Tonight was a unique Easter for me. Having been invited to my daugher, Cynthia's, Easter Dinner, I was glad to go and enjoy all of my grandkids (15 in all) on this sunny Easter Sunday. With my 6 month old on my lap and other loving grandkids hanging on me, I thorougly enjoyed every thing. Of my six children, three were present with their spouses and children. It was totally enjoyable. But each person was enjoying their moments and having a great time until Cythia announced we were going to say the noven of Mercy and the Chaplet of Mercy -- as a family. Brian the husband of Cynthia gave good example as he started the novena and Chaplet of Mercy on his knees!
Even 4 year old Celina said the responses perfectly from memory. Brian says: "Eternal Father, we offer you the Body and Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ in attonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world." Then he says 10 times: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world." Celina chimed in the responses. Enfant baptism is surely seen here as a true wonderful thing. Cynthia's kids have a deep faith. Even ............- less than two - kisses a crucifix and carries it around like a doll. But he loves these images of Jesus. When he sees a medal on me, he takes it into his hands and puts it to my lips to kiss. I have never seen such devotion in a two year old.
What was the most marvelous thing in this Easter Family Prayer was this: there was a joyful unity of mind and heart and spirit in this family uniting in prayer. The Holy Spirit was binding all of us together. Fr. Peyton was so right: "The family that prays together stays together!"
Never until this momen were we all one! We before all enjoyed ourselves individually in being social; but this was different. This was holy; a unity of our beings...and a total cresendo of love for the Lord!
It all reminded me of my mom, 65 years ago. No matter who was over, friends or relatives, after dinner, she made us all kneel down and say the rosary. Dishes had to wait. No matter if our friendss were protestant; they had to say the rosary too. There were no conscientious objectors. Mom was the loving law! Boom! That was it. And there was that unity then. My sweet mom died saying the rosary. Her very last words were: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.." She took two small breaths and never exhaled. She died in the arms of Mary, her heavenly Mother! Our Lady never forgot that my mom said the rosary every day of her life! I have never seen a more peaceful and holy death as my mom's. When here vault was lowered into her grave, snow began to fall and fell into the grave and on the top of her vault. The snow complete coverd her name: "Carmen Zammit"! God was blessing His beloved daugher with the blessing of snow into the very grave. Now that is love!
Let us pray together as a family. No more unity can be experienced as a family.
Happy Easter, love, pio
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Pio's Proverb 222: Easter: this is the day the Lord has made. Let us be grad and rejoice in it."
Happy Easter! Jesus has taken all the sin, the darkness, the evil in this world into Himself and crucified that evil and now has made all things new in His Resurrection and Newness of LIfe!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
All of Nature is rejoicing and we see buds openning, the sun shining, the birds singing and celebrating the arrival of Spring! All is coming alive. All is Hope and Joy in the newness of Life in Jesus!
We belong to Jesus; and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Evil is not winning: God's love and joy and peace are winning!
Evil men did their best to get Jesus Cruified; but He go the last laugh because He died for those same men who crucified Him and asked the Father to forgive them for they did not know what they wre doing. But they did get the nails straight; how can they not know what they were doing? Jesus said that because He had said: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." And we know how we love ourselves: we always excuse our selves when doing wrong. So, Jesus excused them just as we all do this.
If you do not have joy today..then you need to go to Jesus as Peter did and profess that you love Jesus three times. Judas had no joy because his guild did not lead him to go to Jesus but only reliance on himself and the Jewish leaders who did not comfort him when he went to give them the money back. If Judas would have come back to Jesus, he would be called St. Judas today. Jesus is more wishing to forgive us than we are wishing to be forgiven. But Judas never trusted in Jesus - only in money, and his own notion of whom Jesus was to suppose to be: messiah that overthrows Roman oppression. But Jesus was trying to bring people to the Father not to polictical freedom from Rome. Jesus was trying to free us from the slavery of sin! His death and resurrection did that!
Let us really rejoice today because we are redeemed!!!!!!
