Rogation Sunday, May 1, 2016 MAY Day Orthodox Easter

Micah, Chapter 6, verse 9-10:

⁹ The LORD cries aloud to the city (It is prudent to fear your name!): Hear, O tribe and city assembly, ¹⁰Am I to bear criminal hoarding and the accursed short ephah?

Israel was the chosen people yet they did not fear the Lord. God asks through the prophet a rhetorical question. Is He to bear criminal hoarding and cheating during the sale of goods?

A great example for us is Mother Teresa who showed us how mercy is the only way to find contentment through selflessness. “She chose to live amid squalor and sickness and desperation, endured hardship and endless toil, and might have been the happiest person on earth.” Mother did not flee from the Lord; nor did she fear anyone. When the Lord called her; she knew the call was authentic because it filled her with joy. The first counsel of Mother Teresa is to put your hand in His and walk all the way with Him. When you hear the call to follow: follow. To Mother Teresa it was never more complicated than that. To her care of the dying was the purest expression of love. Who around you is dying-physically, emotionally or spiritually? Love might not heal every wound of disease but it heals the heart.  McCain notes that Mother Teresa showed that rather than chasing ambition the greatest contentment comes from having a foundation of love. “She loved and was loved, and her happiness was complete.” [1]

Rogation Sunday

THE Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the Ascension are observed as days of solemn supplication, and are called Rogation Days. These three Rogation days serve also as a preparation for the feast of the ascension, which reminds us that we have the most powerful intercessor in our savior, who is now enthroned at the right hand of the father. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)

May Day

The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the Floralia, festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held on April 27 during the Roman Republic era, and with the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. As Europe became Christianized, the pagan holidays lost their religious character and May Day changed into a popular secular celebration. A significant celebration of May Day occurs in Germany where it is one of several days on which St. Walburga, credited with bringing Christianity to Germany. The secular versions of May Day, observed in Europe and America, may be best known for their traditions of dancing around the maypole and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors’ doorsteps. Since the 18th century, many Roman Catholics have observed May – and May Day – with various May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May crowning. May 1 is also one of two feast days of the Catholic patron saint of workers St Joseph the Worker, a carpenter, husband to Mother Mary, and surrogate father of Jesus. Replacing another feast to St. Joseph, this date was chosen by Pope Pius XII in 1955 as a counterpoint to the Communist International Workers Day celebrations on May Day.[2]

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ (Jn. 14:28)

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[1] McCain, John and Salter, Mark. (2005) Character is destiny. Random House, New York.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Jonah, Chapter 1, verse 16:

¹⁶ Seized with great fear of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Those leaders who stop seeking new challenges; stop growing, inevitably stop leading. John Maxwell states, “When we stop sacrificing, we stop succeeding.”[1]

If you want to become a great leader, you must be willing to make sacrifices.

1.      There is no success without sacrifice. Every person who has achieved any success in life has made sacrifices to do so.

2.      Leaders are often asked to give up more than others. Leaders have to give up their rights. Leaders need to learn how to put others ahead of themselves. It’s not easy, but you need to give up more than the people you lead.

3.      You must keep giving up, to stay up. John Maxwell takes the Law of Sacrifice even further when he states that ‘If leaders have to give up to go up, then they have to give up even more to stay up’. Today’s success is the greatest thread to tomorrow’s success. There’s always a cost involved in moving forward. The day you stop being willing to pay the price is the day when you stop creating the results you desire.

4.      The higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifice. You’ve probably noticed that the higher the position, the fewer the number of people able to step in. It’s not because there’s lack of capable people. It’s simply because there’s not enough people willing to pay the price. From my childhood I remember learning about the utopia of communism – they tried to make everybody equal. Everybody should have the same rights and the same pay. The problem with this is the law of sacrifice. There will always be some who will be willing to sacrifice more, while others will not be willing to do anything extra. No philosophy of equality will ever be able to overcome this mindset. It’s the inner job. You must decide for yourself how much time, effort or other sacrifice you’re going to assign to a specific job, project or task. The Law of Sacrifice states that those who do, will go up. And those who continue doing this, will stay up.[2]

Divine Mercy Novena-Separated Brethren

Today I lead a spiritual hike and I ask all my readers to add their prayers for separated brethren as requested by our Lord via Saint Faustina.

Fifth Day "Today bring to Me the Souls of those who have separated themselves from My Church*,and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son's Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.

*Our Lord's original words here were "heretics and schismatics," since He spoke to Saint Faustina within the context of her times. As of the Second Vatican Council, Church authorities have seen fit not to use those designations in accordance with the explanation given in the Council's Decree on Ecumenism (n.3). Every pope since the Council has reaffirmed that usage. Saint Faustina herself, her heart always in harmony with the mind of the Church, most certainly would have agreed. When at one time, because of the decisions of her superiors and father confessor, she was not able to execute Our Lord's inspirations and orders, she declared: "I will follow Your will insofar as You will permit me to do so through Your representative. O my Jesus " I give priority to the voice of the Church over the voice with which You speak to me" (497). The Lord confirmed her action and praised her for it.[1]

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[1][1] John Maxwell, The John Maxwell Leadership Bible

[2] http://silviapencak.com/law-of-sacrifice/

Friday, April 29, 2016-Saint Catherine of Siena

Jonah, Chapter 1, verse 9-10:

⁹ “I am a Hebrew,” he replied; “I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” ¹⁰Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do such a thing!”—They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah as wise as he was tried to flee the Lord, are we any wiser. We often choose the wrong path. Jonah was motivated but not by love. He wanted justice and not mercy for Nineveh. Pope Francis in a dispute recently stated that mercy is greater than justice when confronted with the sins of mankind and the churches stance. Our Lord desires to give us his mercy and we should seek it and give it as often as possible.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Jonah, Chapter 1, Verse 5

⁵ Then the sailors were afraid and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep.

