Faith of the Fathers

Prayer Request for Erica Coyle

2020-12-09T01:28:00.001-05:00

A very good friend, Erica Coyle from Kentucky has been diagnosed with liver cancer. A lesion was found on her liver, and she was referred to an oncologist. Barring that she tests positive for Covid-19, she has been scheduled for surgery next week.

Please keep Erica in your prayers. She said, “my anxiety is in over drive, which I guess is to be expected. I place my TRUST in the Sacred Heart of Jesus”.

* * * * * * *

Prayer to Saint Peregrine Laziosi

O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty," "The Wonder-Worker," because of the numerous miracles which you have obtained from God for those who have had recourse to you.

For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of our being, and who had recourse to the source of all grace when the power of man could do no more. You were favored with the vision of Jesus coming down from His Cross to heal your affliction.

Ask of God and Our Lady, the cure of the sick whom we entrust to you. Particularly pray for the healing of Erica Coyle.

Aided in this way by your powerful intercession, we shall sing to God, now and for all eternity, a song of gratitude for His great goodness and mercy.

Amen.

* * * * * * *

Dear God, we sincerely pray for all those who are battling cancer. Instill fearlessness and hope into their hearts each day. Give them solace when in pain and ease their suffering. Bless their loved ones and caregivers with the strength to help them get through this difficult time. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Prayers Urgently Needed

2020-04-27T20:50:00.001-04:00

I am asking for your prayers. I just learned that a very good friend, Larry Williams, has suffered a massive heart attack. He is currently on life support and he is in very critical condition. He is just in his early 40's. Thank you all! #PrayerRequest #UrgentPrayersNeeded

Prayer Request for My Aunt Della Marie Smith Dillingham

2020-03-15T12:52:00.002-04:00

I just received word, that the last one of my late father's siblings has passed away.

My Aunt Della Marie Smith Dillingham, was 102 years old. Please pray for her family, and for the repose of her soul.

Thank you!

Mystic Monk Coffee Christmas Offerings for 2019

2019-11-13T14:31:00.000-05:00

The good monks from the Carmelite Monastery of Wyoming, are getting all geared up for Christmas this year with their Mystic Monk Coffee! Now available for 2019 is their Christmas Blend, a medium roast coffee that is available in 12 ounce bags (ground or whole bean), and their single-serve pod Monk Shots.

JingleBell Java (with over 400 5 star reviews on their web site) is still their top selling flavored coffee. It is also available in 12 ounce bags (ground, decaf ground, and whole bean) and Monk Shots single-serve pods.

Also available are the Chocolate Covered Caramels and their Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, along with a red Christmas Double Handled Mug.

Mystic Monk Coffee. Real coffee, roasted and blended by real monks! Your purchases helps to support the Carmelite Monastery of Wyoming.

Some Things I Believe

2019-03-30T21:25:00.000-04:00

Let me be clear:

1. I believe in the sanctity of life, from conception unto natural death.

2. I don't support abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide, or euthanasia.

3. I believe that marriage is only between one man and one woman.

4. I believe that there are only two genders, male and female, as it has always been, and always will be.

5. I believe that God is the author of all life, and that He alone is in charge of all things, both seen and unseen.

If you choose to believe otherwise in all of the above named, that is solely between you and God.

From Goffine's Devout Instructions: ASH WEDNESDAY

2019-03-05T21:54:00.000-05:00

Why is this day so called?

Because on this day the Catholic Church blesses ashes and puts them on the foreheads of the faithful, saying, “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Genesis 3:19)

Why are the ashes blessed?

That all who receive them with a contrite heart may be preserved in soul and body.
That God may give them contrition, and pardon their sins.
That he may grant them all they humbly ask for, particularly the grace to do penance, and the reward promised to the truly penitent (Roman Missal).

Why are the faithful sprinkled with ashes?

The sprinkling with ashes was always a public sign of penance; as such, God enjoined it upon the Israelites (Jeremiah 25:34). David sprinkled ashes on his bread (Psalm 101:10). The Ninevites (Jonas 3:16), Judith (Judith 9:1), Mordecai (Esther 4:1), Job (62:6), and others, did penance in sack cloth and ashes.

How should we receive the blessed ashes?

According to the intention with which they are blessed and sprinkled upon the heads of the faithful.
In humility, remembering and confessing that we are dust and ashes, and that for our sins we shall return to ashes again.
To testify before God and man that we are willing to commence the holy season of Lent, and are not ashamed to follow Christ, doing penance publicly, and bearing the ashes on our foreheads. To show the spirit of penance and to move God to mercy, the Church, at the Introit of the Mass, uses the following words (Wisdom 11:24,25): “Thou hast mercy upon all, Lord, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made, overlook ing the sins of men for the sake of repentance, and sparing them, for thou art the Lord our God. Have mercy on me, God, for my soul trusteth in thee.” Glory be to the Father.

Prayer

Grant to thy faithful, O Lord, that they may begin the venerable solemnities of fasting with becoming piety, and perform them with undisturbed devotion, through Christ.

Epistle

(Joel 2:12-19) Thus saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly Gather together the people, sanctify the church, assemble the ancient, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of her bride-chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests, the Lord’s ministers, shall weep, and shall say: Spare, Lord, spare thy people, and give not thy inheritance to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for his land, and hath spared his people. And the Lord answered and said to his people: Behold I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be filled with them, and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations, saith the Lord Almighty.

