Correction on previous post

The Psalm numbers given in previous post depends on your Catholic bible translation. To read the whole psalm, you can check your specific bible translation which has similar words to the text given in these 7 psalm excerpts. Reading these Psalms helps us get in touch with the deepest core of our being and how we are related to our Creator.

A Pious Custom: The Seven Penitential Psalms

There are many spiritual exercises and pious customs in Catholic tradition. During Lent, one of the more popular customs is to pray the Stations of the Cross. There is the old version, which is still being used by some parishes; and there is the new version, which is based on scripture passages.

Another pious custom is the recitation of the Seven Penitential Psalms as prayers against the seven deadly sins: pride, sloth, gluttony, avarice, lust, envy, and anger. They are termed deadly because they can cause the death of our soul. These seven penitential psalms are: Psalm 6, 31, 37, 51, 101, 129, and 142. Psalm 51 is recited every morning prayer for Friday by those who pray the breviary. Below are excerpts from these psalms; but you can read them in their entirety from a Bible translation of your preference.

Psalm 6
Lord, do not reprove me in your anger; punish me not in your rage. Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no strength; Lord, heal me, my body is racked; my soul is racked with pain.

Psalm 31
Happy the man whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is remitted. But now I have acknowledged my sins; my guilt I did not hide. I said: 'I will confess my offence to the Lord.' And you, Lord, have forgiven the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 37
My wounds are foul and festering, the result of my own folly. I am bowed and brought to my knees. I go mourning all the day long. O Lord, you know all my longing: my groans are not hidden from you.

Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. O purify me, then I shall be clean; O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalm 101
O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear towards me and answer me quickly when I call. My days are like a passing shadow and I wither away like the
grass.

Psalm 129
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading. If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you.

Psalm 142
You are faithful, you are just; give answer. Do not call your servant to judgment for no one is just in your sight. For your name's sake, Lord, save my life; in your justice save my soul from distress.

On Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Family, and Christian Hymns

Introduction

With the beginning of Advent, a new liturgical year in the Catholic Church begins. In some Catholic countries, they call the liturgical Year a Cycle. So if some countries call the present liturgical calendar as Year A, other Catholics have the tradition to call it Cycle A. But both Year and Cycle mean the same: in (A), the gospel of Matthew is mostly used in the regular Sunday Eucharists (with Lent and Easter season as exceptions); in (B), the gospel of Mark is generally used; in (C), it is the gospel of Luke that sets the thematic framework for the regular Sunday Eucharists.

Christmas and the feast of the Holy Family (A)

This liturgical year, the feast of the Holy Family (December 26, 2010) follows right after the celebration of Christmas - which is celebrated on a Saturday. Since the two celebrations are closely linked this year, we can read and reflect on two hymns - listed below one after the other - that sing of the spirit of Christmas and the devotion to the Holy Family (more particularly focused on the person of St. Joseph).

Christmas hymn

The music accompanying the text of this hymn was composed by E. Elgar (1857-1934).

Unto us a Child is given,
Christ our Savior bring release;
Counselor, Eternal Father,
God made man, and Prince of Peace.

Born of Mary, gentle virgin,
By the Spirit of the Lord;
From eternal ages spoken:
This the mighty Father's Word.

Love and truth in Him shall flower,
From His strength their vigor take.
Branches that are bare shall blossom;
Joy that slept begins to wake.

Praise the everlasting Father,
And the Word, His only Son;
Praise them with the Holy Spirit,
Perfect Trinity in One.

Hymn to the Holy Family

There are many hymns to the Holy Family. Here is one which features St. Joseph. The text and music are by Stephen Somerville, 1971, 1972

Joseph of Nazareth, you are the man
Last in the line that rose from David, King,
Down through the royal generations ran,
And ends with Jesus Christ.

Gabriel from heaven came to Mary's side,
Came with the joyful promise of a King,
Came to you also, Joseph, to confide
That God conceived the Child.

Guardian and foster-father of the Christ,
Honor to you so chosen by our God!
Husband of Virgin Mary, you are first
To show us Christian love.

For Catholic bloggers and web developers

The site undergoing a series of updates for its articles. After an article has been updated, it will be republished on this page. Included also in this overall updating are a few blog posts - also to be republished together with the updated articles.

For Catholic bloggers and web content developers looking for more ideas for their blogs and sites, listed in this article are 17 more ideas for your blog and site.