Third Orders

"How could I join a Third Order?"

"How to Join a Third Order" by TJ Burdick offers some great insight and suggestions on how to discern if you are called to join a Third Order.

http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/07/06/how-to-join-a-third-order/

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with what a Third Order is, here is a brief definition from Catholic Answers:

"Third orders are associations of non-clerics (lay people, including those who are married) set up by religious orders. They are divided into two categories, secular and regular.

"Third order secular members are affiliated with, but do not belong by public vows to, particular religious orders. They are secular in the sense of being actively engaged in the secular world. They don't live in religious communities, yet they strive to live according to the principles of the religious order with which they are affiliated.

"Third order regular members belong to religious communities, which means they profess public vows and live in community, but aren't clergy--that is, they aren't ordained. They are called regular because they follow a specific rule of life--their lives are, so to speak, regulated."

from https://www.catholic.com/qa/can-you-explain-what-third-orders-are

The Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

"How is Christ physically present in the Eucharist?"


In addition to what we discussed together in our session on the Mass and what you read in the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, here is a great resource that answers the basic questions about the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.



http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-real-presence-of-jesus-christ-in-the-sacrament-of-the-eucharist-basic-questions-and-answers.cfm

The Purpose of Incense

"What was that extra stuff the procession brought into Mass today? Like the incense and stuff?"

Here is an explanation of the significance of using incense in the liturgy:

"From the Catholic Bible passages above in both the Old and the New Testaments, we can see that incense is an important part of the worship of God on earth, first by the Jews, and continued by the Christians.

"The smoke of the incense is symbolic of sanctification and purification, as well as symbolic of the prayers of the faithful. It is one of the outward signs of spiritual realities, and that is why it has its place in Christian liturgy.  These two purposes reveal a deeper truth that prayer itself purifies and sanctifies us, making us worthy of worshiping God in heaven for eternity with all the angels and saints.

"When we see incense being used in our churches, it is meant to remind us of heaven, and that our worship of God in the Christian liturgy is divine in origin. It also reminds us to pray, and that our prayer rises to God like the smoke from the censer, purifying our worship of God, and allowing his Holy Spirit to work in us to make us holy."

Read more at:

https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/holy-smokes-why-catholics-use-incense-in-worship/

Prayer

"What is a good way to begin praying more in my daily life?"

"How do the different types of prayer overlap, are they always different, and how can you incorporate each into your daily life?"


There are many different forms of prayer, such as adoration, thanksgiving, petition, or contrition (or confession). We can pray the rosary or a novena, participate in the liturgy of the hours, ask for different saints' or Mary's intercession, and engage in lectio divina (or sacred reading of Scripture). It can be communal or solitary. Silent or out loud. 5 minutes or 5 hours. Needless to say, there are a lot of options. So what is the purpose of these different forms of prayer? And how does one choose which one to use?



When considering the purpose of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila commented, "For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." Even though there are so many different ways one can pray, the ultimate goal is to develop a relationship with God. If one method is not achieving that end, then perhaps you need to try something else. That is the beauty of prayer. Check out these short videos by Fr. Mike Schmitz. He offers some great insight on prayer.



Tips for Praying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk8In-6KUGc

The Power of Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiAMzghLcMA

Time to Pray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mASCSCQW7U

3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juN6sG_esjU

Battle of Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHDQ4Xowfa8