Easter - Jesus has Risen

I feeling very spiritual. I feeling that God spoke to me on Sunday morning Mass. Found that the first song of the Mass on Sunday called [Jesus Christ is Risen Today]. The words of the song tell me Jesus is the son of God. God sent Jesus to earth to show us all how to join him in heaven with God and Jesus at his right side on the Throne.

SONG: Jesus Christ is  Risen Today

Jesus Christ is Ris'en Today - Alleluia
Our Triumphant holy day - Alleluia
Who did once upon he Cross - Alleluia
Suffer to redeem our loss - Alleluia

Hymns of praise then let us sing - Alleluia
Unto Christ, our heav'nly King - Alleluia
Who endured the cross and grave - Alleluia
Sinners to redeem and save - Alleluia

But the pains which he endured - Alleluia
Our salvation have procured - Alleluia
Now above the sky he's King - Alleluia
Where the angels ever sing - Alleluia

Sing we to our God above - Alleluia
Praise eternal as his love - Alleluia
Praise him, now his might confess - Alleluia
Father, Son and Spirit blest. Alleluia.

This song touches my heart and lets me know I have eternal love and guidance from God and Jesus. With the Holy Spirit in my heart guiding me in this life on earth. One day I'll go to up to heaven, right now I'm here on earth doing what I believe is right in God's eyes. I am a writer of Christian children's fiction and edgy fiction for middle grade to young adults.

Imperfection

Imperfection

I believe watching this video on YouTube. It made me think about think about my imperfection. I know I sin a lot of the time. We all as Christians sin daily. We need to profess our faith to God and the Lord Jesus. We need to understand that we are Christians that have sinned and keep sinning daily. We know what to do to correct our imperfections. We just have to confess our sins to him who will forgive and give us his unconditional love and understanding. He knows we are imperfect and sin. He will forgive us. He is a forgiving God.

Jesus Christ gave us the sacraments to follow Jesus footsteps to go up to be with you in heaven. Heavenly Father gave us his only son so we will have everlasting life. It is why we are born imperfect due to the original sin by Adam and Eve. We need to go to confession regularly. I know I don't go as regular as should. I need to go to confession more often. Also we need to confess our sins to the Lord Jesus Christ and Our Heavenly Father. They are the ones we must confess our sins to. We can pray for guidance, strength and many other reasons. We need help and strength to not sin. We need guidance from the Holy Spirit and Jesus so we can go to heaven when it is our time to leave our love ones and join those who have died before us in our families.

Remember: We are born imperfect. We need to ask for forgiveness from our Heavenly Father and Jesus. We can pray to the Holy Spirit and Our Mother Mary too. They will send our prayers to Jesus and Our Heavenly Father.

Mother Angelica - Inperfection as an Oppotunity

The Sacrament of Holy Orders

Priests of the New Sacrifice

The sacrament of Holy Orders creates a priest.

There's a little more to it than that, of course. As the Catechism's section on Holy Orders says: this "is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees"—the orders of bishop, priest, and deacon. (Catechism, 1536)

But to keep things simple, let's start with the priest.

The priesthood & the sacrifice

To know what a priest is we have to know what a sacrifice is.

Nowadays the word "sacrifice" is used in many different ways. But in its strict meaning, its original meaning, a sacrifice is the offering of a gift to God by a group, through the agency of someone who has the right to represent the group.

The purpose of such an offering is to give group worship to God; that is, to acknowledge God's supreme lordship over mankind, to thank him for his blessings, to atone for human sin, and to beg for his benefits.

It is not that God needs our gifts.

Everything that exists was made by God in the first place. Even a mountain of diamonds would of itself have no value in God's eyes. Until Jesus gave us himself as the perfect gift in the sacrifice of the Mass, nothing that man could offer to God was really worthy of God.

