Now, who wants to share them with me?
"If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." -Joshua 24:15
Now, who wants to share them with me?
The Teutonic word Lent, which we employ to denote the forty days' fast preceding Easter, originally meant no more than the spring season. Still it has been used from the Anglo-Saxon period to translate the more significant Latin term quadragesima (French carême, Italian quaresima, Spanish cuaresma), meaning the "forty days", or more literally the "fortieth day". This in turn imitated the Greek name for Lent, tessarakoste (fortieth), a word formed on the analogy of Pentecost (pentekoste), which last was in use for the Jewish festival before New Testament times. This etymology, as we shall see, is of some little importance in explaining the early developments of the Easter fast.
Origin of the custom
Some of the Fathers as early as the fifth century supported the view that this forty days' fast was of Apostolic institution. For example, St. Leo (d. 461) exhorts his hearers to abstain that they may "fulfill with their fasts the Apostolic institution of the forty days" — ut apostolica institutio quadraginta dierum jejuniis impleatur (P.L., LIV, 633), and the historian Socrates (d. 433) and St. Jerome (d. 420) use similar language (P.G., LXVII, 633; P.L., XXII, 475).
But the best modern scholars are almost unanimous in rejecting this view, for in the existing remains of the first three centuries we find both considerable diversity of practice regarding the fast before Easter and also a gradual process of development in the matter of its duration. The passage of primary importance is one quoted by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., V, xxiv) from a letter of St. Irenaeus to Pope Victor in connection with the Easter controversy. There Irenaeus says that there is not only a controversy about the time of keeping Easter but also regarding the preliminary fast. "For", he continues, "some think they ought to fast for one day, others for two days, and others even for several, while others reckon forty hours both of day and night to their fast". He also urges that this variety of usage is of ancient date, which implies that there could have been no Apostolic tradition on the subject. Rufinus, who translated Eusebius into Latin towards the close of the fourth century, seems so to have punctuated this passage as to make Irenaeus say that some people fasted for forty days. Formerly some difference of opinion existed as to the proper reading, but modern criticism (e.g., in the edition of Schwartz commissioned by the Berlin Academy) pronounces strongly in favor of the text translated above. We may then fairly conclude that Irenaeus about the year 190 knew nothing of any Easter fast of forty days.
The same inference must be drawn from the language of Tertullian only a few years later. When writing as a Montanist, he contrasts the very slender term of fasting observed by the Catholics (i.e., "the days on which the bridegroom was taken away", probably meaning the Friday and Saturday of Holy Week) with the longer but still restricted period of a fortnight which was kept by the Montanists. No doubt he was referring to fasting of a very strict kind (xerophagiæ — dry fasts), but there is no indication in his works, though he wrote an entire treatise "De Jejunio", and often touches upon the subject elsewhere, that he was acquainted with any period of forty days consecrated to more or less continuous fasting (see Tertullian, "De Jejun.", ii and xiv; cf. "de Orat.", xviii; etc.).
And there is the same silence observable in all the pre-Nicene Fathers, though many had occasion to mention such an Apostolic institution if it had existed. We may note for example that there is no mention of Lent in St. Dionysius of Alexandria (ed. Feltoe, 94 sqq.) or in the "Didascalia", which Funk attributes to about the year 250; yet both speak diffusely of the paschal fast.
Further, there seems much to suggest that the Church in the Apostolic Age designed to commemorate the Resurrection of Christ, not by an annual, but by a weekly celebration (see "the Month", April 1910, 337 sqq.). If this be so, the Sunday liturgy constituted the weekly memorial of the Resurrection, and the Friday fast that of the Death of Christ. Such a theory offers a natural explanation of the wide divergence which we find existing in the latter part of the second century regarding both the proper time for keeping Easter, and also the manner of the paschal fast. Christians were at one regarding the weekly observance of the Sunday and the Friday, which was primitive, but the annual Easter festival was something superimposed by a process of natural development, and it was largely influenced by the conditions locally existing in the different Churches of the East and West. Moreover, with the Easter festival there seems also to have established itself a preliminary fast, not as yet anywhere exceeding a week in duration, but very severe in character, which commemorated the Passion, or more generally, "the days on which the bridegroom was taken away".