Easter is a time of great joy and newness of life!..because Jesus said:
"I have come that you may have life; and have it abundantly.." --- now and forever!!
And in heaven, God will continue to reveal His Goodness and Love and wow us more and more..and give us an ever increasing joy and love and peace.
Love, pio Happy Easter!!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
All of Nature is rejoicing and we see buds openning, the sun shining, the birds singing and celebrating the arrival of Spring! All is coming alive. All is Hope and Joy in the newness of Life in Jesus!
We belong to Jesus; and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Evil is not winning: God's love and joy and peace are winning!
Evil men did their best to get Jesus Cruified; but He go the last laugh because He died for those same men who crucified Him and asked the Father to forgive them for they did not know what they wre doing. But they did get the nails straight; how can they not know what they were doing? Jesus said that because He had said: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." And we know how we love ourselves: we always excuse our selves when doing wrong. So, Jesus excused them just as we all do this.
If you do not have joy today..then you need to go to Jesus as Peter did and profess that you love Jesus three times. Judas had no joy because his guild did not lead him to go to Jesus but only reliance on himself and the Jewish leaders who did not comfort him when he went to give them the money back. If Judas would have come back to Jesus, he would be called St. Judas today. Jesus is more wishing to forgive us than we are wishing to be forgiven. But Judas never trusted in Jesus - only in money, and his own notion of whom Jesus was to suppose to be: messiah that overthrows Roman oppression. But Jesus was trying to bring people to the Father not to polictical freedom from Rome. Jesus was trying to free us from the slavery of sin! His death and resurrection did that!
Let us really rejoice today because we are redeemed!!!!!!
Easter is a time of great joy and newness of life!..because Jesus said:
"I have come that you may have life; and have it abundantly.." --- now and forever!!
And in heaven, God will continue to reveal His Goodness and Love and wow us more and more..and give us an ever increasing joy and love and peace.
Love, pio Happy Easter!!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Pio's Proverb 221: Gay and Lesbian Lobby
Dear Readers, I feel that both gay and lesbian people are made in the image and likeness of God and are God's creation - created for good and not evil. So that being said, that their goodness of creation does not mean that gay and lesbian marriage is ontologically possible or even desireable. If legalized, it will undermine the sacredness of marriage itself.
But the Gay and Lesbian lobby say that the want "marriage equality" - which is an oxymoron. For the very term "marriage equality" has the ears of 7 mayors in Rhode Island. And these mayors were a majority of the state's nine mayors.
Now let us just talk about euphanisms, because "marriage equality" takes the cake: "marriage equality!" That bit of illogic begs the question and is based on the False Major Premise that a gay marriage is a marriage. That is a presubposition not a true premise. Who said it was? Ontologically, a gay marriage is an oximoron and intrinsically an impossibility. But when a term is used: Marriage equality" that presupposes that a gay marriage an ontological possibility which is is not. "Marriage equality" means that husband and wife are equal - which they are. How did the gay agenda get into this. You cannot have "marriage equality" for gays when no marriage can ever exist between them. To legalize gay unions is just that -- giving a lega status tax wise for gay unions. But there is no marriage between them as much as two rocks can bet married. It is not the nature of rocks to get married; and it is not the nature of gays to be married. They cannot be married because marriage has been defined by the Natural Law as a union between one man and one woman.
Do gays feel that they are God and can change the Natural Law? Marriage between one man and one woman was defined in Genesis when Adam and Eve were married. God did not create Adam and Afred to get married. He did not create Eve and Evelyn to get married.
Guess gays want to rewrite Genesis and God's account of marriage. Guess gays feel that if they lobby hard enough and wave many rainbow banners that God will succomb to their demands. God created the 10 Commandments; and in those 10 Commandments there is no provision for gay rights. Why is that? Because God upholds the sanctity of the Marriage as HE PROPOSES not as the gay lobby proposes.
Peace and love, Pio Zammit
But the Gay and Lesbian lobby say that the want "marriage equality" - which is an oxymoron. For the very term "marriage equality" has the ears of 7 mayors in Rhode Island. And these mayors were a majority of the state's nine mayors.