Prayer in action

Nevertheless it pleased God, from the very beginning of human history, to have man "act out" his feelings towards God by means of sacrifice. From all that God had given, man would take the very best (whether it was a lamb or a bullock or fruit or grain) and offer it back to God—destroying it upon an altar to symbolize the act of giving.

These were only "token" gifts—like the Christmas necktie which a poor man might give to his rich and generous uncle. But the gifts expressed, better than could words, the deepest sentiments of the human heart towards God.

"O almighty God," the gift would say, "I know that all which I have, I have from You. I thank You for Your bounty. I beg Your forgiveness for not serving You better. Please be good and merciful to me anyway."

Sacrifice, in short, is prayer in action. It is the prayer-in-action of a group. And the one who offers the sacrifice in the name of the group is the priest.

Deeply rooted in the Old Testament

Since men have offered sacrifice to God from the very beginning of the human race so also have there been priests from the very beginning.

In the first period of Biblical history—the age of the Patriarchs—it was the father of the family who was also the priest. It was the father of the family who offered sacrifice to God for himself and his family. Adam was priest for his family; so were Noah and Abraham and all the other family heads priests for their families.

In the time of Moses, however, God directed that the priesthood of his chosen people, the Jews, should henceforth belong to the family of Aaron of the tribe of Levi. The oldest son in each generation of Aaron's descendants would be the high priest and the other Levites would be his assistants.

When the Old Law ended with the establishment of the New Law by Christ, the priesthood of the Old Law also came to an end.

A new Sacrifice for the New Covenant

The New Law of love would have a new sacrifice and a new priesthood.

At the Last Supper Jesus instituted the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In this new sacrifice the gift offered to God would not be a mere token gift, such as a sheep or an ox or bread and wine. The gift now, for the first time and always, would be a gift worthy of God.

It would be the gift of God's own Son—a gift of infinite value, even as God himself is infinite.

In the Mass, under the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus would daily renew the once-and-forever offering which, upon the cross, he made ofhimself to God. In the Mass he would give to each of us, his baptized members, the opportunity to unite ourselves with him in that offering.

But who would be the human priest who would stand at the altar—the human agent whose hands and whose lips Christ would use for the offering of himself? Who would be the human priest to whom Christ would give the power of making the God-Man present upon the altar, under the appearances of bread and wine?

Priests at Christ's own command

There were eleven such priests, to begin with. (It is not certain that Judas was present at the time the Apostles were made priests.) At the Last Supper, as we know, Jesus made his Apostles priests, when he gave them the command (and with the command, the power) to do what he had just done. "Do this," he said, "in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:20).

It was this power, the power to offer sacrifice in the name of Christ and of Christ's Mystical Body, his Church (which means you and me united to Christ by Baptism), which made the Apostles priests.

To this power of changing bread and wine into his Body and Blood, Jesus on Easter Sunday night added the power to forgive sins in his name. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said; "whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained" (John 20:22-23).

This power of the priesthood which Christ conferred upon his Apostles was not to die with them.

Jesus came to save the souls of all people who ever would live, down to the end of the world. Consequently, the Apostles passed their priestly power on to other men in the ceremony which we now call the sacrament of Holy Orders.

In the Acts of the Apostles we read of one of the first (if not the first) ordinations by the Apostles:

And the plan met the approval of the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch. These they set before the Apostles, and after they had prayed they laid their hands upon them.(Acts 6:5-6)

It was as deacons that these men were ordained, not yet as priests. But it gives us the picture of the Apostles sharing, and passing on to others, the sacred power which Jesus had bestowed upon them.

As time went on, the Apostles consecrated more bishops to carry on their work. These bishops in turn ordained other bishops and priests, and these bishops in their turn, still others. So that the Catholic priest of today can truly say that the power of his priesthood has come down, in the sacrament of Holy Orders, in an unbroken line from Christ himself.

Holy Orders is a unique sacrament

There are two notable ways in which the sacrament of Holy Orders differs from the other sacraments.