Explanation

The prophet, in these words, calls upon the Israelites to be converted, reminding them of the great mercy of God, and exhorting them to join true repentance for their sins with their fasting and alms. They should all, without exception, do penance and implore the mercy of God, who would then forgive them, deliver them from their enemies, and bring peace and happiness upon them.

Gospel

(Saint Matthew 6:16-21) At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: When you fast, be not tea the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

How do hypocrites receive their reward?

They receive their reward from men, and have nothing else to expect, for only works done for eternity will be eternally rewarded. Such are those that are done for God’s sake, add with his assistance. The true Christian lives in God, and in truth; but to live with the world and for mere appearance, is contrary to the life of Christians. All those persons therefore are to be counted among hypocrites who observe the obligation of fasting merely in order not to be censured by men, and not to appear without faith or religion; so too are those who pretend to be sick that they may be dispensed from fasting.

What did Christ mean when he said, but thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face?

To anoint the head and wash the face, were, in the East, the tokens of cleanliness and propriety. By these words, there fore, Jesus said as much as, “When you fast appear as usual, and do not make a show of your fasting, by your singularity.”

Why does Christ join contempt for earthly treasures with fasting?

To take away the miserable pretence of those who fast from avarice, and on account of the petty saving. “Let us fast,” says Saint Augustine, “that the savings may be deposited by the hands of the poor in the treasury of Jesus Christ, and not serve as a nourishment for our avarice. Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.” Wherever that is which thou lovest best, there are thy desires, thy thoughts, thy works. Is thy treasure of the earth, thy desire will be of the earth also, and will perish with it. Is thy treasure in heaven, thy thoughts and works will be there also, and remain forever.

Meditation

Jesus goes with his disciples to Mount Olivet. Be thou also prepared for the combat.

Prayer of the Church over the People

We bow down before thy majesty, O Lord; look upon us in mercy, that, comforted by divine gifts, we may always be nourished by heavenly assistance. Amen.

– Goffine’s Devout Instructions

Opinion: The Undeniable History of the Democratic Party

2019-01-30T20:53:00.002-05:00

The modern Democratic Party seems unable and unwilling, to separate itself from the evil history of it's past. An evil past which it continues to this day.

The Democratic Party, was responsible for the forced removal of the Cherokee and other Southeastern Native American Nations, to Oklahoma.

The Democratic Party was responsible for seceding from the Union of the United States, and starting the Civil War for the sole reason of slavery.

The Democratic Party was responsible for the creation of the Ku Klux Klan, and all the repression and murder it brought upon black citizens, Catholics, Jews, and all whom it considered "less than human".

The Democratic Party was responsible for the Jim Crow laws throughout the South, that denied people of color equal rights, and equal access.

The Democratic Party was responsible for the evil of abortion and all of the inherent horrors that it brings to the most innocent and vulnerable among us.

The Democratic Party, was responsible for the acceptance of the evil called "assisted suicide", and pushes for the acceptance of this atrocity nation wide.

The Democratic Party has now passed a bill into law in New York, that allows for the murder of babies up until the moment of birth, and state legislatures including Vermont, Virginia, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and more are also calling for such legislation, under the guise of “women's healthcare”.

The Democratic Party has the undeniable history of promoting hate, discrimination, death, and destruction throughout it's entire existence.

Tell me how the Democratic party "cares" about people again. Their historical actions in the past proves that “care” is all a complete and total lie.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for June 2018

2018-06-01T13:05:00.002-04:00

Universal- Social Networks

That social networks may work towards that inclusiveness which respects others for their differences.

Buy Mystic Monk Coffee Today

2018-05-13T17:00:00.001-04:00

Mystic Monk Coffee. Real coffee roasted by real monks. Order yours today.

https://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/?rfsn=250293.5c45b

A Little Fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

2018-05-08T17:59:00.003-04:00

My birthday will be on May 22, 2 weeks from today. To celebrate my upcoming sixty-third birthday, I decided this year, to create a fundraiser on Facebook to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude is also my Patron Saint.

I've chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you'll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me. Every little bit will help me reach my goal.

https://www.facebook.com/donate/571624399877949/1873367949360318/

Opinion: Alfie Evans and the UK National Health Service

2018-04-27T22:42:00.000-04:00

For the second time in as many years, we have seen Great Britain embrace one of the ideologies of Nazi Germany. That is, they now believe, as the Nazi's believed, that the execution of some members of the weakest and most vulnerable in society, is what is best for the overall welfare of the state.

The individual, and his or her life is expendable, and they must be eliminated to prevent a drain on the resources of the British National Health Service. The same excuse was used for programs the Nazi's implemented to eliminate the mentally and physically handicapped.

The only difference is, that the Nazi's hid their murders of the helpless, while their counterparts in Britain carry out their heinous crimes in the open for all the world to see.

In both cases, the cold blooded murder of the innocent is neither acceptable nor civilized.

It wasn't acceptable for Nazi Germany of the 1940's, and it is most definitely not acceptable for the United Kingdom of the 21st century.

Charlie Gard deserved better, and so does Alfie Evans.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for April 2018

2018-04-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

For Those who have Responsibility in Economic Matters

That economists may have the courage to reject any economy of exclusion and know how to open new paths.

Alleluia! For He is Risen!

2018-03-31T22:43:00.000-04:00

Alleluia!

