Let us never take Nature's power for granted --- & --- HOMILIES

BBC Documentary The Magical Forest HD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_hrAyK6FDA - from Documentary Full Channel 



PEOPLE  NEED  NATURE
Lee Pace in Sichuan, China | Conservation International (CI)



God created a perfect Nature to evolve in four seasons – In winter - plants and trees to sleep; birds and animals to migrate to warmer climate or hibernate the whole winter (like bears do) or hide from the cold with enough food stored (like ants do); snow and rain to fall so as to form rivers down valleys, form lakes and water basins to prepare the land for the other drier seasons.

BUT MAN DEFIES NATURE: He challenges it for adventure, curiosity, pride, luxury, leisure, greed, superiority, power (not including situations of people forced to live in poverty or fleeing from persecution, which after all are the result of stealing and denying human beings God's providence and freedom for all humanity) We do not STOP to learn from God’s creation ! ...


When the hot Summer season is felt, animals and birds migrate to cooler climate. For us they can never compare to our intelligence BUT who gives them this instinct ? You answer ! Do we ever learn to bow down to nature and accept its power ?


The omnipotent God who lived as human among us, teaches us to be humble and live a simple life ! He lived so Himself ! Why do we complicate it ? Why do we give in to what the devil lures us - More work for more money for more extravagant holidays for more pleasures - even if they dry out like vapour as soon as we pack to go back to start work again ... & even just to be away from our 'dear' ones. What a disappointed and unhappy person is he who lives an envious and ego-centric life...But God is always ready to help us become conscious of the true happiness of wisdom in taking good decisions...focusing more on other's needs and offering a helping hand. 

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Non esisteva rischio valanga su Rigopiano -

Published on 24 Jan 2017

Il geologo teramano Leo Adamoli, tra i principali studiosi dei monti di Farindola, spiega il perchè il rischio valanga in quel luogo non è stato mai segnalato da alcuna carta geo-morfologica. Inoltre, il terreno sul quale è stata costruita la struttura recettiva era un conoide di detriti ma per Adamoli era solido nel sottosuolo. Si sarebbe trattato di una imprevedibile concentrazione di eventi negativi che ha portato al disastro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAtUZhIeFzY

Angelus: Pope Francis remembers victims of the avalanche at Hotel Rigopiano - Published on Jan 23, 2017

 

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Homilies for Holy Mass Readings for Friday of week 2 in Ordinary Time


Pope Francis: Forgiveness should change one's mindset - Published on Jan 20, 2017


Pope Mass: ‘Christians need to overcome a self-centered mindset’ - 2017-01-20 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has called on Christians to overcome the self-centered mindset of the doctors of the law who know only how to condemn. His words came at the morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta.

 

Heb 8:6-13

Psalm 84 (85), 8 u 10.11-12.13-14

GOSPEL - Mk 3:13-19

 

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-mass-christians-need-to-overcome-a-self-cente
 

 Taking inspiration from the Letter to the Hebrews, Pope Francis said the new covenant which God makes with us in Jesus Christ renews our heart. God renews all things “from the roots, not only in appearance”, he said. “This new covenant has its own characteristics.” First, he said, “the law of the Lord is not an external way of acting”; rather, it enters the heart and “changes our mindset”, as well as causing “a change of heart, a change of feeling, of way of acting, and a different way of looking at things.”

Overcoming the egotistical mentality of the doctors of the law who know only how to condemn

The Holy Father offered the example of a work of art, which an architect can behold either with cold envy or with joy and goodness.
“The new covenant changes our heart and allows us to see the law of the Lord with this new heart, with this new mindset. Consider the doctors of the law who persecuted Jesus. These men did everything prescribed by the law. But their mindset was distanced from God. Theirs was an egotistical mindset, focused on themselves: their hearts constantly condemned [others]. The new covenant changes our hearts and minds. There is a change in mindset.”

God forgives our sins; the new covenant changes our lives

The Lord, he added, “goes ahead” and assures us that God will pardon our iniquity and remember no longer our sins. “At times, I like to think about joking with the Lord: ‘You don’t have a good memory!’ This is the weakness of God: when God forgives, He forgets.”

“He forgets, because he forgives. Before a penitent heart, He forgives and forgets: ‘I will forget, I will not remember their sins’. But this too is an invitation not to remind the Lord of our sins, that is, to not sin any more: ‘You have forgiven me, you forgot.’ A change of life, a new covenant renews me and changes my life, not only the mindset and heart, but my life. To live without sin, far from sin: this is to recreate. This is how the Lord recreates us.”