One is the fact that Holy Orders can be administered only by a bishop. Only a bishop has the power to ordain priests. An ordinary priest cannot pass his power on to another.

The second way in which Holy Orders differs from other sacraments is that Holy Orders is not received all at once.

When we are baptized, we are completely baptized by the single pouring of water. When we are confirmed, we are completely confirmed in a single ceremony. Holy Orders, however, is given by degrees, by successive steps.

Three successive stages

Like a flower developing from bud to full bloom, so does the sacrament of Holy Orders unfold itself through three stages as it confers successively the powers of deacon, priest, and bishop.

Deaconship, priesthood, and bishopric are the three stages in the sacrament of Holy Orders as it was instituted by Christ. At each stage, as in every sacrament, there is an increase in sanctifying grace. At each stage there is the imprinting of a character upon the soul; each successive character, like a progressively brighter sun, enveloping and containing the one that has gone before.

In that character are rooted the right and the power that belong to the order which is being received.

• For the deacon it is the right to baptize, to preach, and to administer Holy Communion.
• For the priest it is the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and to forgive sins.
• For the bishop, who alone has the complete fullness of the priesthood, it is the power to confirm and to ordain—to pass the power of the priesthood on to others in the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Then, besides the increase in sanctifying grace and the priestly character with its accompanying power, there is the special sacramental grace which gives to the one ordained a claim upon God for whatever actual graces he may need in the faithful discharge of his office.

The priest & the Sacrifice of the Mass

For priests (and of course bishops), Holy Orders "configures them to Christ" in a special way so that they can act in the person of Christ the Head.

Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, the Holy Spirit imparts that tremendous and almost unbelievable power to call Jesus Christ himself down upon the altar. It is in the Sacrifice of the Mass that the priest exercises the supreme degree of his sacred office.

This is the supreme Sacrifice, offered in divine worship in the person of Christ (in persona Christi), by which the priest acts as a true priest of the New Covenant.

We must also remember that it is only by this sacred, ordained power to act in persona Christi that the priest has the power to forgive, in Christ's name, the sins of men.

Sustained by grace

No priest would or could wish for more than this extraordinary privilege of acting in persona Christi.

As he bends each morning over the bread and the wine, lending his lips to Christ as he speaks Christ's words, "This is My Body. . . . This is My Blood," the priest time and again feels all but crushed by the sense of his own unworthiness, by the consciousness of his human weakness. He would be crushed, too, if it were not for the grace of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which God infallibly gives to those who humbly ask it.

It is, of course, this power to offer sacrifice, this power to offer the Perfect Gift to God in the name of God's people, that distinguishes a priest from a Protestant minister. The minister does not have the power to offer sacrifice, which is precisely what makes a priest a priest.

A major difference between
Catholics and Protestants

Indeed, Protestant ministers do not even believe in such a power to offer sacrifice.

One notable exception to this belief is the clergy of the High Episcopalian Church, or the Anglican Church. These Anglican clergy do consider themselves priests and bishops, but the Catholic Church does notrecognize them as such. The reason is simple: there is no one who can impart to them the power of the priesthood.

Back in the sixteenth century, the leaders of the Anglican church eliminated all reference to the Mass and the power of sacrifice from their ordination ceremony. Without the intention of ordaining sacrificing priests, the sacrament of Holy Orders is invalid; it is not Holy Orders.

In fact that is true of any sacrament—whoever gives a sacrament must have the intention of doing what the sacrament is supposed to do, or the sacrament is invalid. That is how true priests and bishops died out, in the Anglican church, once the intention of ordaining sacrificing priests and bishops was taken out of the ordination service. The line of succession by which the power of the priesthood has come down to us, from Christ to the Apostles to bishop to bishop to bishop, was broken centuries ago when the Anglican Church rejected the whole idea of the Mass and a sacrificing priesthood.