For He is Risen!

By His Life, Death, and Resurrection,

All who believe and trust in Him are saved.

Man has been lifted from corruption

And shares in His Incorruptible Glory!

Man who lived in darkness

Now has the Eternal Light of His

Blessed and Glorious Kingdom forever!

For He is Christ the Lord!

Alleluia!

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for March 2018

2018-03-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

Formation in Spiritual Discernment

That the Church may appreciate the urgency of formation in spiritual discernment, both on the personal and communitarian levels.

A World Going Mad

2018-02-16T02:49:00.002-05:00

This country has lost it's ever loving mind. Everything that we hold to be true, just, and moral is belittled, lied about, and we get treated as if we are ignorant and out of touch with reality.

We believe that all are created in the Image of God, and all have an inalienable right to life. We believe God when He told us that He knew us before He made us. Then we are called misogynists, backwards, and "anti-choice" for our belief.

We believe that marriage is only between one man and one woman, and that their union is inviolable and Blessed by Christ. Then we are called homophobes, anti-gay, and bigots because we believe what God Himself has commanded.

We believe that God created two genders only. Male and female He made them. Anything other than that is a novelty created by some confused, ill people and their enablers. Yet we hear that we are hate filled religious zealots and bigots, even when we can rightly see what Natural Law and Nature's Infallible Author has made.

We believe in the healing power of prayer, not just for illness of the body, but also for the healing of the soul and of the mind, that brings us closer to God, and imparts to us a portion of His Mercy, Love, and Grace. We are called fools for believing in an "invisible man in the sky", whom they say doesn't exist.

I see all of these things that we are ridiculed, ostracized, and persecuted for believing, and it makes me realize this simple truth. That until the day arrives that this nation, it's people, and it's leaders falls on our knees, bows our heads, and pleads for God's Forgiveness and Mercy...until that day...we are going to see more days like the mass shooting in Florida. Worse days, that will make that day seem like a walk in the park.

Pray to God now, that it won't be so.

Personal Prayer Request

2018-02-13T04:56:00.000-05:00

I would appreciate your prayers for a personal situation I am going through at this time. God knows the need, so I will place it in His hands.

Thank you, and may God Bless you all!!

Yours In Christ,

Steve Smith

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for February 2018

2018-02-03T02:04:00.000-05:00

Say "No" to Corruption

That those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption.

Prayer to End Abortion

2018-01-21T19:25:00.000-05:00

Note: This prayer was written by Father Frank Pavone, National Director Priests for Life.

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,

And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,

Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.

Today I commit myself

Never to be silent,

Never to be passive,

Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,

And never to stop defending life

Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,

And our nation once again becomes

A nation with liberty and justice

Not just for some, but for all,

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Saint Peregrine Laziosi Novena

2018-01-16T13:33:00.000-05:00

St. Peregrine is the Patron Saint of Cancer Patients.

St. Peregrine was known for his holiness but also for a miraculous healing that he received.

He was scheduled to have his leg amputated because of a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, he prayed for healing, received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg and was completely healed.

St. Peregrine Novena Prayers

Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing.

Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of…

(Mention your intentions)

These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing.

We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God. And so, we ask that you pray for us…

Day 1 – Pray for us, that we will not let sickness bring us to despair

Day 2 – Pray for us, that we may persevere in hope

Day 3 – Pray for us, that we will have the courage to offer up our suffering in unity with the Cross

Day 4 – Pray for us, that the loneliness of our suffering will be consoled

Day 5 – Pray for us, that the fear of death will be replaced with the hope of everlasting life

Day 6 – Pray for us, that our suffering will not rob us of joy

Day 7 – Pray for us, that in our pain we will not become selfish but ever more selfless

Day 8 – Pray for us, that this sickness will teach me to depend more and more on God

Day 9 – Pray for us, that our lives will glorify God alone

We know, St. Peregrine, that you are a powerful intercessor because your life was completely given to God. We know that in as much as you pray for our healing, you are praying even more for our salvation.

A life of holiness like yours is more important that a life free of suffering and disease. Pray for our healing, but pray even more that we might come as close to Our Lord as you are.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

See the original post at “Pray More Novenas”.

Bishop Emeritus William George Curlin Passes Away

2017-12-27T19:45:00.004-05:00

Bishop Emeritus William George Curlin of the Diocese of Charlotte passed away on December 23, 2018, at Carolinas Medical Center of cancer. He was 90 years old.

Bishop Curlin was the third bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, serving from 1994 until his retirement in 2002.

Put Some Hustle In Your Bustle

2017-12-11T19:10:00.002-05:00

Time to put some hustle in your bustle, because Christmas is just TWO short weeks from today! That's on a Monday, folks.

If you're thinking about ordering some Mystic Monk Coffee for Christmas presents, you might just want to get you orders in as soon as you can to ensure that your items arrive before Christmas.

They still have some Jingle Bell Java, Christmas Blend, Candy Cane Hot Chocolate, and more currently available, as well as their great assortment of blends and flavors of coffee’s and tea’s.

If you can’t decide what flavor, they have the 9 Monks Sampler available. It contains 9 2 ounce samples for just $18.99 (plus tax and shipping). The available samples are: Mystic Monk Blend, Midnight Vigils Blend, Hermits Bold Blend, Cowboy Blend, Colombian Medium Roast, Decaf. Arabica, Carmel, Royal Rum Pecan, and Hazelnut.

