Thank You Pope Benedict XVI

GOD GRANT THY CHURCH A PONTIFF....

Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI and for the election of a new Pope

V. Let us pray for Benedict XVI, the Pope.
R. May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and may the Lord not hand him over to the power of his enemies.
V. May your hand be upon your holy servant.
R. And Upon your son whom you have anointed.

Let us pray.

O God, the Pastor and Ruler of all the faithful, look down, in your mercy, upon you servant Benedict, whom you have appointed to preside over your Church; and grant, we beseech you, that both by word and example, he may edify all those under his charge; so that, with the flock entrusted to him, he may arrive at length unto life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

V. Oremus Pro Pontifice nostro Benedict XVI
R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
V. Fiat manus tua super virum dexterae tuae.
R. Et super filium tuum quia confirmasti tibi.

Oremus.

Deus omnium fidelium pastor et rector famulum tuum Benedict, et quem pastorem Ecclesiae Tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quaesumus, verbo et exemplo quibus praeest, proficere; ut ad vitam una cum grege sibi credito sempiternam. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

 

Prayer for a new Pope

O Lord, with suppliant humility we entreat Thee, that in Thy boundless mercy Thou wouldst grant the most holy Roman Church a pontiff, who, by his zeal for us, may be pleasing to Thee, and by his good government may ever be honored by Thy people for the glory of Thy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflections for Lent from the Office of Readings

From Universais Hymn

Lord, who throughout these forty days

for us didst fast and pray,

teach us with thee to mourn our sins,

and close by thee to stay.

As thou with Satan didst contend

and didst the victory win,

O give us strength in thee to fight,

in thee to conquer sin.

As thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,

so teach us, gracious Lord,

to die to self, and chiefly live

by thy most holy word.

And through these days of penitence,

and through thy Passiontide,

yea, evermore in life and death,

Jesus, with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life

of suffering overpast,

an Easter of unending joy

we may attain at last.

Psalm 102 (103) Praise of the compassionate Lord

My soul, give thanks to the Lord, and never forget all his blessings.

My soul, bless the Lord!

All that is in me, bless his holy name.

My soul, bless the Lord!

Never forget all he has done for you.

The Lord, who forgives your wrongdoing,

who heals all your weaknesses.

The Lord, who redeems your life from destruction,

who crowns you with kindness and compassion.

The Lord, who fills your age with good things,

who renews your youth like an eagle’s.

The Lord, who gives fair judgements,

who gives judgement in favour of the oppressed.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord, and never forget all his blessings.

Psalm 102 (103)

As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him.

The Lord is compassion and kindness,

full of patience, full of mercy.

He will not fight against you for ever:

he will not always be angry.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve;

he does not pay us back for our wrongdoing.

As high as the sky above the earth,

so great is his kindness to those who fear him.

As far as east is from west,

so far he has put our wrongdoing from us.

As a father cares for his children,

so the Lord cares for those who fear him.

For he knows how we are made,

he remembers we are nothing but dust.

Man – his life is like grass,

he blossoms and withers like flowers of the field.

The wind blows and carries him away:

no trace of him remains.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him.

Give thanks to the Lord, all his works.

The Lord has been kind from the beginning;

to those who fear him his kindness lasts for ever.

His justice is for their children’s children,

for those who keep his covenant,

for those who remember his commandments

and try to perform them.

The Lord’s throne is high in the heavens

and his rule shall extend over all.

Bless the Lord, all his angels,

strong in your strength, doers of his command,

bless him as you hear his words.

Bless the Lord, all his powers,

his servants who do his will.

Bless the Lord, all he has created,

in every place that he rules.

My soul, bless the Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Give thanks to the Lord, all his works.

---

Repent and do penance.

– Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Reading	Isaiah 58:1-12

Shout for all you are worth,

raise your voice like a trumpet.

Proclaim their faults to my people,

their sins to the House of Jacob.

They seek me day after day,

they long to know my ways,

like a nation that wants to act with integrity

and not ignore the law of its God.

They ask me for laws that are just,

they long for God to draw near:

‘Why should we fast if you never see it,

why do penance if you never notice?’

Look, you do business on your fast-days,

you oppress all your workmen;

look, you quarrel and squabble when you fast

and strike the poor man with your fist.

Fasting like yours today

will never make your voice heard on high.

Is that the sort of fast that pleases me,

a truly penitential day for men?