The Lord changes our hearts to change our mindset

In conclusion, the Pope spoke about the ‘change of appearance’. He said, “We belong to God, other gods do not exist… A change of mindset changes the heart, life, and appearance.” He reiterated that this “is the recreation, which the Lord makes even more glorious than the first Creation.”

He then exhorted Christians to follow through with this covenant and to be ever true to it.

“The seal of this covenant is faithfulness, to be faithful to this work which the Lord has completed to change our mindset, to change our hearts. The prophets said, ‘But the Lord will change your heart of stone into a heart of flesh’:  To change one’s heart and life and to sin no more, not reminding the Lord that He has forgotten our sins.”

(from Vatican Radio)

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Jan 20 - Homily: Christian Unity and the Covenant - Published on 20 Jan 2017

 

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January 16 - Berard, priest, and companions, protomartyrs, I Order -- Memorial

 

 

Tifkira Franġiskana ta'
SAN BERARDU U SHABU
PROTOMARTRI FRANGISKANI

Berardu, Pietru, Akkursju, Adjutu u Ottone kienu l-ewwel hames missjunarji li baghat San Frangisk lejn l-artijiet tal-missjoni. Kif dawn waslu Spanja ma tawx kas tal-periklu u qabdu jippritkaw il-Bxara t-Tajba tal-Vangelu fil-moskej tal-Musulmani. Malajr qabduhom u haduhom quddiem is-sultan u dan amar li jixhtuhom il-habs. Imbaghad keccewhom lejn il-Marokk, izda qalulhom biex ma jibqghux jippritkaw izjed id-duttrina Nisranija. Imma huma xorta wahda baqghu jaqdu dmirhom bi qlubija kbira. Ghalhekk regghu qabduhom, tawhom bosta torturi horox u qatghuhielhom ghall-mewt. Il-qaddisin hadu l-martirju ta’ qtugh ir-ras nhar is-16 ta’ Jannar 1220. Meta San Frangisk sema’ b’dan il-martirju msebbah qal: “Issa nista’ nghid b’wicci minn quddiem li ghandi fl-Ordni tabilhaqq hames Patrijiet Minuri.” L-igsma tal-Martri ttiehdu lejn Coimbra fil-Portugall, u meta Sant’Antnin ta’ Padova, li sa dak iz-zmien kien ghadu Kanonku Agostinjan, sema’ l-grajja ta’ dawn il-hames Frangiskani, qataghha li jsir Frangiskan huwa wkoll biex, jekk tkun ir-rieda ta’ Alla, bhalhom imut martri. Il-Protomartri Frangiskani kitibhom fl-album tal-qaddisin il-Papa Frangiskan Sistu IV fl-1481.

Jan 16 - Homily - Fr Alan: Love casts out all fear  


 

 

 

Jan 16 - Homily: True Friars Minor - St. Berard & Companion Protomartyrs


 

http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/st-berard-and-companions.html
St Berard and Companions, Protomartyrs of the Franciscan Order – January 16

When our holy Father St Francis learned by divine revelation that God had called him and the members of his order not only to personal perfection but also for the salvation of the souls of others, he entertained an ardent desire to convert the Mohammedans, whose inroads at that time frequently endangered Christian countries and the Christian Faith.

While he himself and a companion traveled to the Orient in order to approach the Sultan, he sent 6 of the brethren to the Mohammedans in the West; Votalis, Berard, Peter, Accursius, Adjutus, and Otho.

On the journey, Vitalis, the superior, fell sick in Spain, and when his illness refused to mend, he submitted to the will of God and remained behind, while he permitted his brethren under the guidance of Berard to proceed.

At Seville, in southern Spain, which the Mohammedans occupied at the time, St Berard and Companions preached fearlessly in the mosque that the teaching of Mohammed was falsehood and deceit, and that salvation could be found only in the Faith of Christ.

Burning with rage, the Mohammedan ruler, who had been listening to them, ordered that their heads be cut off at once. But his son, who was with him, appeased the anger of his father, and at his suggestion the friars were permitted to sail across the sea to Morocco.

This was quite in accordance with their wishes, since there among the Saracens they were right in the midst of the Mohammedan people. Coming upon a group of Saracens, Berard, who had a good command of the Arabic language, began at once to preach the Faith of Christ to them.

On another day when King Miramolin and his suite appeared on the scene, he again fearlessly preached the doctrine of Christ and called Mohammed an imposter. The king gave orders that Berard and his companions should be expelled from the country; but they escaped from their guards and returned a second and then a third time.

