ANIMA CHRISTI

Icon of the Lord's Crucifixion

[Anima Christi]

IT IS LATIN WHICH MEANS ' SOUL OF CHRIST'

[Soul of Christ

Sanctify me]

THIS IS A PRAYER ASKING JESUS TO SANCTIFY AND PURIFY A CATHOLIC FROM HIS OR HER SINS THROUGH HIS SOUL WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.

[Body of Christ save me]

THIS IS A SUPPLICATION TO THE LORD JESUS TO SAVE US BY HIS SACRED BODY WHICH IS THE HOLY EUCHARIST:

Luke 22:19  And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

John 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."

1 Corinthians 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

[Water from the side of Christ

Wash me, Passion of Christ]

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY REFERRING TO THE WATER AND BLOOD THAT FLOWED FROM THE SIDE OF JESUS WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS:

John 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

IT ALSO SIGNIFIES THE HOLY EUCHARIST. BUT THE TEXT REFERS ONLY TO THE WATER THAT FLOWED FROM THE HEART OF JESUS AND DID NOT INCLUDE THE BLOOD. THIS COULD BE INTERPRETED AS REFERRING TO THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM AND THE SANCTIFICATION BROUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT:

John 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Give me strength

Titus 3:5-7  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Chorus:

[Hear me Jesus]

THIS IS A CLASSIC PRAYER BASED ON THE INSISTENT PRAYER OF THE BLIND MAN, THE LEPER AND THE SAMARITAN MOTHER WHO PRAYED EARNESTLY AND CONTINUESLY BEFORE THE LORD TO HEAR THEM.

[Hide me in thy wounds

That I may never leave thy side]

THIS IS NOT LITERAL OF COURSE BUT AN EXPRESSION OF TOTAL SURRENDER TO THE LORD WHO HEALED US BY HIS WOUNDS:

1 Peter 2:24  Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed.

IT IS AN ARDENT REQUEST TO CLING TO THE LORD LIKE CHILDREN CLINGING TO THEIR MOTHER OR LIKE CHICKS LONGING FOR THE PROTECTIVE WINGS OF THE PARENT EAGLE, THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR WHICH IS PSALM 91:

Psalm 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.


Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.


Psa 91:3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.


Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

[From all the evil that surrounds me

Defend me]

THIS IS INSPIRED BY TWO BEAUTIFUL PSALMS:

Psalm 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;


Psalm 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.


Psalm 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

[and when the call of death arrives

Bid me come to thee]

THIS IS BASED ON SACRED SCRIPTURES WHEREIN THE LORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH CALLS THE SOULS OF THE DEPARTED BELIEVERS TO COME AND SHARE INTO THE KINGDOM AT THE END OF THEIR STAY HERE ON EARTH. THE LORD INVITES HIS PEOPLE TO ENTER HIS KINGDOM AND ENJOY THE MARRIAGE BANQUET OF THE LAMB:

Revelation 22:17  The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" Everyone who hears this must also say, "Come!" Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it. 

Matthew 25:31-34  "When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. Then the King will say to the people on his right, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world.

[That I may praise thee

With thy saints forever]

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE DOCTRINE OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS AND LIFE AFTER DEATH WHEREIN THE SOULS OF THE FAITHFUL ONES ARE IN HEAVEN AS SAINTS:

Hebrews 12:22-23  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

THESE SPIRITS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN MADE PERFECT [cf. Heb 12:23 NASB] ARE SINGING THE PRAISE OF THE LORD IN HEAVEN:

Revelation 19:1  And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God...

SO, ALL IN ALL THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL CATHOLIC PRAYER SET INTO SONG WHICH IS VERY BIBLICAL AND HIGHLY SPIRITUAL. I ENCOURAGE EVERY CATHOLIC TO PRAY THIS TREASURE OF CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY.

POPE BENEDICT XVI - PRAYER FOR THE UNBORN

The Virgin and Child

Lord Jesus,
You who faithfully visit and fulfill with your Presence
the Church and the history of men;
You who in the miraculous Sacrament of your Body and Blood
render us participants in divine Life
and allow us a foretaste of the joy of eternal Life;
We adore and bless you.

