26 October 2011

Order of Malta Taking Possession of Malta in 1530

On this day, 26 October 1530, the Order of Malta took possession of the Island of Malta which had been given to them by Emperor Charles V in agreement for an annual tribue of one Maltese falcon. This image by Rene Berthon shows Phillipe Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, the 44th Grand Master of the Order taking possession.

Order of Malta Taking Possession of Malta in 1530

On this day, 26 October 1530, the Order of Malta took possession of the Island of Malta which had been given to them by Emperor Charles V in agreement for an annual tribue of one Maltese falcon. This image by Rene Berthon shows Phillipe Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, the 44th Grand Master of the Order taking possession.

20 October 2011

For What Should We Pray

From today's Office of Readings is this letter of St. Augustine,
You may still want to ask why the Apostle said: We do not know what it is right to pray for, because, surely, we cannot believe that either he or those to whom he wrote did not know the Lord’s Prayer.

He showed that he himself shared this uncertainty. Did he know what it was right to pray for when he was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to bruise him, so that he might not be puffed up by the greatness of what was revealed to him? Three times he asked the Lord to take it away from him, which showed that he did not know what he should ask for in prayer. At last, he heard the Lord’s answer, explaining why the prayer of so great a man was not granted, and why it was not expedient for it to be granted: My grace is sufficient for you, for power shines forth more perfectly in weakness.

In the kind of affliction, then, which can bring either good or ill, we do not know what it is right to pray for; yet, because it is difficult, troublesome and against the grain for us, weak as we are, we do what every human would do, we pray that it may be taken away from us. We owe, however, at least this much in our duty to God: if he does not take it away, we must not imagine that we are being forgotten by him but because of our loving endurance of evil, must await greater blessings in its place. In this way, power shines forth more perfectly in weakness. These words are written to prevent us from having too great an opinion of ourselves if our prayer is granted, when we are impatient in asking for something that it would be better not to receive; and to prevent us from being dejected, and distrustful of God’s mercy toward us, if our prayer is not granted, when we ask for something that would bring us greater affliction, or completely ruin us through the corrupting influence of prosperity. In these cases we do not know what is right to ask for in prayer.

Therefore, if something happens that we did not pray for, we must have no doubt at all that what God wants is more expedient than what we wanted ourselves. Our great Mediator gave us an example of this. After he had said: Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me, he immediately added, Yet not what I will, but what you will, Father, so transforming the human will that was his through his taking a human nature. As a consequence, and rightly so, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.

For What Should We Pray

From today's Office of Readings is this letter of St. Augustine,
You may still want to ask why the Apostle said: We do not know what it is right to pray for, because, surely, we cannot believe that either he or those to whom he wrote did not know the Lord’s Prayer.

He showed that he himself shared this uncertainty. Did he know what it was right to pray for when he was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to bruise him, so that he might not be puffed up by the greatness of what was revealed to him? Three times he asked the Lord to take it away from him, which showed that he did not know what he should ask for in prayer. At last, he heard the Lord’s answer, explaining why the prayer of so great a man was not granted, and why it was not expedient for it to be granted: My grace is sufficient for you, for power shines forth more perfectly in weakness.

In the kind of affliction, then, which can bring either good or ill, we do not know what it is right to pray for; yet, because it is difficult, troublesome and against the grain for us, weak as we are, we do what every human would do, we pray that it may be taken away from us. We owe, however, at least this much in our duty to God: if he does not take it away, we must not imagine that we are being forgotten by him but because of our loving endurance of evil, must await greater blessings in its place. In this way, power shines forth more perfectly in weakness. These words are written to prevent us from having too great an opinion of ourselves if our prayer is granted, when we are impatient in asking for something that it would be better not to receive; and to prevent us from being dejected, and distrustful of God’s mercy toward us, if our prayer is not granted, when we ask for something that would bring us greater affliction, or completely ruin us through the corrupting influence of prosperity. In these cases we do not know what is right to ask for in prayer.

Therefore, if something happens that we did not pray for, we must have no doubt at all that what God wants is more expedient than what we wanted ourselves. Our great Mediator gave us an example of this. After he had said: Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me, he immediately added, Yet not what I will, but what you will, Father, so transforming the human will that was his through his taking a human nature. As a consequence, and rightly so, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.

13 October 2011

Feast of Blessed Gerard

Today is the Feast of the founder of the Order of Malta, Blessed Gerard. Please pray for us.