So be sure to use my link to go to the Mystic Monk Coffee web site and get your order in before it’s too late to order for Christmas.

Your purchase of Mystic Monk Coffee helps to support the monastery of the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming, and gets me a little commission, too!

May God Bless you all, happy Advent, and Merry Christmas!

http://bit.ly/2l1SbhD

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for December 2017

2017-12-02T16:13:00.000-05:00

The Elderly

That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian communities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new generations.

The Obama Joke Called "The Affordable Health-care Act"

2017-11-26T19:58:00.001-05:00

There is nothing "Affordable" About It

I just went to the HealthCare.gov site to see what my health care costs would be.

What an outrageous joke!

As you know, I am now retired. I couldn't believe just how much it would cost me for the lowest priced plan available to me.

The monthly premium: $684.00. Deductible: $7,350.00. Out of pocket: $7,350.00. Annual premium cost: $8,208.00.

They can forget it. I can't afford it. At all.

If anyone thinks I am going to sign up for this, they have lost their ever loving mind.

Encyclical of Pope Pius XI Quas Primas (On The Feast Of Christ The King)

2017-11-25T19:21:00.000-05:00

Pope Pius XI

Quas Primas

Introducing the Feast of Christ the King

Pope Pius XI - December 11, 1925

ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

To Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See.

Venerable Brethren, Greeting and the Apostolic Benediction.

In the first Encyclical Letter which We addressed at the beginning of Our Pontificate to the Bishops of the universal Church, We referred to the chief causes of the difficulties under which mankind was laboring. And We remember saying that these manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and we said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations. Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ; and that We promised to do as far as lay in Our power. In the Kingdom of Christ, that is, it seemed to Us that peace could not be more effectually restored nor fixed upon a firmer basis than through the restoration of the Empire of Our Lord. We were led in the meantime to indulge the hope of a brighter future at the sight of a more widespread and keener interest evinced in Christ and his Church, the one Source of Salvation, a sign that men who had formerly spurned the rule of our Redeemer and had exiled themselves from his kingdom were preparing, and even hastening, to return to the duty of obedience.

2. The many notable and memorable events which have occurred during this Holy Year have given great honor and glory to Our Lord and King, the Founder of the Church.

3. At the Missionary Exhibition men have been deeply impressed in seeing the increasing zeal of the Church for the spread of the kingdom of her Spouse to the most far distant regions of the earth. They have seen how many countries have been won to the Catholic name through the unremitting labor and self-sacrifice of missionaries, and the vastness of the regions which have yet to be subjected to the sweet and saving yoke of our King. All those who in the course of the Holy Year have thronged to this city under the leadership of their Bishops or priests had but one aim — namely, to expiate their sins — and at the tombs of the Apostles and in Our Presence to promise loyalty to the rule of Christ.

4. A still further light of glory was shed upon his kingdom, when after due proof of their heroic virtue, We raised to the honors of the altar six confessors and virgins. It was a great joy, a great consolation, that filled Our heart when in the majestic basilica of St. Peter Our decree was acclaimed by an immense multitude with the hymn of thanksgiving, Tu Rex gloriae Christe. We saw men and nations cut off from God, stirring up strife and discord and hurrying along the road to ruin and death, while the Church of God carries on her work of providing food for the spiritual life of men, nurturing and fostering generation after generation of men and women dedicated to Christ, faithful and subject to him in his earthly kingdom, called by him to eternal bliss in the kingdom of heaven.

5. Moreover, since this jubilee Year marks the sixteenth centenary of the Council of Nicaea, We commanded that event to be celebrated, and We have done so in the Vatican basilica. There is a special reason for this in that the Nicene Synod defined and proposed for Catholic belief the dogma of the Consubstantiality of the Onlybegotten with the Father, and added to the Creed the words “of whose kingdom there shall be no end,” thereby affirming the kingly dignity of Christ.

6. Since this Holy Year therefore has provided more than one opportunity to enhance the glory of the kingdom of Christ, we deem it in keeping with our Apostolic office to accede to the desire of many of the Cardinals, Bishops, and faithful, made known to Us both individually and collectively, by closing this Holy Year with the insertion into the Sacred Liturgy of a special feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This matter is so dear to Our heart, Venerable Brethren, that I would wish to address to you a few words concerning it. It will be for you later to explain in a manner suited to the understanding of the faithful what We are about to say concerning the Kingship of Christ, so that the annual feast which We shall decree may be attended with much fruit and produce beneficial results in the future.

7. It has long been a common custom to give to Christ the metaphorical title of “King,” because of the high degree of perfection whereby he excels all creatures. So he is said to reign “in the hearts of men,” both by reason of the keenness of his intellect and the extent of his knowledge, and also because he is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind. He reigns, too, in the wills of men, for in him the human will was perfectly and entirely obedient to the Holy Will of God, and further by his grace and inspiration he so subjects our free-will as to incite us to the most noble endeavors. He is King of hearts, too, by reason of his “charity which exceedeth all knowledge.” And his mercy and kindness[1] which draw all men to him, for never has it been known, nor will it ever be, that man be loved so much and so universally as Jesus Christ. But if we ponder this matter more deeply, we cannot but see that the title and the power of King belongs to Christ as man in the strict and proper sense too. For it is only as man that he may be said to have received from the Father “power and glory and a kingdom,”[2] since the Word of God, as consubstantial with the Father, has all things in common with him, and therefore has necessarily supreme and absolute dominion over all things created.

