Daily Lenten Meditations Edited by Fr Max Polak
The present volume is a small representation of John Paul II's teaching presented as a help to those who wish to live the Christian Church's season of Lent more meaningfully. However, it can also meet the interest of inquirers who wish to know something of the Pope's message to Christians and his hopes for a world in which respect for truth and the knowledge of God's love bring joy and peace to the hearts of many.
All is new in Jesus who has risen! 98 Be helpful to each who is near 84 Be ready to suffer and sacrifice for Christ 32 Conversion and the giving of alms 14 Do we love him? 86 Everyone is called to holiness 24 Faith must win out over disbelief 54 Forgive and we will be forgiven 22 God always wants our reconciliation 38 God is our Father and he forgives 28 It is consummated 92 Jesus freely accepted suffering to redeem us 64 Jesus lives to accomplish the Father's will 78 Jesus' suffering is God's love for us. 36 Keep teaming from the Cross through prayer 72 Lay people bring Christ to each person 58 Lest Christ be betrayed 88 Live by the commandments to live forever 46 Love is the foundation 50 Mary helps us be faithful 94 Night of faith and hope 96 Open yourselves to the truth 62 Poverty in spirit and redemption 10 Pray for the sick 56 Serve so as to reign 30 Set no limits on your forgiveness 44 Social justice calls for a conversion 34 Spirit of poverty opens to spiritual riches 42 The building of holiness rests on humility 52 The foremost purpose of our prayer 16 The Gospel is history and transcendent meaning 80 The greatest revelation of God and his mercy 18 The heart of Lent 4 The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us 66 The Holy Spirit, holiness and confession 40 The hunger for God 12 The joy of finding Christ in our lives 76 The palm of triumph and the cross of the Passion 82 The way of conversion 6 To live chastely 70 True apostolate requires personal relationship with Christ 26 Trust and persevere in prayer 20 Unite freedom to truth 74 We have hope in the future resurrection 68 We must stand by Christ 48 Why fasting? 8 Work and family: a share in God's activity 60
The English translation of the captions for the readings and the psalm responses from lectionary for Mass ©1969, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. The writings of the Holy Father John Paul II are taken from L'Osservatore
Romano. Cover © L'Osservatore Romano. Ad maiorem gloriam Redemptoris hominis et Matris eius Hobart, October 28, 2003-10-29 Editor's note The season of Lent is a time when many Catholics and other Christians are drawn to deeper reflection and special acts of prayer and worship. For Catholics, it may mean, among other things, attending the Eucharistic Sacrifice more frequently, even every day. Whether or not this is their choice, the present volume is designed to meet a need often felt by them and by Christians of all traditions for stimulating spiritual reading. Excerpts taken from the homilies, addresses and official letters of Pope John Paul II's long and generous evangelising activity have been put together to form a kind of spiritual pilgrimage over the course of Lent. The texts have been chosen to help readers, day by day, consider, examine themselves or pray over a theme that is relevant to Lent's call to faith and conversion. The path followed has as its guideposts the Church's selection of readings for the Masses of Lent, especially the Gospel of the day. A theme coming out of the readings is announced. The readings are then listed togetherwith their headings. There follows a highlighted phrase, generally from the Gospel, that in nearly all cases will be found commented on or incorporated somewhere in the Pope's reflection. This method is intended to be particularly helpful to Catholic readers who wish to remain in tune with the Lenten liturgy. Other Christians, however, should find that this format allows for ample meditation on the Scriptures. Since the Biblical texts are not actually reproduced, some may wish to keep a Bible or missal close at hand. Fr. Max Polak
Biographical Information Fr. Max Polak is currently Catholic Chaplain to the University of Tasmania (Australia). For more than sixteen years he was Chaplain of Warrane Collge at the University of New South Wales and also served as Catholic Chaplain to the University of Waikato (New Zealand). Before beginning studies for the priesthood, he completed degrees in aeronautical engineering at MIT. Later, before being ordained a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature, he studied in Rome and at the University of Navarre (Spain), presenting a doctoral thesis in patristic theology on St. Ambrose. He has published an earlier anthology of texts of Pope John Paul II as well as articles in a number of newspapers and magazines on topics of theology and bioethics.
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