Now let us just talk about euphanisms, because "marriage equality" takes the cake: "marriage equality!" That bit of illogic begs the question and is based on the False Major Premise that a gay marriage is a marriage. That is a presubposition not a true premise. Who said it was? Ontologically, a gay marriage is an oximoron and intrinsically an impossibility. But when a term is used: Marriage equality" that presupposes that a gay marriage an ontological possibility which is is not. "Marriage equality" means that husband and wife are equal - which they are. How did the gay agenda get into this. You cannot have "marriage equality" for gays when no marriage can ever exist between them. To legalize gay unions is just that -- giving a lega status tax wise for gay unions. But there is no marriage between them as much as two rocks can bet married. It is not the nature of rocks to get married; and it is not the nature of gays to be married. They cannot be married because marriage has been defined by the Natural Law as a union between one man and one woman.
Do gays feel that they are God and can change the Natural Law? Marriage between one man and one woman was defined in Genesis when Adam and Eve were married. God did not create Adam and Afred to get married. He did not create Eve and Evelyn to get married.
Guess gays want to rewrite Genesis and God's account of marriage. Guess gays feel that if they lobby hard enough and wave many rainbow banners that God will succomb to their demands. God created the 10 Commandments; and in those 10 Commandments there is no provision for gay rights. Why is that? Because God upholds the sanctity of the Marriage as HE PROPOSES not as the gay lobby proposes.
Peace and love, Pio Zammit
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Pio's Proverb 220: Obama Secular Religion is a Religion!nr:
Dear Readers,
Washington State is proposing that all its insurers pay for all abortions. Here is a quote from a secular Senate leader who backs such legislation:
Just listen in your heart to this quote:
"I'm down here making sure that my 17-year-old daughter has the kind of protections that we need in Washington state and that all of our kids have those same kinds of protections," Tom said to cheers.
Add to this quote what President Obama said that he wishes his own daughter to have this right to abortion in case she needs it. The words: "that all our kids have those same kind of protections" shows a kind of "legal lunacy" that does not give "protections" to "all our kids"!!! Is some people in Washington forgetting that "our kids" in the womb need protection, too!
You see, these kids in the womb do not enjoy the title of "our kids"! People in the pro-choice camp just do not see ontologically that these kids in the womb "ARE our kids!" LIfe does start a conception. No fetus in a human womb ever came to be a pig. What is in the womb is a human being, from conception and whom the 14th amendment must protect. The president and law makers now mandating that even religious institutions go against their conscience by paying for abortion only shows the secular-God-less society that keeps God out of the public square and out of the Insurers' policies.
You see, God is not out of the public square. Religion is not just for Sunday worship, it informs all we do, all we think, all we believe. To leave God or regulate Him to Sunday worship and not in our private and public lives is not what President Washington and President Lincoln did. Separation of Church and State does not mean separating God from public life; but it only means that the State cannot impose the establishment of a religion as Henry VIII did and those who did not conform were hanged drawn and quarters (many Catholic priests and parishioners were for saying and attending Mass).
Well, the fact is the President Obama HAS imposed his secular-God-less, religion on all of us with his mandates and with his contributing $500,000 to Planned Parenthood. President Obama DOES have a secular religion and is imposing this on all of us in the first anti-conscience mandate in history of the United States. He does NOT separate church and state. He is the new reign of political secular terror. The Secular Reign of Terror in France has a creed: "Liberte', Fraternite' and Equalite'" - those terms are echoed now in the abortion laws: Liberty of choice, Fraternite or "our kids", Equality or parity of choice. The whole "reign of terror" is back! And Pres. Obama is its leader; and the children in the womb are those who every day, suffer the guilltine!
I am pro-life because my God is pro-life and has given us the Fifth Commandment that speaks His mind.
Peace and Love, Pio Peter Zammit
ET comments:
Washington State is proposing that all its insurers pay for all abortions. Here is a quote from a secular Senate leader who backs such legislation:
Just listen in your heart to this quote:
"I'm down here making sure that my 17-year-old daughter has the kind of protections that we need in Washington state and that all of our kids have those same kinds of protections," Tom said to cheers.
