'9 DAYS FOR LIFE' NOVENA - DAY 1

DAY 1

INTENTION

May the tragic practice of abortion end.

PRAYERS

Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be

REFLECTION

At every stage and in every circumstance, we are held in existence by God’s love. The presence of an illness, disability, or other challenging situation never diminishes the value of a human life. God does not call us to perfection of appearance or abilities, but to perfection in love. Christ invites us to embrace our own lives and the lives of others as true gifts.

Abortion tragically rejects the truth that every life is a good and perfect gift, deserving protection. This violent practice ends the life of a human being at its very beginning and horribly wounds all those involved. But Christ came that we “might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), taking on human flesh for the sake of our redemption. May our culture experience the power of God’s transforming love, that all eyes may be opened to the incredible beauty of every human life.

Acts of Reparation

(Choose one.)

(1)

Take a break from television and movies today. Consider spending some of that time praying with today’s reflection.

 

Pray the short prayer “Every Life is Worth Living,” reflecting on the gift of human life. 

Heavenly Father, thank you

for the precious gift of life.

Help us to cherish and protect

this gift, even in the midst of

fear, pain, and suffering.

Give us love for all people,

especially the most vulnerable, and help us bear witness to the truth that every life is worth living.

Grant us the humility to accept help

when we are in need,

and teach us to be merciful to all.

Through our words and actions, may others encounter the outstretched hands of Your mercy.

We ask this through

Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

​(2)

Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today’s intention.

ONE STEP FURTHER

​Abortion is frequently a topic in the news, political debates, and everyday conversations with family or friends. Because abortion can be a controversial and emotional issue in any arena, many of us may feel intimidated when the topic arises, not knowing what to say. Another Look at Abortion provides a basic overview and summarizes key points. This article will help you be better prepared to witness the sanctity of human life.

Baptism and Salvation

 

Q. If someone who believes in God but is not baptized and passes away, do they go to hell?

A.  This is an interesting question which requires some nuances to make the answer clear.  The answer below comes from 'My Catholic Worship!' book. Below is the section of that chapter that addresses your question.

Now what about those who are not baptized you ask? What happens to them? And what about children who are not baptized? Are they doomed?

These questions can only be understood if we understand the perfect love and wisdom of God in all things. God is not legalistic. He does not look at a child who dies and say, “well, sorry but I only take baptized children into Heaven.” This would be contrary to the infinite mercy and wisdom of God. At the same time, the Church teaches that Baptism is the only way we know of that leads to salvation. Therefore, it is necessary. So how do we reconcile these views that appear to be opposed? That is, how do we reconcile a loving God with the idea that Baptism is necessary for salvation?

This is done quite easily. We believe that Baptism is the only way we know of (the only way God revealed to us) to receive the grace of salvation. But God, in His infinite love and wisdom is not limited by the limited revelation He shared with us. God can do whatever He wants to do. Therefore, if a child dies before Baptism, the parents should rest assured that God loves that child far more than they do. And this perfectly loving God will act in a way that is perfectly loving toward that child. One speculation is that God offers that child the same choice He offered the angels. They had a onetime opportunity to choose. So it is entirely possible that when this child dies and faces God, this child will be invited to choose to love God freely and, thus, spend eternity with God. But we must always remember that Heaven does require a free choice. Therefore, not even a child would be forced to be there against his or her will.

Another interesting scenario is the adult who is not baptized. What happens when that adult dies? Again, we must look at this from the point of view of a God who is infinitely wise and infinitely loving.

In this case there are a few possibilities. The first possibility is what is referred to as the “baptism by blood.” This would be the person who desires Baptism but, before actually receiving this sacrament, is martyred for their faith. We don’t see this that often today but it was a real situation in the early Church. We believe that this desire to be baptized, as well as the act of martyrdom, provides the grace of Baptism and thus the person is fully graced by God.

Similarly, we speak of the “baptism by desire.” This would include those who believe and desire Baptism but die before they are actually baptized. Again, the desire alone suffices for God to pour forth His grace. This would also apply to children who die before they are baptized when the parents desired Baptism. The desire on the part of the parents suffices for the grace to be poured forth.

