Lent 2018 -- From Dust To Glory

I thought it was fitting to post this article today as we are only two weeks away from the Solemn Liturgical Season of Lent.

Lent is a Season that begins in Ashes and ultimately ends up in a "Colossal Fire" set up by God Himself.

It begins with Ash Wednesday and culminates in the kindling of a "Unique Fire" at the awesome Vigil of Easter.

We can also say that it has the marks of "Penitence" written all over it and ends with the great promise of Human Redemption.

It commences with the Ashes of Mortality and ends with the light of Life Eternal.

Our Lenten Practices from Ashes To Fire is a sign of the Eternal Father's creating and redeeming grace that takes us "Heaven Ward" and opens us to "New Life" like we have never seen before.

Our Great Disciplines during Lent like Prayer, Fasting, and Self - Denial as well as Alms Giving are "Paths" for us to clear our Minds and Hearts so that God's Everlasting Grace may kindle Ashes into Fire in us.

To sum it up, Lent is a Great Teacher that shows us that God can warm the most "Icy" Hearts into a Fire.

Credits :

Ashes and Fire By Father Ian Doulton S.D.B.
Page 3
Don Bosco's Madonna, Mumbai
March 2016
Vol- 17, N0- 11

2018 -- A Year Full Of Promises and Blessings

We begin the New Year 2018 by fixing our gaze on the Face Of the Eternal Father who is revealed in the Child of Bethlehem and on his Mother Mary who was an Instrument in the Plan of Salvation.

How grateful We should be that We will not be walking in this New Year alone, we will be in the company of the Mother of God specially on the 1st of January which is a grand solemnity in the Catholic Church.

We would do well to take the Hand of Mother Mary and allow her to walk with us through the Joyful and Pleasant Moments of 2018.

Mother Mary is always ready to help and she constantly speaks softly to us -- Do Whatever My Son, Tells You.

She actively tells us in various ways that we should not get seduced or swayed by Know It All's or by Ignoramuses on Television Talk Shows.

The Secret of Having a Great 2018 is to actively participate in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ Day In and Day out and Every Sunday where we are blessed a hundred fold by the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Let us begin 2018 positively by taking Mary's Hand and facing any hurdle that is not impossible to overcome with God's Help.

Mother Mary is waiting for us on the 31st of December 2017 with open arms beckoning all her children to come to her no matter whatever their Sin Or Omission in Life.

Heaven On Earth This Christmas

Contemplate The Sacramental State In Which Jesus has placed himself for Love Of You.

He is as Poor in the Eucharist as He was in Bethlehem and Poorer Still ........

Just see and watch how faithful He is in the Divine Host.

He obeys every Human Being even his enemies -- promptly and meekly.

We should marvel at his Humility.

It is not difficult to find a connectedness between the Birth of Jesus in the stable and His Sacramental Birth On The Altar And In Our Hearts. 

By a Continuing Miracle, His Love For us makes Him Our Prisoner.

He has bound himself to the end of time in His Eucharistic Prison, which is "Our Heaven On Earth".

We must unite our thanksgiving to that of the Blessed Mother and say like Her :

O Jesus Hostia, How Good, How Loving, How Adorable You Are !!!!!!!!

Credits : Come To Me In The Blessed Sacrament
               Eucharistic Holy Hour 7
               A Taste Of Heaven
               Pages 167 and 176
               By Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament
               Year 1997

ECatholic2000 and Myself ---- A Personal Testimony and Thank You

Dear Friends in Jesus and Mary,

I could not resist posting this letter about the positive role that ecatholic2000 has played in my life.

I am a better person today solely because of ecatholic2000. 

I would like to thank immensely - One Faithful Catholic Web Site Namely ecatholic2000.

It is only because of  ecatholic2000 that I am a Catholic today.

Let me give you my personal story and how ecatholic2000 changed my life for the better.

In 2010, I seriously contemplated leaving the Catholic Church for good because of negative experiences in the U.S. Catholic Church from 1997-2001, when I was living in the United States.

And then it happened- While surfing the net in late 2012 I happened to come across a beautiful, outstanding, extraordinary, conservative, and orthodox catholic website namely "ecatholic2000".

Once, I entered this website I happened to stumble upon some beautiful "Catholic Classics" which explain the true depth and richness of the Catholic Faith and my life before I knew it changed forever.

The more I read these "Catholic Classics" the less I felt like leaving the Catholic Church.

If it was not for ecatholic2000 I would have left the Catholic Church long ago. 

ecatholic2000 is doing a great service by having magnificent "Catholic Classics" online @their website.

They are true "Life Changers".

ecatholic2000 helped me to fall in love once more with the "Catholic Faith".