Add to this quote what President Obama said that he wishes his own daughter to have this right to abortion in case she needs it. The words: "that all our kids have those same kind of protections" shows a kind of "legal lunacy" that does not give "protections" to "all our kids"!!! Is some people in Washington forgetting that "our kids" in the womb need protection, too!
You see, these kids in the womb do not enjoy the title of "our kids"! People in the pro-choice camp just do not see ontologically that these kids in the womb "ARE our kids!" LIfe does start a conception. No fetus in a human womb ever came to be a pig. What is in the womb is a human being, from conception and whom the 14th amendment must protect. The president and law makers now mandating that even religious institutions go against their conscience by paying for abortion only shows the secular-God-less society that keeps God out of the public square and out of the Insurers' policies.
You see, God is not out of the public square. Religion is not just for Sunday worship, it informs all we do, all we think, all we believe. To leave God or regulate Him to Sunday worship and not in our private and public lives is not what President Washington and President Lincoln did. Separation of Church and State does not mean separating God from public life; but it only means that the State cannot impose the establishment of a religion as Henry VIII did and those who did not conform were hanged drawn and quarters (many Catholic priests and parishioners were for saying and attending Mass).
Well, the fact is the President Obama HAS imposed his secular-God-less, religion on all of us with his mandates and with his contributing $500,000 to Planned Parenthood. President Obama DOES have a secular religion and is imposing this on all of us in the first anti-conscience mandate in history of the United States. He does NOT separate church and state. He is the new reign of political secular terror. The Secular Reign of Terror in France has a creed: "Liberte', Fraternite' and Equalite'" - those terms are echoed now in the abortion laws: Liberty of choice, Fraternite or "our kids", Equality or parity of choice. The whole "reign of terror" is back! And Pres. Obama is its leader; and the children in the womb are those who every day, suffer the guilltine!
I am pro-life because my God is pro-life and has given us the Fifth Commandment that speaks His mind.
Peace and Love, Pio Peter Zammit
ET comments:
Well said, Pio. Unfortunately, our "elected" officials care more about re-election than doing the right thing. They will allow people to kill their parents if they think it will get them elected.
But you are dead on about this POTUS. He has imposed, and continues to impose, HIS FORM of GODLESSNESS on us all. And the godless of the country grow stronger by his leadership. Making a mockery of Islam gets you thrown in jail, but making a mockery of Christianity wins you high praise. Laws are now being introduced, AND PASSED, FORCING ALL OF US TO PARTICIPATE in this lawless and godless behavior.
Unfortunately, when the government starts backing and even promoting the godless behavior, those who speak against it become paraiahs, and are slowly eliminated one way or the other. I love my children with all my heart, but wish I did not bring them into this godless, and what will be for them, unless they conform to the godlessness, awful world.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Pio's Proverb 219: "St. Joseph's Compassionate Heart!"
Dear Readers, Today is March 19, 2013 - the great feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph! The Church has had a documented devotion to St. Joseph recorded in the 40 year after Jesus' Death and Resurrection. It is believed that when Jesus released all those holy souls (From Adam and Eve to Abraham to St. John the Baptist) who were waiting for redemption and entrance into paradise, that many of these souls were seen or appeared in Jerusalem on first Good Friday. One of those holy spirits that appeared to many in Jerusalem was St. Joseph who probably comforted his wife, Mary, who has stood valiantly under the cross.
But St. Joseph's compassion for Mary on the day of her loss of Jesus was not his first manifestation of his Compassionate Heart. Let me recount the ways:
1) In today's Gospel, it says that Joseph did not wish to expose Mary to shame or stoning because she was pregnant not by her fiancee, Joseph, because everyone knew they were not fully married yet nor did they live together.
2) Therefore, thinking of Mary's safety and honor more than his own hurt, he decided to quietly divorce her. This was a very compassionate and merciful thing to do. So, his Compassionate Heart was truly being shown; and God saw his heart and blest him by relieving his worry and anxiety and hurt all at once. God sent an angel in a dream who said to Joseph: "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit." Wow..what a wonderful relief.
