Thursday, November 15, 2007
Cutting back on smokers at Prince Edward Mall in Saint John!!!
I was very surprise to notice this one. Prince Edward Mall have been a gathering for the less fortunate for years!!!
Elizabeth Weir is still around???
I always wondered where her office was located?
Talk about a bad flashback???
lol
Priere Du Jour - Prayer of the Day!!!!
http://catholic.net/
SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
A Kingdom Within
by Father Cliff Ermatinger, LC
Spend time today in silent prayer considering the inestimable gift of the divine indwelling, the mystery of God within you.
November 15, 2007
Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 17: 20-25
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to his disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."
Introductory Prayer: I love you my Lord, because you are love itself. Forgive all that is in me that does not come from your love and does not reflect your love. If I am to become what you want me to be, it will happen only if I allow you to act in me.
Petition: Lord Jesus Christ, give me eyes to see you and your kingdom. Give me an open heart to receive your kingdom.
1. A Good Question Messianic tension was at an all time high during Christ’s earthly life. Pseudo-messiahs had come and gone. Does this Jesus of Nazareth know when the kingdom will come? Would he initiate it? And so, the Pharisees put the question to him. Christ’s response was most likely a let-down for them. The Jews were not about to get excited about some ethereal kingdom: That type of kingdom could command no respect. Further still, Christ refused to limit the kingdom to any specific locale: “The kingdom of God is among you.” We are told by St. Paul that “we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Paul speaks of the invisible kingdom; he says we are to look to it. He contrasts the things of time with things of the invisible kingdom and says the fact that things belonging to time are merely temporal is the reason to look beyond them. Eternity does not lay hidden in the distant future. It is active here and now.
2. Divine Surprise Although the kingdom of God is hidden from our view now, it will be revealed in due season. Men think that they are lords of this world, that the earth is their property, and that its movements are under their power. However, the world has other lords besides them, and it is the scene of a conflict higher than they can imagine. Within this conflict, God shocks man by submitting himself to suffering and death. Such a surprise could be enough to abandon the very thought of God. A hidden kingdom was enough of a let-down for the Pharisees. But a divine King who must suffer, too?! Yes, and the kingdom to which he refers contains Christ’s little ones who are despised and his angels whom they disbelieve -- and these at length shall take possession of his kingdom and manifest it.
3. Beyond the Veil of Suffering The earth cannot satisfy the follower of Christ, for even at its most exhilarating and enjoyable, it is merely a hint, a beginning, a promise of something greater. It is not enough. We know there is much more than we can see. An incomprehensible world of saints and angels lies beyond the visible world. We see only the external shell of that kingdom; on that kingdom we must fix our eyes of faith. The world with all its beauty speaks of heaven, but it can never satisfy our longing for the eternal. The world is like crumbs from the table. We await the day of God’s second coming. Then will the outward world perish, the heavens be burnt and the earth melt away. Such a loss can be borne, for we know that this merely removes the veil.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know that the removal of the visible world will reveal to us the world invisible and show us the world which is not seen. I pray for the dissolution of the visible and ask you to help me increase my longing for your kingdom.
Resolution: I will spend time today in silent prayer considering the inestimable gift of the divine indwelling, the mystery of God within me.
print | email this article
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R E C E N T S T O R I E S
> The Coming of the Son of Man: Business as Usual .
> The Best Scenario Possible .
> We Do God No Favors .
http://catholic.net/
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
PRIERE DU JOUR - PRAYER OF THE DAY!!!
SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
The Highest of All Prayers
by Father Cliff Ermatinger, LC
Make a visit to the Eucharist today and consider the many gifts God has given you. In adoration, thank Him with all your being.
November 14, 2007
Wednesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 17: 11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
Introductory Prayer: I love you my Lord, because you are love itself. Forgive all that is in me that does not come from your love and does not reflect your love. If I am to become what you want me to be, it will happen only if I allow you to act in me.
Petition: Lord, the ability to thank you is already a gift in itself. Grant me this gift that I may never break communion with you.
1. From Receiver to Giver These poor lepers are outcasts, banned from communion with all society. Their only hope is Christ. They have nothing to lose by asking, and so they make their plea. Standing at a distance from Christ according to the law, they acknowledge their own helplessness and beg for mercy. They receive it: Christ heals them, and they go on their way, satisfied with his gift. To our Lord’s dismay, however, only one returns to give thanks. To give thanks in Greek is EuXaristia. Only one is Eucharistic; only one is saved.
