Author Topic: Prayers and Opinion appreciated (Read 1124 times)

MyrnaM · « **on:** December 11, 2012, 04:33:29 PM »

I have a question that came to me via email, would appreciate your opinion.

First however, just to let everyone know my husband did pass away, last month November 13, at 4:30 a.m. with the priest at his side. Thank you all for your prayers, please continue to pray for his soul and that my grief will soon end, if ever.

Now my question regarding Xmas vs. Christmas and your voice:

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"Xmas" or "Christmas"?

Many listeners have asked about the origin and appropriateness of "Xmas."

Retailers have long been accused of secularizing Christmas by using "Xmas" in signs and advertisements; therefore, I suspect many of you will be surprised to learn that "Xmas" has a religious origin.

In Greek, the letter "chi" is written as an X, and chi is the first letter of the Greek word for "Christ." Greeks sometimes abbreviated "Christ" as "X." For example, they abbreviated "Christ savior" as "XP." ("P" is the symbol for the Greek letter "rho," which is the first letter of the word "savior" in Greek.) The Oxford English Dictionary shows the first known English use of "Xmas" in 1551.

As for appropriateness, "Xmas" may have a religious origin and fit better on signs, but many people — both those who use "Xmas" and those who complain about its use — are unaware of the religious origin. If you choose to use "Xmas," you should know that some people will be infuriated.

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2012, 05:07:39 PM »

Prayers for the repose of your husband's soul, Myrna.

As for "Xmas", it is true that there is nothing blasphemous about the abbreviation itself. I used to believe it was blasphemous until I discovered the fact mentioned in the email you posted, as to where "Xmas" comes from.

Of course, that is not to say that perhaps some people couldn't use "Xmas" as a means of cutting out Christ. Generally, though, such people will just replace "Christmas" with "Holiday" (i.e "Happy Holidays").

MaterDominici · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2012, 05:08:42 PM »

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If you choose to use "Xmas," you should know that some people will be infuriated.

True! We put some product on discount using a coupon code and called it something like XMAS2012. One customer wrote back and said she'd never buy from someone who was "Xing" the Christ out of Christmas. It's not even like we sell socks and toys or something ... come on! we sell religious items! Isn't it obvious there might be something missing from her logic?

Matthew · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2012, 05:21:19 PM »

Yes, and it was just a coupon code. We used the word Christmas prominently throughout the advertisement -- 21 times, to be exact -- including the subject line of the e-mail itself!

Talk about an appropriate time to give "the benefit of the doubt" -- but apparently some people are so shell-shocked, attacked, outnumbered, etc. that they can't do that.

Let's put it this way:

Say you were visiting your friend, a 60 year old Vietnam vet. The doorbell rings -- it's his sister. When he hears the doorbell, he freaks out, shouts "It's Charlie!!!" and dives under the nearest table.

Wouldn't you feel sorry for such a man, who is so traumatized by his wartime experiences fighting the Communist forces (nicknamed "Charlie"), and is obviously suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Likewise, when you have a Catholic lashing out at anyone and everyone, including traditional Catholics, obviously feels outnumbered, powerless, and desperate against the march of atheism, immorality, loss of Catholic culture, etc.

Because otherwise it doesn't make sense.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2012, 05:22:44 PM »

Vietnam vets are getting older, no doubt.

Lighthouse · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2012, 09:26:19 PM »

Sigismund · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2012, 09:50:45 PM »

Capt McQuigg · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2012, 10:04:31 PM »

------>For Myrna to come to terms with the grief that is never going to leave her, but - God willing - the good memories will outweigh the grief.

----->For the repose of the soul of Myrna's husband - I will include it as an intention in my rosary tomorrow.

Hobbledehoy · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2012, 10:36:54 PM »

We continue to pray for the eternal repose of your husband's soul, dear friend:

http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Prayer-Request-for-the-Eternal-Repose-of-Myrnas-Husband

The Præmonstratensians had some of the most beautiful prayers for the faithful departed in their liturgical books. From the tome In Paradisum deducant te Angeli: Suffragia Praemonstratensia pro Defunctis (West de Pere, WI: St. Norbert College Press, 1953), here are the Latin texts of some of the prayers recited by the Præmonstratensians for their departed. The English text is a loose translation.