8. Do we not read throughout the Scriptures that Christ is the King? He it is that shall come out of Jacob to rule,[3] who has been set by the Father as king over Sion, his holy mount, and shall have the Gentiles for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession.[4] In the nuptial hymn, where the future King of Israel is hailed as a most rich and powerful monarch, we read: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.”[5] There are many similar passages, but there is one in which Christ is even more clearly indicated. Here it is foretold that his kingdom will have no limits, and will be enriched with justice and peace: “in his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace…And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”[6]

9. The testimony of the Prophets is even more abundant. That of Isaias is well known: “For a child is born to us and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace. He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever.”[7] With Isaias the other Prophets are in agreement. So Jeremias foretells the “just seed” that shall rest from the house of David — the Son of David that shall reign as king, “and shall be wise, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”[8] So, too, Daniel, who announces the kingdom that the God of heaven shall found, “that shall never be destroyed, and shall stand for ever.”[9] And again he says: “I beheld, therefore, in the vision of the night, and, lo! one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven. And he came even to the Ancient of days: and they presented him before him. And he gave him power and glory and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes, and tongues shall serve him. His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.”[10] The prophecy of Zachary concerning the merciful King “riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass” entering Jerusalem as “the just and savior,” amid the acclamations of the multitude,[11] was recognized as fulfilled by the holy evangelists themselves.

10. This same doctrine of the Kingship of Christ which we have found in the Old Testament is even more clearly taught and confirmed in the New. The Archangel, announcing to the Virgin that she should bear a Son, says that “the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”[12]

11. Moreover, Christ himself speaks of his own kingly authority: in his last discourse, speaking of the rewards and punishments that will be the eternal lot of the just and the damned; in his reply to the Roman magistrate, who asked him publicly whether he were a king or not; after his resurrection, when giving to his Apostles the mission of teaching and baptizing all nations, he took the opportunity to call himself king,[13] confirming the title publicly,[14] and solemnly proclaimed that all power was given him in heaven and on earth.[15] These words can only be taken to indicate the greatness of his power, the infinite extent of his kingdom. What wonder, then, that he whom St. John calls the “prince of the kings of the earth”[16] appears in the Apostle’s vision of the future as he who “hath on his garment and on his thigh written ‘King of kings and Lord of lords!’.”[17] It is Christ whom the Father “hath appointed heir of all things”;[18] “for he must reign until at the end of the world he hath put all his enemies under the feet of God and the Father.”[19]

12. It was surely right, then, in view of the common teaching of the sacred books, that the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to be spread among all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy as King and Lord, and as King of Kings. And, in fact, she used these titles, giving expression with wonderful variety of language to one and the same concept, both in ancient psalmody and in the Sacramentaries. She uses them daily now in the prayers publicly offered to God, and in offering the Immaculate Victim. The perfect harmony of the Eastern liturgies with our own in this continual praise of Christ the King shows once more the truth of the axiom: Legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi. The rule of faith is indicated by the law of our worship.

13. The foundation of this power and dignity of Our Lord is rightly indicated by Cyril of Alexandria. “Christ,” he says, “has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature.”[20] His kingship is founded upon the ineffable hypostatic union. From this it follows not only that Christ is to be adored by angels and men, but that to him as man angels and men are subject, and must recognize his empire; by reason of the hypostatic union Christ has power over all creatures. But a thought that must give us even greater joy and consolation is this; that Christ is our King by acquired, as well as by natural right, for he is our Redeemer. Would that they who forget what they have cost their Savior might recall the words: “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled.”[21] We are no longer our own property, for Christ has purchased us “with a great price”;[22] our very bodies are the “members of Christ.”[23]

14. Let Us explain briefly the nature and meaning of this lordship of Christ. It consists, We need scarcely say, in a threefold power which is essential to lordship. This is sufficiently clear from the scriptural testimony already adduced concerning the universal dominion of our Redeemer, and moreover it is a dogma of faith that Jesus Christ was given to man, not only as our Redeemer, but also as a law-giver, to whom obedience is due.[24] Not only do the gospels tell us that he made laws, but they present him to us in the act of making them. Those who keep them show their love for their Divine Master, and he promises that they shall remain in his love.[25] He claimed judicial power as received from his Father, when the Jews accused him of breaking the Sabbath by the miraculous cure of a sick man. “For neither doth the Father judge any man; but hath given all judgment to the Son.”[26] In this power is included the right of rewarding and punishing all men living, for this right is inseparable from that of judging. Executive power, too, belongs to Christ, for all must obey his commands; none may escape them, nor the sanctions he has imposed.

15. This kingdom is spiritual and is concerned with spiritual things. That this is so the above quotations from Scripture amply prove, and Christ by his own action confirms it. On many occasions, when the Jews and even the Apostles wrongly supposed that the Messiah would restore the liberties and the kingdom of Israel, he repelled and denied such a suggestion. When the populace thronged around him in admiration and would have acclaimed him King, he shrank from the honor and sought safety in flight. Before the Roman magistrate he declared that his kingdom was not of this world. The gospels present this kingdom as one which men prepare to enter by penance, and cannot actually enter except by faith and by baptism, which, though an external rite, signifies and produces an interior regeneration. This kingdom is opposed to none other than to that of Satan and to the power of darkness. It demands of its subjects a spirit of detachment from riches and earthly things, and a spirit of gentleness. They must hunger and thirst after justice, and more than this, they must deny themselves and carry the cross.

