Questions for Rev. Fr. Boniface
I am a baptized Christian and I go to mass when I have the time and give monetarily to the church. Is that not enough for faith living?
Do you see the economic downturn as a punishment from God as a result of our sin? This is something I am struggling with. If God is good than why are we going through all this?
A priest once encouraged me to fast and I fasted without eating for two days. For those two days I was always having anger problems with the people around me. Does that in any way affect my fasting?
Topic: Searching
PRAYER
Poster: Jane
Date: 9-3-2009
Dear Father Boniface,
I have a son in college who at family prayer will never say a word and will always tell me God always hears everything that goes on in his mind. Is there any kind of prayer you pray without voicing it out?
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Dear Jane,
Traditionally there are two kinds of prayer–the vocal prayer and the mental prayer. The vocal prayer is praying out loud. The vocal prayer also includes reciting the rosary, expressing your thoughts verbally. Another form of prayer is the mental prayer. This is the prayer of the heart in which we reverence God in the silence of heart. We also recall in His majesty, His immensity and goodness. It is also a form of prayer in which we reflect on divine things such as the sacrament, heaven, and the state of our souls and life to come. The essence of this prayer is to inspire pious affections and good resolutions.
With sentiments of love, therefore, we will embrace whatever blessing God intends to give to us. Without the use of words, we can think affectionately and interestedly of God and of His divine truth. If your child says the prayers from the heart, he meant this kind of prayer. It is also possible for some reason he is not praying at all and he doesn’t want to pray. All I can say to you is to leave it to his conscience and allow him to pray the best way that befits his personality. Asking him to pray the same way that you pray is not being fair to him. It becomes a controlling mechanism.
PRAYER
Good Lord, I beseech Thee through my solemn prayer, that I may receive Your perpetual favor since the human frailty without they cannot stand. Keep my favor ever flowing by Your grace and let it lead to things profitable for my salvation and that of the whole world.
Amen.
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Topic: 9/11
Poster: Emeka
Date: 9-3-2009
Dear Father,
I lost a dear friend during 9/11. I have been praying for him. He was a faithful Christian. I really want to know if he’s in heaven.
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Dear Emeka,
I am not a fortune teller or astrologist. And by the way don’t believe what they say to you about your future as the dead. It is not biblical to consult mediums. Those people work with familiar spirits, which is against the Bible. The good news is that your friend died at the time God really wanted him to go and I am happy that he was a Christian, which gives him an edge. How he will be judged is best known to God. All your friend will expect you to do for him is to continue to pray for him and leave the rest to God.
PRAYER
Heavenly Lord, Help me to always be prepared and never to be tricked by the devil and to begin to lead a life of licentiousness. I know and I believe that you have created me for a purpose. Give me the grace to continue to work in line with that purpose so that at the end of my journey here on earth, I will reassemble with those who have gone before me marked with the sign of faith and together we will glorify your name forever. Amen
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Topic: Salvation
Poster: Doris
Date: 9-3-2009
Dear Father,
A friend of mine once said to me that Catholics will not be saved because they are not born again. Is it true and what is your advice?
Dear Doris,
Your question reminded me of a gospel episode where a young man asked Jesus, “What must I do to be saved?” Your Protestant friend may have a different perspective to the concept of salvation however it would be wise for me to teach you about the biblical teachings, the Church teaching, and that of the apostolic fathers.
Salvation is a free gift offered to us by God. The redemptive price was paid by Jesus Himself. Therefore our initial forgiveness and justification were taken care of by Christ as he bridged the gap of sin that separated us from God. (1Tim 2:5, 1 Cor. 3:9) From the above it was easy for the church to decode that we are saved by grace and not by faith alone. (James 2:24) Nothing preceding Justification earns Grace.
The good news is that God plants love in our hearts to live out our faith by doing acts of love. (Gal 6:2) Our daily life will speak for itself if we truly appreciate the salvation offered to us or not. Hence in line with the biblical injunction the Church will invite us to embrace baptism and further help us nourish the grace of final baptism until the final day the Lord calls us back into His heavenly bosom. Determining who is saved is best decided by God and is also based on the choices we made while here on earth.