2. A Just Return Our Lord rewards gratitude. Why is our thanksgiving so important to God? In a way, by showing gratitude we justly return to God what he deserves. Take the example of the lepers: They are helpless outcasts. They can’t do anything for themselves except beg – much like our situation before God. We, too, are spiritual lepers begging God’s mercy. If we were to accept God’s gift without giving thanks, we would be reduced to mere consumers of grace, incapable of giving anything back. But God wants to save us from that predicament and he asks our thanksgiving, EuXaristia.
3. From Thanksgiving to Communion What is the dynamic of thanksgiving? When we give thanks, we are no longer passive recipients; we become active givers, giving back to One who has given us what we do not deserve. When we become active givers, God places us on another level – another level capable of receiving even more from him. By giving thanks for what he had received, the leper was capable of receiving more from God. Indeed, he did receive more – he was saved. Saved by God’s mercy, he was now capable of receiving still more, growing in intimacy with God. God invited all the lepers into a personal relationship that day, but only one responded. God invites us into a personal relationship today, into a Eucharistic relationship in which we are no longer mere passive recipients of his grace, but coworkers of his redemption. In living a life of thanksgiving, a Eucharistic life, we attract many blessings for our own souls, our families, our parish, and for souls in danger of being lost.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, make me aware of the many gifts you have given me so that I may respond to them and give you what you deserve: my heartfelt thanksgiving. May I be more thankful and thus deepen my communion with you.
Resolution: I will make a visit to the Eucharist today and consider the many gifts God has given me. In adoration I will thank him with all my being.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
IS THE NEW BRUNSWICK JUSTICE SYSTEM RESPONSIBLE FOR ASHLEY SMITH DEATH????
STUCK ON LE PONT CHAMPLAIN FOR ONE HOUR AT 3:00PM!!!
I didn't know if it was safe??
I was surrounded by maudit Quebecois...right left back and front!!!
I will never complain about the Westmorland Bridge again!!
Norm McFarlane will once again run for Mayor of Saint John!!!!
Can he win???
Or will Ivan Court be the next Mayor of Saint John???
Or will Ivan Court be the next Mayor of Saint John???
I have to start blogging via Laptop!!!!!
It's going to come to this one of these days? The reporters will report stories right from the area they're in.
Priere Du Jour - Prayer of the Day!!!
SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
God-Like People Exercise God-Like Forgiveness
by Father Cliff Ermatinger, LC
Examine your conscience and see if there is anyone you still have not forgiven. If so, forgive that person with God’s help.
November 12, 2007
Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr
Luke 17: 1-6
Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him." And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."
Introductory Prayer: I love you my Lord, because you are love itself. Forgive all that is in me that does not come from your love and does not reflect your love. If I am to become what you want me to be, it will happen only if I allow you to act in me.
Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to forgive as you have forgiven me.
1. An Occasion of Sin Sacred Scripture speaks often and bluntly of the wages of sin. We can be tempted to see sin in terms of mere justice: if you do this, you will incur these consequences. Certainly there are consequences for sin – disastrous ones. But our Lord opens our eyes to something more subtle than broken laws, something far beyond the legalistic fulfillment or omission of commandments. Christ shifts our attention to what we often fail to take into consideration: the unforeseen and frequently unconscious effects our words and actions have on others. Christ is saying that, rather than places or objects, people can also be occasions of sin. His words invite us to reflect on the gravity of the spoken word and the long-lasting consequences of our actions. Our sins can have a ripple effect, and our bad example can contribute to the fall of others.
2. Love Corrects and Forgives Cardinal Meisner of Cologne, Germany complained several years ago that the popular writers of comfortable spirituality have transformed God into “an all-merciful garden smurf.” Certainly God is all-merciful, but in stressing his mercy, many have forgotten his majesty. If we are to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), then perfection can’t be merely intellectual or physical – or anything else human for that matter. The perfection we are to seek is God’s perfection, the triumph of his charity in us. To get there, we must undergo much correction and forgiveness. But it is necessary. When his charity finally wins in us, we can give from what we have received; once we have received God’s forgiveness and undergone the transformation he has set out for us, we can love and forgive divinely. That is perfection. This is not of our own doing but God’s work – wrought only with our consent. Only from such a condition can we truly appreciate God’s majesty and experience his love and mercy with adequate awe.
3. Love’s Totality When our Lord taught us to ask for forgiveness, he made it clear that to be forgiven we also must exercise forgiveness: “If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:15). Out of interest for our salvation, Christ admonishes us to forgive perfectly (“seven times seventy”). Nonetheless, we all have had the experience of forgiving, even while remembering the injustice. Our Lord’s wounded hands, feet and side are proof that he remembers our trespasses. Does this mean we and he have not adequately forgiven? Not necessarily. We can still bear the wounds of past hurts – the memory of them can come bubbling up from time to time. But those memories provide us with an opportunity to exercise divine mercy yet again – seven times seventy. As a result, those very memories, which might have been occasions of sin for us, turn into occasions for heroic virtue, for loving perfectly, and for becoming perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know that I have offended you more than seven times seventy times and that your mercy knows no end. I can’t thank you enough for your kindness towards me. Having been the object of your divine love, I am capable of reflecting it. Today will offer me ample opportunities to let you live and love in me. Help me to be docile to your grace today and be an occasion of grace for others.