16. Christ as our Redeemer purchased the Church at the price of his own blood; as priest he offered himself, and continues to offer himself as a victim for our sins. Is it not evident, then, that his kingly dignity partakes in a manner of both these offices?

17. It would be a grave error, on the other hand, to say that Christ has no authority whatever in civil affairs, since, by virtue of the absolute empire over all creatures committed to him by the Father, all things are in his power. Nevertheless, during his life on earth he refrained from the exercise of such authority, and although he himself disdained to possess or to care for earthly goods, he did not, nor does he today, interfere with those who possess them. Non eripit mortalia qui regna dat caelestia.[27]

18. Thus the empire of our Redeemer embraces all men. To use the words of Our immortal predecessor, Pope Leo XIII: “His empire includes not only Catholic nations, not only baptized persons who, though of right belonging to the Church, have been led astray by error, or have been cut off from her by schism, but also all those who are outside the Christian faith; so that truly the whole of mankind is subject to the power of Jesus Christ.”[28] Nor is there any difference in this matter between the individual and the family or the State; for all men, whether collectively or individually, are under the dominion of Christ. In him is the salvation of the individual, in him is the salvation of society. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved.”[29] He is the author of happiness and true prosperity for every man and for every nation. “For a nation is happy when its citizens are happy. What else is a nation but a number of men living in concord?”[30] If, therefore, the rulers of nations wish to preserve their authority, to promote and increase the prosperity of their countries, they will not neglect the public duty of reverence and obedience to the rule of Christ. What We said at the beginning of Our Pontificate concerning the decline of public authority, and the lack of respect for the same, is equally true at the present day. “With God and Jesus Christ,” we said, “excluded from political life, with authority derived not from God but from man, the very basis of that authority has been taken away, because the chief reason of the distinction between ruler and subject has been eliminated. The result is that human society is tottering to its fall, because it has no longer a secure and solid foundation.”[31]

19. When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord’s regal office invests the human authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the citizen’s duty of obedience. It is for this reason that St. Paul, while bidding wives revere Christ in their husbands, and slaves respect Christ in their masters, warns them to give obedience to them not as men, but as the vicegerents of Christ; for it is not meet that men redeemed by Christ should serve their fellow-men. “You are bought with a price; be not made the bond-slaves of men.”[32] If princes and magistrates duly elected are filled with the persuasion that they rule, not by their own right, but by the mandate and in the place of the Divine King, they will exercise their authority piously and wisely, and they will make laws and administer them, having in view the common good and also the human dignity of their subjects. The result will be a stable peace and tranquillity, for there will be no longer any cause of discontent. Men will see in their king or in their rulers men like themselves, perhaps unworthy or open to criticism, but they will not on that account refuse obedience if they see reflected in them the authority of Christ God and Man. Peace and harmony, too, will result; for with the spread and the universal extent of the kingdom of Christ men will become more and more conscious of the link that binds them together, and thus many conflicts will be either prevented entirely or at least their bitterness will be diminished.

20. If the kingdom of Christ, then, receives, as it should, all nations under its way, there seems no reason why we should despair of seeing that peace which the King of Peace came to bring on earth — he who came to reconcile all things, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister, who, though Lord of all, gave himself to us as a model of humility, and with his principal law united the precept of charity; who said also: “My yoke is sweet and my burden light.” Oh, what happiness would be Ours if all men, individuals, families, and nations, would but let themselves be governed by Christ! “Then at length,” to use the words addressed by our predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, twenty-five years ago to the bishops of the Universal Church, “then at length will many evils be cured; then will the law regain its former authority; peace with all its blessings be restored. Men will sheathe their swords and lay down their arms when all freely acknowledge and obey the authority of Christ, and every tongue confesses that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.”[33]

21. That these blessings may be abundant and lasting in Christian society, it is necessary that the kingship of our Savior should be as widely as possible recognized and understood, and to the end nothing would serve better than the institution of a special feast in honor of the Kingship of Christ. For people are instructed in the truths of faith, and brought to appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any official pronouncement of the teaching of the Church. Such pronouncements usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful; feasts reach them all; the former speak but once, the latter speak every year — in fact, forever. The church’s teaching affects the mind primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart, and have a salutary effect upon the whole of man’s nature. Man is composed of body and soul, and he needs these external festivities so that the sacred rites, in all their beauty and variety, may stimulate him to drink more deeply of the fountain of God’s teaching, that he may make it a part of himself, and use it with profit for his spiritual life.

22. History, in fact, tells us that in the course of ages these festivals have been instituted one after another according as the needs or the advantage of the people of Christ seemed to demand: as when they needed strength to face a common danger, when they were attacked by insidious heresies, when they needed to be urged to the pious consideration of some mystery of faith or of some divine blessing. Thus in the earliest days of the Christian era, when the people of Christ were suffering cruel persecution, the cult of the martyrs was begun in order, says St. Augustine, “that the feasts of the martyrs might incite men to martyrdom.”[34] The liturgical honors paid to confessors, virgins and widows produced wonderful results in an increased zest for virtue, necessary even in times of peace. But more fruitful still were the feasts instituted in honor of the Blessed Virgin. As a result of these men grew not only in their devotion to the Mother of God as an ever-present advocate, but also in their love of her as a mother bequeathed to them by their Redeemer. Not least among the blessings which have resulted from the public and legitimate honor paid to the Blessed Virgin and the saints is the perfect and perpetual immunity of the Church from error and heresy. We may well admire in this the admirable wisdom of the Providence of God, who, ever bringing good out of evil, has from time to time suffered the faith and piety of men to grow weak, and allowed Catholic truth to be attacked by false doctrines, but always with the result that truth has afterwards shone out with greater splendor, and that men’s faith, aroused from its lethargy, has shown itself more vigorous than before.

