On Pentecost Sunday, as our priest was delivering his sermon, he gave the most interesting analogy of the Holy Spirit. It's one I have never heard before, but will certainly remember for when I teach catechism again. It would also come in handy for helping others to understand how there are three Persons in one God. Here it is:
Water comes in different forms. There is ice, vapour, and liquid water. They are all the same thing - water - even though they take different forms.
Interesting, isn't it? It just might help someone to grasp that difficult concept.
Showing posts with label Good Sermons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Sermons. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Monday, July 06, 2009
Moonshine and Grace
Yesterday, I went to the the Low Mass because I wanted to get an earlier start to my day. I had to bake some pies to take to a neighbour's house for a dinner invitation. I made two pies, an apricot/blackberry pie, and a rhubarb/strawberry pie. The dinner was excellent-our neighbour is somewhat of a chef, and the company was pleasant (except, why oh why does everyone have to swear?) It is such a travesty that people take the name of Jesus Christ in vain so casually. Many people use the name of Our Lord to emphasize their point, as if it helps to get their meaning across in a more effective manner. The English language is full of so many colourful and descriptive words that to resort to swearing to emphasize one's point is liking serving moonshine after a fine dinner when you should be serving cognac.
Back to the Mass, though. Have you ever heard a timely sermon that seems geared towards your exact needs at that moment? This past week I had to work with someone very difficult, an experience I am not in a hurry to repeat, and one that I found extremely trying. In his sermon, the priest chose the topic of why God allows evil to happen, and he explained how, through grace, God always brings about some greater good, even though we may not recognize it. All this I have heard before, and I was just following along, though somewhat distracted. Where I really tuned is is when he told us that when we are encountering a difficult day or a difficult person, we are not to despair, because God will give us the grace we need to get through that particular day. This was exactly what I needed to hear! We need only to ask for God's help in recognizing and using those graces so that we handle our situation appropriately. It seems so simple, doesn't it?
I think I will add this little prayer of St Philip Neri's to my morning routine, "Oh, God, let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow.”
Back to the Mass, though. Have you ever heard a timely sermon that seems geared towards your exact needs at that moment? This past week I had to work with someone very difficult, an experience I am not in a hurry to repeat, and one that I found extremely trying. In his sermon, the priest chose the topic of why God allows evil to happen, and he explained how, through grace, God always brings about some greater good, even though we may not recognize it. All this I have heard before, and I was just following along, though somewhat distracted. Where I really tuned is is when he told us that when we are encountering a difficult day or a difficult person, we are not to despair, because God will give us the grace we need to get through that particular day. This was exactly what I needed to hear! We need only to ask for God's help in recognizing and using those graces so that we handle our situation appropriately. It seems so simple, doesn't it?
I think I will add this little prayer of St Philip Neri's to my morning routine, "Oh, God, let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow.”
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Wasting Grace
My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Corinthians 12:9
Call it what you will, the Traditional Mass - the Mass of the Ages - the Latin Mass or call it by the newer term, the Extraordinary Form, this Holy Mass has the best sermons I have ever heard. Today was no exception. Father started his sermon by telling us that even though God has reserved a place for each one of us in heaven, not everyone present here today will make it to heaven. That got my attention right away! After years of hearing how much Jesus loves me and what a good friend I have in Him Who will shower me with His mercy, it is refreshing to hear some hard truths that serve to make me think about what I am doing to earn my salvation. (With fear and trembling work out your salvation. Philippians 2 12)
Back to today's sermon - Father went on to explain that God grants us all sufficient grace to attain eternal salvation, but it is what we do with that grace - whether we ignore it or act on it - that determines whether we merit heaven or hell. He told us that God continually attempts to steer us in the right direction when situations arise that could lead us to sin, and without imposing on our free will, He will send us little promptings of actual grace to encourage us to do the right thing, thus avoiding the pitfall of sin that Satan has set up in our path.
To explain this further, Father used an analogy that made many people giggle (it is not often one will hear giggling in the Traditional Mass). He gave a scenario where a parent is working in their garden pruning the tomato plants, and dwelling on a particularly hard sermon the priest had made where he told the youth that Facebook can be an occasion of sin for them, and their use of it should be restricted by their parents. At this moment, the parent looks up from their task and sees the priest walking by, piously praying his Rosary, and the parent is faced with the temptation to pelt him with tomatoes, but God sends the parent a prompting to offer the priest some freshly-picked tomatoes instead.
