musKeeto: Just one question: I heard y'all are supposed to stay off meat during this period. Is this true? Are there any health benefits to it? What do you supplement your meals with then?

Morning Sir,

The bold is not true if your question has to do with the entire 40 days. However, it is 'customary' for every Catholic to abstain from meat on every Friday of each year in honour of the passion and death of our Lord, Jesus. This custom is however not compulsory for every Catholic. But it is compulsory that every Catholic who is 'able' to fast (not those who are sick, pregnant, minors, old people, etc) should abstain from meat on every Friday of lent while some form of Fasting should be done on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday alongside abstinence.

This Church law is actually not cast in stone. There are people who ordinarily do not like eating meat e.g I prefer eating fish to meat, for such people there should be a ready alternative i.e instead of abstaining from meat, I can choose to abstain from fish instead. In the same vein some other person can choose to abstain from chocolate as well as abstain from meat. Subject to the approval of the local ordinary, one can choose to substitute the abstinence of meat with some other 'thing'.

PS: If one would get hurt by the method of fasting and/or abstinence he/she chooses then that individual is not expected to adopt such a method.

Thanks, man. Information was much more than I could digest (pun intended). Thinking of losing weight. Almost became a Muslim once, unfortunately it was just before Ramadan

Kidding. Cool thread btw..

musKeeto: Thanks, man. Information was much more than I could digest (pun intended). Thinking of losing weight. Almost became a Muslim once, unfortunately it was just before Ramadan

Kidding. Cool thread btw..

Lol! Don't tell me you are over weight o

striktlymi:

Lol! Don't tell me you are over weight o

musKeeto:

Lol!!!

[size=20pt]DAY 31: March 15, 2013
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The seven deadly sins


Pride

Pride is an inordinate love of one's own excellence, an excessive self-esteem.

Our Lord is the best example of meekness and patience. Did He use His almighty power to punish those who did Him evil? For hours He hung meekly on the cross, until He died. Every day God is patient with sinners, giving them time to change their ways. The proud man overestimates himself, and believes himself the source of his own excellence. The virtue of humility, which disposes us to acknowledge our limitations, is opposed to pride.

Some are proud of their appearance; others of their family, talents, position, money, and the virtues they imagine, they possess. Even if we do have excellent abilities or possessions, we should not be 'proud' of them, remembering that they all come from God. Instead, we should be humbly thankful, and see in what way we can make a return to God for such gifts. "Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 16:5).

Pride may be called the mother of all vices, for most sins can be traced to it. From pride arise 'ambition', vanity, presumption, disobedience, hypocrisy, obstinacy in sin. "For pride is the beginning of all sin: he that holdeth it shall be filled with maledictions and it shall ruin him in the end" (Ecclus. 10:15). "Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind or in thy words, for from it all perdition took its beginning" (Tob. 4:14). Pride was the sin of our First Parents, who wanted to be as great as God.

The proud man tries to attract notice and praise, strives after honors, distinctions, and other worldly favors. He is over-confident in himself, and despises the assistance of God. Pride was the sin of Lucifer. The proud man pretends to be greater than he is, and tries by all manner of means to attract the praise of others, even using false humility to do so.

If we, however, despise sin as beneath us, that is not pride, but a virtuous self respect. A decent regard for cleanliness and neatness is not vanity. The ambition to exceed in good things, as in studies, in order to make the best use of God's gifts, is to be commended. God wishes us to be His excellent children.

DAY 32: MARCH 16 2013

[size=20pt]DAY 33: March 17, 2013
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The seven virtues


Chastity

Chastity is that moral virtue which disposes us to be pure in soul and body.

Those who keep themselves pure in soul and body are like angels on earth. It was the chaste Apostle John to whom Christ gave the privilege of leaning on His breast at the Last Supper; it was to him that He entrusted His Virgin Mother. Chastity, opposed to lust, disposes us to preserve the mind and body from everything that is impure. Chastity is purity. It is termed the angelic virtue, because it makes men resemble the angels in heaven.