23. The festivals that have been introduced into the liturgy in more recent years have had a similar origin, and have been attended with similar results. When reverence and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament had grown cold, the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted, so that by means of solemn processions and prayer of eight days’ duration, men might be brought once more to render public homage to Christ. So, too, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted at a time when men were oppressed by the sad and gloomy severity of Jansenism, which had made their hearts grow cold, and shut them out from the love of God and the hope of salvation.

24. If We ordain that the whole Catholic world shall revere Christ as King, We shall minister to the need of the present day, and at the same time provide an excellent remedy for the plague which now infects society. We refer to the plague of anti-clericalism, its errors and impious activities. This evil spirit, as you are well aware, Venerable Brethren, has not come into being in one day; it has long lurked beneath the surface. The empire of Christ over all nations was rejected. The right which the Church has from Christ himself, to teach mankind, to make laws, to govern peoples in all that pertains to their eternal salvation, that right was denied. Then gradually the religion of Christ came to be likened to false religions and to be placed ignominiously on the same level with them. It was then put under the power of the state and tolerated more or less at the whim of princes and rulers. Some men went even further, and wished to set up in the place of God’s religion a natural religion consisting in some instinctive affection of the heart. There were even some nations who thought they could dispense with God, and that their religion should consist in impiety and the neglect of God. The rebellion of individuals and states against the authority of Christ has produced deplorable consequences. We lamented these in the Encyclical Ubi arcano; we lament them today: the seeds of discord sown far and wide; those bitter enmities and rivalries between nations, which still hinder so much the cause of peace; that insatiable greed which is so often hidden under a pretense of public spirit and patriotism, and gives rise to so many private quarrels; a blind and immoderate selfishness, making men seek nothing but their own comfort and advantage, and measure everything by these; no peace in the home, because men have forgotten or neglect their duty; the unity and stability of the family undermined; society in a word, shaken to its foundations and on the way to ruin. We firmly hope, however, that the feast of the Kingship of Christ, which in future will be yearly observed, may hasten the return of society to our loving Savior. It would
be the duty of Catholics to do all they can to bring about this happy result. Many of these, however, have neither the station in society nor the authority which should belong to those who bear the torch of truth. This state of things may perhaps be attributed to a certain slowness and timidity in good people, who are reluctant to engage in conflict or oppose but a weak resistance; thus the enemies of the Church become bolder in their attacks. But if the faithful were generally to understand that it behooves them ever to fight courageously under the banner of Christ their King, then, fired with apostolic zeal, they would strive to win over to their Lord those hearts that are bitter and estranged from him, and would valiantly defend his rights.

25. Moreover, the annual and universal celebration of the feast of the Kingship of Christ will draw attention to the evils which anticlericalism has brought upon society in drawing men away from Christ, and will also do much to remedy them. While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim his kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm his rights.

26. The way has been happily and providentially prepared for the celebration of this feast ever since the end of the last century. It is well known that this cult has been the subject of learned disquisitions in many books published in every part of the world, written in many different languages. The kingship and empire of Christ have been recognized in the pious custom, practiced by many families, of dedicating themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; not only families have performed this act of dedication, but nations, too, and kingdoms. In fact, the whole of the human race was at the instance of Pope Leo XIII, in the Holy Year 1900, consecrated to the Divine Heart. It should be remarked also that much has been done for the recognition of Christ’s authority over society by the frequent Eucharistic Congresses which are held in our age. These give an opportunity to the people of each diocese, district or nation, and to the whole world of coming together to venerate and adore Christ the King hidden under the Sacramental species. Thus by sermons preached at meetings and in churches, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King. It is by a divine inspiration that the people of Christ bring forth Jesus from his silent hiding-place in the church, and carry him in triumph through the streets of the city, so that he whom men refused to receive when he came unto his own, may now receive in full his kingly rights.

27. For the fulfillment of the plan of which We have spoken, the Holy Year, which is now speeding to its close, offers the best possible opportunity. For during this year the God of mercy has raised the minds and hearts of the faithful to the consideration of heavenly blessings which are above all understanding, has either restored them once more to his grace, or inciting them anew to strive for higher gifts, has set their feet more firmly in the path of righteousness. Whether, therefore, We consider the many prayers that have been addressed to Us, or look to the events of the Jubilee Year, just past, We have every reason to think that the desired moment has at length arrived for enjoining that Christ be venerated by a special feast as King of all mankind. In this year, as We said at the beginning of this Letter, the Divine King, truly wonderful in all his works, has been gloriously magnified, for another company of his soldiers has been added to the list of saints. In this year men have looked upon strange things and strange labors, from which they have understood and admired the victories won by missionaries in the work of spreading his kingdom. In this year, by solemnly celebrating the centenary of the Council of Nicaea. We have commemorated the definition of the divinity of the word Incarnate, the foundation of Christ’s empire over all men.