Father went on to say that those who habitually ignore the promptings of God and choose to waste the grace that is given to each one of us in sufficient amounts for our salvation are the ones who will end up in hell.
Call it what you will, the Traditional Mass - the Mass of the Ages - the Latin Mass or call it by the newer term, the Extraordinary Form, this Holy Mass has the best sermons I have ever heard. Today was no exception. Father started his sermon by telling us that even though God has reserved a place for each one of us in heaven, not everyone present here today will make it to heaven. That got my attention right away! After years of hearing how much Jesus loves me and what a good friend I have in Him Who will shower me with His mercy, it is refreshing to hear some hard truths that serve to make me think about what I am doing to earn my salvation. (With fear and trembling work out your salvation. Philippians 2 12)
Back to today's sermon - Father went on to explain that God grants us all sufficient grace to attain eternal salvation, but it is what we do with that grace - whether we ignore it or act on it - that determines whether we merit heaven or hell. He told us that God continually attempts to steer us in the right direction when situations arise that could lead us to sin, and without imposing on our free will, He will send us little promptings of actual grace to encourage us to do the right thing, thus avoiding the pitfall of sin that Satan has set up in our path.
To explain this further, Father used an analogy that made many people giggle (it is not often one will hear giggling in the Traditional Mass). He gave a scenario where a parent is working in their garden pruning the tomato plants, and dwelling on a particularly hard sermon the priest had made where he told the youth that Facebook can be an occasion of sin for them, and their use of it should be restricted by their parents. At this moment, the parent looks up from their task and sees the priest walking by, piously praying his Rosary, and the parent is faced with the temptation to pelt him with tomatoes, but God sends the parent a prompting to offer the priest some freshly-picked tomatoes instead.
Father went on to say that those who habitually ignore the promptings of God and choose to waste the grace that is given to each one of us in sufficient amounts for our salvation are the ones who will end up in hell.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Overcoming Vice
I love to hear a good sermon at Mass and today was no disappointment. It's been a month since I last attended the Latin Mass, (I've had to go to the much closer NO Mass lately) and I would like to share with you the words of wisdom that were spoken today.
First, Father lamented the number of Catholics who spurn frequent Confession, but still choose to receive Holy Communion. He told us how the devil influences us to make us think our sins are so small they are not even worthy of confessing. He strongly encouraged us to make frequent confessions, even if we have only venial sins to confess. Then he told us something very useful for overcoming vice and developing virtue: how to make a particular examination of conscience.
A particular examination of conscience is done every day when one is trying to overcome some vice that leads them to sin. We are to examine our consciences every day for the one vice we most want to root out, and apply the opposite virtue to overcome this tendency to sin. Rather than taking on the whole army, we are fighting one enemy at a time, so to speak, and also practicing the virtue that opposes the vice. For example, if impatience is the vice I most want to be rid of, I must practice the virtue of patience every time I find myself being impatient with someone or something. Then I would review all the actions of that day, examining if or how that virtue was practiced in each and every action.
Since we cannot possibly hope to achieve immediate perfection of all Christian virtues, through the particular examination of conscience we can acquire one virtue at a time, while eradicating its opposing vice from our lives.
Capital Virtues and their opposing sins:
First, Father lamented the number of Catholics who spurn frequent Confession, but still choose to receive Holy Communion. He told us how the devil influences us to make us think our sins are so small they are not even worthy of confessing. He strongly encouraged us to make frequent confessions, even if we have only venial sins to confess. Then he told us something very useful for overcoming vice and developing virtue: how to make a particular examination of conscience.
A particular examination of conscience is done every day when one is trying to overcome some vice that leads them to sin. We are to examine our consciences every day for the one vice we most want to root out, and apply the opposite virtue to overcome this tendency to sin. Rather than taking on the whole army, we are fighting one enemy at a time, so to speak, and also practicing the virtue that opposes the vice. For example, if impatience is the vice I most want to be rid of, I must practice the virtue of patience every time I find myself being impatient with someone or something. Then I would review all the actions of that day, examining if or how that virtue was practiced in each and every action.
Since we cannot possibly hope to achieve immediate perfection of all Christian virtues, through the particular examination of conscience we can acquire one virtue at a time, while eradicating its opposing vice from our lives.
Capital Virtues and their opposing sins:
Capital Virtue | Opposing Sin |
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