World Day of Prayer here at St. Ben's March 4th

World Day of Prayer 2016

Women, men and children in more than 170 countries and regions will celebrate World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 4, 2016.  This year the women of Cuba call us into worship considering the words “Receive children, receive me.”  With these words as backdrop, we are invited to learn about Cuba’s history and rich cultural diversity.  

World Day of Prayer was founded on the idea that prayer and action are inseparable in the service of God’s realm.  Services begin at sunrise in the Pacific and follow the sun across the globe.  Each year a different country’s committee serves as writer of the worship service.

The gathering for the Eggertsville/Snyder faith communities will be held at St. Benedict’s Church on Friday March 4 at 1 p.m.  Everyone is invited to participate.  Refreshments will follow.

Parish Retreat March 6-9

Mary, Mother of the Living Gospel!

From Pope Francis - 

a prayer to Mary 

to help us bring the Gospel to life today....

Mary, Virgin and Mother,
you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,
welcomed the word of life
in the depths of your humble faith:

as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,
help us to say our own “yes”
to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Filled with Christ’s presence,
you brought joy to John the Baptist,
making him exult in the womb of his mother.

Brimming over with joy,
you sang of the great things done by God.

Standing at the foot of the cross
with unyielding faith,
you received the joyful comfort of the resurrection,
and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit
so that the evangelizing Church might be born.

Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection,
that we may bring to all the Gospel of life
which triumphs over death.

Give us a holy courage to seek new paths,
that the gift of unfading beauty
may reach every man and woman.

Virgin of listening and contemplation,Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast,

pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are,
that she may never be closed in on herself
or lose her passion for establishing God’s kingdom.

Star of the new evangelization,
help us to bear radiant witness to communion,
service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor,
that the joy of the Gospel
may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world.

Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones,
pray for us.

Amen. Alleluia!
(Evangelii Gaudium, 288)

Mini-Retreat Feb. 23 - 9am to noon

Lenten Mini-Retreat

Need to go a little deeper this Lent? 

Join us for a short retreat at St. Benedict's.

All are welcome.

Saturday 23 February 2013

We will begin with 9am Mass together in Church, followed by a light breakfast, then prayer and study.

Please feel free to invite others too!  All are welcome.

Let the Holy Spirit work in you! 

Spend this short period of prayer exploring the interconnectivity of the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

5 Techie Lenten ideas

Lent is the Church's yearly penitential "training camp."  We go back to the basic Christian practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving (acts of charity) to refresh our relationship with God and our fellow human beings who were made in God's image and likeness. Take a look at Matthew chapter 6 often this Lent.

Here are five Lenten ideas for "techie" Catholics:

1) GO COLD TURKEY - disconnect for 40 days.  No Tweets, no FB posts, no LinkedIn updates, no email, no texts...nada!  Spend the time you would have spent on technology in prayer.  This is for the strong willed though; be warned - it isn't easy! 

2) PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST! - change your PC, iPad and Smartphone "backgrounds" to an icon of Jesus for Lent and Holy Week.  Say "Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!" every time you see Him.  Then offer a prayer for His special ones - the poor, the homeless, the persecuted, aborted children, victims of war, the forgotten elderly, etc.

3) TWEET AND FACEBOOK JESUS - make it a point to tweet or post to FB something about Jesus and your faith everyday during Lent. This is a good time to examine your "techie" conscience too...are you using technology to proclaim the Gospel or simply for personal gain?

4) PHOTO PRAYER - randomly go through your digital pics and say a prayer for everyone you see. Does someone in your photo album need a call from you?  a note?   an email?   a visit?    forgiveness?

5) A DOLLAR FOR THE POOR - every time you post a photo of yourself, or your cute kitty, or your amazing dog, give a dollar to Catholic Charities or Catholic Relief Services. 

Happy Lent!
from your friends at St. Benedict's Parish, Amherst NY.

O Emmanuel - Vespers Antiphon 23 December

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the long awaited hope of the nations, Savior of all people; O come, our Lord and God, set free the people whom you love.

BIBLICAL SOURCE:
Isaiah 7:14

O King - Vespers Antiphon 22 December

O King of all nations, the desired One of their hearts, the cornerstone that joins in one the peoples sin had kept apart. O come, and save man whom you formed from earth and dust.

BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 9:6
Isaiah 2:4
Isaiah 28:16

O Daystar - Vespers Antiphon 21 December

note - this antiphon is sung
on the "darkest" day of the year
in the Northern Hemisphere.