Prostrated before You, source and lover of Life,
truly present and alive among us, we beg you.

Reawaken in us respect for every unborn life,
make us capable of seeing in the fruit of the maternal womb
the miraculous work of the Creator,
open our hearts to generously welcoming every child
that comes into life.

Bless all families,
sanctify the union of spouses,
render fruitful their love.

Accompany the choices of legislative assemblies
with the light of your Spirit,
so that peoples and nations may recognize and respect
the sacred nature of life, of every human life.

Guide the work of scientists and doctors,
so that all progress contributes to the integral well-being of the person,
and no one endures suppression or injustice.

Give creative charity to administrators and economists,
so they may realize and promote sufficient conditions
so that young families can serenely embrace
the birth of new children.

Console the married couples who suffer
because they are unable to have children
and in Your goodness provide for them.

Teach us all to care for orphaned or abandoned children,
so they may experience the warmth of your Charity,
the consolation of your divine Heart.

Together with Mary, Your Mother, the great believer,
in whose womb you took on our human nature,
we wait to receive from You, our Only True Good and Savior,
the strength to love and serve life,
in anticipation of living forever in You,
in communion with the Blessed Trinity.

Mabuting kaugalian ba ang mag-alay ng Prayer at Insenso sa Panginoon tuwing Bagong Taon?

The Adoration of the Magi (1496) by Filippino Lippi

andee of talisayan misamis oriental said...

Father, may tradation ako na nasunod ko sa mga ninuno ko, siguro okey lang gumamit ng kamanyan while praying and blessing our home during vesperas ng new year? Kasi sabi ng lolo ko na the very first thing na gawin ko rawbago mag new year ay mag offer ako ng prayer at insenso sa panginoon. Kasi daw mas maganda ang buhay ng buong taon kung sisimulan mo ng dasal at ensenso.

October 16, 2010 5:15 PM

Fr. Abe, CRS said...

BRO. ANDEE,

MAGANDANG GAWAIN IYAN. IMAGINE, NAG-AALAY KA NG PANALANGIN AT KAMANYANG SA PANGINOON SA BAGONG TAON NA NAGKATAON NAMAN NA MORE OR LESS ANNIVERSARY NG ADORATION OF THE MAGI TO THE CHILD JESUS. AKMANG-AKMA. NAPAPANAHON AT VERY BIBLICAL NA GAWAIN.

DAPAT MONG IPAGPATULOY IYAN AT MAGANDANG GAWAIN IYAN. TINUTURUAN KA NG LOLO MO NA GAYAHIN ANG PAGSAMBA NA INIALAY NG MGA MAGO SA SANGGOL NA SI JESUS. VERY GOOD YAN.

October 16, 2010 5:38 PM

BAKIT INUULIT NG MGA CATOLICO ANG OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY AT IBA PANG DASAL?

The Annunciation in Medieval Art

Anonymous said...

Bakit ang dasal sa katoliko laging inuulit... tulad ng Ama namin, Aba Ginoong Maria, etc... tulad ng pagdadasal ng bhudism, slam, at iba pang hindi maka-Kristiyanong relihiyon... Hindi marunong makinig ang Diyos?

October 6, 2010 9:20 AM

Fr. Abe, CRS said...

KUNG DIOS ANG PAGBABASEHAN E HINDI NA NGA KAILANGANG MAGDASAL DAHIL ALAM NA NIYA ANG LAHAT. ANG DASAL AY PARA SA TAO UPANG HIGIT SIYANG MAPALAPIT SA DIOS.

ANG MGA DASAL NA OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY, GLORY BE AT IBA PA AY BIBLICAL PRAYERS. WE ARE USING THEM NOT ONLY FOR OUR PRESENTATION OF REQUESTS BUT ALSO FOR OUR MEDITATIONS AND REFLECTIONS. WHEN YOU ARE MEDITATING AND REFLECTING YOU NEED CONTINUOUS FOCUS ON THE WORDS AND CONTENT OF THE PASSAGE OR OF THE BIBLICAL TEXTS FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND COMPREHENSION OF THE TRUTH THAT THEY CONTAIN. THUS WE NEED TO CONTINUOUSLY PRONOUNCE, HEAR AND SAVOR THEIR MEANING.