PRAYER
My Lord and my God, I thank you for giving me the grace to be a missionary to our broken world. May my Christian baptism remain ever active and alive as I relate with my world, May I continue to be a source of inspiration, strengthening, healing, loving, and reconciling. Let Your name be glorified in my life today. Give me the grace to smile as You would do to everyone in need of hope and let the happiness I share with them to address and solve their problem once and for all. Amen
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Topic: Grudges
Poster: Carmela
Date: 8-29-2009
Dear Father,
I have many grudges that I have been harboring against my one-time business partner. I never did anything harmful against him, but I know within me the grudge is still there. Have you any advice for me?
Dear Carmela,
I guess you are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, particularly with the part that says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. When you retain any grudge, you are blocking the Holy Spirit from taking absolute control of your heart which is supposed to be the Spirit’s natural temple, because darkness and light cannot be in the same place.
You may not act it out by any physical manifestation, but there are malicious intents and wishes that could be going on in your mind, particularly when you come in contact with this person. You need to break the stronghold of grudges. Turn those grudges into love and leave the vengeance to God alone. One thing you must realize is that when you remove grudges from your mind, you are no longer the victim, but the victor. You can then control the situation instead the grudge controlling you.
Your friend may have treated you in a very bad way, but don’t worry for the Bible has the answer for the situation. For there are sins that cry out to heaven for divine justice:
A.) The blood of Abel – Gen 4:10
B.) The sin of the Sodomites – Gen 18:20, 19:13
C.) The cry of the oppressed – Ex 3:7-10
D.) The cry of the foreigner, widow and the orphan – Ex 20:20-22
E.) Injustice to the wage owner – Deut 4:14-15 James 5:4
Leave justice in the hands of God and be as friendly as you can. Remember God’s rewards hangs in the balance. God bless you.
PRAYER
Lord, give me the grace to overcome grudges and other vices that comes with it. May no human being deny me of my salvation by making me pay attention to what has been done against me instead of taking glory in what You do for me. Give me peace and love and those who maliciously attack me, through Your divine illumination, may they come to know the effects of their actions. Plead for their clemency and give their life totally to You. Amen.
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Topic: Wisdom
Poster: Sunny
Date: 8-28-2009
Dear Father,
I am tired of going to the Sacrament of Confession and repeating the same sin over again. It is probably better not to go at all than to always repeat the same thing. What do you think?
Dear Sunny,
You are losing the sense of wisdom in the entire approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The voice that you are hearing that is trying to stop you from frequenting the sacrament is a voice from the world and its wisdom. This is always deceptive. Frequent confession is important. You are not being hypocritical when you struggle with your faults and seek the grace of God. It is true that sin sometimes reproduces and re-enforces itself, but with continued advice, wisdom and moral sense, you will certainly break through someday over that repeated sin.
As you relate with the world, always pray for grace to overcome such temptations. The moment you stop praying, the devil tries to take over your temple and heart by suggesting things like not going to confession, or, it is not working. After all everybody is a sinner. Such false advice is very misleading. Sin creates proclivity to sin. It engenders vice by repetition. You have to fight it so that it doesn’t become a perverse inclination that can enslave you. With prayers you can overcome. God bless you.
PRAYER
Lord, give me the wisdom you gave to Solomon and the great prophets of old, that I may be able to manage my life and the life of those entrusted to me. Also that I may not lose anyone as a result of misguided conscience, but lead everyone to Your throne of grace, to the glory of Your name. Amen.
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Topic: Outreach
Poster: Jonathan
Date: 8-26-2009
Dear Father,
My priest always encouraged us Catholics to go out and evangelize. I think that evangelization is only to the pagans. I have so many people around me who are already affiliated to a Christian religion one way or another and even in my household we are all Catholics. I don’t think I have anyone to really evangelize to.