In later times some Anglican High churchmen have revived the idea of the Mass, but they have no bishops who are true successors of the Apostles, no bishops who themselves have any of the power which the sacrament of Holy Orders gives. This is not said in any spirit of prideful disdain—it is just a sad fact of history; one that should move us to renewed prayer that our separated brethren may return to the one true fold.

An essential link to Christ

In the sacrament of Holy Orders, Christ has provided us with an essential link to himself.

Above all else, Holy Orders makes possible the extraordinary gift of the Sacrifice of the Mass—a gift from Christ himself.

Vocation and Spiritual Gifts

Over the last week I have been having vision about what my vocation and my gift of writing. It all started with Sunday service at mass. First I was in intense pain, and I was finding it hard concentrating on the homily. Suddenly i was whisked away into a cloud and I was no longer in church. I was on a cloud and an angel was telling about my gift from God. I thought I was hearing and seeing things.

The Angel called me by my birth name, not many here knew my birth name other than my partner and a few friends. I shook my head in disbelief and thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

After I wasn't believing this was an angel. They took me to my birth. It was hard to realize that this was in fact an angel of God.  I saw my birth, I saw my dad, my grandmother sitting by my mom. My grandmother was holding me in her arms and cuddling tight. I knew myself this was just something to confuse me.

I saw me sitting in a bookstore and signing books that were being bought my some young adults and some adults even. They were buying my book, my first book. I found this weird and didn't want to believe this was me.

On Monday night, we went to church at seven at night for the parish mission thing. I heard the angel's voice yet again. This time it was telling me to  re-write my Having a Little Faith story. I was finding it hard to write. It made me remember the last time I saw my paternal grandmother I was when I was sixteen. But telling the story I want to tell I'm not sure it will work out at age sixteen. I prefer to write stories with the main character is from 9-14 years old.

I continued to have another vision on Sunday night, Monday night, and Tuesday night. I also had confession on Tuesday night. I was ill on Wednesday night, so couldn't go. I was given a vision to write the same story I'd heard the angel telling me to write. I believe this was something I could do if I put my mind to it. I prayed today and I have started to re-write this story I believe God wants me to write. Here goes nothing.

Daily Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:3

 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 

This spoke to me when I read this a couple of times. For me this means the Holy Spirit gives us talents and we are guided the the spirit to use these talents to help bring people and children of all ages back to him. My talent is writing and leading children and teens back to him in the words I write in my poetry and my stories. 

Tuesday Morning

Today has been a rather stressful morning so far. Yesterday was a complete nightmare. It's my anniversary to the first time I met my Troi. It's been a few months since he took his life and it made my life more difficult to manage, but I have survived. Yes, most people who know my, call me a survivor. why you might ask, well I'll explain below, just give a minute. Okay, give me a few minutes, I know Yes I know. God is in my head again and talking to me. I sure wish someone else could hear his ranting about what I should do for the day. Believe I hate it, but love it too...

My church friends and friend here in Indy know I am a survivor. I survived the many years of abused from the hands of my family and partners I had in England. I also survived cancer twice. Yes I know, I must me lucky. Yeah, the fact is God has told me he has a assignment for me to do, so I guess he'll never leave me alone till I've done my mission or job for him. But it has made me get a further understanding of God and my catholic beliefs.

Being a convert to the catholic faith, was a journey of discovery and delight at the same time. I can still remember the questions I'd ask Mary or Dave about what I believed and what the catholic faith people believed. Anyhow, I want to thank them for their help in understanding the sacraments and other things that make up the catholic faith. Now sure, but ever since Lent started I have been filled with the Holy Ghost and I feel it guiding me to the right path and how to become closer to God and Jesus.

If you ever feel alone, scared and lost, ask God for guidance, love and understanding. You'll receive that trust me. I have ten fold. Today, when I went back to the St Blog Parish, which is a site, where many catholic people or groups link to other blogs and sites about the catholic faith and you know.. yadda yadda.

