vision for each of us to become missionary disciples.

The hard part has been working out how to that in the context of ordinary parish life.

Jan

Sources of Grace - The Fatima Prayers

Some months ago a gent walked up to the local piety shop and asked for something with the seven Fatima prayers on it. As a result I went looking for all the prayers associated with the apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima. While I knew 5 of these prayers very well, I wasn't familiar with the two of them which pray for specific countries as well as the whole world. The gent's visit was providential, because now I am praying them daily rather than weekly.

Aug

Changes

It has been quite a long time since there was a new blog-post here, and many apologies are offered. Of late the tyranny of the urgent over the important has held sway. Hopefully the good Lord will provide the time necessary to resume blog-posts soon, but when they resume they will be different.

Even though the blog-posts haven't been arriving, the off-line study group has continued week by week.

May

On Sacramentals, CCC 1667-1679, Part C

On Sacramentals, Catechism of the Catholic Church 1667 - 1679, Part C

Question 5 : Do you have any pictures that illustrate this segment of the Catechism?

Sacred Images :

At the On Sacramentals CCC 1667-1679 Part A blog post you will find a picture inspired by CCC 1668, showing the Sign of the Cross, sprinkling with holy water, being prayed over, and being prayed for.

Apr

On Sacramentals, CCC 1667-1679, Part B

On Sacramentals, Catechism of the Catholic Church 1667 -1679, Part B.

Question 3 : Does anything in this segment of the Catechism remind you of a time in the past when God's Grace touched your life?

Reflecting upon sacramentals caused our older study group members to reminisce about the Catholic culture they grew up in. Especially at school they were taught to pray the morning offering, and various other prayers through out the whole day : grace before meals, the angelus etc.

Apr

On Sacramentals, CCC 1667-1679, Part A

On Sacramentals, Catechism of the Catholic Church 1667 -1679, Part A.

So what is a sacramental? A source of grace which is not a sacrament. The efficacy of a sacrament is guaranteed by God, and doesn't depend on the holiness (or lack thereof) of the person administering the sacrament. The efficacy of a sacramental depends upon the faith, devotion and holiness of the person using it, which in turn attracts God's grace.

Apr

On Marriage, CCC 1639-1658, Part C

On Marriage, Catechism of the Catholic Church 1639 - 1658, Part C

Question 5 : Do you have any pictures that illustrate this segment of the Catechism?

Sacred Images :

At the On Marriage CCC 1639-1658 Part A blog-post is an image inspired by Tertullian's quote on Christian marriage (see question 6).

'The marriage bond has been established by God Himself' CCC 1640.

Apr

On Marriage, CCC 1639-1658, Part B

On Marriage, Catechism of the Catholic Church 1639 - 1658, Part B.

Question 3 : Does anything in this segment of the Catechism remind you of a time in the past when God's Grace touched your life?

One of our members was sharing a household with a woman and her family in days gone by. This woman had been separated from her husband for several years. Only when the news of her annulment came through did this woman ever talk about it, and that only over a meal with special friends.

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Of Grace and Faith

Starting afresh from Christ along the journey of faith