ANG IBANG MGA RELIHIYON KUNWARI AY HINDI NAGDADASAL NG PAULIT-ULIT. ANG MGA BORN AGAIN AY PAULIT ULIT ANG 'AMEN' AT 'ALLELUIA'. ANG MGA MANOLISTA AY PAULIT ULIT ANG 'OPO' 'SIYANGA PO' 'HINDI NA PO'. HE, HE, HE...

HINDI LAHAT NG PAULIT ULIT AY PINAGBABAWAL. YUN LAMANG 'WALANG KABULUHANG PAULIT-ULIT.

October 6, 2010 1:42 PM

REFUTING A DATING DAAN MEMBER ON PRAYER, Part 2 by Bro. Marwill Llasos, O.P.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Bicci di Lorenzo

jc said...

the meaning of prayer was already defined well and pattern was given in the Bible, if you think that the definition made is limited, it is your opinion and I respect you opinion but not your belief.

(You pray because you want something from Him. The focus is more on what you get from that relationship – and not what you give.)

I found your quoted statement above hypocrisy. Requesting is acknowledging your being incapable of something, that we are nothing, that we are only dust. God is delighted when we pray to Him.

granting without accepting that Hail Mary is a kind of prayer,intercession prayer as you have implied, how many times you recited it? 10 x 5= 50 times. Isn't that repitition? Is your god deaf? That you really need to repeat your prayer at that moment? You have not follow the pattern given by Lord Jesus.

(Psa 115:5) They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:

(Psa 115:6) They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:

(Psa 115:7) They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

You missed the real thought of what I tried to implied when I said you passed the burden to Mary to pray for you, it is the task or the service (G5413) and not the one you thought. Since you missed the thought, your judgement is incorrect as well. And i admit I really dont have idea whats in heaven aside from the one written already.

Granting w/o accepting again, Hail Mary is a prayer, how sure are you that she will make a prayer for you. Her spirit is already with God's hand.

(Job 12:10) In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

(Rev 6:9) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

(Rev 6:10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

(Rev 6:11) And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

I believe St. John in saying that those souls were resting.

so the creed is your profession of faith. is reciting the creed show your one faith?

(Eze 33:31) And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

even the unclean spirit acknowledged that Jesus is te son of God:

(Mar 5:1) And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

(Mar 5:2) And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

(Mar 5:3) Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

(Mar 5:4) Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

(Mar 5:5) And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

(Mar 5:6) But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

(Mar 5:7) And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

(Know this: even publicans, Pharisees, and evil men pray to God to Him for something. And it seems to me you are in good company.)

Yeah I knew that, know this as well:

(Mat 6:5) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

September 24, 2010 1:05 PM

jc said...

i forgot to say thank you for replying my previous comment, i hope the second one will be posted. thanks again.

September 24, 2010 1:06 PM

Bro. Marwil N. Llasos said...

jc has left a new comment on your post "PANALANGING PAULIT-ULIT, LABAG BA SA BIBLIA?":

jc said… the meaning of prayer was already defined well and pattern was given in the Bible

[You are selective in the scripture citations that you posted the last time. The only kind of prayer defined in your quotes are prayers of supplication. They don’t deal with other forms of prayer which are also taught in God’s Word. ]

jc said… if you think that the definition made is limited, it is your opinion and I respect you opinion but not your belief.

[Sorry, but it is not only my opinion or belief. And you got me wrong. Review my previous comment and understand it well. It is your definition of prayer that is limited, and not the Bible’s. You arrived at that limited definition because of the selective quotations that you chose. If you review your Bible thoroughly, you’d find other forms of prayer other than prayer of supplication. ]

jc said…

(You pray because you want something from Him. The focus is more on what you get from that relationship – and not what you give.)

I found your quoted statement above hypocrisy.