Chastity gives health to the soul and light to the understanding; it aids wisdom and develops strength of character. Judith, a weak woman, had the courage to go into the enemy camp, and returned with the head of Holofernes; of her Holy Scripture says, "Thou hast done manfully and thy heart hath been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity" (Judith 15:11). Thousands of martyrs died in defense of this virtue of holy chastity.

For the unmarried, chastity forbids indulgence of the sexual appetite; for the married, it regulates the use of that appetite in accordance with the dictates of right reason. It is wrong to suppose that chastity is not a virtue for the married. God requires chastity from everyone, in all states of life. A chaste marriage is the basis of the Christian family.

Not all saints are virgins. God requires chastity to be practiced by all, in accordance with the state of life that each has embraced. It may be either absolute (for the unmarried), or relative (for the married). The mere knowledge of facts does not destroy our chastity. It is wilful consent and yielding to impurity that sullies chastity of mind and body. Jesus Christ, his Mother Mary, her husband Joseph, and other saints surely knew the facts of sex; but such knowledge did not spoil their spotless chastity.

Let us be careful of the company we keep, and avoid all occasions of sin to preserve virtue of chastity. Let us form the habit of temperance in all things, so as to strengthen our self-control.




Below is a good prayer of consecration to Mary - for Catholics:

"My Queen, my Mother! I give myself entirely to thee; and to show my devotion to thee, I consecrate to thee this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve. Wherefore, good Mother, as I am thine own, keep me, guard me as thy property and possession."

[size=20pt]DAY 34: March 18, 2013
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The seven virtues


Temperance

Temperance may be defined as the righteous habit which makes a man govern his natural appetite for pleasures of the senses in accordance with the norm prescribed by reason. In one sense temperance may be regarded as a characteristic of all the moral virtues; the moderation it enjoins is central to each of them.

Temperance disposes us to control our desires and to use rightly the things which please our senses.-It regulates our judgment and passions, so that we may make use of temporal things only in so far as they are necessary for our eternal salvation. We have temperance when we eat and drink only what is necessary to sustain life, preserve health, and fulfill our duties.

We should strive to be like St. Francis of Sales, who said: "I desire very little, and that little I desire but little." However, temperance does not consist in refusing or denying ourselves what is necessary, thus unfitting ourselves for good works.

striktlymi: [size=20pt]DAY 34: March 18, 2013
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[size=15pt]Lent Continues.....[/size]


The seven virtues


Temperance

Temperance may be defined as the righteous habit which makes a man govern his natural appetite for pleasures of the senses in accordance with the norm prescribed by reason. In one sense temperance may be regarded as a characteristic of all the moral virtues; the moderation it enjoins is central to each of them.

Temperance disposes us to control our desires and to use rightly the things which please our senses.-It regulates our judgment and passions, so that we may make use of temporal things only in so far as they are necessary for our eternal salvation. We have temperance when we eat and drink only what is necessary to sustain life, preserve health, and fulfill our duties.

We should strive to be like St. Francis of Sales, who said: "I desire very little, and that little I desire but little." However, temperance does not consist in refusing or denying ourselves what is necessary, thus unfitting ourselves for good works.

thanks for keeping us updated. may God bless u

[size=20pt]DAY 35: March 19, 2013
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[size=15pt]Lent Continues.....[/size]

[size=20pt]DAY 36: March 20, 2013
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[size=15pt]Lent Continues.....[/size]


The seven virtues


Charity

As a virtue, charity is that habit or power which disposes us to love God above all creatures for Himself, and to love ourselves and our neighbours for the sake of God. When this power or habit is directly infused into the soul by God, the virtue is supernatural; when it is acquired through repeated personal acts, it is natural.

Reason tells us that we ought to love our neighbours, since they are children of God; since they are our brothers, members of the same human family; and since they have the same nature, dignity, destiny, and needs as ourselves. This love, or charity, should be both internal and external. The former wishes the neighbour well, and rejoices in his good fortune; the latter comprises all those actions by which any of the needs are supplied.

Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own "to the end,"he makes manifest the Father's love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love." And again: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

striktlymi: [size=20pt]DAY 36: March 20, 2013
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[size=15pt]Lent Continues.....[/size]


The seven virtues


Charity


As a virtue, charity is that habit or power which disposes us to love God above all creatures for Himself, and to love ourselves and our neighbours for the sake of God. When this power or habit is directly infused into the soul by God, the virtue is supernatural; when it is acquired through repeated personal acts, it is natural.

Reason tells us that we ought to love our neighbours, since they are children of God; since they are our brothers, members of the same human family; and since they have the same nature, dignity, destiny, and needs as ourselves. This love, or charity, should be both internal and external. The former wishes the neighbour well, and rejoices in his good fortune; the latter comprises all those actions by which any of the needs are supplied.

Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own "to the end,"he makes manifest the Father's love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love." And again: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

LOVE!!!

[size=20pt]DAY 37: March 21, 2013
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The seven virtues


Diligence

Diligence is the virtue which acts as a counter to the sin of sloth. Sloth, as a capital sin, refers to laziness in matters of Faith. Diligence in matters of the spiritual, combat's laziness and this virtue is manifest in appropriately zealous attitudes toward living and sharing the Faith.

Good Job Striklymi. We are almost getting to the end of lent.

Dextra: Good Job Striklymi. We are almost getting to the end of lent.

Yea, passion week is just around the corner...


Thanks for the thread!

[size=20pt]DAY 38: March 22, 2013
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The seven virtues


Patience

The virtue of Patience is so great a gift of God, that even in Him who bestows the same upon us, that, whereby He waits for evil men that they may amend, is set forth by the name of Patience (or long-suffering). So, although in God there can be no suffering, and patience has its name "a patiendo", from suffering, yet a patient God we not only faithfully believe, but also wholesomely confess.

The patience of man, which is right and laudable and worthy of the name of virtue, is understood to be that by which we tolerate evil things with an even mind, that we may not with a mind uneven desert good things, through which we may arrive at better. Wherefore the impatient, while they will not suffer ills, effect not a deliverance from ills, but only the suffering of heavier ills.


http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1315.htm

Intercessions for friday
we give thanks to Christ the Lord, who died on the cross that we might live. Let us pray to him with all our hearts R/ Lord Jesus may your death bring us life.
Master and saviour, you have taught us by your life and renewed us by your passion; do no allow us to get used to sin R/
You call us to feed the hungry; let us deney ourselves some food this day to help our brothers in need. R/
May we accept from you hands this day of Lent; may we make it your by deeds of love. R/
End the rebellion within our hearts; make us generous and willing to share. R/
Our Father....

...Who arth in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven...

[size=20pt]DAY 39: March 23, 2013
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History of Palm Sunday:

As soon as the Church obtained her freedom in the fourth century, the faithful in Jerusalem re-enacted the solemn entry of Christ into their city on the Sunday before Easter. Palm Sunday was marked by a procession of the faithful carrying palm branches, representing the Jews who celebrated Christ's entrance into Jerusalem. In the early centuries, the procession began on the Mount of the Ascension and proceeded to the Church of the Holy Cross.

As the practice spread throughout the Christian world by the ninth century, the procession would begin in each church with the blessing of palms, proceed outside the church, and then return to the church for the reading of the Passion according to the Gospel of Matthew. The faithful would continue to hold the palms during the reading of the Passion. In this way, they would recall that many of the same people who greeted Christ with shouts of joy on Palm Sunday would call for His Death on Good Friday-a powerful reminder of our own weakness and the sinfulness that causes us to reject Christ.

In different parts of the Christian world, particularly where palms were historically hard to obtain, branches of other bushes and trees were used, including olive, box elder, spruce, and various willows. Perhaps best known is the Slavic custom of using 'willows', which are among the earliest of plants to bud out in the spring.

