Praying the Lord’s Prayer

October 5, 2022 Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest—USA Optional Memorial Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin—Optional Memorial

Video Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”  Luke 11:1 The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.  In response, He taught them the “Our Father” prayer.  There is much that can be said about this prayer.  This prayer contains all we need to know about prayer.  It is a catechetical lesson about prayer itself and contains seven petitions to the Father.  Let’s look at the first three of these as found in Chapter 11 of My Catholic Worship! Hallowed be Thy Name:  “Hallowed” means to be holy.  As we pray this part of the prayer we are not praying that God’s name willbecome holy, for His name already is holy.  Rather, we pray that this holiness of God will be recognized by us and all people.  We pray that there will be a deep reverence of God’s name and that we will always treat God with the proper honor, devotion, love and awe to which we are called. It’s especially important to point out how often God’s name is used in vain.  That is a strange phenomenon.  Have you ever wondered why, when people get angry, they would curse God’s name?  It’s strange.  And, in fact, it’s demonic.  Anger, in those moments, invites us to act in a contrary way to this prayer and to the proper use of God’s name. God Himself is holy, holy, holy.  He is thrice holy!  In other words, He is the Holiest!  Living with this fundamental disposition of heart is key to a good Christian life and to a good life of prayer.  Perhaps a good practice would be to regularly honor God’s name.  For example, what a wonderful habit it would be to regularly say, “Sweet and precious Jesus, I love You.”  Or, “Glorious and merciful God, I adore You.”  Adding adjectives like these before we mention God is a good habit to get into as a way of fulfilling this first petition of the Lord’s Prayer. Another good practice would be to always refer to the “Blood of Christ” we consume at Mass as the “Precious Blood.”  Or the Host as the “Sacred Host.”  There are many who fall into the trap of just referring to it as the “wine” or the “bread.”  This is most likely not malicious or even sinful, but it’s much better to enter into the practice and habit of honoring and revering anything that is associated with God, especially the Most Holy Eucharist! Thy Kingdom Come: This petition of the Lord’s Prayer is a way of acknowledging two things.  First, we acknowledge the fact that Jesus will, one day, return in all His glory and establish His permanent and visible Kingdom.  This will be the time of the Final Judgment when the current Heaven and Earth will pass away and the new order will be established.  So, praying this petition is a faith-filled acknowledgment of this fact.  It’s our way of saying we not only believe this will happen, we also look forward to it and pray for it.  Secondly, we must realize that the Kingdom of God is already here among us.  For now, it’s an invisible Kingdom.  It’s a spiritual reality that must become an all-consuming and present reality in our world.  To pray that God’s “Kingdom come” means we desire that He first take greater possession of our souls.  The Kingdom of God must be within us.  He must reign on the throne of our hearts and we must allow Him.  Therefore, this must be our constant prayer.  We also pray that the Kingdom of God become present in our world.  God wants to transform the social, political and cultural order right now.  So we must pray and work for that.  Our prayer for the Kingdom to come is also a way for us to commit ourselves to God to allow Him to use us for this very purpose.  It’s a prayer of faith and courage.  Faith because we believe He can use us, and courage because the evil one and world will not like it.  As the Kingdom of God is established in this world through us, we will meet with opposition.  But that’s ok and should be expected.  And this petition is, in part, to help us with this mission. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven: Praying for the Kingdom of God to come means, also, that we seek to live the will of the Father.  This is done as we enter into union with Christ Jesus.  He fulfilled the will of His Father with perfection.  His human life is the perfect model of the will of God and it is also the means by which we live the will of God. This petition is a way of committing ourselves to live in union with Christ Jesus.  We take our will and entrust it to Christ so that His will lives in us.  By doing this we begin to be filled with all virtue.  We will also be filled with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are necessary for living the will of the Father.  For example, the Gift of Knowledge is a gift by which we come to know what God wants of us in particular situations in life.  So praying this petition is a way of asking God to fill us with knowledge of His will.  But we also need the courage and strength necessary to then live out that will.  So this petition also prays for those Gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to live out what God reveals as His divine plan for our lives.  It is, of course, also an intercession for all people.  In this petition we pray that all will come to live in unity and harmony with God’s perfect plan. Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Jesus, I trust in You.

