Search Catholic Light!
I hijacked some code from Aristotle Esquerra’s blog, Confessions of an Accidental Choir Director, to allow our readers to search Catholic Light with Google. In addition to our heartfelt thanks, we’ve added a link to his excellent blog on the left. Aristotle focuses mainly on music and liturgy and he’s linked to some great resources for those of us who are sick of dueling banjos at Mass.
Ave Maris Stella
I’m looking for a good translation of “Ave Maris Stella.” All the English translations I’ve find rhyme, which is a sure sign that they aren’t entirely accurate!
Ave Maris Stella
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo
felix cæli porta.
Sumens illud Ave
Gabriélis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Evæ nomen.
Solve vincla reis,
profer lumen cæcis,
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.
Monstra te esse Matrem :
sumat per te preces
qui, pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.
Virgo singuláris,
inter omnes mitis,
nos culpis solútos,
mites fac et castos.
Vitam præsta puram,
iter para tutum,
ut vidéntes Jesum,
semper collætémur.
Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
Spirítui Sancto,
tribus honor unus.
Amen.
A much talked about tell-all on marriage
An article in the Washington Times by Janice Shaw Crouse on the inspiring story of Mort and Millie Kondracke’s struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Mort writes:
“I decided that my career was now secondary as the purpose of my life. I did not know what helping Millie fight Parkinson’s might involve, and I did not want to know. I was afraid that if I had a forecast of how bad things could become I might shrink from the ordeal. I figured I would simply deal with whatever happened, as it happened. This has become my philosophy of life: Do the best you can playing the hand you are dealt, and ask God’s help every single step of the way.”
Talking on Water
I was fascinated by “Talking on Water” in the Washington Times today. It’s an article on Christian ministry on the coast of Maine. How different life is there! It’s show me we have a lot to be thankful for as Catholics.
“Focus on Jesus, not on the rituals”?
In the comments of Alexandra’s post below called “Breaking Bread,” a reader writes:
I think you’re too upset over it. Its not like they’re going to go to hell if they give half to their younger brother or sister who, probably, will eventually be getting it anyway. I still don’t understand the whole thing about making sure theres nothing of it left on the ground and covering it. I’m sure God isn’t angry if theres a speck of Communion on the floor.
Focus more on Jesus and not on rituals.
The host is the body, blood soul and divinty of Jesus. The kid isn’t getting a cookie, he is getting Jesus. We don’t want a spec or particle to fall on the ground our of adoration and love for our God. It is He who we receive in the Eucharist.
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Corinthians, 27-29
The child probably wasn’t aware that he was doing anything wrong by sharing the host, but his parents ought to know better.
By “rituals” I think you mean “sacraments.” The Sacraments are the most tangible ways in which we receive God’s grace. We don’t have a more potent way to focus on Jesus.
I’ll write more about this later today – I have to go to work now!