Be this as it may, we find in the early years of the fourth century the first mention of the term tessarakoste. It occurs in the fifth canon of the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325), where there is only question of the proper time for celebrating a synod, and it is conceivable that it may refer not to a period but to a definite festival, e.g., the Feast of the Ascension, or the Purification, which Ætheria calls quadragesimæ de Epiphania. But we have to remember that the older word, pentekoste (Pentecost) from meaning the fiftieth day, had come to denote the whole of the period (which we should call Paschal Time) between Easter Sunday and Whit-Sunday (cf. Tertullian, "De Idololatria", xiv, — "pentecosten implere non poterunt"). In any case it is certain from the "Festal Letters" of St. Athanasius that in 331 the saint enjoined upon his flock a period of forty days of fasting preliminary to, but not inclusive of, the stricter fast of Holy Week, and secondly that in 339 the same Father, after having traveled to Rome and over the greater part of Europe, wrote in the strongest terms to urge this observance upon the people of Alexandria as one that was universally practiced, "to the end that while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing-stock as the only people who do not fast but take our pleasure in those days". Although Funk formerly maintained that a Lent of forty days was not known in the West before the time of St. Ambrose, this is evidence which cannot be set aside.
Duration of the Fast
Nature of the fast
Relaxations of the Lenten Fast
From what has been said it will be clear that in the early Middle Ages Lent throughout the greater part of the Western Church consisted of forty weekdays, which were all fast days, and six Sundays. From the beginning to the end of that time all flesh meat, and also, for the most part, "lacticinia", were forbidden even on Sundays, while on all the fasting days only one meal was taken, which single meal was not permitted before evening. At a very early period, however (we find the first mention of it in Socrates), the practice began to be tolerated of breaking the fast at the hour of none, i.e., three o'clock. We learn in particular that Charlemagne, about the year 800, took his lenten repast at 2 p.m. This gradual anticipation of the hour of dinner was facilitated by the fact that the canonical hours of none, vespers, etc., represented rather periods than fixed points of time. The ninth hour, or none, was no doubt strictly three o'clock in the afternoon, but the Office of none might be recited as soon as sext, which, of course, corresponded to the sixth hour, or midday, was finished. Hence none in course of time came to be regarded as beginning at midday, and this point of view is perpetuated in our word noon which means midday and not three o'clock in the afternoon. Now the hour for breaking the fast during Lent was after Vespers (the evening service), but by a gradual process the recitation of Vespers was more and more anticipated, until the principle was at last officially recognized, as it is at present, that Vespers in lent may be said at midday. In this way, although the author of the "Micrologus" in the eleventh century still declared that those who took food before evening did not observe the lenten fast according to the canons (P.L., CLI, 1013), still, even at the close of the thirteenth century, certain theologians, for example the Franciscan Richard Middleton, who based his decision in part upon contemporary usage, pronounced that a man who took his dinner at midday did not break the lenten fast. Still more material was the relaxation afforded by the introduction of "collation". This seems to have begun in the ninth century, when the Council of Aix la Chapelle sanctioned the concession, even in monastic houses, of a draught of water or other beverage in the evening to quench the thirst of those who were exhausted by the manual labor of the day. From this small beginning a much larger indulgence was gradually evolved. The principle of parvitas materiae, i.e., that a small quantity of nourishment which was not taken directly as a meal did not break the fast, was adopted by St. Thomas Aquinas and other theologians, and in the course of centuries a recognized quantity of solid food, which according to received authorities must not exceed eight ounces, has come to be permitted after the midday repast. As this evening drink, when first tolerated in the ninth-century monasteries, was taken at the hour at which the "Collationes" (Conferences) of Abbot Cassian were being read aloud to the brethren, this slight indulgence came to be known as a "collation", and the name has continued since. Other mitigations of an even more substantial character have been introduced into lenten observance in the course of the last few centuries. To begin with, the custom has been tolerated of taking a cup of liquid (e.g., tea or coffee, or even chocolate) with a fragment of bread or toast in the early morning. But, what more particularly regards Lent, successive indults have been granted by the Holy See allowing meat at the principal meal, first on Sundays, and then on two, three, four, and five weekdays, throughout nearly the whole of Lent. Quite recently, Maundy Thursday, upon which meat was hitherto always forbidden, has come to share in the same indulgence. In the United States, the Holy See grants faculties whereby working men and their families may use flesh meat once a day throughout the year, except Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the vigil of Christmas. The only compensation imposed for all these mitigations is the prohibition during Lent against partaking of both fish and flesh at the same repast.
source: www.newadvent.org
PISO
Pasasalamat ng FAMILIA sa Hatid NIYANG Biyaya ….