Resolution: I will examine my conscience and see if there is anyone I still have not forgiven. If so, I will forgive that person with God’s help.
http://www.catholic.net/spiritual_living/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=6
Monday, November 12, 2007
What Goes Wrong in the ADHD Brain????
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1683069,00.html
What Goes Wrong in the ADHD Brain
Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 By KRISTA MAHR
Scientists have found that the brain development of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is delayed but otherwise typical, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Comparing brain scans of children aged 6 to 16 who had the common psychiatric disorder with scans of those who did not, researchers found that some areas in the ADHD brain — particularly those involved in thinking, attention and planning — matured an average of three years later than "healthy" brains, but otherwise followed normal patterns of development.
Related Articles
Can You Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?
Laura Pizzuto, 78, of Seattle admits she loses her words every now and then. An avid gardener, she w...
The results, which were published today in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), offer new insight into why kids usually seem to outgrow their ADHD, says Dr. Philip Shaw, who led the research team at the Child Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "It doesn't mean we can just sit back and do nothing," Shaw says, but the findings complement "what psychiatrists have been telling parents for years," that most kids with ADHD do get better.
Shaw and his colleagues compiled data from the brain scans of 446 children, half of whom had ADHD. The scans used new imaging technology that allowed researchers to "watch" some 40,000 points in the subjects' brains over time, and to figure out which specific regions of the brain developed, or thickened, at different rates. On average, in children with ADHD, the age at which 50% of the 40,000 points on the cortex — the brain's outer mantle — achieved peak thickness was 10 1/2, three years behind the typically developing kids whose cortex matured at age 7 1/2. The lag was most obvious in the prefrontal cortex, the study found, the area of the brain critical to cognitive functions like memory, attention focusing, higher-order motor control and the ability to suppress inappropriate responses and thoughts. One region, however, appeared to develop faster in the ADHD brain: the primary motor cortex. Combined with the delay in higher-order motor control, researchers theorize, it could explain why kids with ADHD are so fidgety and restless.
Aside from the timing of maturation, the brains of children with ADHD appear to develop the same way typical brains do, from back to front. "Do [kids with ADHD] have basically have the same sequence of brain development? That's a yes," says Shaw. "Do they completely catch up with other kids? That's what we're looking at now."
ADHD is the most common psychiatric childhood disorder in the United States, but it's not bound by geography; diagnosis of ADHD is increasing globally. Since 1993, use of stimulant drugs to treat ADHD has more than tripled worldwide, according to one study. Symptoms for the disorder include impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and poor concentration, and can develop over several months. Though most people outgrow the hyperactivity aspect — characterized by having trouble sitting still, moving around when others are seated, or talking while others are talking — about a quarter to a third of children and teenagers carry their ADHD into adulthood. Some environmental factors like lead exposure, smoking during pregnancy and food additives have been linked with increased risk of the disorder, but there's still debate in the mental health community about whether the cause is mostly genetic or environmental. What's clear, though, is that ADHD is highly heritable — if one parent has or had the condition, their child has about a 70% chance of inheriting it.
Though the new study may eventually help scientists identify why ADHD causes the brain to develop slower and how kids can get better sooner, Shaw says it won't help doctors diagnose the disorder today. ADHD diagnoses still have to made through clinical evaluations, and for now, treatment still means the widely used psycho-stimulant drugs, like Ritalin, and behavioral therapy.
As doctors continue learning about the ADHD brain, however, more and more alternative treatments, such as attention training and psychotherapy, are gaining traction. Research shows that the brain is not static — that it can physically change with experience. Studies reveal that the brains of some piano players, for instance, are more developed in the areas responsible for finger movement, while in the brains of people who have practiced meditation long-term, the attention centers are physically larger than average.
The ability to pay better attention is one of those things that people can consciously and physically improve in themselves, says Dr. Lidia Zylowska, who heads a program for ADHD patients at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Zylowska's early research in meditation — one technique within the larger practice of mindful awareness — suggests that it can improve older ADHD patients' ability to stay focused. The practice may also work for kids. "We always think that our brain makes our mind, but it may work the other way," says Zylowska. "You can have an impact on your biology."