Click here to read an article on Blessed Gerard I wrote last winter for the American Assoc. newsletter

Feast of Blessed Gerard

Today is the Feast of the founder of the Order of Malta, Blessed Gerard. Please pray for us.

Click here to read an article on Blessed Gerard I wrote last winter for the American Assoc. newsletter

06 October 2011

Steve Jobs- A Life That Might Not Have Been

In 1954, [Joanne Schiebel] was a young unmarried college student who discovered that she was pregnant. In the 1950s, her options were limited. She could have had an abortion – but the procedure was both dangerous and illegal. She could have gotten married, but she wasn’t ready and didn’t want to interrupt her education. Joanne opted, instead, to give birth to the baby and put it up for adoption.

And so it was that in 1955, a California couple named Paul and Clara Jobs adopted a baby boy, born out of wedlock, that they named Steven.
We know him today…as Steve Jobs.

It would not be overstating things to say that Steve Jobs is my generation’s Thomas Edison. As one observer put it, he knew what the world wanted before the world knew that it wanted it.

If you have an iPhone or an iPad or an iPod, or anything remotely resembling them, you can thank Steve Jobs.

If your world has been transformed by the ability to hear a symphony, send a letter, pay a bill, deposit a check, read a book and then buy theater tickets on something roughly the size of a credit card…you can thank Steve Jobs.

And: you can thank Joanne Schiebel.

If you want to know how much one life can matter, there is just one example.

But: imagine if that life had never happened.

Steve Jobs- A Life That Might Not Have Been

In 1954, [Joanne Schiebel] was a young unmarried college student who discovered that she was pregnant. In the 1950s, her options were limited. She could have had an abortion – but the procedure was both dangerous and illegal. She could have gotten married, but she wasn’t ready and didn’t want to interrupt her education. Joanne opted, instead, to give birth to the baby and put it up for adoption.

And so it was that in 1955, a California couple named Paul and Clara Jobs adopted a baby boy, born out of wedlock, that they named Steven.
We know him today…as Steve Jobs.

It would not be overstating things to say that Steve Jobs is my generation’s Thomas Edison. As one observer put it, he knew what the world wanted before the world knew that it wanted it.

If you have an iPhone or an iPad or an iPod, or anything remotely resembling them, you can thank Steve Jobs.

If your world has been transformed by the ability to hear a symphony, send a letter, pay a bill, deposit a check, read a book and then buy theater tickets on something roughly the size of a credit card…you can thank Steve Jobs.

And: you can thank Joanne Schiebel.

If you want to know how much one life can matter, there is just one example.

But: imagine if that life had never happened.

05 October 2011

Memorial of Blessed Peter of Imola of the Order of Malta

Today is the feast of Bl. Peter of Imola the Prior of the Grand Priory of Rome. Although there is little know of his life there is an interesting account of an incident involving him after his death.


Again thanks to Fr. Gerard of the South African Association of the Order of Malta for his work in putting together these biographies.

He was born about 1250 at Imola (Italy) into the family of the lords of Linasio. An able lawyer, he mediated between the Guelphs and Ghibellines at Romagna in 1297. He became a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and was elected Grand Prior at Rome. He devoted great energy to caring for the sick at Florence (Italy) where he died on 5 October 1320: he was buried in the Church of St. James in the Campo Corbolini.


Prayer:

O God, who gave to blessed Peter, Prior of our Order, the gift of healing discord and division, grant to us through his prayers the grace of striving for peace and so being called the children of God. Through the same Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For more info see last years post.

Memorial of Blessed Peter of Imola of the Order of Malta

Today is the feast of Bl. Peter of Imola the Prior of the Grand Priory of Rome. Although there is little know of his life there is an interesting account of an incident involving him after his death.


Again thanks to Fr. Gerard of the South African Association of the Order of Malta for his work in putting together these biographies.

He was born about 1250 at Imola (Italy) into the family of the lords of Linasio. An able lawyer, he mediated between the Guelphs and Ghibellines at Romagna in 1297. He became a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and was elected Grand Prior at Rome. He devoted great energy to caring for the sick at Florence (Italy) where he died on 5 October 1320: he was buried in the Church of St. James in the Campo Corbolini.


Prayer:

O God, who gave to blessed Peter, Prior of our Order, the gift of healing discord and division, grant to us through his prayers the grace of striving for peace and so being called the children of God. Through the same Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For more info see last years post.

Disclaimer

This blog and the opinions are all my own and in no way imply the endorsement from any organization. Nor does a recommendation of another blog or web site imply my agreement or endorsement of everything found on their site.