Day 22
Saving Grace: (3 minutes) Question of the Day:
Whenever I hear people talk about scapulars, novenas, etc. they talk as if they are reading from a recipe book: "Say this prayer every day for a week and go to Mass one extra time and you earn an indulgence!" or "wear the miraculaous medal and you automatically get miracles!" I can't help feeling turned off by this, and I'm confused by it too. Am I missing something? It sounds like "magic" which is a no-no... right?
Catholicism is not a list of rules to follow or hoops to jump through. It is not about doing, but about becoming. Indulgences are closely tied to the sacrament of reconciliation. While sins are forgiven in the sacrament, the priest will give a penance to help alleviate temporal punishment due to sins to help purify us. Purification is necessary in this life or the next (purgatory). An indulgence is a remission of temporal punishment which can be gained under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the church. The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. One analogy I might use would be a student in school who forgets to hand in an assignment. He goes to the teacher and explains his mistake, and the teacher forgives him. However, she still wants the student to complete another assignment to help him learn the material he needs to learn for the class. She may say, "I will give you the points necessary to make up for the failing grade if you do a 5 page report on the sacrament of the Eucharist." Except, we can earn extra points and apply them to our brothers and sisters, since we are "one body" in Christ. (We can help souls in purgatory by praying and offering sacrifices for them.) The scapulars, miraculous medals, and novenas are usually given to us through private revelations of saints, or Jesus or Mary appearing to one of the saints with instructions. These revelations would need to be approved by the church. Again, this isn't magic and it isn't about going through motions. Simply wearing the medal or scapular is not enough, we need to have a conversion of heart and be sincere in our actions. The medals, scapulars, novenas, rosaries, etc, are called sacramentals. They are not an end of themselves they point us to something greater and help guide us on our journey. It is like a coach telling his basketball players to shoot 100 free throws everyday for 9 days. The point is not to simply accomplish the task mindlessly, the point is to become a better free throw shooter. The point of sacramentals is to help us grow in holiness and gain graces for ourselves and others.
Athletics: (30 minutes) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Perseverance. Go the extra mile today in the tasks you do. We are in the middle of this 40 day challenge, the part of the race where we are exhausted from the part of the race we've already run, and perhaps discouraged that we still have what seems as so far to go. It is the part of the race that will make or break you. Be strong and courageous. Persevere to the end.
Exercise for 30 minutes today.
Instructor's Manual: (5 Minutes) Get the memo for today. Click here for today's readings. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him: (5 minutes) God is the bridegroom and we are his bride. The story is about God's search for us. To him, we are worth every drop of his blood, and as he says through his prophets and from the cross, He "thirsts" for us. I want you to slowly read the powerful reflection from Mother Teresa called "I Thirst" and know that it is Jesus speaking directly to you. Click here: http://www.mcpriests.com/03_I_thirst_PrayerEN.htm
THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: (5 minutes) Watch this promo of the 5 Steps to Winning the War Within in relation to The Theology of the Body.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnS2Z7zHIGY
For the full 29 minute talk The Culture vs. The Church, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3L5zGomaGo
Sacrifice and Service: (10 seconds) Say this simple prayer: "Lord, I offer up the sacrifices and sufferings of this day for......" Pick any soul...lost sheep, family, friends, enemies, strangers, souls in purgatory...anybody. When you get busy and
distracted just remember, other souls are counting on you. You have the power to help get souls to heaven....don't waste it.
Saving Grace: (3 minutes) Question of the Day:
Whenever I hear people talk about scapulars, novenas, etc. they talk as if they are reading from a recipe book: "Say this prayer every day for a week and go to Mass one extra time and you earn an indulgence!" or "wear the miraculaous medal and you automatically get miracles!" I can't help feeling turned off by this, and I'm confused by it too. Am I missing something? It sounds like "magic" which is a no-no... right?
Catholicism is not a list of rules to follow or hoops to jump through. It is not about doing, but about becoming. Indulgences are closely tied to the sacrament of reconciliation. While sins are forgiven in the sacrament, the priest will give a penance to help alleviate temporal punishment due to sins to help purify us. Purification is necessary in this life or the next (purgatory). An indulgence is a remission of temporal punishment which can be gained under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the church. The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. One analogy I might use would be a student in school who forgets to hand in an assignment. He goes to the teacher and explains his mistake, and the teacher forgives him. However, she still wants the student to complete another assignment to help him learn the material he needs to learn for the class. She may say, "I will give you the points necessary to make up for the failing grade if you do a 5 page report on the sacrament of the Eucharist." Except, we can earn extra points and apply them to our brothers and sisters, since we are "one body" in Christ. (We can help souls in purgatory by praying and offering sacrifices for them.) The scapulars, miraculous medals, and novenas are usually given to us through private revelations of saints, or Jesus or Mary appearing to one of the saints with instructions. These revelations would need to be approved by the church. Again, this isn't magic and it isn't about going through motions. Simply wearing the medal or scapular is not enough, we need to have a conversion of heart and be sincere in our actions. The medals, scapulars, novenas, rosaries, etc, are called sacramentals. They are not an end of themselves they point us to something greater and help guide us on our journey. It is like a coach telling his basketball players to shoot 100 free throws everyday for 9 days. The point is not to simply accomplish the task mindlessly, the point is to become a better free throw shooter. The point of sacramentals is to help us grow in holiness and gain graces for ourselves and others.
Athletics: (30 minutes) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Perseverance. Go the extra mile today in the tasks you do. We are in the middle of this 40 day challenge, the part of the race where we are exhausted from the part of the race we've already run, and perhaps discouraged that we still have what seems as so far to go. It is the part of the race that will make or break you. Be strong and courageous. Persevere to the end.
Exercise for 30 minutes today.
Instructor's Manual: (5 Minutes) Get the memo for today. Click here for today's readings. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him: (5 minutes) God is the bridegroom and we are his bride. The story is about God's search for us. To him, we are worth every drop of his blood, and as he says through his prophets and from the cross, He "thirsts" for us. I want you to slowly read the powerful reflection from Mother Teresa called "I Thirst" and know that it is Jesus speaking directly to you. Click here: http://www.mcpriests.com/03_I_thirst_PrayerEN.htm
THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: (5 minutes) Watch this promo of the 5 Steps to Winning the War Within in relation to The Theology of the Body.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnS2Z7zHIGY
For the full 29 minute talk The Culture vs. The Church, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3L5zGomaGo
Sacrifice and Service: (10 seconds) Say this simple prayer: "Lord, I offer up the sacrifices and sufferings of this day for......" Pick any soul...lost sheep, family, friends, enemies, strangers, souls in purgatory...anybody. When you get busy and
distracted just remember, other souls are counting on you. You have the power to help get souls to heaven....don't waste it.