Note: Visit ecatholic2000 today and you won't be sorry that you visited it.

http://www.ecatholic2000.com/

I Will Not Be Posting anymore ---- Please Enjoy My Blog

I say this because I am Physically and Mentally Exhausted and Drained.

Catholic Classics Unlimited was a "Work of Art" devised by Me way back in 2013.

However, since then this Blog has been subject to many "Hacker Attacks" which has left me exasperated in more ways than one.

In 2016 as well as in 2017, Hackers and their followers made all sorts of attempts to infect this Blog with viruses, worms, and malware because they were incensed at seeing Links in the form of Catholic Books Online in their entirety from the "Internet Archive".

Twice in the past 1 year I posted Links to Catholic Books from the Internet Archive and twice it was met with opposition. So, I simply took them out.

From 2013 till now, I have posted 180 Articles on various topics specially on the Blessed Sacrament as well as on Our Lady and on the Saints too.

My Advice to Readers of this Blog is to enjoy reading the Traditional and Orthodox Catholic Articles on this Blog and share them with like minded people.

Au Revoir, Then -- Goodbye.

P.S. -- This Blog will be online forever.

Blessed Ceferino Namuncura -- An Amazing South American Indian

Young Ceferino's Life is a Life Story of 19 years but rich in authentic Catholic Christian Spirituality.

He was born at Chimpay in Argentina on August 26, 1886 and was baptized two years later by a Famous Salesian Missionary by the name of Father Milanesio who had brokered a Peace Treaty between the Mapuche -- An Indigenous South American Indian Tribe and the Argentinean Army.

Ceferino was 11 years old when His Father enrolled Him in the Govt School in Buenos Aires.

However, Ceferino realized that He was out of place in such a school and therefore His Father took him to a Salesian School named after the Pope Pius X.

Ceferino immediately showed much interest in Academics.

There were two instances that took him to the path of Holiness.

He loved reading about the Life of Dominic Savio and He treasured His First Holy Communion where He made a Vow to be faithful always to His Great Friend Jesus Christ.

Ceferino's Spirituality was akin to his Salesian Surroundings that were solidly rooted in the Sacraments Specially the Holy Eucharist.

In 1903, When Ceferino was seventeen Monsignor Cagliero accepted Him along with a group of Aspirants to the Aspirantate at Viedma to begin their study of Latin essential at that time to be ordained to the Catholic Priesthood.

It was during those years when His Spirituality was blossoming that He became extremely ill with Tuberculosis.

Seeing His Sickly State Monsignor Cagliero took him to an Aspirantate in Italy where the weather was better than where He was.

In no time, He mastered the art of speaking and writing in Italian.

On March 28, 1905 He had to be admitted to the Hospital where He passed away on May 11.

Ceferino wanted to become a Catholic Priest so that He could contribute to the Cultural and Spiritual Development of his native people.

Credits and References :

Ceferino Namuncura
1886-1906
Salesian Saint of the Month
Pages 10 and 11
Don Bosco's Madonna, Mumbai
March 2017,  Vol -18, N0-11

An All Encompassing Perspective on Psalm 65

"To You Our Praise is Due" begins this Psalm for in the Blessed Sacrament Jesus Christ shows us the depth of His Love. He was willing to be pierced on Calvary so that He might pour out to us the abundance of His All Encompassing Love in the Holy Eucharist.

He experienced "Total Abandonment" on the Cross so that He could be our constant companion and faithful friend in the Holy Eucharist.

"We Pay Our Vows" to Him by completely giving up ourselves to His Will. This Psalm tells us that Jesus Christ hears every prayer and answers it according to the positive aspects that it brings about in Our Life.

Any Prayer or Petition that God does not answer simply means that He has something much better in mind for us.

"To You All Flesh Will Come" means that Christ who was lifted up on the Cross will draw all souls to His Eucharistic Heart.

All Flesh expresses the significance that each of us has to submit his Passions to the Eucharistic Heart of Christ.

We Live in a Pagan Secular and Materialistic World that is constantly seeking Self- Gratification from the Pleasures of the Flesh.

Yet, Christ teaches us that it is the Spirit only which gives fulfillment in our day to day lives.

What better place to find strength amidst the World's Temptations than in the Eucharistic Arms of Our Saviour.

"Blessed is He whom you choose and call to dwell in Your Courts" means it was the Eternal Father aka Abba aka God Who chose you to be with Him right now.

He chose you out of countless others because he wants to shower His Love and Blessings on you in the special way of "Perpetual Adoration".

God has chosen you to adore Him so that His Blessings through his Son Jesus may flow to you from His Eucharistic Heart.

Like Saint Paul, His Grace is enough for us in our journey towards our lasting dwelling place that is the Wedding Feast that God has prepared for us for all eternity.

Credits and References :

Come To Me in the Blessed Sacrament
By Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament
Page 108
Meditation on Psalm 65
Year 1997