[Please don’t be judgmental? Review what I posted and don’t chop it. This is what I said: “Prayer of REQUEST or SUPPLICATION is only one type or kind of prayer in the Bible. And there are many types of prayer though. So your view of prayer is severely limited to one kind only and doesn’t do justice to all the others taught in the Bible. I am afraid that your view of prayer – as one merely of request or supplication – is very transactional. While in itself is not wrong, as in fact it too is taught in the Bible, singular emphasis on it results in lopsided relationship with God. You pray because you want something from Him. The focus is more on what you get from that relationship – and not what you give.” Your quoted portion is just an amplification or elucidation of what I mentioned as “transactional” view of prayer. Note that I said that it is not wrong per se as it is also taught in the Bible. I only made a caution, though let me state that it was not intended to be directed to you personally, that singular or lopsided emphasis on asking God for something could focus more on what we get than for what we give.

Then you accuse me of hypocrisy? What is your basis in saying so? Do you have any idea of what my personal prayer life is like? Again, lest I be misconstrued here, I am not against asking God for something (I do that very often!), it’s just that we also need to balance our prayer life by thinking of what I too can give to God, i.e., praise, worship, thanksgiving, etc. Isn’t that what relationship is like? Give and take?]

jc said… Requesting is acknowledging your being incapable of something, that we are nothing, that we are only dust.

[Yes, this is true. And it was never my intention to shun prayer of request. Far from it. Yet, as you yourself admitted, even Pharisees, publicans, evil men pray thus too. And you said that you knew that very well. And you gave a beautiful verse for that.

I just wonder if the Pharisees for example really acknowledge their incapability, their nothingness before God? Or are they propped up with the feeling of self-sufficiency and pride? I don’t want to judge. But as you said, they already had their reward.]

jc said… God is delighted when we pray to Him.

[Who objects to this? Surely not me. God is a loving Father who delights in the prayer of His children. ]

jc said… granting without accepting that Hail Mary is a kind of prayer, intercession prayer as you have implied, how many times you recited it? 10 x 5= 50 times. Isn't that repitition?

[Do we say that it’s not repetition? It is repetition. But is there a Biblical prohibition against repetition of prayer? You have to cite me one.]

jc said… Is your god deaf?

[Definitely not. Do we claim that God is deaf? When we praise God, we do that often – repeatedly, do we? Is God deaf not to hear our praise? No. He relishes it . That’s why we read in the book of Psalms, “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments” (Ps. 119:164). Why do it seven times a day when once would be enough? ]

jc said… That you really need to repeat your prayer at that moment?

[Why not? Again, does the Bible prohibit repetition? I need a verse that says that repetition per se of prayer is wrong. ]

jc said… You have not follow the pattern given by Lord Jesus.

[Of course we do. And no less than Our Lord engaged in repeating a prayer. The evangelist Matthew reports , “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” (Mt. 26:44). Is Jesus’ God deaf that it had to take Jesus pray for the third time saying the same thing? I don’t think so.]

jc said…

(Psa 115:5) They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:

(Psa 115:6) They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:

(Psa 115:7) They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

[What have these verses got to do with the topic on prayer?]

jc said… You missed the real thought of what I tried to implied when I said you passed the burden to Mary to pray for you, it is the task or the service (G5413) and not the one you thought.

[It’s because you did not make yourself clear. Nevertheless, your accusation that we pass on to Mary to pray for us is inaccurate because we do pray for ourselves (I often pray for my self) and of course ask the prayers of other Christians (and Mary is certainly one of these Christians we ask to pray for us).]

jc said… Since you missed the thought, your judgement is incorrect as well.

[Because you failed to make yourself clear.]

jc said… And i admit I really dont have idea whats in heaven aside from the one written already.

[That’s why. Thank you for this admission.]

jc said… Granting w/o accepting again, Hail Mary is a prayer, how sure are you that she will make a prayer for you.