O Daystar, (O Oriens) splendor of eternal light and Sun of Justice, O come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 9:2
Isaiah 60:1-2
Malachi 4:2
Micah 3:20

O Key of David - Vespers Antiphon 20 December

O Key of David and Power of the house of Israel, what you unlock, no man can close, for you alone can bind fast. Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 22:22
Isaiah 9:7
Isaiah 42:7

O Root of Jesse - Vespers Antiphon 19 December

O Root of Jesse, sign of peace, before whom all nations stand in awe: kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. O come, and set us free; delay no longer in your love.

BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 11:1
Isaiah 11:10
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 45:14
Isaiah 52:15

O Lord - - Vespers Antiphon 18 December

O Lord and Giver of the Law on Sinai, the Leader of your chosen people Israel, appearing in the burning bush, revealed to Moses face to face, O come, stretch out your mighty arms to set us free.

BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 11:45
Isaiah 33:32
Exodus 3:2
Exodus 24:12

O Wisdom - Vespers Antiphon 17 December

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God's mouth, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come, and teach us all the ways that lead to life.

BIBLICAL SOURCES:
Isaiah 11:2-3
Isaiah 28:29
Sirach 24:3
Wisdom 8:1

The O Antiphons - an introduction

Today we begin our Advent reflections on the "O Antiphons" or "Great Antiphons."  These are the beautiful, biblically-based acclamations that cry out for the coming of the Messiah in late Advent. 

Catholics sing one of the "O Antiphons" at Evening Prayer (Vespers) from the 17th of December through the 23rd. Keeping this tradition in the digital age, we will post the O Antiphon for each of these days to help you pray for the coming of Christ and join us in this ancient Catholic tradition.  The Antiphon in English, its main Biblical sources, and a video of the Latin chant comprise each blog post.

Today we simply provide the historical background on the Antiphons.

The exact origin of the "O Antiphons" is not known. Boethius (480–524/5) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time.

At the Benedictine Saint Benedict Abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community.

By the eighth century, they were in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the "O Antiphons" was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases "Keep your O" and "The Great O Antiphons" were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the "O Antiphons" have been part of Western liturgical tradition since the very early Church.

The Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one—Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia—the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, "Tomorrow, I will come". Therefore Jesus, whose coming Christians have prepared for in Advent and whom they have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to them: "Tomorrow, I will come." So the "O Antiphons" not only bring intensity to their Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

 - Wikipedia, Saunders, William, What are the "O Antiphons"?, CatholicEducation.org, retrieved 30 November 2009.

Youth Ministry Leadership Training

Youth Ministry Leadership Training Program

Are you new?  Maybe you're looking for help and direction as you get started in youth ministry.

Or maybe you're not new.  Maybe you've been around long enough to begin to know what you don't know yet - and you're anxious for some answers to the important questions you've run into.

No matter which category you're in, you are invited to

Level I of the Youth Ministry Leadership Training Program. 


Level I covers the topics of:
Introduction to Catholic Youth Ministry
(including an overview of the vision of youth ministry, plus legal and liability issues) 

Who Are Adolescents Today?
(and how do they develop - physically, emotionally, morally, spiritually?) 

Relating to Youth
(how to connect with youth and still set appropriate boundaries) 

Building Community with Youth
(it's not just about the newest icebreaker!) 

Praying with Youth
(they'll go deep if we help lead them or let them!) 

Join us! 

Level I is presented in three sessions:
Thursday, October 27 - 6:30 to 9:00 PM (Intro to Catholic Youth Ministry)
Thursday, November 3 - 6:30 to 9:00 PM (Who are Adolescents?)
Saturday, November 5 - 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (remaining topics)

All sessions take place at:
St. Benedict's Parish
1317 Eggert Road
Amherst, New York 14226
(use the Westfield parking lot)

Download a registration form or contact Heather Hoffman for more details.

9/11 Interfaith Prayer Service - Eggertsville

You may also be interested in the 9/11  prayers and remembrances on the US Catholic Bishops' website - http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/september-11/

Thoughts on the Lord's Prayer - M. Smith

Knowing a Prayer Backwards + Forwards
by Matthew R. Smith

I am a self-diagnosed dyslectic:
I am a terrible speller, slow reader,
I am always inverting letters and numbers, and it seems like
I am always getting things backwards;
but I am not complaining,
these problems also have there pluses and perks.