The faithful have traditionally decorated their houses with the palms from Palm Sunday, and, in many countries, a custom developed of weaving the palms into crosses that were placed on home altars or other places of prayer. Since the palms have been blessed, they should not simply be discarded; rather, the faithful return them to their local parish in the weeks before Lent, to be burned and used as the ashes for Ash Wednesday.

http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Palm_Sunday.htm

intercession for saturday
Christ the Lord has made men into a new creation. He gives them a new birth in the waters of baptism and nourishes them with his word and his body. Let us glorify him in our prayer. R/ renew us, Lord by your grace.
Jesus, you are gentle and humble in spirit; grant us something of your patience towards all men. R/
Teach us to be neighbours to the sad and the needy; let us imitate you, the good Samaritan. R/
May the Blessed Virgin, your mother intercede for religious women; through her prayers may they serve you in the Church ever more perfectly. R/
Grant us the gift of your mercy, pardon our sins and save us from punishment. R/
Our Father....

Lord God, at all times you are working out the salvation of man, but now more especially you erich your people with grace. Look kindly on this people;
keep the seal of baptism inviolate in those who recieved it and in those who still await their rebirth in the spirit. We make our prayers through our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives...
Amen.

Benedicamus Domini!

Amen!!!!!! r

Ubenedictus: Lord God, at all times you are working out the salvation of man, but now more especially you erich your people with grace. Look kindly on this people;
keep the seal of baptism inviolate in those who recieved it and in those who still await their rebirth in the spirit. We make our prayers through our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives...
Amen.

Benedicamus Domini!

Deus Gracias!!!

[size=20pt]DAY 40: March 24, 2013
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[size=30pt]Passion week begins!!![/size]


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[img]http://1.bp..com/-qQaxve2WMxs/TZ1wpuVjCxI/AAAAAAAABII/Coy_bOCx1N0/s400/passion-of-the-christ-cross.jpg[/img]

striktlymi: [size=20pt]DAY 40: March 24, 2013
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[size=30pt]Passion week begins!!![/size]

what happens during passion week?

striktlymi: [size=20pt]DAY 40: March 24, 2013
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[size=15pt]Lent Continues.....[/size]



[size=30pt]Passion week begins!!![/size]


[img]http://1.bp..com/-URPJxJl2Fxc/T2llvRVQkHI/AAAAAAAAEhE/pWbB0Dwo2wQ/s1600/gethsemane.png[/img]

[img]http://1.bp..com/-qQaxve2WMxs/TZ1wpuVjCxI/AAAAAAAABII/Coy_bOCx1N0/s400/passion-of-the-christ-cross.jpg[/img]

ooman:

what happens during passion week?

Passion week is a period set aside to commemorate the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reaches its zenith with the celebration of the triduum of our lords passion which starts on Holy Thursday, when it is believed Jesus was sold off to the Romans by one of his own (Judas) before he was put to death on Good Friday, through Holy Saturday and then was raised from the death in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

striktlymi:

Passion week is a period set aside to commemorate the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reaches its zenith with the celebration of the triduum of our lords passion which starts on Holy Thursday, when it is believed Jesus was sold off to the Romans by one of his own (Judas) before he was put to death on Good Friday, through Holy Saturday and then was raised from the death in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

and you have no proof for all this things. I thought it is only in evolution does words like "it is believed" "could" "would" and others get used. I dont know they are used in religion too.

ooman:

and you have no proof for all this things. I thought it is only in evolution does words like "it is believed" "could" "would" and others get used. I dont know they are used in religion too.

Take your debates to some other thread!

This thread is not for that!

striktlymi:

Take your debates to some other thread!

This thread is not for that!

OK

ooman:

OK

Thank you but I am disappointed in manmustwack! I reported the picture you put up there with the hope that it would be hidden but he came here without doing a thing. It's about time we keep our beliefs or lack of beliefs to ourselves and do our jobs.