Lastly, we need to look at the situation of those who did not choose to be baptized and, therefore, die without this sacrament. These cases will fall in one of two categories. First, there are those who through no fault of their own do not come to an explicit faith in Christ and, as a result, do not seek Baptism. In this case God will judge only the heart. There are many reasons why a person may not come to faith in Christ explicitly through no fault of their own. Say, for example, that a person lives in some culture where the Gospel has never been preached and they actually never heard of Jesus. Does God consider them to be guilty of eternal damnation because they never had the opportunity to hear about Jesus? Certainly not.

Another example would be the person who heard about Jesus but received only a message of hypocrisy. Let’s say that the way the message was continually preached was skewed and malicious. Perhaps the preacher was living a double life and the person hearing about Jesus rejected the explicit Gospel message because the only messenger of that Gospel was presenting it in a very disordered way. In that case, the rejection of the message may actually be nothing more than a rejection of the hypocrisy of the messenger. And that may be a good thing!

The bottom line is that God knows the heart and God sees the intention in that heart. So if someone fails to come to an explicit faith in Christ and, therefore, fails to receive the Sacrament of Baptism in an explicit way, God will still look only at the heart. And when He does look into that heart, if He sees goodness and faith, He will pour His grace anyway. So, this is the case where a person who is not baptized may actually be following the voice of God in their conscience without even realizing whose voice that is. In reality, this person has faith and God will see that!

The only case that may end with eternal damnation is the person who fails to receive Baptism through their own fault. They are given every opportunity to hear the Gospel, they have the good Christian witness of others, and they interiorly reject this of their own free will. Free will is the key here. And, again, only God knows the heart and only God can be the judge of one’s heart. So if God sees in the heart an obstinacy that is freely chosen, then this person is guilty and may lose that offer of eternal salvation. This is sad.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

A Brief on the Holy Bible

Getting a Tattoo

The Church on being gay and having a gay partner

Why do we sign Head, Lips & Heart before Gospel Reading?

Why do we raise hands during Our Father at Mass?

A Brief on The Holy Bible

 A brief on The Holy Bible:

1. What exactly is the Bible?

The Bible (also called the Scriptures or the Sacred Scriptures) is a collection of books that the church believes are the inspired words of God. God chose certain men to write these books under the direction of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of all mankind.

The Bible is like a library of books that were written over the course of a thousand years, from about 950 B.C to 100 A.D. It is the most important book that has ever been written in the history of mankind. (N.B: The earliest writing began when symbols were scratched or pressed on clay tablets. The Egyptians refined this technique and developed an early form of writing known as hieroglyphics. The Bible tells us that Moses was “educated in all the learning of the Egyptians”, so he would have been familiar with the major writing systems of his time. We also read that God gave Moses “two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God”(Exodus 31:18). All this leads to the speculation that the earliest writings in the Bible were set down around 1400 BC).

However it is not important to remember when the Bible was written. The most important thing to know and believe is that The Bible is a sacred literature because it is the unique revelation of God, it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and it describes God’s plan for our salvation and eternal life. It centers entirely on Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate and the Savior of the world.

2. Why are there two parts of the Bible?

The Old Testament is a record of the old covenant between God and His chosen people. It describes mankind’s preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

The New Testament is a record of the new covenant made by God with the entire human race, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

The Old Testament leads up to the time of Christ and the New Testament flows from the time of Christ.

The life of Jesus Christ separates the Old and New Testaments and is the center and focal point of the Bible.

In fact, time itself is centered and measured on the life and death of Jesus Christ and is the basis of our modern day calendar.

3. What is the Pentateuch?

The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Old Testament, namely:

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Many well known Bible stories are found in these books including the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark as well as other stories which tell of the origins of the Israelite people and their escape under the leadership of Moses from slavery in Egypt .

The Ten Commandments and other laws governing the life and worship of the Israelite people are also found in the Pentateuch. Hence, the other name for this section of the Old Testament is the Law or the Torah.

4. What are the Historical Books?

The Historical Books are exactly what you would expect them to be, a history of the Israelite people and of God's intervention in their history. They include:

Joshua

Judges

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ruth

Ezra

Nehemiah

Tobit

Judith

Esther

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

Stories of many well known men and women from Israelite history can be found in these books, including King David and King Solomon as well as Deborah, Judith and Queen Esther. The Historical Books reveal an interesting pattern in the relationship between God and his Chosen People. When the people are faithful to God and the law they are prosperous and God protects them from their enemies. When the people worship false gods and live immorally, in effect, saying to God, "We don't need you," disaster in one form or another overtakes them.