Anyhow, I have been reading some the blogs on there and they touch me, I can't explain it, but when you feel touched by an angel, you'll know. I believe in God, Jesus and yes, I know and Angels. I believe I have a guardian angel and I believe everyone has one. It's just up to the individual to listen to there angel speak to them.

Palm Sunday Mass

While winding down on a lovely day, I feel so emotional right now. I have absorbed as much as I can from the Mass this morning at church. It was Palm Sunday and I feel it made me very emotional and touching this year. I feel this Lenten season has touch my heart and soul very deeply this year. Usually I go to a few massing during lent and miss Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday. Not this year. The first Sunday of lent I had a vision and felt touched by God himself. I can't explain, but I just feel touched. 

Today, I was in terrible intense pain throughout my body, knew I wasn't going to be able to sit through mass. I wanted to say no not go, let Troy go on his own. But something prompted me to get dressed and go, even with the pain being the worse it had been this year. While in church, during the reading and the Eucharist, I felt something, or someone enter my body and touch my heart. Once again, I was without pain for nearly the whole service. I have never been without pain, ask my friends and family. It was an amazing service and I feel God is guiding me through St Mark Church, to be a better catholic and be a prayer warrior. 

Wednesday evening meetings with my C.R.H.P. sisters is good. We talk about our week, then read scripture and then from the book from church and it for the Lenten season. I believe Suzie Q might be right, I have turned into a prayer warrior. I can't explain it, but when I feel the need to prayer, I hear the words of what I should say. it's like God is prompting me and guiding me in prayer. Lately I've been praying for Barbara, Helen and Michelle. I believe in the fact God answers prayer if you ask and pray with a sincere heart. 

If you want forgiveness, prayer, with a contrite spirit and a sincere heart and you'll get the answer to any prayer. But remember one thing, it's in God's time not our time. We have to understand that God is there guiding and showing us the right path to follow. Believe me when I say he is there, just ask him to enter your heart, soul, mind and body and he will come. I believe he  is there for me and my friends. I know believing in God can be hard and frustrating at times. But he is there listen to his words, but to be able to listen to God, you have to believe and have faith.

Faith and understanding go hand in hand with having a Christian background helps too. If you feel alone, feeble or weak in anyway, just ask God to help, he will come if you just ask him. Ask and you will receive, knock and the door will open. Remember to read your bible daily and pray about what you read and use it into your daily lives.Without God you have no hope, no love, no reassurance of happiness.

Ask yourself one question. Does God want me? The answers is Yes. God wants you, he loves you unconditionally. He has opened his arms, and all you have to do is run to him and he will wrap his loving arms around you. Carry you when your weak, be there when you feeling lonely and scared. He is there, let him into your heart. Trust me, he is there, you just have to ask and believe. You'll know once you feel his presence in your heart and body. Let the Holy Ghost guide you back to God.

Remembering God

This morning I was woken up, by some noise I was hearing. Sitting up in bed thinking about what had woken me up. Yes I thought of the cats, but Emily was asleep on the bottom of my bed, and Pacer was in the living room. So who knows what woke me up. All I know is I wasn't having a peaceful night. I'd had nightmares during the night.

Finally getting out of bed around 7am this morning. I sat on the couch, and put my laptop on my lap and started to watch some videos on YouTube to try and get myself out the bad mood I was in. But watching videos about serial killers wasn't going to cheer me up. I knew this. But I have a thing right now, I like watching about serial killers or just cold case files on YouTube. I started to think maybe I should be watching something God or Jesus would if they were me. So I started to search YouTube for some christian music. This was cheering me up a little. I wanted the cats to come to me, but they were in a mood. While listening to the christian music videos, I closed my eyes for a second and I let my heart find peace. I then began to pray in the silence of my heart and found peace.

While I had my eyes closed, I could feel God's spirit enter my heart and take away the bad feelings and insert the good feelings. I felt at peace and let God be my guide for the rest of the day. I believe we all need to close our eyes everyday and just let God's spirit enter our beings, heart and soul. To let him work in us and show us his glory, his love, his presence.