Hanging your head like a reed,

lying down on sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call fasting,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me

– it is the Lord who speaks –

to break unjust fetters and

undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and break every yoke,

to share your bread with the hungry,

and shelter the homeless poor,

to clothe the man you see to be naked

and not turn from your own kin?

Then will your light shine like the dawn

and your wound be quickly healed over.

Your integrity will go before you

and the glory of the Lord behind you.

Cry, and the Lord will answer;

call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

If you do away with the yoke,

the clenched fist, the wicked word,

if you give your bread to the hungry,

and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness,

and your shadows become like noon.

The Lord will always guide you,

giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water

whose waters never run dry.

You will rebuild the ancient ruins,

build up on the old foundations.

You will be called ‘Breach-mender’,

‘Restorer of ruined houses.’

Responsory

This is the fast that pleases me, says the Lord: share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor. Then you will cry and the Lord will hear; you will call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

When the Son of Man comes, he will say to the people on his right, Come, for I was hungry and you fed me. Then you will cry and the Lord will hear; you will call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

Reading	From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope

Repent

Let us fix our attention on the blood of Christ and recognise how precious it is to God his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to him. When Noah preached God’s message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved. Jonah told the Ninevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented, their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God’s people.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the ministers of God’s grace have spoken of repentance; indeed, the Master of the whole universe himself spoke of repentance with an oath: As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the death of the sinner but his repentance. He added this evidence of his goodness: House of Israel, repent of your wickedness. Tell the sons of my people: If their sins should reach from earth to heaven, if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say, “Father,” and I will listen to you as a holy people.

In other words, God wanted all his beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and he confirmed this desire by his own almighty will. That is why we should obey his sovereign and glorious will and prayerfully entreat his mercy and kindness. We should be suppliant before him and turn to his compassion, rejecting empty works and quarrelling and jealousy which only lead to death.

Brothers, we should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger. Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit says: The wise man must not glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches. Rather, let him who glories glory in the Lord by seeking him and doing what is right and just. Recall especially what the Lord Jesus said when he taught gentleness and forbearance. Be merciful, he said, so that you may have mercy shown to you. Forgive, so that you may be forgiven. As you treat others, so you will be treated. As you give, so you will receive. As you judge, so you will be judged. As you are kind to others, so you will be treated kindly. The measure of your giving will be the measure of your receiving.

Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to his sacred words. As Scripture asks: Whom shall I look upon with favour except the humble, peaceful man who trembles at my words?

Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning. Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to his splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all his blessings.

Responsory

Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord: he will take pity on him, for the Lord our God is all tenderness and compassion and ready to relent.

The Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but desires that he turn from his way and live; for the Lord our God is all tenderness and compassion and ready to relent.

---

Let us pray.

Support us, Lord, as with this Lenten fast

we begin our Christian warfare,

so that in doing battle against the spirit of evil

we may be armed with the weapon of self-denial.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever

From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope

Purification of spirit through fasting and almsgiving

Dear friends, at every moment the earth is full of the mercy of God, and nature itself is a lesson for all the faithful in the worship of God. The heavens, the sea and all that is in them bear witness to the goodness and omnipotence of their Creator, and the marvellous beauty of the elements as they obey him demands from the intelligent creation a fitting expression of its gratitude.

But with the return of that season marked out in a special way by the mystery of our redemption, and of the days that lead up to the paschal feast, we are summoned more urgently to prepare ourselves by a purification of spirit.

The special note of the paschal feast is this: the whole Church rejoices in the forgiveness of sins. It rejoices in the forgiveness not only of those who are then reborn in holy baptism but also of those who are already numbered among God’s adopted children.

Initially, men are made new by the rebirth of baptism. Yet there still is required a daily renewal to repair the shortcomings of our mortal nature, and whatever degree of progress has been made there is no one who should not be more advanced. All must therefore strive to ensure that on the day of redemption no one may be found in the sins of his former life.

Dear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times should be done now with greater care and devotion, so that the Lenten fast enjoined by the apostles may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but above all by the renunciation of sin.

There is no more profitable practice as a companion to holy and spiritual fasting than that of almsgiving. This embraces under the single name of mercy many excellent works of devotion, so that the good intentions of all the faithful may be of equal value, even where their means are not. The love that we owe both God and man is always free from any obstacle that would prevent us from having a good intention. The angels sang: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. The person who shows love and compassion to those in any kind of affliction is blessed, not only with the virtue of good will but also with the gift of peace.