[The testimony of answered prayer. For me, it’s no a question that she will pray for me; it is a matter of fact that she does pray for me. My experience, as well as of millions of Catholics (and others), prove that she prays for us and her intercession before God is powerful. All that I have asked the Lord God through the intercession of Mary have been obtained. ]

jc said… Her spirit is already with God's hand. (Job 12:10) In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

[Precisely. And since her spirit is already with God, she is already in close union with the Divine will. And what is the will of God? “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

And what did Our Lord Jesus teach us? To pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10). If it is God’s will on earth that we be save, it is His same will in heaven. And Mary who is with God knows that and her will is attuned to God’s will. Hence, she too is concerned with our salvation and so with the rest of the “great cloud of witnesses” in heaven (Heb. 12:1).]

jc said…

(Rev 6:9) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

(Rev 6:10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

(Rev 6:11) And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

I believe St. John in saying that those souls were resting.

[Sad to say, your belief is wrong. The verses that you cited refute you. The souls re not resting, they are crying with a loud voice asking God to avenge their blood on those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 6:10). This is a form of an imprecatory prayer – which is actually an intercessory prayer for the just against the unjust. The words “rest yet for a little season” in the translation that you chose simply means to wait a little longer, as is made clear in the NIV, “Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed” (Rev. 6:11, NIV).

The souls in heaven are not paralyzed nor inactive. On the contrary they are more alive and active now that they are with God. Contrast your view with what the Bible clearly reveals:

8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased men for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:8-10).

See? They worship the Lamb, they offer incense which are the prayers of the saints on earth, they sing songs, etc. They are alive and active!]

jc said… so the creed is your profession of faith.

[Yes, precisely.]

jc said… is reciting the creed show your one faith?

[Did I say that? Please don’t put words in my mouth. This is what I said: “What about the Creed? It is not storytelling but our profession of Faith, as St. Paul instructs us, “let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Heb. 10:23). With the Creed, Catholics are in “one faith” in which with “the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). St. Jude tells us to “contend for the faith that is once and for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The faith that is once and for all delivered to the saints may be found in the Apostles Creed.

The Creed has it’s counterpart in the Shema of the Old Testament People of God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord Our God is one Lord” (Dt. 6:4). Deuteronomy 26 informs us that the Lord God instructed the Israelites that when they speak to Him, they should narrate the wondrous works He has done for them (Dt. 26:5-9). Read the verse for yourself. Then you’d realize that that’s story-telling precisely.

Christians on the other hand recite the twelve articles of their Faith contained in the Apostle’s Creed. One of the earliest creedal formulations is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 which now forms part of the Apostle’s Creed. All the twelve articles of faith found in the Creed are Biblical. They are the synopsis of what the New Testament people of God believe and proclaim in which “we all come in the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13).]”

jc said… (Eze 33:31) And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

[If an individual shows love by mouth yet his heart goes after covetousness, that is his problem. We cannot generalize.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (Isa. 29:13). It is important that while we honor God with our mouth, it is all the more important that our heart should not be far from Him.]

jc said…

even the unclean spirit acknowledged that Jesus is the son of God:

(Mar 5:1) And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

(Mar 5:2) And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

(Mar 5:3) Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

(Mar 5:4) Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

(Mar 5:5) And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

(Mar 5:6) But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

(Mar 5:7) And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

[Your scripture citations are irrelevant here. So what if the devils acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus really IS the Son of God and even the devils acknowledge that. More so. James tells us, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).

Just because the devil believes in God does that mean we are not to believe in God? And just because the devil acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God we are no longer to proclaim that He is? “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 16:16-17).

Finally, Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

You see, what is important here is both the actual confession of the mouth and the faith in our heart.]

jc said… (Know this: even publicans, Pharisees, and evil men pray to God to Him for something. And it seems to me you are in good company.)

Yeah I knew that, know this as well:

(Mat 6:5) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

[My point precisely. Thank you for admitting this.]

jc said… i forgot to say thank you for replying my previous comment, i hope the second one will be posted. thanks again.

[Thank you too. Your comment is posted with my reply.]

September 28, 2010 3:25 PM

REFUTING A DATING DAAN MEMBER ON PRAYER, Part 1 by Bro. Marwill Llasos, O.P.