What celebrities have had to endure great hardships before making it big?

Sylvester Stallone has really had to struggle extremely hard.

He has said that when he was 26 years old, he was completely penniless. He owned only a pair of shoes with holes in them and two pairs of pants.

He still dreamed of success.

Stallone had a dog, BUTKUS, who was his faithful friend.

And he says that this dog was the only being in the world who loved him as he was and also the only one who put up with his moods.

Both were emaciated and always hungry. They lived in a dosshouse.

The hunger got worse and finally Stallone could not buy food for himself or the dog.

So he sold his friend for $40.

Then, finally , came * Rocky* and with it the breakthrough.

Stallone immediately tried to get his dog back.

The new owner was a real fox and now demanded $15,000 for the dog.

Stallone didn't care. His friend was worth it to him and he paid.

Rocky got the Oscar.

Butkus and Stallone never parted again and the dog was even allowed to star in two movies.

How bad it must have been to sell your best friend!

Sophia Loren

Sophia Loren is known as one of the most iconic actresses of Old Hollywood, but her life wasn't always so glamorous. She was born in a charity ward for unwed mothers in Rome, Italy on September 20, 1934, and she was raised in poverty just outside of Naples. Loren almost died from malnutrition as an infant, and she was so thin as a child that her classmates called her a "toothpick." But as she entered her teenage years, Loren began to develop the looks that soon had the media calling her the "Italian Marilyn Monroe."

In 1950, when she was just 15, Loren entered the Miss Italia pageant and caught the eye of 37-year-old Carlo Ponti, a successful film producer who took her under his wing — and eventually married her. By 1953, she had landed her first starring role in the movie "Aida," and in 1955, she was the most-photographed guest at the Cannes Film Festival. From there, her fame skyrocketed, and she even became the first person to win an Academy Award for a performance in a foreign-language film.

Learn more about the rags-to-riches story of Sophia Loren through these 33 photos: 33 Photos Of Sophia Loren, The Iconic Old Hollywood Actress Known As The 'Italian Marilyn Monroe'

Love Comes Back In Another Form

At the age of 40, Franz Kafka, who never married and had no children, was strolling through a Berlin park when he met a young woman who was crying because she had lost her favorite doll. She and Kafka searched for the doll without success.

Kafka told her to meet him there the next day and they would come back for it.

The next day, when they still couldn't find the doll, Kafka gave the girl a letter "written" by the doll that said, "Please don't cry. I have taken a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures.

So began a story that continued until the end of Kafka's life.

During the meetings, Kafka read the doll's carefully written letters with adventures and conversations that the girl found adorable.

Finally, Kafka brought her the doll (he bought one) that had returned to Berlin.

"It looks nothing like my doll," the girl said.

Kafka handed her another letter in which the doll wrote, " my travels, have changed me." the girl hugged the new doll and brought it home all happy.

A year later, Kafka died.

Many years later, the adult girl found a little letter inside the doll. In the little letter signed by Kafka, it said:

Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end love will come back in another form.

Resting at the Feet of Jesus

October 4, 2022 Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Francis of Assisi—Memorial