“Kahit Piso….. Basta galing sa Puso,
Pangako ni Kristo….. Ay mapapasa-Iyo!”.
The call to love is at the heart of our faith. What could be a more simple or more effective way of evangelization? The close, loving relationships we form with our families and fellow Christians are meant to be the source of our ability to evangelize. No matter that such relationships are rare in the world today. No matter that they seem virtually impossible apart from God. The fact remains that peaceful, joyful, united lives are still capable of speaking volumes to the world about the power and love of God.
Many of us think of evangelization as persuasive, clear, words that inspire others about Jesus and his gospel. As accurate as this may be in theory, in many practical instances, we can have an even greater effect on people’s faith through the witness of our loving actions than by our many words. Love has the power to melt hearts and convince minds far better than an abundance of eloquent doctrine, theology, or defenses of Christianity!
Love in practical ways. Show respect to people. Look for ordinary needs that you can meet. Taking dinner to someone who is sick or who just had a baby; shoveling snow for, or alongside, a neighbor; teaching a teenager how to build a bookshelf; taking time to visit with an elderly person—all of these are ways to begin evangelizing. As John wrote, we are to love “not in word or speech, but in truth and action” as well (1 John 3:18).
Begin evangelizing today! Is there anyone in your family who has left the church or needs to be brought back to Christ? Be kind to them, and let the Lord do the work. If you are divided from that family member, ask the Lord how to build bridges, for “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Take small steps to build relationships at work or in your neighborhood with people who are searching for hope and meaning in their lives. As you do, believe that you will be giving them a dynamic witness, not just good feelings or happy thoughts. Remember Jesus’ promise: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
“Lord Jesus, give me a softer heart for those around me. Teach me to love as you have loved me that others would be drawn to you.”
source: WAU
By Arben C. Visenio
Matthew 28:16-20
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
God wills or desires to use all believers, including every Familia member, to make known to others the authentic saving message of the Gospel. Man’s only true hope of eternal life lies in Jesus Christ. We see that it is indispensable that the Gospel be proclaimed to all and that we have an essential role in spreading of the good news and in making disciples of all nations. Yes, all believers without exception – even those with some doubts (see verse 17.) However, while we know that Jesus has all power and authority in Heaven and earth and He is with us, why do we sometimes still hesitate to proclaim Him and let Him manifest His love and power through us?
There is the reality that the devil would not want us to evangelize because he knows that God can reach others through us. He would try to make us believe that evangelization is not important or a priority; or that we are not gifted for that; or that our efforts will not really make a difference so why bother at all. He can really tailor fit his temptations to deceive us and make us lose interest, indifferent, lazy, and not care at all. Fear is another obstacle that the devil can use that can immobilize us -- fear of being rejected, made fun of or ridiculed, being left out, being called fanatic or closed-minded conservative, not knowing what to say or how to convince others, saying the wrong things and turn them off, etc. He can make these lies seem very reasonable that we can easily accept them. Do you see evidences of these in your own situation?
This would be a good time to pause a moment and honestly reflect on why we at times hesitate to evangelize… Bring them before the Lord…Listen to what He might say about it. The Holy Spirit might lead you to a passage in Scriptures or a sense from the Lord or some inspiring thoughts to enable you to overcome your hesitations. Stay with it for some time… and then prayerfully ask for the grace to overcome your hesitations and make a personal response to the Lord. Pray also for the opportunity to bring the Gospel to someone.
One time in my college years, (when I was still far from being a committed Christian) a group of young people went from classroom to classroom sharing their experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and their personal testimonies. I saw expressions on my classmates’ faces saying something like: “Ano ito? Ang weird ng mga ito, pare.” I am a nice kind of guy and so I must have been politely smiling but not really sure what I was going on. But inside me, I felt a respect for them – for their conviction and courage. I had never envisioned myself doing what they did. I would be so nervous and would probably get sick at the last moment. The effect of the seed planted in me by that proclamation prepared me to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Shortly after my baptism I found myself giving my personal testimonies in Life in the Spirit Seminars and in school recollections and retreats. That’s the power of God demonstrated through the cooperation of believers. I praised God that those young people overcame their fear and proclaimed the power of the Gospel to me.
How do we evangelize? Because of the limited space available here, let me just share how I got initiated into the charismatic renewal and pick out some helpful principles.