The Blessed Virgin Mary in Orans position. Icon in Kiev.

Bro. Marwil N. Llasos said...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "PANALANGING PAULIT-ULIT, LABAG BA SA BIBLIA?":

Anonymous said…

may i comment on here, i hope it will posted and not be ingnored. heres my comment:

[Comments are welcome here as long as they are respectful and are made in the spirit of truth. Your comments are not ignored.]

Anonymous said… First and foremost, we should know the meaning of the word “prayer/s” in the Bible. The Bible says:

(Php 4:6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

(Php 4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

So, prayers according to St. Paul is a REQUEST to God with thanksgiving. Jesus says to his apostles, whatever they will ask to God in his (Jesus) name, God will give it to them.

[Prayer of REQUEST or SUPPLICATION is only one type or kind of prayer in the Bible. And there are many types of prayer though. So your view of prayer is severely limited to one kind only and doesn’t do justice to all the others taught in the Bible. I am afraid that your view of prayer – as one merely of request or supplication – is very transactional. While in itself is not wrong, as in fact it too is taught in the Bible, singular emphasis on it results in lopsided relationship with God. You pray because you want something from Him. The focus is more on what you get from that relationship – and not what you give.]

Anonymous said…

(Joh 16:23) And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

(Joh 16:24) Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

To summarized, prayer is a request and asking something to God with thanksgiving, in Jesus name.

[The Bible verses you cited are all beautiful and the Catholic Church fulfills them even long before your new church was established. However, your summary that prayer is only request and asking something from God is incomplete and inaccurate. That is a very self-centered, if not selfish, view. It has to be balanced by other forms of prayer taught by the Bible. Adoration, praise, thanksgiving, meditation and contemplation. The Catholic Church practices all these forms. It seems that your church has not taught you these gauging from your limited perspective on prayer].

Anonymous said…

Jesus taught us how to pray.

(Mat 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.

(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

[The Catholic Church, as well as early Christians (the Didache) pray the Our Father often. It is known as the Lord’s prayer. We pray it because the Lord commands us in Matthew 6:9, “Let this then be your prayer: Our Father in heaven …” (Bible in Basic English).]

Anonymous said...

Above manner, I have not seen any repetition. But if you’re going to pray this per se, same and same regardless of cases, I believe that is repetition.

[As you said it rightly, that is just your belief. And so what if that is repetition? Those are the words of the Lord Jesus. Can we improve on the words of the Savior Himself? I don’t think so. The Lord’s Prayer is a thoroughly complete form of prayer because it possesses all kinds – adoration, praise, thanksgiving, supplication, etc.

It’s not the repetition of the words that counts. It’s not how we repeat it that matters. It’s how we MEAN it that is important. Each time it is prayed, regardless of the cases, it acquires a different meaning because, being the inspired words of the Lord, it’s richness is inexhaustible.

Jesus is our master in prayer, our teacher. When He gave us that prayer, we take His word for it. We don’t presume to know better than Him and certainly we are never arrogant to claim that we can have a better version of His words. We cannot improve on the words of Our Savior.]

Anonymous said…

Hail Mary and The Creed is not a prayer but story telling.

[Again, your limited view of prayer is manifest. What’s wrong with story-telling? You gotta produce a verse that prohibits it. Mind you, story-telling is another form of prayer. Don’t you think so? If I pray and tell God what happened to me during the day, am I not telling Him a story? If I reveal to God in prayer my hurts and frustrations and tell Him how it went, would it not be telling a story? Would God begrudge me if I tell Him stories? He is a loving Father and He definitely delights in the stories of His children. I wonder why your pastors don’t teach you that. They are shortchanging you.

Let’s take the Hail Mary. You call it story-telling? That’s an inaccurate description, borne perhaps by your anti-Catholic prejudice and bias. Nevertheless, let me tell you something about Hail Mary.

The Hail Mary consists of two parts. The first part is a recitation of Scripture. “Hail [Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk. 1:28). “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb [Jesus]” (Lk. 1:42). These are inspired words of Scripture. When we recite it, we ponder on these words found in the Word of God. Is recitation and meditation of the Word of God outlawed in your Church? If not, why then condemn the Hail Mary, especially its first part ?