3) So Joseph obeyed this word from Lord and took Mary into his home as his wife.
4) More compassion was shown now because he honored her vow of virginity and gave up his natural husbandly desires to instead love her supernatually by celibately loving her in the way that most honored her position as Mother of God and by honoring her vow of virginity she had so guarded when the Angel Gabriel came to her. She said: "How can this be since I do not know man." She only consented to becoming Jesus' mother only when the angel assured her that "The Holy Spirit will come and overshadow you so that what is born is you shall be called the Son of God!" Mary was a virgin before, during birth and after birth of Jesus" The Greek Church always depicts Mary in Icons that have three small crosses that means: "Virgin before birth; Virgin during birth; Virgin after birth of Jesus." "During birth" means that Jesus was not born though the birth canal but was passed through her womb like He did after resurrection as he passed through the wall and said: "Peacet be to you."
5) It has been said that husband and wife begin to look alike because of a spiritually bonded and close marriage. They take on the looks of each other. I have seen this. Well, Mary and Joseph did both have this in common and also:
a) both were so open to the Word of God from angels;
b) both were so obedient to the Word of God from angels and from Jesus who is the Word of God.
c) both said their "Fiats to God" by both saying their "Yes" to the angels sent to them! (Fr. Nick).
So let us honor St.Jospeh today...the greatest saint in heaven after Our Lady, herself.
Compassionate Heart of St. Joseph, pray for us!
Please see the painting of the Compassionate Heart of St. Joseph (by Helen Foley) which did hang in the Church of St. Joseph in Down Town Detroit for many years. I ask my dearest brother, Joseph Cusumano, to send me this painting in a link or paste it into the comments so that all can see it soon! Thank you, Joseph! Amen.
Love, Pio. "St. Joseph, we love you!"
"Hail Joseph, full of the family of God, the Lord is with you in your arms. Blessed are you among me; and blessed is your son, Jesus. Holy Joseph, foster father of Jesus and husband of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of hour death amen!"
But St. Joseph's compassion for Mary on the day of her loss of Jesus was not his first manifestation of his Compassionate Heart. Let me recount the ways:
1) In today's Gospel, it says that Joseph did not wish to expose Mary to shame or stoning because she was pregnant not by her fiancee, Joseph, because everyone knew they were not fully married yet nor did they live together.
2) Therefore, thinking of Mary's safety and honor more than his own hurt, he decided to quietly divorce her. This was a very compassionate and merciful thing to do. So, his Compassionate Heart was truly being shown; and God saw his heart and blest him by relieving his worry and anxiety and hurt all at once. God sent an angel in a dream who said to Joseph: "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit." Wow..what a wonderful relief.
3) So Joseph obeyed this word from Lord and took Mary into his home as his wife.
4) More compassion was shown now because he honored her vow of virginity and gave up his natural husbandly desires to instead love her supernatually by celibately loving her in the way that most honored her position as Mother of God and by honoring her vow of virginity she had so guarded when the Angel Gabriel came to her. She said: "How can this be since I do not know man." She only consented to becoming Jesus' mother only when the angel assured her that "The Holy Spirit will come and overshadow you so that what is born is you shall be called the Son of God!" Mary was a virgin before, during birth and after birth of Jesus" The Greek Church always depicts Mary in Icons that have three small crosses that means: "Virgin before birth; Virgin during birth; Virgin after birth of Jesus." "During birth" means that Jesus was not born though the birth canal but was passed through her womb like He did after resurrection as he passed through the wall and said: "Peacet be to you."
5) It has been said that husband and wife begin to look alike because of a spiritually bonded and close marriage. They take on the looks of each other. I have seen this. Well, Mary and Joseph did both have this in common and also:
a) both were so open to the Word of God from angels;
b) both were so obedient to the Word of God from angels and from Jesus who is the Word of God.
c) both said their "Fiats to God" by both saying their "Yes" to the angels sent to them! (Fr. Nick).