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Dear Jonathan,
I am sorry to hear that you are limiting evangelization to the pagans alone. Evangelization extends to everyone. It is possible for people to talk about Christ and the Bible without truly knowing Him or His Word. Conversion comes from the heart to what we refer to as Metanoia. For one reason or another some people lose the flow of the Spirit in their life, particularly when they are caught up by a New Age teaching or faced with challenges beyond their comprehension. They can easily fall away from the faith. Such people also need to be re-evangelized. Pagans no doubt need evangelization, but so do so-called “Christians” who are weak in their faith.
If every one of us tries to evangelize, our church will be filled with Spirit-Filled Christians who will be ready and willing to sacrifice their lives for what they believe in. The challenge for most Christians is how can to evangelize without invading other’s territory with disrespect. It needs a careful discernment and well-thought out strategy, which avoids every element of criticism and presents the facts the way they are. I wish you the best.
PRAYER
God our Father, give me the grace to be a missionary and an evangelizer to those around me. Enable me to see other’s perspective and to encourage others when necessary, to sympathize with others when necessary and to pray for others as required. May You also give them the gift to hear that they may understand you through me and to make meaning out of what you want to speak to them through me to the glory of Your Name. Amen.
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Topic: Going Forward
Poster: Paul
Date: 8-27-2009
Dear Father,
My dad never went to church. But at his deathbed he met a priest and renounced all his sins through confession before finally dying. Is he saved?
Dear Paul,
Your father is very blessed to have the opportunity for confession and to have a priest absolve him and give him the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Conversion is a thing of the heart, a true Metanoia. Since your dad willingly asked for a priest, the grace of the sacrament and the grace of the Church (Ecclesia Supplus) will help prepare your father’s soul for eternal life. During his past life, he may have been oblivious to faith, due to the life he has chosen and maybe no one had ever shared the gospel with him. His moment of death was a moment of grace for him and we have no right to challenge the miracle of conversion. Conversion can happen at any time, for the Scripture says that you will be surprised because the last will be first. It all depends on when God decided to extend His grace to us and how we respond to it.
PRAYER
Heavenly Lord, help me and the members of my household to be ever ready for the day You will come. Take away the sin of presumption from me and help me to be deep in my faith, not just hearing the Word, but being a doer of the Word. Help my parents who have gone before me that they may freed from their sins and be accepted in Your heavenly bosom. Amen.
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QUESTIONS FOR FATHER BONIFACE
From Diana posted August 25, 2009
Padre I live with my uncle who appears to be so arrogant and takes pleasure in humiliating and treating me like a slave in particularly in public and is always asking me to do things that are contrary to Christian beliefs. What should I do? :
Dear Diana, Having lived with your uncle for a very long time, I guess at this point as to what kind of person your uncle is. I am not surprised that you describe him as a proud man. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Unfortunately, proud people always find it difficult to know that they have issues that they need to address. Their ego can be so high, hence it is difficult for them when they put on some strange attitude to humiliate you. I would like you to reevaluate what brought you to live with your uncle. Nothing comes too easy. You just have to struggle and follow the required discipline to make the impossible become a possibility. Your uncle can be very, very tough but don’t allow his actions to rob you of your vision or mission. It is commonly said a patient dog eats the fattest bone. I will also advise you, if there are alternatives, either you going back to your parents or living with someone who could take you in, that would be a good way to go. If on the contrary, there is none, just assume humility in the best possible way and look forward to your glory, accompanied by prayer, an open mind and determination. I don’t think you were specific as top what he asked you to do that is contrary to your belief, but if there are things that are evil in nature, you have every moral right to reject them. If he initiates force on you, then try to see a counselor or your parish priest, or your pastor.
PRAYER
Lord God, sometimes life can be very challenging, cloudy, and uncertain. During this moment, give me the strength of victory, that I may hope in a positive way and that my hope will constantly be rekindled in your unprecedented grace.
