"The Privileged Planet"

This documentary offers a scientific look into just how small a chance it is there there should be a world like our own that can sustain complex life. It is not explicitly for or against any particular creation theory, but simply looks at the facts and the chances of our existence as a planet. I've never really thought about this aspect of my life before, and it is very moving...sort of makes one feel like their life hangs in the balance all the time, but then he remembers that he has successfully defied the odds thus far. Despite a certain number of high thinking persons, it does disprove the theory of a disordered universe in chaos making such things as the cosmos by chance. Can such a thing logically and possibly come about merely by chance? I personally think that any person who holds this view is something of an idiot, but you'll have to check it out for yourself. ;-)




Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



Part 5



Part 6

Prayers after Communion

(taken from the Red Book and Fr. Lasance's Catholic Girls Guide)

Prayer before a Crucifix
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; and whilst I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious Wounds, pondering over them in within my heart and calling to mind the words which David, thy servant, said of Thee, my Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."


A Prayer to Our Lady
O Mary, most holy Virgin Mother, lo, I have received thy well-beloved Son, whom thou didst conceive in thy stainless womb, didst bring forth and suckle, and enfold in thy sweet embraces. See, humbly and lovingly I give back to thee the Son Whom it was all rapture and delight for thee to look upon; I orffer Him to be clasped in thy arms, to be loved with all thy heart, and to be offered up to the Holy Trinity in the supreme homage of adoration, for thy hnor and glory, and for my needs and those of all mankind. Most loving Mother, I beg thee to obtain for me forgiveness of all my sins, grace in abundance to serve Him more faithfully from now onward, and lastly, final perseverance, so that I may praise Him with thee forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas

I give thee thanks, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, who has vouchsafed not for any merits of mine but solely out of the condescension of Thy mercy, to satisfy me a sinner, Thine unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this holy Communion be not to be a condemnation unto punishment, but a saving plea unto forgiveness. May it be unto me the armor of faith and the shield of good will. May it be the emptying out of my vices, the extinction of all concupiscence and lust, the increae of charity and patience, of humility and obedience, and all of the virtues; a strong defense against the snares of all enemies, visible and invisible; the perfect quieting fo alll my evil impulses, both fleshly and ghostly; a firm cleaving unto Thee, the one true God; and a pledge of a blessed destiny.

And I beseech Thee, that Thou would vouchsafe to bring me, a sinner, to that ineffable banquet whereThou, with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art to Thy saints true light, fullness of content, eternal joy, gladness without alloy and perfect bliss. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer before Mass

(taken from the Red Latin Mass book)

Eternal Father, I unite myself with the intentions and affections of our Lady of Sorrows on Calvary, and I offer to Thee the Sacrifice which Thy beloved Son made of Himself on the Cross, and which He now renews on this holy Altar. I offer it in the name of all mankind, with the Masses which are now being offered, and all those which will be offered throughout the world this day:
To adore thee and give Thee the honor which is due to Thee, confessing Thy supreme dominion over all things, and the absolute dependence of everything upon Thee, who art our one and last End;
To thank Thee for the innumberable benefits we have received;
To appease Thy justice, aroused against us by so many sins, and to make satisfaction for them;
To implore grace and mercy for myself, for Thy Church, for all afflicted and sorrowing, for poor sinners, for those whom I have promised prayers, for all the world, and for the holy souls in Purgatory. Amen.

Imitation of Christ

Taken from Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. These speak of the littleness of man (in the sense of "homo" not "viri" for those of you who choose to take offense) and where his worth is from.

Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him; or the son of man, that Thou visit him? What has man deserved that Thou should give him grace? Lord, what cause have I to complain, if Thou forsakest me, or what can I justly allege, if what I petition Thou shalt not grant? I am nothing, I can do nothing of myself that is good, but I am in all things defective and ever tend to nothing. And unless I am assisted and instructed by Thee, I become wholly tepid and relaxed, but Thou, O Lord, art always the same and endure unto eternity, ever good, just and holy...

But I who am more inclined to go back than to go forward continue not always in one state for I am changed seven different times. But it quickly becomes better when it pleases Thee, and Thou stretchest out Thy helping hand: for Thou alone can change me that my heart be convereted and find its rest in Thee alone.

He who would be too secure in time of peace will often be found too much dejeced in time of war If you could continue to be humble and little in your own eyes, and keep your spirit in due order and subjection, you would not fall so easily into danger and offense. It is good counsel that, when you have conceived the spirit of fervor, you should meditate how it will be when the light shall be withdrawn.
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Wherefore, but I did know well how to cast from me all human comfort, either for the sake of devotion or thorugh the necessity by which I am compelled to seek Thee, because there is no man that can comfort me. Then might I deservedly hope in Thy favor, and rejoice in the gifl of a new consolation. Thanks be to Thee from Whom all things proceed, as often as it happenes to me, I, indeede, am but vanity and nothing in Thy sight, an inconstant and weak man. Where, therefore, can I glory, or for what do I desire to be thought of highly?

Forsooth of my very nothingness; and htis is most vain. Truly vainglory is an evil blague, because it draws away from true glory and robs us of heavenly grace. For while a man takes complacency in himself, he displeases Thee; while he looks for human applause, he is depreived of true virtues. But true glory and holy exultation is to flory in Thee and not in one's self. To find pleasure in no creature, save only for Thy sake. Let Name be praised, not mine; let Thy work be magnified, not ine; let Thy Holy Name be blessed, but let nothing be attributed to me of the praise of men. Thou art my glory; Thou art the exultation of my heart; in Thee will I glory and rejoice all the day; ut for myself, I will glory in nothing but in my infirmities.

The Fool's Prayer

Recently, life has taken a turn for the more confusing, and I remembered this poem from my high school days. It touched me then, but even moreso now, when I seek humility and simplicity adult wise. I hope you may enjoy it as well. It helps to envision oneself as the fool...for we are only humble if we think we are proud, and we are proud if we think ourselves humble.

THE FOOL'S PRAYER

by: Edward Rowland Sill (1841-1887)

HE royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the Monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"'Tis not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders -- oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"