So let us honor St.Jospeh today...the greatest saint in heaven after Our Lady, herself.
Compassionate Heart of St. Joseph, pray for us!
Please see the painting of the Compassionate Heart of St. Joseph (by Helen Foley) which did hang in the Church of St. Joseph in Down Town Detroit for many years. I ask my dearest brother, Joseph Cusumano, to send me this painting in a link or paste it into the comments so that all can see it soon! Thank you, Joseph! Amen.
Love, Pio. "St. Joseph, we love you!"
"Hail Joseph, full of the family of God, the Lord is with you in your arms. Blessed are you among me; and blessed is your son, Jesus. Holy Joseph, foster father of Jesus and husband of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of hour death amen!"
Monday, March 4, 2013
Pio's Proverb 218: Ultra Orthodox Jews are Ultra Pro-life!
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Expectant parents die in NY crash; infant survives
- View PhotoAssociated Press/John Minchillo - Members of the Satmar Orthodox Jewish community grieve over the coffins at the funeral for two expectant parents who were killed in a car accident, Sunday, March 3, 2013, in
NEW YORK (AP) — Police continue to search for the driver of a BMW and a passenger who fled an accident after slamming into a livery cab, killing a young pregnant woman and her husband. Their unborn baby survived.
The horrific crash happened in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn as the couple headed to a hospital, said Isaac Abraham, a neighbor of Raizy Glauber's parents who lives two blocks from where the crash happened.
The engine of the livery car ended up in the backseat, where Raizy Glauber, who was seven months pregnant, was sitting before she was ejected, Abraham said. Her body landed under a parked tractor-trailer, said witnesses who raced to the scene after the crash. Nachman Glauber was pinned in the car, and emergency workers had to cut off the roof to get him out, witnesses said.
The Glaubers both were pronounced dead at hospitals, and the medical examiner said they died of blunt-force trauma. Doctors performed a cesarean section on the mother to deliver the baby, a boy.
Their son was in serious condition, Abraham said. Neighbors and friends said the boy weighed only about 4 pounds. The Glaubers' livery cab driver was treated for minor injuries at the hospital and was later released. Both the driver of the BMW and a passenger fled and were being sought, police said.
On Saturday, Raizy Glauber "was not feeling well, so they decided to go" to the hospital, said Sara Glauber, Nachman Glauber's cousin. Abraham said the Glaubers called a car service because they didn't own a car, which is common for New Yorkers.
The Glaubers were married about a year ago and had begun a life together in Williamsburg, where Raizy Glauber grew up in a prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbinical family, Sara Glauber said.
Raised north of New York City in Monsey, N.Y., and part of a family that founded a line of clothing for Orthodox Jews, Nachman Glauber was studying at a rabbinical college nearby, said his cousin.
Brooklyn is home to the largest community of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside Israel, more than 250,000. The community has strict rules governing clothing, social customs and interaction with the outside world. Men wear dark clothing that includes a long coat and a fedora-type hat and often have long beards and ear locks.
Jewish law calls for burial of the dead as soon as possible, and hours after their deaths, the Glaubers were mourned by at least 1,000 people at a funeral outside the Congregation Yetev Lev D'Satmar synagogue.
Afterward, the cars carrying the bodies left and headed to Monsey, where another service was planned in Nachman Glauber's hometown.