Amen
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QUESTIONS FOR FATHER BONIFACE
Posted on Monday 24, 2009
By Castallene
A lot of people seem to be putting my faith to the test all the time by stalking me, intruding into my privacy, and making all kinds of derogatory statements about me. I try to live in peace with them. It is like a waste of time and sometimes I feel they don’t have a conscience at all. I am running out of options in terms of how to respond. I sometimes feel like going after them but my Christian belief always tends to hold me back. What should I do? :
Castellene, I will begin by reminding you the words of Peter when he said to Jesus “Master to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. When you really come to think about it, those who remain in the principal confines defined by them for God, always triumph in the long run. Those who take pleasure in orchestrating the downfall of others, indirectly prepare their own downfall. Sometimes they don’t realize it until it is too late. There are seven deadly sins; anger, pride, sloth, lust, greed, envy, gluttony. They are called deadly because of the end consequence which has both temporal and eschatological implications. Those who torment you for no just cause have already defined their destiny and they are already working for the master of their destiny. One thing you must try to avoid is to allow them to manipulate you to lose your temper and lose a sense of direction. If that happens, you will end up like them. What ever they do against you. Let it not for a second bother you. If they were happy themselves, they wouldn’t come after you. They would know how to treasure their won happiness. Most people who go after others have lost a sense of happiness, sense of human feelings, and sense of healthy relationships. When they are after you, they are only trying to use you as an outlet for their own personal frustration. You only need to pray for them, for a sincere change of heart, a sense of repentance. For if the heart itself is not converted, the tongue will never stop destroying. You are happier then them. Retain your happiness and move on with your life.
PRAYER
Lord God, thank you for today. For me it is just a new beginning. I can not live it out without your divine grace. Shower your grace upon me like you did to Saint Francis that I may be a light to the world. Like Saint Francis, make me a channel of your peace; where there is hatred let me sow your love. Where there is injury let me show pardon and where there is doubt let me sow faith. Where there is injustice, let me sow justice. Give me the spirit of endurance and patience to understand other people’s world view without necessarily criticizing or condemning them but diligently and respectfully teach them the right things.
Amen
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Topic: Leadership
Poster: Christina
Date: Aug 22, 2009
Dear Father,
I work in a local pharmacy that sells abortion drugs. I am very uncomfortable with this though, everyone I work with is all very nice and supportive; but I am bothered by this type of leadership and direction from the pharmacy. What should I do?
Dear Christina,
Don’t be deceived. Every one of us has a conscience including the pharmacists who work with you. The only problem is that we try to put up a wall and make sure that issues of this kind do not bother our conscience. In reality this does. I am happy with the fact that your conscience is helping you ask the proper questions and do the right thing. Remember, conscience is a holy place where it is illuminated by a light, which does not come from the individuals created and fallible reasoning, but from the very wisdom of God who brings everything into His light.
You seem to have a correctly formed conscience and that is why you are challenged to take a step that makes your conscience rightly conformed to human dignity. Orient you conscience in accordance with the lawful order established by God Himself and enhanced by the Church’s authoritative teachings, namely to preserve life and all forms of dignity. I will advise you not to be carried away by the business aspect, rather choose to quit if need be to save your soul. For the Scripture says, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?”
It might be a tough decision for you, but it is something that your Christian belief expects you to do. Stand up to the game and we will support you with prayers.
PRAYER
Lord God, give me the grace to be the shining example in places where your presence is denied. May I be a sign of illumination to doubting minds. Help me to be a good leader and be able to inspire those who look up to me. Let Your Name be glorified in every activity of my life. Amen.
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Topic: Leadership & Priesthood
Poster: -Brennan
Date: 8-19-09
Dear Father,
I have the desire to become a priest. My fear is that I live in a gang-infested neighborhood and I am afraid I might lose my interest based on peer pressure. Have you any advice for me?
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Dear Brennan,
We thank the good Lord for sowing the seed of vocation in you. Interest is the beginning of success on a long winding road. Without interest you can’t try what seems impossible. I believe you can be able to self guide that seed of vocation that God has already sown in you, irrespective of the neighborhood.
One thing you have to realize is that you are who you are with your own genes, lifestyle, and destiny to accomplish. Granted you cannot control others by either word or by action, but you can happily control yourself. Many young people have taken over the leadership of their own life realizing the handicapped of the society in which they live. Many have made it to the top because they decide to stay focused. Many people also who grew up in drug cultures and gang infested neighborhoods saw their belief system as a shield and a guide. Many of them stayed in charge of their own lives and today they are occupying big positions in their societies and are carrying out their responsibilities in the best possible way.