5. What are the Wisdom Books?

There are seven Wisdom books that are quite diverse in literary style and content. They include the Psalms, which are prayers written in poetic form. There are books about how to lead a successful life, like Proverbs and Sirach. The Song of Songs, one of the most sensual love poems ever written, gives us a sense of God's great love for his people. The Wisdom Books are:

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Wisdom

Sirach

6. What are the Prophetic Books?

The Prophetic Books contain the writings of Israel's great prophets. The role of the prophets was to keep the Chosen People faithful to the covenant they had made with God and to call them back when they strayed. These powerful writings richly describe the rewards of faithfulness and the punishments of betrayal. Additionally and mysteriously, the prophetic books foretell the coming of the Messiah and give information about him. Jesus' birth in Bethlehem to a virgin, his ministry to the poor, the downtrodden and the sick, and his violent death are all foretold in the prophetic books. The Prophetic Books include:

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Lamentations

Baruch

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obediah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

7. What is the New Testament?

The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books which were written in Greek between 50 A.D. and 140 A.D. It consists of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles or Letters and the Book of Revelation. The central theme of the New Testament, or Christian Scriptures, is Jesus Christ; his person, his message, his passion, death and resurrection, his identity as the promised Messiah and his relationship to us as Lord and brother.

8. Why was the New Testament written in Greek?

The New Testament was written in Greek because it was the most commonly spoken language of the Mediterranean world.

9. What are the Gospels?

The word gospel comes from the Old English word god-spel which means good news. There are four Gospels. Each Gospel is an account of the life, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospels are:

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke together are referred to as the synoptic gospels. "Synoptic" is derived from a Greek word meaning "one eye,' because these gospels look alike in structure and content. The Gospel of John, while not in conflict with the synoptic gospels, differs in structure and contains some stories and sayings of Jesus that are not found in them.

Many familiar Bible stories about Jesus can be found in the gospels, including the story of his birth in Bethlehem, the many stories about his healing of the sick, and parables like the story of the Prodigal Son.

10. What are the Acts of the Apostles?

The Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke about 70 A.D. to 75 A.D. It describes the faith, growth and way of life of early Christianity. The story of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost, the martyrdom of St. Stephen and the conversion of St. Paul can all be found in this book.

11. What are the Epistles?

The Epistles or Letters make up the largest part of the New Testament. They are usually divided into two categories: the Pauline Letters and other Apostolic Letters. All the letters follow the format of letter writing in the ancient world. Each letter usually begins with a greeting and an identification of the sender and the recipients. This is followed by a prayer, usually in the form of a thanksgiving. The body of the letter is an exposition of Christian teaching, usually responding to the circumstances of the recipients. It may be followed by a discussion of the author's future travel plans and conclude with practical advice and a farewell.

The Pauline Letters were written by St. Paul or one of his disciples; not long after the death and resurrection of Jesus, between 54 A.D. and 80 A.D. They indicate early developments of Christian theology and practice. Included in the Pauline Letters are:

Romans

1 & 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philipppians

Colossians

1 & 2 Thessalonians

1 & 2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

The Apostolic Letters are thought to be addressed, not so much to a particular community or individual, but to a more universal audience. They were written by various authors between 65 A.D. and 95 A.D. The Apostolic Letters are:

James

1 & 2 Peter

1, 2 & 3 John

Jude

12. What is the Book of Revelation?

The final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, was written sometime after 90 A.D. In highly symbolic terms it presents the struggle between the church and the forces of evil and the eventual triumph of Jesus Although it contains some dreadful warnings about the future, it is essentially a message of hope to the church.

13. Who is the author of the Bible?

The author of the Bible is God. He revealed Himself throughout mankind’s history by communicating to human beings His merciful plan of salvation.

The Bible is a written record of God’s revelation of Himself through the messages and events that occurred throughout mankind’s history. God revealed who He is, through the words in the Bible, but also through the events that occurred in the lives of the people whose stories are recorded in the Bible.

We know who God is, through both His words and His actions.

14. Why do we think the Bible is the inspired word of God?

The Holy Spirit’s supernatural inspiration motivated the writers of sacred scripture to record the truth that was conveyed to them, in such a manner that could be interpreted correctly and understood by the people of their time and ours as well.