Photo By John Minchillo 17 hrs ago- Photo By John Minchillo 17 hrs ago
- Photo By John Minchillo 17 hrs ago
- Photo By John Minchillo 17 hrs ago
- Photo By John Minchillo 21 hrs ago
- Photo By John Minchillo 21 hrs ago
- Photo By John Minchillo 21 hrs ago
- Photo By VosIzNeias.com, Shimon Gifter 13 hrs ago
- Photo By VosIzNeias.com, Eli Wohl 23 hrs ago
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Pio's Provert 217: "Lazarus + Lazarus = Christ"
Parables are suppose to have nameless characters so that we who hear the parable can easily place ourselves into the story and become one of the characters in the story. But Jesus breaks this rule just once -- as iterated today at Mass by Fr. David of the Piarist Mission Fathers in Easern Kentucky:
When Jesus tells the story of the nameless rich man who dines sumptiously day after day while he allows the beggar Lazarus to sit at his gate but gives him no food. Seems that he does not even share the left overs or scraps with Lazarus. Then Lazarus dies and go to the Bosom of Abraham: heaven. Soon after the rich man dies and is tormented in the flames of hades. The rich man can see Lazarus in the Bosom of Abraham and calls out to Abraham to let Lazarus dip his finger in water and so the once rich man could have his thrist quenched. But Abraham says: "My child (of Abraham), you in your life time have had good things whereas Lazarus had bad things; but now he is comforted here." But Abraham said: "Between you and us is a great chasm (abyss) so that no one can cross over from this side to yours and yours to ours." Then the rich man said: "Then at least send Lazarus to my brothers so that they will not end up here.." But Abraham said: "Your brothers have Moses and the Prophets. Let your brothers listen to them." But the rich man said: " O no, Father Abraham"; if you send someone from the dead, then they will be persuaded..." But Abraham responded: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe even if they see someone raised from the dead."
Wow! What a great story. It is a parable that is a foreshadowing of a coming real event. Jesus does in fact raise Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, after four days in the tomb onto life again. Now we know why Jesus broke his rule and did let one of his parables have a named character because let us look at the Pharisees response to Lazarus' resurrection/resusitation: noticing that many people were coming to believe in Jesus because of the miracle of rasing Lazarus from the dead, these religious lay leaders decided to plot to "kill Lazarus." "Unrepented Unbelief" is a deadly sin that kills the soul...both here and for all eternity! During this Lent, when the priest (Fr. Nick) placed ashes on our foreheads, he said like the prophet St. John would: "Repent and believe the Gospel!"
Now there is an old saying: "To those who believe, no proof is necessary; but for those who do not believe, no proof is possible." This is true with the Pharisees....and the words of the parable apply to them perfectly: "They will not believe even if some one rises from the dead." Now this comparison between the parable of Jesus and the actual event of raising Lazarus from the dead is the insight of Father David. I have been listening to sermonds for 70 years; and that was the first time I ever heard that comparison. And the comparison even gets better: Jesus is rises from the dead: "Destroy this temple; and in three days, I wil raise it up again." But the Pharisees bribe the Roman guards to say that Jesus' disciples came and stole the body away. One wonders that it would be so much easier and happier for the Pharisees to just believe in Jesus. But pride is the greatest of sins. It spawns all the other sins.
IN Eastern Kentucky, the Piarist Mission Fathers are building a new High School, college prep. They bought an old factory and collecting money to renovate it. I am hoping that Fr. Daved will read this blog and make comments. Seems that Colonel Harlan Sanders who amased a fortune from his Kentucky Fried Chicken empire, has started a Harlan Scholarship fund and endowed the U of Kentucky for those who wish to go to U of K (where I have attended myself in 1960). Any one who maitains a B average complete his bachelor degree and then go on to Law School at U of K...or to Medical School. Well, Fr. David's High School is going to prepare men and women for this chance to go on to college and post grad work. So, all you can do to help Fr. David would be appreciated. He is a wonderful man and full of the Holy Spirit..and looks just like "Fiar Tuck"of old Robin Hoods days..but this monk/Fr. David legitimately plans to "take from the rich and gives it to the poor!" In fact the "rich and the poor" are bonded together by the opportunity given to them in this new Christian/Catholic High School! But the Piarist Fathers have been feeding the poor in the Kentucky hills for many many years. So any donations to them goes to the poor. And Friar-Tuck-David would so appreciate your helping him to help the poor by ridding the forests in the Hills of Kentucky from hunger!
So, please donate to Fr. David at The Piarist Mission, Rt. 80, Box 870, Martin, Kentucy 41649 (606) 285-3950. These Fathers are truly doing God's work among the poor and have been doing this since 1583 when they were founded by St. Joseph Clalanz in Spain and have been here in the USA since 1940.