It is helpful to read scripture, philosophy, poetry,
theology, and other scholarly writing, slowly...
(and these are all genres I enjoy),
and sometimes I find that by turning things around
I can see things in new, important and meaningful ways.

The Lord's Prayer is a good example, it is
so familiar,
so central to the Christian faith, and repeated
so many times throughout the life of a Christian,
that I think all Christians would say they know that prayer
"backwards and forwards"...
but have you ever actually read the prayer backwards?

I have.

I think such an exercise is beneficial,
but before I explain why,
I have to turn you around and take you back in time,
back to the "Old" Testament (which would have
been the primary Sacred Scriptures for Jesus and the first disciples),
the book of Exodus takes central stage in the story of
the Hebrew people and the Jewish faith.

It is in the story of the book of Exodus we read:
that Moses encounters God in the burning bush,
that Moses receives the Ten Commandments
(the core teachings of the faith),
that Moses leads an enslaved people to freedom.

It is in the book of Exodus that an oppressed, estranged and persecuted
people are freed from bondage and formed into a people
under God's direction in search for the promised land.

The Exodus experience lays at the heart of the Jewish faith.

Could it be that, just as The Last Supper is a recapitulation of
the Passover (also part of Exodus), that the Lord's Prayer is
a recapitulation, a retelling, a re-imagining of the whole Exodus
story?

Exodus and the Lord's Prayer
Jesus was a Jew. Jesus was a Rabbi.
Jesus was steeped in Scripture (the "Old" Testament).
Jesus would have used the Hebrew Scripture just as Christians focus on the
New Testament. When Jesus prayed, the stories of the Sacred Scripture
would have been part of his religious world view. The Exodus experience
would have been part of his "religious DNA." To get inside the Lord's
Prayer, to pray as Jesus did, we need to think like a Jew, we need to
think like a Rabbi.


DELIVER US FROM EVIL
Who ends a prayer with the word "evil"? Jesus did.
Evil is a reality that most people would rather ignore (or mask),
but every time we pray the Our Father
we are asking to escape (and really be free of) this reality.
Is there evil in your life which you need deliverance from?
If you can not answer that question, then this prayer might not speak
strongly to you just now.

If you were a slave, if you were in bondage, if you were persecuted, if you did not have enough to eat,
if you were controlled and your life was not your own (of if you love someone who is suffering in this way)
then I think a prayer for deliverance would be more meaningful to you.

Israel, the promised land, was occupied
and ruled by the Roman Empire when Jesus
first taught the disciples how to pray.
The story of Exodus is the story of deliverance
from the evil of slavery in Egypt.
Exodus means "exit"... to leave.
The Hebrew people left evil and learned to
walk with God.

LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
As miraculous as it was for the Hebrew people to get out of Egypt,
perhaps the bigger miracle is that they did not go back on their of their own free will.
The wandering in the wilderness was difficult, even harder than being a slave
in some ways. Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.
The Hebrew people found their time in the desert filled with temptation,
and many times they gave into their desires.
At one point they worshiped other gods so that they might once again
have some of the comforts they once enjoyed.

FORGIVE US OUR DEBT AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS
The road from slavery to liberty was difficult and crooked;
they got lost and turned from God from time to time and needed forgiveness.

Because the Hebrew people were redeemed slaves, making sure other
people would not befall the same fate became part of their ethic.
Forgiveness of debt is expounded upon in the book of Leviticus
in the concept of Jubilee.
If we ask God to free us, we must be willing to free others.
Much of the world is in bondage and servitude today due to third world debt.
The Lord's Prayer is also a prayer of liberation.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
While the Hebrews were wandering in the wilderness God
gave them mana from heaven each day. A key way that the Hebrew
people made it to the promised land was they learned to rely on God
for their needs.

YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Freedom from Pharaoh did not mean the Hebrew people were free to
do what ever they wanted. The Exodus story is also about receiving the
Ten Commandments. Pharaoh's laws brought slavery and death, God's
laws bring true freedom and life. In the last decade there has been a
lot of talk about "regime change" whether it be Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan or
Iraq. The Exodus story is about regime change too... this time God is in charge.

YOUR KINGDOM COME
The hope of the freed people of Egypt was to find the promised land.
They sought Jerusalem "the abode of peace"... they sought to return to Eden
where once again there would be harmony and peace with God, neighbor and nature.

HALLOWED BE THE NAME
Among the Ten Commandment, the first four speak of the priority of God in life.
The third commandment specifically warns against the misuse of God's name.
This line of the Lord's Prayer also evokes the Epiphany, Moses' encounter
with God in the burning bush, where Moses learns the divine name as
he stands on holy ground.

