Thursday's Gospel
Gospel - Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
posted by Fr Greg @ 10:29 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
What is a pagan? That term has come up a few times recently (not here), and I tried to read about what that is, but I'm confused.
Is it witchcraft or idolatry, what?!!!
When I went through a difficult time a while ago, an aunt suggested that I "pray" the Lord's Prayer rather than "say" it. I asked her to give me the distinction, and she sent me this (I think for her pastor):
"Our Father which art in heaven." We don't just pray to an unnamed higher “power”, we approach God as who He is to us - "Our Father." Think of praying like sending a letter- you've need the correct address on the envelope if you want it to reach the right place.
"Hallowed be thy name."
Praise is the pathway into God's presence. You must never let anything or anyone stop you from praising God.
"Thy kingdom come."
Jesus wants to rule in every area of our lives. In one way we are already in God's kingdom from Christ's sacrifice and our accepting of Him as Lord. When we live as He teaches, we are experiencing His kingdom.
"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Is anyone in heaven fearful, doubting, stubborn, disobedient or negative? The phrase means that when the enemy brings something that is contrary to God's will or words, stand up in Christ's name and say, "If it's not approved in heaven, it will have no place in my life on earth." The one thing Satan hopes is that we never discover is that we have God's authority to restrict his actions in our lives.
“But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Scary thought.
The Catholic Encyclopedia defines Paganism as including religions "other than . . . Christianity, Judaism, and Mohammedanism [or Islam]. The term is also used as the equivalent of Polytheism."
The Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They are called Abrahamic because each traces its origins to the Patriarch Abraham of the Book of Genesis, with whom God established the first Covenant, and whose descendants God promised to make "as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; . . . and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing." (Genesis 22:17,18)
The Jews revere Abraham as the Father of their people, and because of our special history of inheriting God's promises to the Jewish people through Christ, Christians revere him, too. Muslims share in this heritage and this reverence.
Native populations virtually everywhere else on the planet, however, observe religious customs and rituals with a very different origin, a pagan origin, not founded in any heritage of the original covenant between the one true God and Abraham.
Historically, pagan religions have been polytheistic, meaning they worship many gods and goddesses. Examples are the Greek pagan religions whose deities were Zeus, Hera, and Athena; the Roman pagan religion which worshipped Jupiter, Apollo, Diana, Venus, and Pluto (after whom some of the planets were named). There were also the gods and goddesses from Norse pagan mythology: Tiw, Woden, and Thor, Freya, whose names are remembered today in the names of the days of the week ("Tiw's day", "Woden's day"). Other pagan religions may be found in nearly all countries throughout pre-Christian history.
Some people living in contemporary Western societies have adopted and begun to practice earlier pagan religions - often those of the ancient Celts living in Northern Europe - and have called themselves "pagans". The beliefs and practices of modern-day Western pagans have often been an eclectic blend of ancient Celtic pagan religions, mingled with Buddhist, Hindu, traditional Native American, Native African and Afro-Caribbean, and even Christian elements.
The full article may be found at
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11388a.htm
In 1993 Pope John Paul II urged the American Bishops to fight against what he called a "bitter, ideological feminism” which has led to "forms of nature worship and the celebration of myths and symbols". It apparently, for some, takes the place and/or adds to the participants' celebrations of the Christian faith. There is actually a movement called the "Goddess Cult" which is basically inspired by feminism. A lot of women have fallen prey to it, thinking to some how set themselves apart or make them "more" spiritually. What a pity.
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