The second part of the Hail Mary is merely asking Mary to pray for us. That is a request for intercessory prayer. Is intercessory prayer banned by the Bible? I don’t think so.

So, there you have the Hail Mary! Far from story-telling, it is a recitation and meditation of God’s Holy Word and a request for Mary, an eminent Christian, to pray for us – an intercessory prayer.

[What about the Creed? It is not storytelling but our profession of Faith, as St. Paul instructs us, “let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Heb. 10:23). With the Creed, Catholics are in “one faith” in which with “the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). St. Jude tells us to “contend for the faith that is once and for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The faith that is once and for all delivered to the saints may be found in the Apostles Creed.

The Creed has it’s counterpart in the Shema of the Old Testament People of God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord Our God is one Lord” (Dt. 6:4). Deuteronomy 26 informs us that the Lord God instructed the Israelites that when they speak to Him, they should narrate the wondrous works He has done for them (Dt. 26:5-9). Read the verse for yourself. Then you’d realize that that’s story-telling precisely.

Christians on the other hand recite the twelve articles of their Faith contained in the Apostle’s Creed. One of the earliest creedal formulations is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 which now forms part of the Apostle’s Creed. All the twelve articles of faith found in the Creed are Biblical. They are the synopsis of what the New Testament people of God believe and proclaim in which “we all come in the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13).]

Anonymous said…

The worst is, members of catholic give the burden to Mary to pray for them now and forever. It is our obligation to pray to God.

[I want to pity you for your gross ignorance of Scripture here. Is it ever a burden to pray? Is that what you are taught in your church? God forbid! Your church is anti-Biblical.

It is never a burden to pray. Our Christian life must ever be rooted and nourished in prayer. In Luke 18:1, the Lord Himself tells us, “to pray always without becoming weary.” Why do you then consider prayer as burdensome? If it praying does not and should not weary us Christians here on earth, all the more that Christians in heaven, like Mary, will never be weary of it. There is just no justification, Biblical or otherwise, to your anti-Christian belief that prayer is a burden.

Catholics don’t burden Mary by asking her to pray for us now and at the hour of our death. It is by the Lord’s explicit command that prayer should not weary anybody. And it is also the Bible’s categorical teaching to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17). Here, your objection falters on two Biblical grounds: (1) no one should ever weary in prayer, and (2) to pray without ceasing.

I am also aghast by your lack of any idea of what heaven is like. Your eschatological milieu is totally bankrupt. Pray, tell, how can those in heaven be ever burdened and tired as you claimed that we give Mary the burden to pray for us? Can those in heaven still experience exhaustion, weariness or burden? If you say yes, you don’t know heaven at all where “there is no hunger or thirst” (Rev. 7:16) or any other limitations and privations that we do suffer and experience here on earh. “"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9)]

Anonymous said…

Referring to Biblical meaning of prayer, Psalm 136 and Revelation 4:8 are not prayers but PRAISES to GOD! David acknowledges the power of God and praises Him. Same thing did by the four beast, they give glory, praises and thanksgiving to God day and night.

[Again, your view of prayer is severely limited. There is such a thing as prayer of praise and the examples in Psalm 136 and Revelation 4:8 are just examples. You have to heal your understanding of prayer and broaden your Biblical worldview of prayer. You are missing a lot of things. I wish we can share with you the great treasury of prayers of the Church, which are all taught in God’s Word. There are just so many kinds of prayer taught in the Bible– and you have absolutely no idea what these are.]

Anonymous said…

Let us always remember this passage:

(Pro 15:8) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

[I say Amen to that! The various forms of prayer offer by Catholics who are upright are delightful to God. These include adoration and praise, thanksgiving and supplication, intercession and so much more. Yours is merely one of supplication, a very narrow and transactional view of prayer with the purpose of getting something from God. Know this: even publicans, Pharisees, and evil men pray to God to Him for something. And it seems to me you are in good company.]

September 23, 2010 1:26 PM