Video Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”  Luke 10:40-42 At first this seems unfair.  Martha is working hard at preparing the meal, while Mary is just sitting there at the feet of Jesus.  So, Martha complains to Jesus. But interestingly, Jesus somewhat humbles Martha instead of Mary.  Of course, He does it in a kind and gentle way. The truth is that both Martha and Mary were fulfilling their unique roles at that moment.  Martha was doing Jesus a great service by serving Him through the preparation of their meal.  This is what she was called to do and the service would have been an act of love.  Mary, on the other hand, was fulfilling her role.  She was called, at that moment, to simply sit at the feet of Jesus and be present to Him.   These two women have traditionally represented two vocations in the Church, as well as two callings we are all called to have.  Martha represents the active life and Mary represents the contemplative life.  The active life is that life most live on a daily basis, be it through the service of family or others in the world.  The contemplative life is a vocation to which some are called through the cloistered life, in that they leave the busy world and dedicate most of their day to prayer and solitude. Truthfully, you are called to both of these vocations.  Even if your life is one filled with work, you are still called regularly to choose “the better part.”  At times, Jesus calls you to imitate Mary in that He wants you to daily stop your work and dedicate some time to Him and Him alone.  Not everyone is able to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament each day in silent prayer, but some are.  However, you should seek to find at least some time of silence and solitude every day so as to sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer. Reflect, today, upon your own call to prayer.  Do you pray?  Do you pray every day?  If this is lacking, then reflect upon the image of Mary being there at the feet of Jesus and know that Jesus wants the same from you. My inviting Lord, help me to hear You calling me to stop what I’m doing and to simply rest in Your divine presence.  May I find those moments every day in which I can be refreshed in Your presence.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Inside The Remarkable Life Of Sophia Loren

By Erin Kelly | Checked By Cara Johnson

Published September 23, 2022

Updated September 29, 2022

From her breakthrough role to her rapid rise to superstardom in Old Hollywood, these photos of Italian actress Sophia Loren capture every iconic moment of her illustrious career.

She is one of the last A-listers of the Golden Era of Hollywood still alive — and she shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, she's still working, starring in a film as recently as 2020. She has a sultry yet effortless glamour, but she is down-to-Earth and driven. She is the one and only Sophia Loren.

Her name sparks a vision of Old Hollywood's seductive, feminine, and classic beauty. However, there is much more behind Loren's attractive visage. She has a natural talent for the screen — and all the awards to prove it.

She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Two Women in 1962, according to the official Oscars website. Her win against actresses like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass made history, as it was the first time a performer in a foreign language film had won the category.

No one expected such a level of international fame for an impoverished girl born in Italy during the 1930s. Hers is a rags-to-riches story that shows anything is possible.

Keystone/Getty ImagesSophia Loren with her husband, Italian film director Carlo Ponti, in 1958.

Sophia Loren's Early Life And Career Beginnings

Sophia Loren was born Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone in Rome on September 20, 1934, to single mother Romilda Villani. She grew up poor in the slums of Pozzuoli, Naples during World War II, where bombings were frequent. Loren narrowly escaped one such attack, suffering only a wound on her chin, according to the Austin Chronicle.

Her absent father, construction engineer Riccardo Scicolone, had money, but he did not help support Loren or her mother. In fact, he was married to another woman and largely ignored their dangerous living situation. Loren met him just three times. 

Loren's life changed forever when her mother started entering her in beauty pageants. At age 15, she won "Miss Elegance" in the Miss Italia 1950 pageant and caught the attention of Carlo Ponti, a famous film producer.

Ponti took her under his wing, and by 1953 she'd landed her first starring role in Aida. Just two years later, in 1955, Loren was the most-photographed guest at the Cannes Film Festival.

She later recalled the moment, saying, "The public, they were applauding me in the street like they were supposed to do with actresses that have a very important name. And, for that moment, I felt that maybe, maybe I might have a chance to make it in films."

In the following years, Sophia Loren shot to superstardom with roles in The Pride and the Passion in 1957 and The Houseboat in 1958. By the young age of 23, Loren had made it in Hollywood.

Sophia Loren's Growing Career And Her Marriage To Carlo Ponti

After striking up a romance with Cary Grant during the filming of The Pride and the Passion, Sophia Loren turned down a marriage proposal from him. Instead, she wed Carlo Ponti, the film producer who had helped her get her start.

Ponti was 45 years old when he and Loren wed in Mexico just before her 23rd birthday in 1957. He was still legally married to his first wife, however, and five years later he and Loren had their marriage annulled to avoid bigamy charges. They wed again in 1966 and remained together until Ponti's death in 2007.

