Liturgy

Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/02/wdtprs-7th-sunday-of-ordinary-time-be-all-that-you-can-be/ 

Very rich from Fr. Z.
Just added to our Liturgy in Folder  from Favourites.
"The excellent Lewis & Short Dictionary shows that rationabilis is an adjective meaning “reasonable, rational”. I make a choice for “rational” here, partly because of an association I make between this prayer and another I know. But first, a Biblical connection.- - -.




In John 8,28-29 Jesus gives a warning to unbelieving Jews:

So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him (quae placita sunt ei, facio semper).


Now for the connection I mentioned above.
When I was studying philosophy, at the beginning of all the classes, we would always recite a prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas (+1274):

Concede mihi, miséricors
Deus, quae tibi sunt plácita,
ardenter concupíscere, prudenter 
investigáre, veráciter agnóscere,
et perfecte adimplére ad laudem 
et gloriam Nominis tui. Amen.

Grant me, O merciful God,
to desire eagerly, to investigate 
prudently, to acknowledge 
sincerely, and perfectly to fulfill
those things which are pleasing to 
Thee, to the praise and glory of
Thy Name. Amen.

Students and parents of home-schoolers… you might want to jot down that prayer and use it.



RIGHT: Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes is depicted in a modern painting by Stephen B. Whatley,
an expressionist artist based in London.
The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is Feb. 11,
marking Mary’s first appearance to St. Bernadette Soubirous
in the small town in southwest France.

CNS photo/Stephen B Whatley