PRAYER
Lord God, May I be disposed to the call of leadership, ready to make the willing sacrifice that comes with it. Give me the grace to acknowledge the good work of those already in leadership. For their shortcomings, in the Old Testament account you chose many good leaders to lead your people and they offered the glory back to you. For every glory I receive in the course of the day, may it shine for the glory of God. Amen.
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Topic:”Benevolence”
Poster: Maria
Date: 8-18-2009
Dear Father,
I try to be good and generous but sometimes I question my faith, particularly when I see the transience of our material pleasures. The apparent futility of our efforts to be good and the bleakness of the future make life a pretty chancy thing. This in a sense leads to cynicism and despair. Please advise.
Dear Maria,
From your perspective of the world, it is very easy to jump to conclusions that life is no more than a series of idle and meaningless events. Many people have thought this way in the past, particularly when they feel depressed and the future appears to be bleak. Don’t dwell on this phenomenon for it is a sign of failure, rather look into the distance of faith and see the positive perspective that speaks of a brighter future where life is seen to have a define purpose. What we consider wasted could actually be a postponed opportunity to arise to greatness.
Only when faith takes the soul closer to Christ does life reveal its opportunities and at that point the full will of God comes to reality. Don’t be scared, just do the best and leave the rest to God.
PRAYER
Lord God, today is another day of glory. Please strengthen my faith, hope and charity that through these cardinal virtues, I will be able to live out the life You have called me to; overcoming every sense of despair, frustration, anger and other natural elements that stand in my way to spiritual growth. While I think of living a just life, may I never forget the love You have for me and You did express through Your redemptive blood. May I be a source of inspiration to others and help them understand that we are all in the same boat, sailing to eternal life. We ought to be each other’s keeper, protecting each other from the grip of satan and his cohorts with a view that on the last day when the trumpet sounds, we shall all sing the triumphant song of victorious – O Jerusalem, my happy home.
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Topic:”Charity”
Poster: -Veronica
Date: 8-17-09
Dear Father,
I have a co-worker that I don’t particularly like that is going through a hard time. She is not a Christian and recently her husband lost his job. She came to me for a little financial assistance to help her children with school supplies and I wasn’t really willing to help her for the simple fact that she is not a believer and pokes fun at my religion. I had the resources to help her but I turned her down and now I feel guilty. I need your advice.
Dear Veronica,
You are troubled because your conscience is alive and is connected to a God who cares and keeps us straight. Remember the Scriptures that says, “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto me” – Matt 25:40.
Christian love is fashioned after the giver of love Himself and that is Christ. The true love of Christ has no boundaries and it accommodates everyone irrespective of age, color, status, etc. A person does not need to be related to your or associated with your values before helping them. Humanity exists before individuality. Maybe God was using that very moment in which the lady in question approached you for assistance to create an atmosphere to evangelize. Jesus is always present in the needy.
If you still have the financial wherewithal, it is not too late. Give your co-worker a call and lend a helping hand, for tomorrow may be your day in need.
PRAYER
God of compassion, You have said in the Book of Life that I should ask and I will receive, to seek and I will find, to knock and You will open the door. Every morning I wake up I look to the sky. I see the beautiful day you offer to me in the sun, the rain, and the air I breathe. I do not pay for any of this for it is given to me free of charge. Give me the grace to freely and willingly give to others when I am asked. Grant me good health that I may be able to help those who need good health. Give me a good job that I may be able to help those who are in need. Bless my marriage that I may be able to inspire those who are looking for a life partner. Bless my children that they may grow to be supportive to others. Bless my day that I may be able to bless others who come my way with my joy, with my smile and my peace and with my faith. Amen.
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Topic: Hope
Poster: Dominic
Date: 8-15-2009
Dear Father,
I am becoming worried about the kind of information being translated through the internet and the media in general. It is affecting the way my children think and I am thinking of taking the computer and TV completely away from our home. What advice can you give to me?