The works of mercy are innumerable. Their very variety brings this advantage to those who are true Christians, that in the matter of almsgiving not only the rich and affluent but also those of average means and the poor are able to play their part. Those who are unequal in their capacity to give can be equal in the love within their hearts.

Responsory

The time of fasting opens the gates of heaven to us: let us give ourselves to penance and prayer, so that we may rejoice with the Lord on the day of his resurrection.

In all things let us prove that we are servants of God, so that we may rejoice with the Lord on the day of his resurrection.

---

Let us pray.

Lord, be the beginning and end

of everything we do and say.

Prompt our actions with your grace,

and complete them with your all-powerful help.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

---

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

More Leadership

Lets explore some snippets from some of the world's famous leaders; from Julian Thompson's Call to Arms Military Speeches
Alexander the Great
     There is no need for me to rouse you, my officers, to valor, when that valor is already within you. Let me remind you to persevere discipline in the hour of danger- to advance when called upon to do so, in utter silence; to watch the time for a hearty cheer, and when the moment comes, to roar out your battle cry and put the fear of God into the enemy's hearts.
     All must obey orders promptly and pass them on without hesitation to your men.; and finally, every one of you must remember that upon the conduct of each of you depends the fate of all; if each man attends to his duty, success was assured; if one man neglected it, the army will be in peril.

Hannibal
     We have nothing left in the world but what we can win with our swords. Timidy and cowardice are for men who can see safety at their backs- can retreat without molestation along some easy road and find refuge in familiar fields of their native land; but they are not for you: you must be brave; for you there is no middle way between victory or death- put all hope of it from you, and either conquer, or should fortune hesitate to favor you, meet death in battle rather than in flight.

Scipio Africanus
     Go therefore, to meet the for with two objects before you, either victory or death. For men animated by such a spirit must always overcome their adversaries, since they go into battle ready to throw away their lives.

Shakespeare, Henry V (Act 3, Scene 1)
     In peace there's nothing so becomes a man, as modest stillness and humility: But when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage.
     Because by the God in Heaven upon whose Grace I have relied and in whom is my firm hope of victory, I would not, even if I could, have a single man more than I do. For these I have with me are God's people, whom he deigns to let me have at this time. Do you not believe, that the Almighty, with these his humble few, is able to overcome the opposing arrogance of the French, who boast of their great number and their own strength.

Joan of Arc
     In God's name go bravely!

Jean de la Valette, Hospitallier (Malta)
     We now know that we must not look to others for our deliverance. It is only upon God and our own swords that we must rely. Yet this is no reason why we should be disheartened. Rather the opposite, for it is better to know the truth of one's situation than to be deceived by specious hopes. Our faith and the honor of our order are in our own hands. We shall not fail.

Frederick the Great
     The best strategem is to lull the enemy into security at the time when the troops are about to disperse and go into winter quarters, so that by retiring, you may be enabled to advance on them with good purpose. With this view in mind the troops (yours) should be made to assemble for attack. If successful, you may recover in a fortnight the misfortunes of a whole campaign.
     Gentlemen, the enemy stands behind his entrenchments armed to the teeth. We must attack him and win, or else perish. Nobody must think of getting through in any other way. If you don't like this you may resign and go home.

Prince Alexander Suvorov, Field Marshall
     The greater the enemy, the more they will fall over one another, and the easier it will be for us to cut through.
     Only pursuit destroys a running enemy. A strong pursuit gives no time for the enemy to think, take advantage of victory, up root him, cut off his escape.

General U.S. Grant
     Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike at him as hard as you can and as soon as you can, and keep moving on.

Capt. Jean Danjou, French Foreign Legion
     We have munitions. We will not surrender.

Admiral William Halsey, USN
     Hit hard, hit fast, hit often.

LTC "Chesty" Puller, USMC
     Be a model of valor by example and precept. There are many qualities in one man, but one that is absolutely necessary is stark courage.

General Douglas MacArthur, USA
     Duty, Honor, Country... They are your rally point to build courage when courage seems to fail... they build your basic character. They mould you for your future roles as the custodians of the nation's defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid. They teach you to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success; not to substitute words for action; not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm, but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you master others; to have a heart that is clear, a goal that is high; ... the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength... They teach you in this way to be an officer and a gentleman... It's requirements are for the things that are right, and it's restraints are for the things that are wrong. The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest acts of religious training- sacrifice. The soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.

General George S. Patton, USA
     We can and will win. God helping. When one attacks it is the enemy who has to worry. Give us victory Lord!
     Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains victory.