Humility

The word humility signifies lowliness or submissiveness an it is derived from the Latin humilitas or, as St. Thomas says, from humus, i.e. the earth which is beneath us. As applied to persons and things it means that which is abject, ignoble, or of poor condition, as we ordinarily say, not worth much. Thus we say that a man is of humble birth or that a house is a humble dwelling. As restricted to persons, humility is understood also in the sense of afflictions or miseries, which may be inflicted by external agents, as when a man humiliates another by causing him pain or suffering. It is in this sense that others may bring about humiliations and subject us to them. Humility in a higher and ethical sense is that by which a man has a modest estimate of his own worth, and submits himself to others. According to this meaning no man can humiliate another, but only himself, and this he can do properly only when aided by Divine grace. We are treating here of humility in this sense, that is, of the virtue of humility.
The virtue of humility may be defined: "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a lowly opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." St. Bernard defines it: "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself." These definitions coincide with that given by St. Thomas: "The virtue of humility", he says, "Consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" For more go to Newadvent.org

Pride

Pride is the excessive love of one's own excellence. It is ordinarily accounted one of the seven capital sins. St. Thomas, however, endorsing the appreciation of St. Gregory, considers it the queen of all vices, and puts vainglory in its place as one of the deadly sins. In giving it this pre-eminence he takes it in a most formal and complete signification. He understands it to be that frame of mind in which a man, through the love of his own worth, aims to withdraw himself from subjection to Almighty God, and sets at naught the commands of superiors. It is a species of contempt of God and of those who bear his commission. Regarded in this way, it is of course mortal sin of a most heinous sort. Indeed St. Thomas rates it in this sense as one of the blackest of sins. By it the creature refuses to stay within his essential orbit; he turns his back upon God, not through weakness or ignorance, but solely because in his self-exaltation he is minded not to submit.

Clergy Conference

Here is a good list of competing impulses in our human nature
pride - humility
envy - benevolence
anger - gentleness
avarice - generosity
gluttony - temperance
lust - chastity
sloth - zeal

The bad is on the left and the good is on the right. Just in case you weren't sure.

Why obedience?
Obedience is a matter of love. When you love your greatest joy is to do the will of the beloved. Your longing is for the one you love to give you a command so that you may carry it out as an expression of your love. The person in the consecrated life joyfully forsakes his own will and embraces the will of God in love.

Why Chastity?
When you love someone you wish only to be fruitful with the one you love. You give your fecundity to that one person. The married person gives his or her fruitfulness only to the spouse. The consecrated person gives his or her virginity to Christ as a complete gift. Sexuality is placed at the service of love both in the married state and in the consecrated life.

There is a really good comment on Wednesday's post. There is a lot to know and understand about the consecrated life. It is lived in many different ways. The consecrated life is an essential part of the Church. Many people are called to this vocation, but it is difficult to answer it since there is not too much exposure to this way of life.

The vows are made out of love for Christ.
Why poverty - When you love you delight only in the gift of the beloved. It gives you great joy to give up all so that you can receive all from the one you love.

Consecrated life

The consecrated life is a particular vocation in the church.
The Consecrated life is different than the vocation of Holy Orders. It has four essential parts.
1. Community life - members of the order live together and share a common work along with all the other aspects of life. They should eat together, pray together, play together.
2. Prayer - the consecrated life is a life of prayer. Each community will have their own rules about times for prayer. Daily Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are the most important aspects of the prayer life.
3. Apostolate - a religious community most often has a particular work that all the members share. Some are teachers, others are the medical field. It is ideal that this work be done with another member of the community. Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.
4. Vows - Members take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Monk vs. brother

A monk is a man who is a member of a contemplative religious order. All monks are brothers, but not all brothers are monks. Some brothers are members of an order whose work is in the world.

Monks and nuns live a contemplative set apart from the world.

Nun vs. sister

What is a nun?
A nun is a woman who is a member of a contemplative religious order. A nun is a sister who does not go out into the world to work. She and her sisters remain in the monastery or cloister.
What is a sister?
A sister is any woman who is a member of a religious order.

All nuns are sisters, but not all sisters are nuns.

Sunday, September 14, 2008
We celebrate today the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (or Triumph of the Cross) we honor the Holy Cross by which Christ redeemed the world. The public veneration of the Cross of Christ originated in the fourth century, according to early accounts, beginning with the miraculous discovery of the cross on September 14, 326, by Saint Helen, mother of Constantine, while she was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem -- the same day that two churches built at the site of Calvary by Constantine were dedicated.
The observance of the Feast of the Exaltation (probably from a Greek word meaning "bringing to light") of the Cross has been celebrated by Christians on September 14 ever since. In the Western Church, the feast came into prominence in the seventh century, apparently inspired by the recovery of a portion of the Cross, said to have been taken from Jerusalem the Persians, by the Roman emperor Heraclius in 629.
Christians "exalt" the Cross of Christ as the instrument of our salvation. Adoration of the Cross is, thus, adoration of Jesus Christ, the God Man, who suffered and died on this Roman instrument of torture for our redemption from sin and death. The cross represents the One Sacrifice by which Jesus, obedient even unto death, accomplished our salvation. The cross is a symbolic summary of the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ -- all in one image.
The Cross -- because of what it represents -- is the most potent and universal symbol of the Christian faith. It has inspired both liturgical and private devotions: for example, the Sign of the Cross, which is an invocation of the Holy Trinity; the "little" Sign of the Cross on head, lips and heart at the reading of the Gospel; praying the Stations (or Way) of the Cross; and the Veneration of the Cross by the faithful on Good Friday by kissing the feet of the image of Our Savior crucified.
Placing a crucifix (the cross with an image of Christ's body upon it) in churches and homes, in classrooms of Catholic schools and in other Catholic institutions, or wearing this image on our persons, is a constant reminder -- and witness -- of Christ's ultimate triumph, His victory over sin and death through His suffering and dying on the Cross.
We remember Our Lord's words, "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it." (Mt 10:38,39). Meditating on these words we unite ourselves -- our souls and bodies -- with His obedience and His sacrifice; and we rejoice in this inestimable gift through which we have the hope of salvation and the glory. (Source: Women for Faith and Family)

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn't move.Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn't respond.Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"

House moving

The rectory is being moved to its new location today. I hope this works.
By the way, yesterday, September 8, was the Birthday of Mary.

This coming Sunday is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
We will be having a Holy Hour from 5-6 in the evening.

If you ask a teenager to reattach your ceiling fan blades, wear a helmet before turning the fan back on.

Follow this link to learn about the persecution of Christians in India
http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newsdetail.php?newscode=8443