The Bible is like a love letter written by God for His people, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

15. Is the Bible free from errors?

The words of the Bible are always true in the sense intended by their human authors. The words that are recorded in the different books in the Bible may contain minor errors born from the culture in which the author lived, or their limited knowledge of the world (such as whether the earth was flat or round for an example).

Many of the stories in the Bible were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and were not written down until much later, but this too validates the importance of the words recorded in these books.

The Catholic church has studied these sacred texts for over 2,000 years and understands the historical time periods in which they were written, as well as the background and culture of the biblical writers themselves.

This is why we should rely more on the church’s interpretation of the sacred scriptures, than our own. However, the church does encourage us to read and reflect on the Bible for ourselves as well.

16. What are the Apocrypha Books?

Non-Catholics usually call the Deuterocanical Books of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha. These are the seven “extra” books that the Catholic Bible contains, but the Protestant Bible does not.

The reason the Catholic Bible has seven extra books is because when the Catholic church originally put together the 73 books of the Bible, these books were included as part of the canon.

However, when the Protestant reformation occurred, Martin Luther removed these books from the Catholic Bible because he did not believe they were divinely inspired. In recent times, however, many Protestant editions of the Bible now include these books and call them the Apocrypha.

The seven books that the Protestant Bibles do not include are:

Sirach, Wisdom, Judith, Tobit, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees. 

(Some also exclude: Longer version of Daniel & Longer version of Esther)

(Taken from various Catholic Sites)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Getting a Tattoo

The Church on being gay and having a gay partner

Why do we sign Head, Lips & Heart before Gospel Reading?

Why do we raise hands during Our Father at Mass?

Why does the Priest need Altar Servers?

Getting a Tattoo

Getting a Tattoo

Q. Three of my friends and I all turn 18 in the same month. We have been planning to celebrate by getting tattoos. My mother says getting a tattoo is a sin. Is that what the church teaches?

A. Are tattoos a sin? Perhaps the answer to this question is not as straightforward as we would like it to be. I think the best thing I can do is to offer some insights from Scripture and Catholic teaching to help you come to a good decision.

In the Old Testament we read from the Book of Leviticus the straightforward command, “ … do not tattoo yourselves” (19:28). The first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians explains that “ … your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit … ” (6:19). And the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended …, mutilations, … performed on innocent persons are against the moral law” (#2297).

So what does this all mean in regards to tattoos? First, I don’t think it means that tattoos are “intrinsically evil.” What I mean is that it would be an error to say that every tattoo in every circumstance is always wrong. Some cultures, for example, have a marking on the forehead to indicate ones marital status. Many Ethiopian Christians have the custom of tattooing a cross on their forehead to express their Christian faith. And we only need to look through the history books to see the many ways in which tattoos have been a part of many other cultures.

Culture, I believe, is one important aspect to look at when discussing the morality of tattoos. One key point is that in many of these cultural examples, tattoos are not only socially accepted, they are also often socially expected. That, of course, is not the case in the many countries.  So what about getting a tattoo in your country and in your culture?  Allow me to offer three considerations. 

First, your body was made by God and is beautiful just as it is. To add an additional permanent marking to your body is not necessary. Some would even call it a mutilation. Doing this will not add to your bodies natural beauty. And since it is not a required part of our culture, there is no good reason to pursue one. Remember, your body truly is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We should, therefore, treat our body as we would God’s church. God has already designed and decorated this “church” in such a way that it really does not need an additional permanent alteration.

Second, if you were to decide to get a tattoo anyway, please avoid the following: Diabolical images, ugly images, shocking images, images pertaining to horoscopes, and simply put, any image contrary to the Christian faith. Any image like this would surely fall into the category of sin.

Third, make sure you are not acting out of peer pressure. Sometimes we can do things simply because our friends are doing it and we want to fit in. This is never a good reason. If our friends are real friends they will not pressure us into decisions like this nor will they look down on us if we choose not to “go with the flow.” Make sure your choice is not made out of pressure from others.

I hope that helps. If you are still confused about getting a tattoo I at least suggest you spend more time thinking and praying about it. I’m sure that if you are fully open to the will of God, He will lead you in the right direction and help you to make the right decision.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

The Church on being gay and having a gay partner

Why do we sign Head, Lips & Heart before Gospel Reading?