Then it happened that on their way through the desert St Berard and Companions came upon the royal army, which was nearly perishing because of thirst and could find no water anywhere. Berard prayed, struck his staff upon the ground, and at once a spring bubbled forth, which refreshed and saved the entire army.

More gently disposed because of this miracle, the king ordered the brethren to appear in his presence, and promised them wealth, positions of high honor, and all the conveniences of life if they would remain with him and become Mohammedans. But the champions of the Faith answered:

"We despise all those things for the sake of Christ."

They proceeded to urge upon the king the necessity of his conversion to their Faith. Stung by disappointment as well as by their audacity, Miramolin then seized his sword and split the head of everyone in turn.

Thus St Berard and Companions obtained the martyr's palm on January 16, 1220. Pope Sixtus IV canonized them in 1481 after many miracles had occurred through their intercession.

*from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm.

 

 

 

 

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40 tips to remain Catholic in college revealed in this new book by Aurora Griffin

How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard

40 Tips for Faithful College Students

http://www.ignatius.com/Products/SCH-P/how-i-stayed-catholic-at-harvard.aspx

Yes, there are faithful Millennials who stay Catholic at college

http://catholicphilly.com/2016/11/think-tank/commentaries/yes-there-are-faithful-millennials-who-stay-catholic-at-college/






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Psalm 115 --- Pope: ‘Christian hope born of trust in God’s Word’ --- Salm 115

Psalm 115New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Psalm 115

The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God

¹ Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
² Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”

³ Our God is in the heavens;
    he does whatever he pleases.
⁴ Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
⁵ They have mouths, but do not speak;
    eyes, but do not see.
⁶ They have ears, but do not hear;
    noses, but do not smell.
⁷ They have hands, but do not feel;
    feet, but do not walk;
    they make no sound in their throats.
⁸ Those who make them are like them;
    so are all who trust in them.

 

⁹ O Israel, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹¹ You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.

 

¹² The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both small and great.

 

¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase,
    both you and your children.
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

 

¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
    but the earth he has given to human beings.
¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord,
    nor do any that go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord
    from this time on and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

 

 

Pope at Audience: ‘Christian hope born of trust in God's Word, not idols’ - 2017-January-11 Vatican Radio
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-audience-christian-hope-born-of-trust-in-g


 

 

Pope: ‘Christian hope born of trust in God’s Word’

 

 

 

 

115 (113B). Il-Mulej waħdu hu Alla

 

[S:115:1] Mhux lilna, Mulej, mhux lilna,

iżda lil ismek sebbaħ,

għat-tjieba u l-fedeltà tiegħek.

[S:115:2] Għaliex għandhom jgħidu l-ġnus:

"Fejn hu Alla tagħhom?"

[S:115:3] Fis-smewwiet hu Alla tagħna;

hu jagħmel kull ma jogħġbu.

[S:115:4] Fidda u deheb huma l-allat tagħhom,

xogħol ta' idejn il-bniedem.

[S:115:5] Għandhom il-fomm, u ma jitkellmux;

għandhom l-għajnejn, u ma jarawx;

[S:115:6] għandhom il-widnejn, u ma jisimgħux;

għandhom l-imnieħer, u ma jxommux;

[S:115:7] għandhom l-idejn, u ma jmissux;

għandhom ir-riġlejn, u ma jimxux;

ebda leħen ma joħroġ minn fommhom.

[S:115:8] Bħalhom ikunu dawk li jagħmluhom,

u dawk kollha li jittamaw fihom.

[S:115:9] Iżrael ittama fil-Mulej;

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħhom.

[S:115:10] Dar Aron ittamaw fil-Mulej;

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħhom.

[S:115:11] Dawk li jibżgħu mill-Mulej ittamaw fil-Mulej;

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħhom.

[S:115:12] Il-Mulej jiftakar fina u jberikna;

ibierek 'il dar Iżrael,

ibierek 'il dar Aron.

[S:115:13] Ibierek 'il dawk li jibżgħu mill-Mulej,

kemm iż-żgħar u kemm il-kbar.

[S:115:14] Ikattarkom ħafna l-Mulej,

lilkom u 'l uliedkom.

[S:115:15] Mberkin intom mill-Mulej,

li għamel is-sema u l-art.

[S:115:16] Is-smewwiet huma s-smewwiet tal-Mulej;

imma l-art hu taha lill-bnedmin.

[S:115:17] M'humiex il-mejtin li jfaħħru l-Mulej,

anqas ħadd minn dawk li jmorru fis-skiet;

[S:115:18] imma aħna li nbierku l-Mulej,

minn issa u għal dejjem.

 

Hallelujah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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