Sometime in 1974, I had a friend who shared with me her own experience of being guided by the Holy Spirit in her decisions. She shared how they ask for something in prayer and how they were granted by God through some mysterious ways or seeming coincidences. I became curious and asked many questions. She was very calm and nice and tried to answer me. Then the question: Have you attended a prayer meeting? I said, no. Then the invitation: How would you like to attend a prayer meeting? I said, Why not? So we went and she introduced me to the greeters team and all the people she knew in the prayer meeting. After that she asked me how my experience was. She accompanied me at the next prayer meeting. And that’s how I got hooked on the Lord.
Let’s look at some principles:
TALK: Simply talk to others about your experience of God. Share blessings and answered prayers. Do not hesitate to share biblically based wisdom.
BE A WITNESS TO YOUR FAITH: Be patient, kind, loving, respectful, and righteous. Be a friend. Be a good neighbour. Offer to pray for him and his personal needs. Let the love of God be demonstrated in relating with others.
INVITE: At the proper time, invite the person to attend a spiritual activity like a prayer meeting, a bible study, or an ECLS. You may also invite the person to make a commitment to the Lord, if the situation calls for it.
FOLLOW UP: Accompany him or her during the ECLS. Call them up during the week to see how they’re doing, e.g., some questions they may have, some problems, blessings, etc.
PRAY: Pray for intercession and protection.
RELY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT: John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit. Be guided by the urging of the Spirit on what to say and what to and when to do them. The person who is too confident and relies upon his abilities will be much less effective than the person that relies upon the Spirit’s power.
Most people aren’t really looking for bible scholars who can explain everything to them, or powerful preachers. They need ordinary people like you and me who can speak to them honestly from the heart about the greatest need in their life: their need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Let me end by saying that evangelization is spiritual warfare as well. It is a serious and important responsibility. It will have its difficulties. Someone said: "If you take your eyes off your goals, all you see is obstacles." Our goal is to bring the Gospel message of love and salvation to everyone we meet. Let’s be encouraged by Jos 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." The commands of God come with His enablements. He commits himself to accomplishing those things in and through us. God is always faithful.
Pray with me:
"Lord, I offer my whole self for your purpose. Use my life to spread the Good News of the Gospel. I pray that You will lead me to the people whom you want reach through me. I pray that You will give me the appropriate words to say and proper timing. Here I am, Lord, send me. Amen."
source: Familia Matters, July 2005
Wichita, KS – Accompanied by the Truth Truck, Operation Rescue conducted Christmas caroling in the neighborhoods of abortion workers Edna Roach, Sara Phares Brown, and Marguerite Reed, all employees of late-term abortionist George R. Tiller. All three women have been involved in botched abortions resulting in the emergency hospitalization of abortion patients, including one death in January.
The first stop was the neighborhood of Edna Roach. As neighbors returned home for the day, nine rescuers sang traditional Christmas hymns near Roach’s residence. It appeared that no one was at home and that Roach’s car had not been moved for several days. The caroling went off without incident, in sharp contrast to a previous visit to the neighborhood when OR staffers were attacked during a prayer walk.
Roach is known for accompanying ambulances to the emergency room when women are injured during abortions.
Next, the carolers spread Christmas cheer to the neighborhood of Sara Phares Brown, the clinic worker who drove Tiller to the Emergency Room the day 19-year old Christin Gilbert died from abortion complications.
Rescuers offered prayers of Brown’s repentance and salvation. “Sara has recently filed for divorce and is probably going through a difficult time in her life,” said OR spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger. “We hope she finds the peace that only a true relationship with God can bring.”
The final destination on OR’s Christmas caroling tour was the neighborhood of Marguerite Reed, the abortion worker who placed the evasive 911 call as Christin Gilbert lay dying at Tiller’s abortion mill on January 13, 2005.
As carolers sung, Reed returned home from work and OR President Troy Newman spoke to her of Gilbert’s death and her need for repentance and forgiveness thought Jesus Christ.
One agitated neighbor was clearly not in the holiday spirit, and stood in her front yard yelling at carolers. Police arrived and informed her that the carolers were well within the law. Prayers were offered for Reed’s repentance and salvation.
“The Good News that Christ came to Earth to atone for our sins was clearly heard in these neighborhoods,” said Newman. “We are aware that abortion workers live often troubled lives. We pray that in this season of peace and good will toward men that these women will repent from the sin of child-killing and find true peace through Jesus Christ and good will toward the pre-born they now persecute.”