To Thee, O Lord, we commend the soul of Thy servant N. (or, of Thy handmaid N.) and the souls of Thy servants and handmaids and of all the faithful departed, that dead to this world they may live unto Thee; and those sins which they committed by the frailty of worldly conversation, do Thou blot out by the pardon of most merciful loving-kindness. Through Christ, our Lord. ℣. Amen.

Thy mercy, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, in the affection of kindness for others we pray, who are not sufficient to pray for our sins, yet confiding in Thy gratuitous loving-kindness and wonted benignity, we implore Thy clemency, that Thou mayest receive with compassion the soul of Thy servant N. (or, of Thy handmaid N.) and the souls of Thy servants and handmaids and of all the faithful departed returning unto Thee. May Michael the Angel of Thy Testament be with them, and by the hands of Thy holy Angels do Thou vouchsafe to place them in the bosoms of Thy Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; so that, freed from the princes of darkness and from the places of pains, they may now be confounded by no errors of primeval nativity or ignorance [original sin], or of their own iniquity or frailty; but rather, acknowledged by Thy Saints, they may joy in the repose of holy beatitude: so that, when the day of the great judgment will have come, they may, resurrected amongst Thy Saints and Elect, be perpetually satiated with the glory of Thy manifested contemplation. Through Christ, our Lord. ℣.Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, Who hast vouchsafed to breathe unto the human body a soul according to Thy similitude; whilst dust is returned unto dust according to Thy mandate, do Thou command Thine image to be associated with Thy Saints and Elect amidst eternal thrones, and do Thou kindly and mildly receive her returning unto Thee from the parts of [the terrestrial] Egypt, and do Thou send Thy holy Angels to meet her, and do Thou show unto her the way of justice, and the gates of thy glory do Thou open. Repel from her, we pray, O Lord, all the princes of darkness, and faithfully acknowledge the deposit which is Thine. Receive, O Lord, Thy creature, not created by strange gods, but by Thee, the only living and true God; for there is no other God but Thee, O Lord, and none other according to Thy works. Do Thou gladden the soul of Thy servant N. (or, of Thy handmaid N.) and the souls of Thy servants and handmaids and of all the faithful departed, and glorify them in the multitude of Thy mercy. Be not mindful, we pray, of their ancient iniquities: for as they did sin so also they denied Thee not, but signed with the sign of faith, they faithfully adored Thee, Who all things and them amidst all things didst thou make: Who livest and reignest throughout ages of ages. ℣. Amen.

Here is a very touching Responsory that was chanted at the obsequies of the departed Præmonstratensians.

℟. Before I was born Thou didst know me, and unto Thine imagine, O Lord, didst Thou form me. * Now do I return Thee, O Creator, my soul. ℣. By my sins, O Lord, am I terrified, and before Thee I am confounded, when Thou shalt come to judge, do not Thou condemn me. * Now do I return Thee, O Creator, my soul.

Hobbledehoy · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2012, 10:41:56 PM »

In the celebrated fourteenth chapter of his classic work The Love of the Eternal Wisdom (trans. A. Somers S.M.M.; Philadelphia, Penn.: The Peter Reilly Company, 1949), St. Louis-Marie de Montfort offers an exceedingly great consoling for you in this most harrowing desolation and mourning.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2012, 09:09:26 AM »

Thank you everyone for the prayers, it is the best Christmas gift anyone can give me or anyonein need.

I mean my words sincerely, they are not just words, I can actually feel your prayers.

PerEvangelicaDicta · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2012, 09:55:53 AM »

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Likewise, when you have a Catholic lashing out at anyone and everyone, including traditional Catholics, obviously feels outnumbered, powerless, and desperate against the march of atheism, immorality, loss of Catholic culture, etc.

That's extremely insightful, Matthew. Perhaps we are all skating on the edge of these passions as we struggle with fear and mammoth loss as you describe.

Hobbledehoy, your posts in this thread are my favorites.

Myrna, God must love you very much. There are many good Catholics in this forum imploring our Savior for His mercy for you and your +beloved husband. What a tremendous blessing to have those who truly understand the profundity of suffering and death praying for us in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, through the intercession of our Holy Mother.

RIP

John Grace · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2012, 01:56:55 PM »