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
God is both transcendent, beyond our realm of understand and also intimately related to us,
and cares for us, like a loving parent. God, according to the
Exodus story, hears the cry of the poor and intervenes in history bringing justice
and peace. God saves.


Now let's look at the Lord's prayer forward again.
The name "Jesus" means "Yahweh saves" or "God saves." When we pray the "Our Father" we become like our Savior, we are acknowledging that we are a child of God, like the Son of God, who seeks to bring the whole world to freedom, liberation and salvation.


Thanks for listening as I turned things upside down.
Sometimes by going backwards (like going on a retreat), it can help us to move forward.
In going back and seeing the importance of Exodus I believe we
can see the Lord's Prayer as a call for a new liberation
in our hearts and the world.


Further Reading: [I thought I may have been on to an original idea
so I googled "Exodus and the Lord's Prayer" and found someone beat
me to the idea over ten years ago... here is a very good paper].
http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Christian_Prayer.htm

Respect Life Ministry - St. Benedict's

RESPECT LIFE MINISTRY:

The Respect Life Ministry endeavors to increase the Culture of Life through our participation in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. In order to do this, we focus on prayer, education, community outreach and civic participation on a range of life issues including, but not limited to:

•ethical stem cell research
•abortion
•euthanasia
•capital punishment
•disability rights awareness
•Natural Family Planning vs. contraception

Information on life topics may be found in the bulletin and parish newsletter. More literature is available in the main foyer on the Respect Life bulletin board and pamphlet rack.

Meetings
Regular meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. All are welcome, but attendance is not mandatory. We welcome your participation on a variety of different levels and are looking for new ideas and opportunities in which to expand this ministry.

Parish Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe
Currently, St. Benedict's offers participation in a parish-wide devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of Life. Each month a new family takes our parish image of Our Lady of Guadalupe into their home and strives to pray as family each day for all life issues.

Holy Hour on the Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade - on or around 22 January. See the bulletin/parish facebook/twitter for exact schedule as the date nears.

We also encourage parishioners and interested visitors to participate in the National March of Life on or around 22 January every year.  See the bulletin/parish facebook/twitter for exact schedule as the date nears.

October Baby Item Collection
Each October, the Respect Life Ministry sponsors a month long baby item collection. Many thanks go out to all who contribute. We were also able to donate many items and diapers to St. Luke's Mission of Mercy for local mothers in need.

For information call the Rectory at 834-1041 or email Rectory@saintbenedicts.com.
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Pray for the Unemployed

Prayer for those seeking work

O God who works wonders,
You created us in your image and likeness.
We imitate You by using our talents and strength.
Help us fill the world with Your beauty, truth and goodness.
Bless those seeking work.
Fill them with peace and security.
Do not let them grow weary as they strive to be like You,
     the God who works wonders.
Help us all work to make Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
We ask this through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

It dawned on me today that we at St. Benedicts need to pray much more often and much more diligently for the unemployed and underemployed. After all, St. Benedict, our Patron Saint, summed up the lives of his monks quite simply - ora et labora - pray and work.

The Church has amassed a wealth of deep thinking on the inherent, God-given dignity of human work.  I am thinking of Pope John Paul the Great's "On Human Work" just to name one example. Click here to read it -http://bit.ly/hPjYLe  Our Catholic social teachings on the Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Person naturally lead Catholics to think deeply about work. 

Even here at St. Benedict's, a parish that has been blessed by God in so many ways, I know firsthand of the suffering many of our families go through due to unemployment or underemployment.  It is often emotionally, economically, and socially devasting.  I can remember the terror that gripped me when I was briefly between jobs at a point in my life.  I want the unemployed and underemployed to know how much we are with them in their time of suffering. You are not forgotten.

Looking ahead - perhaps this is the time to begin thinking of practical things our parish can do to honor workers and to support the unemployed.  It would be great if some of our wise lay people got together and developed a small scale program in this regard.  Lay people are truly the geniuses in this area.  St. Benedict's has so many businessmen and businesswomen, attorneys, bankers, and financial sector workers, maybe the time is ripe for us to develop a program to focus on the dignity of human work.  Let's at a minimum start thinking in that direction a bit.  We do so much on the charitable side, maybe we can begin thinking in terms of practical job-creation/training measures too.

Let me know your ideas.