Thank you, peace and love, Pio
When Jesus tells the story of the nameless rich man who dines sumptiously day after day while he allows the beggar Lazarus to sit at his gate but gives him no food. Seems that he does not even share the left overs or scraps with Lazarus. Then Lazarus dies and go to the Bosom of Abraham: heaven. Soon after the rich man dies and is tormented in the flames of hades. The rich man can see Lazarus in the Bosom of Abraham and calls out to Abraham to let Lazarus dip his finger in water and so the once rich man could have his thrist quenched. But Abraham says: "My child (of Abraham), you in your life time have had good things whereas Lazarus had bad things; but now he is comforted here." But Abraham said: "Between you and us is a great chasm (abyss) so that no one can cross over from this side to yours and yours to ours." Then the rich man said: "Then at least send Lazarus to my brothers so that they will not end up here.." But Abraham said: "Your brothers have Moses and the Prophets. Let your brothers listen to them." But the rich man said: " O no, Father Abraham"; if you send someone from the dead, then they will be persuaded..." But Abraham responded: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe even if they see someone raised from the dead."
Wow! What a great story. It is a parable that is a foreshadowing of a coming real event. Jesus does in fact raise Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, after four days in the tomb onto life again. Now we know why Jesus broke his rule and did let one of his parables have a named character because let us look at the Pharisees response to Lazarus' resurrection/resusitation: noticing that many people were coming to believe in Jesus because of the miracle of rasing Lazarus from the dead, these religious lay leaders decided to plot to "kill Lazarus." "Unrepented Unbelief" is a deadly sin that kills the soul...both here and for all eternity! During this Lent, when the priest (Fr. Nick) placed ashes on our foreheads, he said like the prophet St. John would: "Repent and believe the Gospel!"
Now there is an old saying: "To those who believe, no proof is necessary; but for those who do not believe, no proof is possible." This is true with the Pharisees....and the words of the parable apply to them perfectly: "They will not believe even if some one rises from the dead." Now this comparison between the parable of Jesus and the actual event of raising Lazarus from the dead is the insight of Father David. I have been listening to sermonds for 70 years; and that was the first time I ever heard that comparison. And the comparison even gets better: Jesus is rises from the dead: "Destroy this temple; and in three days, I wil raise it up again." But the Pharisees bribe the Roman guards to say that Jesus' disciples came and stole the body away. One wonders that it would be so much easier and happier for the Pharisees to just believe in Jesus. But pride is the greatest of sins. It spawns all the other sins.
IN Eastern Kentucky, the Piarist Mission Fathers are building a new High School, college prep. They bought an old factory and collecting money to renovate it. I am hoping that Fr. Daved will read this blog and make comments. Seems that Colonel Harlan Sanders who amased a fortune from his Kentucky Fried Chicken empire, has started a Harlan Scholarship fund and endowed the U of Kentucky for those who wish to go to U of K (where I have attended myself in 1960). Any one who maitains a B average complete his bachelor degree and then go on to Law School at U of K...or to Medical School. Well, Fr. David's High School is going to prepare men and women for this chance to go on to college and post grad work. So, all you can do to help Fr. David would be appreciated. He is a wonderful man and full of the Holy Spirit..and looks just like "Fiar Tuck"of old Robin Hoods days..but this monk/Fr. David legitimately plans to "take from the rich and gives it to the poor!" In fact the "rich and the poor" are bonded together by the opportunity given to them in this new Christian/Catholic High School! But the Piarist Fathers have been feeding the poor in the Kentucky hills for many many years. So any donations to them goes to the poor. And Friar-Tuck-David would so appreciate your helping him to help the poor by ridding the forests in the Hills of Kentucky from hunger!
So, please donate to Fr. David at The Piarist Mission, Rt. 80, Box 870, Martin, Kentucy 41649 (606) 285-3950. These Fathers are truly doing God's work among the poor and have been doing this since 1583 when they were founded by St. Joseph Clalanz in Spain and have been here in the USA since 1940.
Thank you, peace and love, Pio
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