The Pope's condolences and prayers

http://www.zenit.org/article-26065?l=english

Presumed French plane crash

As usual, I feel very much for those who are presumed lost, especially the young children and the innocent.

Meanwhile, I understand that President Sarkozy's wife has ordered an investigation to ensure that all aboard had a sufficient supply of condoms.

Text of two Pope messages at Lourdes

Here is the text of his message at the Angelus:

http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=29328

(For those who are not Catholics, the Angelus can be thought of as mid-day prayers).

snip

At noon, when the first hours of the day are already beginning to weigh us down with fatigue, our availability and our generosity are renewed by the contemplation of Mary’s “yes”. This clear and unreserved “yes” is rooted in the mystery of Mary’s freedom, a total and entire freedom before God, completely separated from any complicity with sin, thanks to the privilege of her Immaculate Conception. This privilege given to Mary, which sets her apart from our common condition, does not distance her from us, but on the contrary, it brings her closer.

While sin divides, separating us from one another, Mary’s purity makes her infinitely close to our hearts, attentive to each of us and desirous of our true good. You see it here in Lourdes, as in all Marian shrines; immense crowds come thronging to Mary’s feet to entrust to her their most intimate thoughts, their most heartfelt wishes. That which many, either because of embarrassment or modesty, do not confide to their nearest and dearest, they confide to her who is all pure, to her Immaculate Heart: with simplicity, without frills, in truth. Before Mary, by virtue of her very purity, man does not hesitate to reveal his weakness, to express his questions and his doubts, to formulate his most secret hopes and desires. The Virgin Mary’s maternal love disarms all pride; it renders man capable of seeing himself as he is, and it inspires in him the desire to be converted so as to give glory to God.

And here is the text of Pope Benedict's homily:

http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=29327

snip

This is the great mystery that Mary also entrusts to us this morning, inviting us to turn towards her Son. In fact, it is significant that, during the first apparition to Bernadette, Mary begins the encounter with the sign of the Cross. More than a simple sign, it is an initiation into the mysteries of the faith that Bernadette receives from Mary. The sign of the Cross is a kind of synthesis of our faith, for it tells how much God loves us; it tells us that there is a love in this world that is stronger than death, stronger than our weaknesses and sins. The power of love is stronger than the evil which threatens us. It is this mystery of the universality of God’s love for men that Mary came to reveal here, in Lourdes. She invites all people of good will, all those who suffer in heart or body, to raise their eyes towards the Cross of Jesus, so as to discover there the source of life, the source of salvation.

The Church has received the mission of showing all people this loving face of God, manifested in Jesus Christ.

A homily is the "sermon" given during a Catholic Mass.

These are highly recommended readings because once again Pope Benedict XVI shows himself to be the loving instructor of the flock. He knows that people, even those with great belief, have failings in their knowledge and need to regain educational context for their faith. And so with every paragraph he does three things at once: he preaches, he explains and teaches, and he performs as the role model for the faith. If you read these two texts (and all future ones from him) and keep these three points in mind, you'll see for yourself how he is doing all of those essential tasks at once. For example, through his careful example and explanations, Pope Benedict corrects, without having to say a word about them, misconceptions that people have about the role of Mary and reinforce that Mary is totally about the primacy of God, to whom all worship is due and who holds all power, and the completeness of the role of Savior in and only in Jesus Christ. Pope Benedict demonstrates how he can frame the truthful context of God, Jesus, Mary, and the importance of the Cross so that misguided misconceptions simply fall away and do not have to be confronted.

Studying Pope Benedict and his writings and utterances in this way also helps when one reads the Bible. You see, Bible authors who recorded the true events in faith history were doing the same thing: preaching, instructing and establishing role models. It is much easier to understand Bible figures and also the saints and others who followed when you recognize those who are particularly gifted and conscientious, as is Pope Benedict, to do all of these three tasks at once that are essential to good faith formation.

Parents, you might want to think about this too in your relationship to your children, including in secular activities. Children develop the best when they understand at the same time: 1) what to do 2) why it is the way it is and 3) they can observe good role models.

I hope that you find this helpful.

Pleased at large attendance at Papal Mass

And as always, the Holy Father knows what to say, how to inspire, how to instruct. And I love his dear young and "not so young" comment :-)

I agree with him in his implication, which is that anyone open to learning and the Holy Spirit is included in the young, even if in the current measure of years he or she is "not so young." :-)

:-)

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iBAbzkETW4yvDDIj4pfqZR2MIIQw

Pope Benedict remarks at Paris official greeting

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804646.htm

Pope arrives in France, says society needs inspiration of Gospel
By John Thavis Catholic News Service

PARIS (CNS) -- Arriving in France for a four-day visit, Pope Benedict XVI called for a new chapter of church-state cooperation, saying modern society greatly needs the inspiration of the Gospel.

The pope appealed in particular on behalf of struggling youths, the suffering poor and the polluted planet.

In all three areas, the pope said Sept. 12, the church can bring hope and help create an "ethical consensus" in a society that sometimes lacks values and direction."

This hope is all the more necessary in today's world, which offers few spiritual aspirations and few material certainties," the pope said at an official welcoming ceremony at Elysee Palace.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy warmly welcomed the pope and applauded his words. In the president's own speech, he said religion did not represent a danger for any democracy and that Christian values constituted a "living patrimony" for the whole society.

snip

Describing himself as a "sower of charity and hope," the pope quickly zeroed in on a perennial and crucial issue in France: the proper role of the church in a secular society.

On one hand, he said, it was right to "insist on the distinction between the political realm and that of religion in order to preserve both the religious freedom of citizens and the responsibility of the state toward them."

At the same time, he said, society must become more aware of "the irreplaceable role of religion" in forming consciences and instilling values.

The pope then turned to several specific issues where the church's influence is needed today. His greatest concern, he said, is for young people.

"Some of them are struggling to find the right direction or are suffering from a loss of connection to family life," he said.

Other young people are left on the margins, spiritually seeking but vulnerable, and they need sound educational direction, he said. The church has a specific role in this regard, he said.

Must preach hell reality to combat child abuse

Modern society's ignoring of the reality of God, and of hell, has resulted in a diabolical ferocity of murder and abuse directed toward children.

I have just read that a French father HUNG his young daughters in his estranged wife's home, and then hung himself.

Parents who kill their children these days are almost 100 percent of those who do not believe that they will instantly find themselves separated from their dead children and in HELL.

Many "new age" or "religion lacking" parents think that like the pagans, they can kill their children and assume they end up together in some la la warrior paradise, or as united spirits. Nothing could be further from the truth. A parent who kills their child and then their self is instantly separated from the child, who goes to heaven, while the parent goes straight to hell, regardless of the "excuse" or "reason."

People, you MUST start preaching among each other this reality.

There is a list of seventeen subjects for daily meditation by the Christian. I will write more about them but remind you all of two:

"Hell to avoid"
"Neighbors to edify"

Society has done itself no favor and is in fact putting their children in constant peril when it ignores the reality of a judging God, and the certainty of hell's existence. You must start undoing this damage of hell being just a cuss word and that it's just an artistic tool. It is real and it is certain. This murdering French asshole is now finding out how real hell itself is for all eternity, and you can take that fact to the bank.