St. Benedict, pray for us!

[ADDITION 4 FEBRUARY 2011]
The following information was provided to me by Ms. Kathy Heffern from the Diocese of Buffalo.  It seems like a good first step for parishioners and others seeking work. Please contact them directly.

Contact: Katy Shafer, (716) 276-1117
e/mail: parachutegroup@gmail.com
http://www.parachutegroup.org/

Parachute Group Taps Talent of Former Members,
Area Professionals to Facilitate Job Search

For nearly four years the Parachute Group, a networking group for the un- or under-employed, has been conducting networking meetings at the Harlem Road Community Center at 4255 Harlem Road in Snyder, New York to help people in transition find an efficient path to area resources and, hopefully, to their next position.

The group was formed as a resource to address the needs of both downsized individuals and those seeking a career change. Says co-founder, Katy Shafer,“We started this group as a resource for people in transition. The message everywhere was ‘You have to network to find a job,’ but someone looking for work doesn’t always know where – or how -- to begin. The group was started as a volunteerism effort to provide a crucial networking forum and is also an opportunity to share ideas, contacts and resources. For almost four years, our group has provided a forum for hundreds of people.

“When people come to a Parachute Group meeting, they are free to take what they need from the group, so we find almost always they are willing to come back after they have found a position and talk to the group about their personal job-hunting experience. It’s can be very uplifting and helpful for those who are looking for a new position to hear the positive messages of those who have ‘landed.’”
The group provides participants with information on a variety of topics, including area programs designed to help find a job, information on subsidized health insurance and many other topics intended to help with the job search or ease the transition. Guest presenters are from the talented pool of professionals throughout the greater Buffalo area.

The Parachute Group is independent of any corporation, non-profit organization, governmental program or other affiliation. The group’s purpose is to provide a forum for networking, information and discussion. Anyone in transition is invited to participate. It is free and open to the public.

Meetings are held every Wednesday from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Harlem Road Community Center, 4255 Harlem Road (Community Room #1), Amherst, New York. Contact (716) 276-1117 for more information.

_______________________________________________

Out of work job seeker? Are you or is someone you know an out of work job seeker? Facing the challenge of being unemployed and working through this tough economy is tough enough. You don’t have to go it alone. Contact your Office of Family Life Ministries for your FREE packet containing practical resources, prayers, scripture support and programs designed to support you on your journey. Call 716-847-2210 or email familylife@buffalodiocese.org.
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California Dreaming & Litany

[UPDATE: Pope Francis canonized St. Junipero Serra on 24 September 2015 at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.  The feast day of St. Junipero Serra is 1 July.]

I have spent many summers in California, in fact, the Cali coast is one of my favorite places on earth! I love looking out over the Pacific toward Asia, sand beneath my feet, mountains and cliffs nearby, lots of warm sun... I cannot help but thank God in the midst of such natural beauty. (Not that Buffalo isn't great too, of course - let's not get too sensitive!)

I always think of my many visits to California on this day because July 1st is the Memorial of Blessed Junipero Serra.  American Catholics associate him with "Serra Clubs."  Serra Clubs promote vocations in the Church, especially vocations to the priesthood.

Blessed Junipero Serra was a Franciscan Friar who lived from 1713 to 1784. He was born in Spain, received his doctorate, and taught philosophy in Spain and in Mexico. He later presided over the Alta California mission chain, the work for which he is best known.  He was beatified by Pope John Paul the Great in 1988. The picture here is from Statuary Hall in the US Capitol Building.  Californians, even non-Catholic ones, are proud of his work in their state, notwithstanding the reticence on the part of some Native Americans groups. Detailed biographical information about Blessed Junipero is easily available on the internet if you would like to know more.

It's the Catholicism of Cali that strikes me when I'm there.  Some people catch it and others don't; but I'm struck everytime I visit by the Catholic heritage and practice of Californians.  I think part of the reason for this is that I walk a lot (like Junipero Serra, I might add).  I've noticed that car people miss people-stuff like religion and focus too much on garish things and places.

Nowhere was this Cali Catholicism more clear than in Los Angeles, originally, "Town of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels." When my wife and I walked the streets or took public transportation, rosary beads, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and praying people were everywhere, except in the touristy and upscale places, of course.  A homeless-looking person we saw on a bus was praying the rosary.  The corner drug stores in the neighborhoods we visited sold rosary beads and religious items. I have never felt as comfortable praying the rosary in public in the US as I did on the beach at Santa Monica. By the way, there is a giant statue of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, at the very end/beginning of Route 66!