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1683069,00.html
What Goes Wrong in the ADHD Brain
Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 By KRISTA MAHR
Scientists have found that the brain development of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is delayed but otherwise typical, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Comparing brain scans of children aged 6 to 16 who had the common psychiatric disorder with scans of those who did not, researchers found that some areas in the ADHD brain — particularly those involved in thinking, attention and planning — matured an average of three years later than "healthy" brains, but otherwise followed normal patterns of development.
Related Articles
Can You Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?
Laura Pizzuto, 78, of Seattle admits she loses her words every now and then. An avid gardener, she w...
The results, which were published today in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), offer new insight into why kids usually seem to outgrow their ADHD, says Dr. Philip Shaw, who led the research team at the Child Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "It doesn't mean we can just sit back and do nothing," Shaw says, but the findings complement "what psychiatrists have been telling parents for years," that most kids with ADHD do get better.
Shaw and his colleagues compiled data from the brain scans of 446 children, half of whom had ADHD. The scans used new imaging technology that allowed researchers to "watch" some 40,000 points in the subjects' brains over time, and to figure out which specific regions of the brain developed, or thickened, at different rates. On average, in children with ADHD, the age at which 50% of the 40,000 points on the cortex — the brain's outer mantle — achieved peak thickness was 10 1/2, three years behind the typically developing kids whose cortex matured at age 7 1/2. The lag was most obvious in the prefrontal cortex, the study found, the area of the brain critical to cognitive functions like memory, attention focusing, higher-order motor control and the ability to suppress inappropriate responses and thoughts. One region, however, appeared to develop faster in the ADHD brain: the primary motor cortex. Combined with the delay in higher-order motor control, researchers theorize, it could explain why kids with ADHD are so fidgety and restless.
Aside from the timing of maturation, the brains of children with ADHD appear to develop the same way typical brains do, from back to front. "Do [kids with ADHD] have basically have the same sequence of brain development? That's a yes," says Shaw. "Do they completely catch up with other kids? That's what we're looking at now."
ADHD is the most common psychiatric childhood disorder in the United States, but it's not bound by geography; diagnosis of ADHD is increasing globally. Since 1993, use of stimulant drugs to treat ADHD has more than tripled worldwide, according to one study. Symptoms for the disorder include impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and poor concentration, and can develop over several months. Though most people outgrow the hyperactivity aspect — characterized by having trouble sitting still, moving around when others are seated, or talking while others are talking — about a quarter to a third of children and teenagers carry their ADHD into adulthood. Some environmental factors like lead exposure, smoking during pregnancy and food additives have been linked with increased risk of the disorder, but there's still debate in the mental health community about whether the cause is mostly genetic or environmental. What's clear, though, is that ADHD is highly heritable — if one parent has or had the condition, their child has about a 70% chance of inheriting it.
Though the new study may eventually help scientists identify why ADHD causes the brain to develop slower and how kids can get better sooner, Shaw says it won't help doctors diagnose the disorder today. ADHD diagnoses still have to made through clinical evaluations, and for now, treatment still means the widely used psycho-stimulant drugs, like Ritalin, and behavioral therapy.
As doctors continue learning about the ADHD brain, however, more and more alternative treatments, such as attention training and psychotherapy, are gaining traction. Research shows that the brain is not static — that it can physically change with experience. Studies reveal that the brains of some piano players, for instance, are more developed in the areas responsible for finger movement, while in the brains of people who have practiced meditation long-term, the attention centers are physically larger than average.
The ability to pay better attention is one of those things that people can consciously and physically improve in themselves, says Dr. Lidia Zylowska, who heads a program for ADHD patients at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Zylowska's early research in meditation — one technique within the larger practice of mindful awareness — suggests that it can improve older ADHD patients' ability to stay focused. The practice may also work for kids. "We always think that our brain makes our mind, but it may work the other way," says Zylowska. "You can have an impact on your biology."
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1683069,00.html
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is going to learn that you don't fool around with the media!!!
I don't understand the whole story about the Brian Mulroney saga.
All I'll say is there was something crooked down by the Prime Minister?
The media will find out???
You just don't treat the media in a arrogant way!!!!
Stay tuned.....
All I'll say is there was something crooked down by the Prime Minister?
The media will find out???
You just don't treat the media in a arrogant way!!!!
Stay tuned.....
Are New Brunswickers changing into animals???
ABEL LEBLANC BROKE HIS ANKLE!!!! WILL THIS SLOW HIM DOWN FOR THE SPEAKER'S CHAIR???
Poor Abel!!! I guess he slipped on a patch of ice and fell down!!! This is the first time he ever broke a bone in his body!
I guess he'll be in a cast for weeks!!
Get well fast Abel!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)