Dear Dominic,
The media is supposed to be an agent of communicating accurate information to the masses. Unfortunately today the pursuit of money has become the madness of the century and an idol for modern man. I quite agree with you that the media today is used as a conduit for propaganda of ideas. Information being communicated for the most part does not seem to have the best interest of the people in mind. Journalists are supposed to be professionals, providing their consumers an accurate and honest account of what is going on in the world. Unfortunately today most of the information and speeches are twisted to suit their own ideologies. The future of the younger generation is in danger by the kind of advertisements that are being offered–those advertisements that our conscience would ordinarily stop us from pursuing. Unfortunately the money-driven effect doesn’t bother our conscience so long as the market is good.
As a Christian, all hope is not lost. All you need to do is to apply proper discipline, informed by your Christian beliefs. Allow your children to use all the means of communication but with your guide and monitoring, to watch the right programs at the right time. Make sure they do not become addicted to it to the point of it becoming their new tabernacle or idol.
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Topic: Marriage
Poster: Betty
Date: 8-14-2009
Dear Father,
I am struggling with indecision and I need your help. There are three young men who want to propose marriage to me. They all seem to be very wonderful gentleman. My problem is that none of them are Catholic. I always wanted someone to share the same faith with. What can I do at this point?
Dear Betty,
It is a good thing that you have a very strong passion for your faith and it appears that you want to put God and His Church first, before anything else. A lot of people make the mistake of committing into marriage without looking at the general picture of what marriage entails. For you it is a problem not marrying someone of the same faith and actually you are right to feel this way. That is why it is bothering you. Charming as a potential husband or wife may appear, if they don’t have a place for God in their life and don’t seem to embrace your faith, it is like building a house on sand.
There is profound wisdom in choosing a mate of the same belief. Please don’t misunderstand me as I am not trying to place emphasis on denominational pride or a “holier than thou” attitude. I am coming from the Biblical perspective where it says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” – 2 Cor. 6:14. Marrying someone from the same faith creates an atmosphere of a well-balanced and appreciated spirituality where both can see through the same lens regarding values and priorities. You will experience more peace and there will be no need to coerce your spouse into your values and beliefs without logical reasons.
I will encourage you that while you explore the wonderful qualities in these young men, make faith a priority and bring it to the table and see how they respond. If they are already practicing the Christian faith, that can be one step to victory and a potential happy marriage. If however, they are not Christians and are not willing to make any change, then it is obviously clear that it is not the right way to go. For more clarification I would encourage you to spend time with your pastor regarding this matter and also seek advice from faithful Catholics who are happily married.
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Topic: Faith
Poster: Marcus
Date: 8-13-2009
Dear Father,
I have been working hard for a very long time and I don’t seem to see the fruits of my labor. For that reason I am no longer interested in my Catholic faith anymore. The harsh economy is greatly affecting me. A friend of mine is trying to interest me into the AMORC confraternity. According to him it is allowed by the Church. It is my understanding that if I become a member all my financial problems will be taken care of. Father, I need your advice.
Dear Marcus,
You are not the only one experiencing the harsh reality of the financial crisis of the moment. The present economic upheaval is a global phenomenon affecting both Christians and non-Christians alike–the rich and the poor, men and women of all ages, and that is why Christians are taking it upon themselves to pray for the economic revival of the entire world. I strongly believe by virtue of your Christian baptism, you have also been called to be part of the spiritual militant to pray to revive our economy.
Your friend is not offering you the best advice. Asking you to join the AMORC confraternity will not solve your financial situation. Like most Gnostic groups, it will appear at the initial stage as the answer but then it will later abandon you in the world of illusion. Joining this group is indirectly asking you to embrace mystery for the rest of your life–mystery that will frustrate your physical existence and put your soul in danger.
AMORC confraternity came into being approximately 500 years ago, commonly referred to back then as the “Order of Brotherhood of the Rosae Crucix.” This ancient order, otherwise known as the Rosicrucians is a form of Gnosticism from the Greek work “gnosis”, which means knowledge. This group always entices their fans with the promise to unfold to them the secrets of the universe through profound mystical experience, which other humans are considered ignorant of. It also entices its adherents by presenting them a doctrine that is a mixture of Christian and pagan ideas. Many elements are incompatible with the Christian faith. I strongly advise you to devote your time and energy to research AMORC and to develop the spirituality in the faith you already belong. Your future and your soul are more important than anything else at this point and not necessarily the fantasy of what is being presented to you at the moment.
Prayer for miracle of faith: God the Eternal Father of illumination, I come before Your holy presence in humble adoration, seeking for Your guidance on this day as I make tough decisions of my life. You reminded me in the Book of Life that the pathway to hell is wide and enticing, but the pathway to heaven is narrow. Eternal father, let me know that improper enticement as that which doesn’t last, but happily follow the way of the cross, believing that with Your enabling grace, I am a victor and not a victim. Give me the grace to always look forward to the days of glory and days of testimony after my faith may have been tested through fire, and proven to be a living testimony to the glory of Your name. Help me today to be a sign of hope to the hopeless in my place of work and the society at large. Help me to be a flame of faith for those in doubt, particularly those who are not willing to shoulder Your cross anymore. Bless my little faith, bless my decisions, bless my job, bless my family and bless everyone around me. Amen.
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Topic: “Nursing Home”
Poster: Amelia
Date: 8-11-09
Dear Father,
I am a Catholic working in a nursing home. I feel that I am being overworked and most of the time I take out my anger on my patients. What can I do?
Dear Amelia,
There are professions that are considered vocations before becoming an actual paid job. It might be wise for you to see a counselor to determine if this is your true calling. However, as a Christian working in an environment like this, do not forget that you have also been called into a life of self-giving. Helping the aged is part of the Catholic core belief and demands a great amount of love. Love is more than mere positive feelings. It also includes care, respect, patience and forbearance. Surviving into old age is no small feat. The elderly in your place of work deserve your esteem, perseverance, resilience and other like qualities.
For the epistle of James states, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”. James 1:27.
Prayer: My Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for providing for me today. I thank You for good health and my daily bread. I strongly believe You have made this day a glorious day for me in order that I may extend this same glory to others. I seek for that favor O Lord. May no human condition or my personal sins stop me from receiving the blessings you intend to offer me today. Give me the grace to see, understand and appreciate Your presence when You reveal Yourself to me through the people that I am going to work for, work with, play with, eat with and encourage in moments of pain and sorrow and celebrate life in moments of their joy.
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Questions for Father Boniface
Topic: “Aged Parents”
Poster: - Molly
Date: 8-10-09
Dear Father,
My aged parents are failing physically, mentally and otherwise. They are becoming extremely dependent on me. Most of the time I feel like abandoning them, after all as a young child growing up I never received all the emotional support I needed.
Molly
Ithaca, NY
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Dear Molly,
It is your sole responsibility to take care of your aged parents. For this act actually comes with a promise of long life, see Ephesians 6:1-3.You must heal yourself of past memories. There are different ways to do that. Either see a priest for advice and prayer, or take a full day retreat and go to a quiet place. If you decide to go on a full day retreat, list all that has happened in your childhood on a piece of paper and pray over the paper, then wait for about an hour for God to speak a solution into your quiet mind. Write the good things your parents did for you as a child and thank God for these good things. Also write the solutions down that God gives you in your prayer journal. Tear off the paper with the list of past memories. Make a resolution to begin a new life with your parents and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Whenever you are pushed to the limit by your parents, give yourself time and refer back to your daily prayer journal. Go through your promises again and it will rekindle in you the energy of love you are supposed to have toward your parents.
God bless,
Fr. Boniface
Prayer: All-powerful Lord, inexhaustible fountain of compassion and love, You showered Your boundless mercy upon the world when the world could never merit it. You rather chose to let man know that You disgust the sin but love the sinner whole-heartedly. By Your profound gesture of love, You offer forgiveness to your friends who abandoned You when You were raised up on the cross. Your condition continues to pierce the heart of Your beloved Mother who couldn’t wait but to shed tears of love for our broken world and ask You to intercede for us all. Give me the grace to love those who hate me, to be charitable to the least of my brothers and to offer assistance for a good cause when needs arise.