One can read between the lines here too I guess: Mexican-Americans tend to be Catholics.  They are the ones on the streets, busses and subways in LA.  And the Church is with them. And so was I.

So many southern Californian cities have Catholic names that one could practically teach the Faith through them alone. This is due in large part to Bl. Junipero Serra and the Franciscan missionaries.  So here's my stab at a personal Californian Litany, purposely shmearing Spanish and English - it's more Catholic that way. 

Let's pray it throughout July for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life and lay leadership roles. 

Let us pray:
Most Holy Sacrament of the Body & Blood of Christ (Sacramento)...have mercy on us.
Our Lady Queen of the Angels...pray for us.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel...pray for us.
San Jose...pray for us.
San Mateo...pray for us.
San Miguel...pray for us.
San Rafael...pray for us.
Santa Ana...pray for us.
San Joaquin...pray for us.
San Francisco...pray for us.
Santa Clara...pray for us.
Santa Monica...pray for us.
San Bernardino...pray for us.
Santa Rosa...pray for us.
San Fernando...pray for us.
Santa Catalina...pray for us.
San Clemente...pray for us.
Santa Barbara...pray for us.
San Luis Obispo...pray for us.
San Diego de Alcala...pray for us.
Blessed Junipero Serra...pray for us.

Almighty and ever-living God,
Bless the Church with new laborers for Your vineyard.
Inspire each of us to work diligently to spread the Gospel.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

The "Jesus Prayer" is my favorite personal prayer.  It is simply a prayerful and reverent repetition of the words "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner." The prayer, with enough practice, becomes a constant mantra in one's heart so that one can literally obey St. Paul's dictate to "pray constantly" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There are variations on the words of the Jesus Prayer too.

It is often prayed on a knotted cord called a "komboschini" in Greek or a "chotki" in Russian as shown in the picture to the left. Komboschini come in different lengths, sometimes a bracelet-like ring of 33, sometimes in "rosaries" of 50 or 100 knots or more. While the knots are sometimes divided into groups of varying numbers, the prayer on each knot is always the same. This is different from the Roman Catholic Rosary on which we pray different prayers - Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be - while meditating on Mysteries.

The "Jesus Prayer" has its origins in the Desert Fathers.  The Desert Fathers were a group of monks in Egypt during the early centuries of the Church.  They dedicated their lives to prayer, fasting and holiness.  Throughout the centuries, the "Jesus Prayer" grew in popularity among Christians of the East. I recommend The Jesus Prayer: A Gift from the Fathers, by Fr. David Hester, a priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Church for an overview of the history of this prayer.

It should be noted that there are some tensions between Catholic and Orthodox theology over certain aspects of the "object" of the Jesus Prayer, but not over the Jesus Prayer itself. If you are feeling scholarly, you might wish to pursue research on these theological tensions by reading on "hesychasm" and the theology of Gregory Palamas, whom the Orthodox consider a saint.

There are two well-known books about the "Jesus Prayer." One is a very short Russian spiritual classic called The Way of the Pilgrim by an anonymous author.  The other work is a multi-volume collection on the Jesus Prayer called the Philokalia.

Pope John Paul the Great, in his Angelus Address of 11 August 1996 spoke of the Philokalia: ...Eastern spirituality has amassed a very rich experience which was vigorously presented in the famous collection of texts significantly entitled Philokalia (love of beauty") and gathered by Nicodemus the Hagiorite at the end of the 18th century. Down the centuries until our day, Eastern theological reflection has undergone interesting developments, not only in the classical areas of the Byzantine and Russian tradition, but also in the Orthodox communities scattered throughout the world. One need only recall, among the many studies worthy of mention, the Theology of Beauty elaborated by Pavel Nikolaievich Evdokimov, which is based on the Eastern art of the icon, and the study of the doctrine of "divinization" by the Orthodox scholar, Loth Borovine.


How many things we have in common! It is time for Catholics and Orthodox to make an extra effort to understand each other better and to recognize with the renewed wonder of brotherhood what the Spirit is accomplishing in their respective traditions towards a new Christian springtime.

While the Jesus Prayer is not yet as common among Western Christians as among Eastern Christians, it is growing in popularity.  I encourage you to take up the practice as well and call upon the Holy Name of Jesus. Perhaps this could be your new spiritual practice for Ordinary Time when the teachings, miracles and example of Jesus is our liturgical focus.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.