Why do we raise hands during Our Father at Mass?

Why does the Priest need Altar Servers?

Are Chain Messages Miraculous?

The Church on Being Gay and Having a Gay Partner

Q. Could you explain the Catholic Church’s position on being gay and having a gay partner?

A. Yes, this is a very important and very personal question for many people today.  It’s one of those questions that can be deeply emotional and even “controversial.”  But it doesn’t have to be.  These questions are questions that Jesus wants to address in your heart and conscience in a loving and personal way.

So what does the Church have to say about this?  Let’s take your question and ask it in three different ways so that we can address the full picture:

1) What is the Catholic Church’s position on having a homosexual tendency?

2) What is the Catholic Church’s position on having a gay partner?

3) What is the Catholic Church’s position on homosexual sex?

Answer to question #1: There is nothing morally wrong with being someone who has homosexual desires. This may not at all be chosen and therefore is not morally right or wrong.  Many people will argue one way or another as to why some people have homosexual desires.  Some will say that they were born this way.  Others will say it is the result of one’s upbringing or environment.  Others will say that it is a result of one’s choices.

Regarding what the Church has to say about this…the Church has not taken a position as to why some have homosexual tendencies.  In fact, it not really a question for the Church to “solve.”  This seems more to be a question for psychologists and science.  Rather, the intent of our Church is to acknowledge that some have these tendencies and that having these tendencies is not sinful in and of itself.  However, the Church does acknowledge that these sexual desires are disordered (see Catechism quote below). For that reason, it should also be noted that we should always take our identity in Christ, not in our sexual desires.

Answer to question #2: The answer to this question depends upon what it means to “have a gay partner.”  Certainly, there is something good about friendship and mutual support of another.  In the case of two people who have homosexual tendencies, there could be an opportunity for healthy chaste mutual support and friendship as well as mutual understanding of the other’s life and struggles.  This can certainly be good and healthy.  Thus, if by “having a gay partner” one means that he/she has entered into a friendship of mutual support in accord with God’s plan for sexuality, then this friendship could prove to be beneficial.  If by “partner” one means gay marriage or a civil union, this is not something that the Catholic Church supports.  We believe that marriage is an institution created and designed by God exclusively for one man and one woman (see Synod on the Family quote below).

Answer to question #3: One serious challenge for those with homosexual tendencies is that these tendencies ought not be acted on in a sexual way.  The Catholic Church, in keeping with revelation from the Scriptures, believes that God intended sex for marriage between one man and one woman.  Thus, chastity must be the goal for those with homosexual tendencies.  

In regards to all three of the questions above, the best way to answer them in accord with the mind of the Catholic Church is to offer you the teaching on this matter from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Catechism of the Catholic Church: Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”  They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

(Taken from Catholic Q&A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Why do we sign Head, Lips & Heart before Gospel Reading?

Why do we raise hands during Our Father at Mass?

Why does the Priest need Altar Servers?

Are Chain Messages Miraculous?

Should I sit or kneel after receiving holy communion

Signing Head, Lips & Heart at the Gospel

 

Q. Why we make sign of cross on head, lips and chest before reading the Gospel?

A. The first and simplest answer to this question comes to us from the rubrics.  The rubrics for the Mass are the instructions given to us in the Roman Missal and they tell us the structure of the Mass.  They tell us when to stand, sit, kneel, respond, etc.  They also tell us that we are to make the sign of the Cross on our forehead, lips and heart just prior to the reading of the Gospel.

But your question is probably more about the “why” we do this.  The answer is simple.  This gesture of signing ourselves with the Cross is a way of praying, “May the Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart.”  It is said prior to the reading of the Gospel as a way of prayerfully inviting Christ to come to us in these ways as His sacred Word is proclaimed.  The hearing of the Gospel must change our minds, it must be proclaimed by our lips, and it must affect our heart.  By heart we especially mean our will, affections, emotions and passions.

So next time you sign yourself with the Cross before the Gospel make sure that it’s more than just an external gesture, make sure it is also a prayer and an invitation to Christ.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the topic for answers to Previous Five Queries

Why do we raise hands during Our Father at Mass?

Why does the Priest need Altar Servers?

Are Chain Messages Miraculous?

Should I sit or kneel after receiving holy communion

Do Unborn Babies Go To Heaven