Wednesday, November 29, 2017

By praying the Rosary,doesn't it seem that we are placing Mother Mary higher than God. since the 'Hail Mary' far outnumbers the 'Our Father'and 'Glory Be'?



Of course, our devotion must be to God the Father through Jesus Christ. However, the intercession of our Mother Mary is to take us to Jesus Christ and to God the Father. As John Paul II said,"To Jesus to Mary". Her intercession is not independent of Jesus Christ,like in the normal family the role of the mother is not separated(or should not be) from the one of the father.We venerate the  Virgin Mary (we don't adore her, we adore only God) because she is the Mother of God and she wants us to be with him. Besides, the prayer "Hail Mary" is almost all taken from the Gospel,which, along with the tradition of the Church, is the    source of Jesus Christ's teaching, and we glorify her for the (fruit of thine womb 'Jesus, who is the center of this prayer. Ask the Virgin  Mary to help you to know Jesus Christ better and  she will do it.         

Sunday, October 29, 2017

During the season of Lent should we say the Sorrowful Mysteries every day?Or we can say all the mysteries like we normally do?

During Lent we can either recite only the Sorrowful Mysteries or as usual all the Mysteries.The Rosary is a private prayer,so there is no official rule from the Church about it. Personally, I prefer to say all the Mysteries as usual because we have to contemplate on the whole life of Jesus and not only on    one part of it. Even during Lent, we should meditate on his birth and other aspects of his life.The mystery of Jesus has to be concentrated in complete vision, with the help of all the mysteries and at all times of the year.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

How are the Saints guide for Prayer?

The saints are our models for prayer by the example of their lives, their writings, and their intense prayer life.Even now in heaven, they contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world.Their intercession is their most exalted service to God 's plan. In the communion of saints, throughout the history of the Church, there have developed different types of spiritualities that teach us how to live and to practice the way of prayer.[See CCC 2683-2684]



It is said in the Bible, do not worship or bow before any idols or images,then isn't taking a bow or kissing images going against the Word of God?

As for venerating, not worshipping, of idols and images, the coming of Christ made all the difference in how we worship God. When you read in the Old Testament, the promised people weren't supposed to worship idols because it inspired in them false ideas of what God looked like. For example, they worshipped Baal, an image of a bull and considered it as the god of fertility. The second council of Nicaea defined this matter by stating "Images aren't adored (worshipped in the strict sense), but they are honored, with the honor passing to the One represented. The same is true of images of the Saints, with the lesser honor due to them." This is like the love we express for our near and dear ones when we place photographs

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

WHO ARE THE SERVANTS (EDUCATORS) OF PRAYER?

All of us who believe , pray and lead others to pray are indeed "servants of prayer". The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer where children learn to pray "as the Church" and  to persevere in prayer. Ordained ministers (Priests and Deacons) are also responsible for the formation in prayer of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They lead the People of God to the living waters of prayer: the Word of God , the liturgy, the theological life (the life of faith, hope, and charity). Many have consecrated their whole lives to prayer. Hermits, monks, and nuns, since the time of the desert fathers, have devoted their time to praising God and interceding for his people.The Catechesis for children, young people, and adults aims at teaching them to meditate on The Word of God in personal prayer, practicing it in liturgical prayer, and internalizing it at all times in order to bear fruit in a new life.
Prayer groups, indeed "schools of prayer." are today one of the signs and one of the driving fources of  renewal of prayer in the Church. Above all, it is the Holy Spirit who guides and animates the believer in prayer.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER?

Since the Holy Spirit is the interior Master of Christian prayer and "we do not know how to pray as we ought" (Romans 8:26), the Church exhorts us to invoke him and  implore him on every occasion: "Come, Holy Spirit!" The Holy Spirit gives sweetness in believing (faith) and leads us into a personal communion with God. He guides us and teaches us how to pray. [ See CCC 2690]


Please explain the 'the gifts of knowledge' and if it is okay to allow who has this goft to pray over you and give you the message he receives.

The gifts of knowledge is not a gift for scientific civil studies of mathematics, or languages, or any other subject. It is only "to know" , i.e., to understand better the Word of God and its implication in our present life.It is a gift that is linked with anothr gift, the gift of Wisdom. Anybody can pray over you or over me or over any other person. But, we should be very skiptical about "the message they receive". Many times the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with that the person seems or assumes to receive from  him. Even though the the Holy Spirit can speak to somebody in many ways, even by private inspiration, the Holy Spirit normally conveys his messages through the Church (by Word of God, through the Sacraments, Liturgy, and prayer).When somebody tells you that his message comes from the Holy Spirit, please don't readily believe it.A discernment of the spirit is always necessary in these cases. [ See CCC 2690] 

Thursday, September 22, 2016

                How can we discern if one is animated by a good or an evil spirit?

Generally one of the three spirit is Dominant in every soul: in perverse, the devil; in the tepid,the natural (worldly) spirit; and in those who are beginning to give themselves seriously to interior conversion and prayer, the Spirit of God habitually dominates. The great principles of the discerning of spirits was given to us by our Lord himself in the Gospel when he said: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall know them..."(see Mt 7:15-18)if we are prone to wicked or worldly ways, we can ask God to restore his Spirit within us. "A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit"