Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Find True Power



1116 Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant. (Catechism of Catholic Church)

Monday, May 08, 2006

THE BATTLE OF PRAYER

The best part of the Catechism is its section on prayer. This quote from the Catechism helps put things in focus for me.

THE BATTLE OF PRAYER

2725 Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, away from union with God. We pray as we live, because we live as we pray. If we do not want to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ, neither can we pray habitually in his name. The "spiritual battle" of the Christian's new life is inseparable from the battle of prayer.



With our culture that has so many things to distract us, how can the spiritual battle and the battle of prayer be recognize as reality?

I think the answer to this question can be found in the beatitudes.