1957 was also a major year for Sophia Loren professionally. Paramount Studios threw a party in her honor in Beverly Hills to officially welcome her to Hollywood. There, a photographer snapped the famous photo of her and fellow actress Jayne Mansfield.

Twitter/Vanity FairThe iconic photo of Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield taken at a Hollywood party in 1957.

Loren told Entertainment Weekly in 2014: 

"Listen, look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I'm staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate. In my face you can see the fear. I'm so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow — BOOM! — and spill all over the table."

Though Loren's star continued to rise professionally, she desperately wanted something more: a family. She suffered multiple miscarriages before she gave birth to her sons Carlo in 1968 and Edoardo in 1973. After becoming a mother, Loren took a step back from acting to focus on raising her children.

However, she couldn't stay away from the screen for long.

The Later Life Of The 'Italian Marilyn Monroe'

While Loren was raising her boys, she also dabbled in creating perfumes, designing eyeglasses, and writing books. But her passion for the screen never left. After her children were grown, she returned to acting. 

In 2010, she played her own mother in the television miniseries My Life Is Full of Mirrors, an autobiographical drama about Loren's life. While presenting the film at a news conference in 2010, Loren tearfully said: "Things stay inside you, you never forgot and you can't help it."

She continued, "My life was a wonderful fairytale (but also) a story of war, hunger, and begging, because that's what my mother did for us: she fought to give her daughters a name and a future that would not be poor."

Art Zelin/Getty ImagesSophia with three awards, circa 1980. 

Loren's latest movie, 2020's The Life Ahead, was directed by none other than her son Edoardo. Her illustrious career now consists of more than 90 film credits, and she has won at least 50 international awards for her work.

Throughout her notable life, Sophia Loren went from an impoverished girl who was called "Toothpick" by her classmates because she was so malnourished to an international sex symbol dubbed the "Italian Marilyn Monroe." Today, Loren's star continues to shine as one of the last surviving actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Quelles sont les rares photos historiques dont vous n'imaginiez pas l'existence ?

Cette jeune chinoise de 2000 ans a encore du sang dans les veines

Xin Zhui est morte en 163 avant JC. Lorsque son corps a été découvert en 1971, ses cheveux étaient intacts, sa peau était douce au toucher et ses veines contenaient encore du sang, son sang a été analysé et fait partie du groupe A.

L'image ci-dessus est une version recréée de son corps momifié.

Elle est une femme momifiée de la dynastie des Han de Chine (206 avant JC-220 après JC). elle a toujours ses propres cheveux, sa peau est douce au toucher et son corps est toujours flexible comme une personne vivante.

Elle est largement reconnue comme la momie humaine la mieux préservée de l'histoire.

Le corps préservé de Xin Zhui a été immédiatement compromis une fois que son corps a été exposé après sa découverte, ce qui a entraîné une détérioration de son corps. Ainsi, ses images que nous voyons aujourd'hui ne rendent pas justice à la découverte initiale.

Elle était l'épouse d'un haut fonctionnaire Han Li Cang (le marquis de Dai),

Bringing Mercy

October 3, 2022 Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Video “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36-37 Here we have the conclusion to the familiar story of the Good Samaritan.  First, robbers beat him and left him for dead.  Then a priest walked by and ignored him.  And then a Levite walked by also ignoring him.  Finally, the Samaritan walked by and took care of him with great generosity. Interestingly, when Jesus asked the disciples which of these three acted as a neighbor, they didn’t respond “the Samaritan.”  Rather, they responded, “The one who treated him with mercy.”  Mercy was the key focus. It is so easy to be judgmental and harsh with one another.  If you read the newspapers or listen to the news commentators you can’t help but hear continual judgment and condemnation.  Our fallen human nature seems to thrive on being critical of others.  And when we are not critical, we are often tempted to act like the priest and Levite in this story.  We are tempted to turn a blind eye to those in need.  The key must be to always show mercy and show it in superabundance.  Reflect, today, upon the call God gives you to show mercy.  Mercy, in order to be true mercy, must hurt.  It must “hurt” in the sense that it requires you to let go of your pride, selfishness and anger and choose to show love instead.  You choose to show love to the point that it hurts.  But that hurt is a true source of healing in that it cleanses you of your sin.  Saint Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”  Mercy is the kind of love that may hurt at first, but in the end leaves only love. Merciful Lord, do make me an instrument of Your love and mercy.  Help me to especially show mercy when it is hard in life and when I do not feel like it.  May those moments be graced moments when You transform me into Your gift of love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Seeking Praise