28. Therefore by Our Apostolic Authority We institute the Feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ to be observed yearly throughout the whole world on the last Sunday of the month of October — the Sunday, that is, which immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints. We further ordain that the dedication of mankind to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which Our predecessor of saintly memory, Pope Pius X, commanded to be renewed yearly, be made annually on that day. This year, however, We desire that it be observed on the thirty-first day of the month on which day We Ourselves shall celebrate pontifically in honor of the kingship of Christ, and shall command that the same dedication be performed in Our presence. It seems to Us that We cannot in a more fitting manner close this Holy Year, nor better signify Our gratitude and that of the whole of the Catholic world to Christ the immortal King of ages, for the blessings showered upon Us, upon the Church, and upon the Catholic world during this holy period.

29. It is not necessary, Venerable Brethren, that We should explain to you at any length why We have decreed that this feast of the Kingship of Christ should be observed in addition to those other feasts in which his kingly dignity is already signified and celebrated. It will suffice to remark that although in all the feasts of our Lord the material object of worship is Christ, nevertheless their formal object is something quite distinct from his royal title and dignity. We have commanded its observance on a Sunday in order that not only the clergy may perform their duty by saying Mass and reciting the Office, but that the laity too, free from their daily tasks, may in a spirit of holy joy give ample testimony of their obedience and subjection to Christ. The last Sunday of October seemed the most convenient of all for this purpose, because it is at the end of the liturgical year, and thus the feast of the Kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year, and, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of him who triumphs in all the Saints and in all the Elect. Make it your duty and your task, Venerable Brethren, to see that sermons are preached to the people in every parish to teach them the meaning and the importance of this feast, that they may so order their lives as to be worthy of faithful and obedient subjects of the Divine King.

30. We would now, Venerable Brethren, in closing this letter, briefly enumerate the blessings which We hope and pray may accrue to the Church, to society, and to each one of the faithful, as a result of the public veneration of the Kingship of Christ.

31. When we pay honor to the princely dignity of Christ, men will doubtless be reminded that the Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state; and that in fulfilling the task committed to her by God of teaching, ruling, and guiding to eternal bliss those who belong to the kingdom of Christ, she cannot be subject to any external power. The State is bound to extend similar freedom to the orders and communities of religious of either sex, who give most valuable help to the Bishops of the Church by laboring for the extension and the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. By their sacred vows they fight against the threefold concupiscence of the world; by making profession of a more perfect life they render the holiness which her divine Founder willed should be a mark and characteristic of his Church more striking and more conspicuous in the eyes of all.

32. Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the last judgment, wherein Christ, who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected and ignored, will most severely avenge these insults; for his kingly dignity demands that the State should take account of the commandments of God and of Christian principles, both in making laws and in administering justice, and also in providing for the young a sound moral education.

33. The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.[35] If all these truths are presented to the faithful for their consideration, they will prove a powerful incentive to perfection. It is Our fervent desire, Venerable Brethren, that those who are without the fold may seek after and accept the sweet yoke of Christ, and that we, who by the mercy of God are of the household of the faith, may bear that yoke, not as a burden but with joy, with love, with devotion; that having lived our lives in accordance with the laws of God’s kingdom, we may receive full measure of good fruit, and counted by Christ good and faithful servants, we may be rendered partakers of eternal bliss and glory with him in his heavenly kingdom.

34. Let this letter, Venerable Brethren, be a token to you of Our fatherly love as the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ draws near; and receive the Apostolic Benediction as a pledge of divine blessings, which with loving heart, We impart to you, Venerable Brethren, to your clergy, and to your people.
Given at St. Peter’s Rome, on the eleventh day of the month of December, in the Holy Year 1925, the fourth of Our Pontificate.

REFERENCES:

1. Eph. iii, 19.
2. Dan. vii, 13-14.
3. Num. xxiv, 19.
4. Ps. ii.
5. Ps. xliv.
6. Ps. Ixxi.
7. Isa. ix, 6-7.
8. Jer. xxiii, 5.
9. Dan. ii, 44.
10. Dan. vii, 13-14.
11. Zach. ix, 9.
12. Luc. i, 32-33.
13. Matt. xxv, 31-40.
14. Joan. xviii, 37.
15. Matt. xxviii, 18.
16. Apoc. 1, 5.
17. Apoc. xix, 16.
18. Heb. 1, 2.
19. Cf. 1 Cor. xv, 25.
20. In huc. x.
21. I Pet. i, 18-19.
22. 1 Cor. vi, 20.
23. I Cor. vi, 15.
24. Conc. Trid. Sess. Vl, can. 21.
25. Joan. xiv, 15; xv, 10.
26. Joan. v, 22.
27. Hymn for the Epiphany.
28. Enc. Annum Sacrum, May 25, 1899.
29. Acts iv, 12.
30. S. Aug. Ep. ad Macedonium, c. iii.
31. Enc. Ubi Arcano.
32. I Cor.vii,23.
33. Enc. Annum Sanctum, May 25, 1899.
34. Sermo 47 de Sanctis.
35. Rom. vi, 13.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for November 2017

2017-11-01T13:24:00.001-04:00

Christians In Asia

That Christians in Asia, bearing witness to the Gospel in word and deed, may promote dialogue, peace, and mutual understanding, especially with those of other religions.