June 2011 - Page 2 of 4 - The Rev. Kenneth Allen

A Beam in My Eye

June 21, 2011

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

It’s amazing what images show up when you do a random google search for ‘beam in the eye’.

What’s even more amazing is that I looked this up and saved several interesting images, and it has nothing to do with today’s Gospel.

It’s yesterday’s Gospel.

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?

As much as I consider myself non-judgemental, it’s safer to say that I can make a thousand judgments just watching the news before leaving the house in the morning. It’s something I really have to give thought to, and bring to a prayerful place.

Because, it’s always more than just a speck in my eye.

And, if one seeks to have one’s thoughts raised and transformed by a loving God, all of those specks will be gently illuminated.

It’s good to be reminded of that.

“See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness…”

Lest I Forget

June 20, 2011

Which I have apparently done, is that Pope Benedict XVI asked Priests back in January ‘ought Ten to Get Online and Spread the Gospel.

Sigh. I almost completely forgot about posting on my blog; I’m not very good at it.

In fact, I asked around to a variety of people whether I should keep the site or not, and the overwhelming response was “Yes! Absolutely! Please, please, PLEASE do! We couldn’t live without your blog!” (Not.) But, the general response was to keep it and post more often.

And spread the Gospel.

With that in mind, here is today’s Gospel:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

And here are some recent observations on blogging and myself:

It can take up a lot of time, and one needs to get out and get more exercise if one is doing it.
I am not, and never have been, drawn to blog about the things that most other Catholic bloggers blog about, i.e. the latest Catholic news stories, or insightful posts about Papal documents, Vatican translations, or the Extraordinary Form vs. the Novus Ordo. I prefer to write about things that happen in my life in a stream of consciousness sort of way. Some like it, some don’t; take it or leave it.
Maybe I should rethink that.
But I just did, and I’m still not drawn to it, as others do it far better than I ever would or could.
I’ve had major periods of self-consciousness as a blogger because I had never anticipated the amount of scorn it would draw from fellow Priests.
I’m more or less over that. Sometimes people just don’t get along; cliques exist, and it’s not that big a deal; Priest’s are human, and that includes me with all of my own faults and insecurities. I’m not very important in the big scheme of things of God’s plan, or the Church’s plan. But I pray to do His will daily, and I try to do it, and that’s enough for me each day. It helps to keep life simple.
I don’t really read a lot of other Catholic blogs.
I do read a lot of news and information sources on what’s going on in the Church. So I assume anyone who finds my blog and reads it is on the internet and reads the same sources, and is already in the know. Plus, they are probably reading the bloggers who do such a great job of dissecting those things anyway.
Having a website allows me to share things with friends fairly easily, such as photos I can put up in temporary directories. Also, I can occasionally post photos from my life in my weblog, and work with improving my photography (which does need a lot of work, I freely admit. But if I never practice it, I’ll never improve.)
And, I think that about wraps that up. Thanks for joining me!

To live, to adventure, to understand the will of God…

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.

Another Talk from the Good Archbishop…

June 12, 2011

One more talk from Archbishop Sheen, this one on Fatima.

Here is Part Two.

And Part Three.

I’ve been quietly deciding to spread the First Saturday devotions, and the message of Fatima, which helps so many become closer to Jesus Christ.

Archbishop Sheen

June 11, 2011

Again, keeping with the video’s of the good Archbishop theme from yesterday, here is another interesting talk, called ‘Wasting Your Life.”

Holy Spirit Novena ~ Day 9

June 11, 2011

NINTH DAY

“Thus, this Novena is appropriate for use, not only in the days preceding Pentecost, but at any time throughout the year.”

Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee Adore, in Thy sevenfold gift, Descend; Give Them Comfort when they die; Give them Life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration.

As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.

Prayer

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Your servant heareth.” Amen.

To be recited daily during the Novena

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

To be recited daily during the Novena