October 2, 2022 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Readings for Today

Video “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”  Luke 17:10b This is a hard command to live.  Most often when we have done something well, and fulfilled our duty, we seek recognition and praise.  We want to be noticed.  And while this may be a “normal” reaction, it’s not the most humble reaction.  Humility comes in many degrees, and the deepest degree of humility allows a person to repeat this passage above and mean it. First, we must realize that the will of God is good for us.  It imposes an obligation of love on us.  When we fulfill God’s will, we should take delight in that fact alone because it is good.  That way, the fulfillment of God’s will becomes the source of our joy, not the recognition of others. On the other hand, it is good when we see goodness in others and acknowledge it.  We should do this not to build up their ego but to give praise to God for the good thing done.  And when others see and acknowledge God’s will accomplished in our lives, we must accept their praise not as a source of our pride but as an honest acknowledgment that God is good and His will is being fulfilled.  We must be grateful that we could do “what we were obliged to do.” Embracing the will of God as a holy “obligation” also enables us to fulfill it more fully.  When doing the will of God is seen as something extraordinary, we may not build a proper habit of fulfilling it.  But when it’s seen as our duty of love and as the normal act we should fulfill, it’s easier to embrace His will more completely. Reflect, today, on this humble phrase. “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”  Try to say it, mean it and let it become the foundation of your daily service of God’s will.  Doing so will set you on the “fast track” toward holiness. Lord, I am an unprofitable servant. When I fulfill Your holy will, I acknowledge that this is a holy obligation of love and my most fundamental duty.  Help me to see Your will as the most normal part of my daily life.  Help me to embrace it with wholehearted faith and obedience.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Holiness of Life

October 1, 2022 Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor—Memorial

Video The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  Luke 10:17-20 That would have been impressive.  The seventy-two had power over demons when they called on the name of the Lord Jesus.  This was a power they had that amazed them more than anything. Most likely if we saw someone actually possessed by a demon and we went over and demanded the demon leave in the name of Jesus, and the demon left, we’d also be impressed.  Though this is an uncommon experience in the strictest sense.  There are a few things to say about it. First, yes, it is impressive and, yes, Jesus has full authority over the evil one.  Therefore, the seventy-two should have been overjoyed at seeing His power at work through them. Second, we should be aware of the fact that even though we may not encounter people who are fully possessed, we do encounter the workings of the evil one on a daily basis.  So one thing this Scripture should tell us is that we need to trust in the power of Jesus to act through us as evil is combated.  We must confidently pray that our world be delivered from the evil one and we must have full faith that the power of Christ will work through our prayer. Third, though combating evil directly is essential, Jesus takes this occasion to point out that there is something far more important.  He says that we should primarily rejoice because our “names are written in Heaven.”  In other words, power over the evil one is not the end goal.  Heaven is.  Growth in holiness and virtue are the primary goals we must have in life. Reflect, today, upon your duty to rebuke the evil one and his works in Jesus’ name.  But reflect even more upon your calling to holiness of life and growth in virtue.  These, more than anything else, are the pathway to Heaven! Lord of true holiness, help me to have confidence in Your power to overcome the evil one and his works.  But more importantly, help me to continually turn my eyes to You and Heaven, making holiness of life my primary goal.  Jesus, I trust in You.