According to bible-study-for-everyone.com[1]:

Christians regard the prophet Jonah as a type foreshadowing Jesus. Jesus said that he did not come for the healthy but for the sick. The healthy are well and they know it. So, they have no need of a doctor. But the sick may be diseased and not know it. They require someone to diagnose their sickness and prescribe the remedy. They need a healer. People can be sick physically. And they can be sick mentally, spiritually, emotionally. For instance, the physical ailment of blindness is plain because the person cannot see. But there is also the blindness of selfishness. People can be blind in many ways. A person can be blind to themselves. They see with their eyes but they do not understand what they see. Or they can be blind as to their experience. They interact with their world and with other people but remain isolated and lonely because they cannot see the depth and love within their relationships. Or they have very deep emotional or mental feelings but they do not see (understand) from where the feelings came. They do not know what the feelings indicate. They are in the dark as to any remedy. Jesus came in order for us to understand, to see and gain a remedy. He came as the source of knowledge, as light in darkness and as the cure for our illness. Those in light do not need a lamp but those in darkness need the light. Jesus was sent as the light that shines in the darkness. From the beginning to the end of the bible the theme is repeated. Humankind is lost due to deafness, blindness, ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, selfishness and greed. That is the first act of the play. The second act is God seeking and searching for lost humankind, looking for them in the various places of their fear, the haunts of darkness, the hiding places of those who are afraid of God. The final act is played out in the response of each individual and society, each nation and epoch of human history.

Will man and God be enemies or friends? Will God win and regain the trust and fidelity of his creation? Or will humankind forever remain estranged? Will the people always wander outside in the desolation or will they be admitted once again into the intimacy of the Garden of Paradise?

Amoris Lætitia[2] The Tenderness of an Embrace

Christ proposed as the distinctive sign of his disciples the law of love and the gift of self for others (cf. Mt 22:39; Jn 13:34). Against this backdrop of love so central to the Christian experience of marriage and the family, another virtue stands out, one often overlooked in our world of frenzied and superficial relationships. It is tenderness. The word of God tells us that the family is entrusted to a man, a woman and their children, so that they may become a communion of persons in the image of the union of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The family is called to join in daily prayer, to read the word of God and to share in Eucharistic communion, and thus to grow in love and become ever more fully a temple in which the Spirit dwells. Every family should look to the icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Like Mary, we are asked to face our family’s challenges with courage and serenity, in good times and bad, and to keep in our hearts the great things which God has done (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). An excellent program that is modeled on the Holy Family is available on line. (http://thechoicewine.org/)

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[1] http://www.bible-study-for-everyone.com/Jonah.html

[2] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.

Wednesday, April 26, 2016

Amos, Chapter 3, Verse 8

⁸ The lion has roared, who would not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken, who would not prophesy?

Have you ever visited a zoo and heard the lion roar? Your heart quickens and your body is ready for action. Has your hearts become complacent. If so, let us hear the roar of the lion of Judah, our Lord Jesus Christ, and be ever ready to do the work of the Holy Spirit.

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me. You set a table before me in front of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Indeed, goodness and mercy^* will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless days.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. (Jn. 14:1)

Joel, Chapter 2, Verse 21-22

²¹ Do not fear, O land! Delight and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things ²² Do not fear, you animals in the wild, for the wilderness pastures sprout green grass. The trees bear fruit; the fig tree and the vine produce their harvest.

Notice the prophet here acknowledges that God in his power has complete control over nature.  They do not fear. They are perfectly happy because nature does not have freewill and cooperates with God living their existence in accordance with their created function.  

Yet we because we were created in the image and likeness of God we have a choice.  To do good or to do evil.  Daily we must decide if we are for ourselves and pursue the things of the world or are we going to follow Christ by picking up our cross daily.

Amoris Lætitia[1] (Joy) The Work of your Hands

“You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you” (Ps 128:2). It is clear from the very first pages of the Bible that work is an essential part of human dignity; there we read that “the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it” This is why any charity must include some type of work to preserve the dignity of the person such as the practice of gleaming or the use of loans in the Old Testament for food. Labor also makes possible the devel­opment of society and provides for the sustenance, stability and fruitfulness of one’s family. The Book of Proverbs also presents the labor of mothers within the family; their daily work is described in detail as winning the praise of their husbands and chil­dren (cf. 31:10-31). Paul was so convinced of the necessity of work that he laid down a strict rule for his communities: “If anyone will not work, let him not eat” (2 Th 3:10; cf. 1 Th 4:11). This having been said, we can appreciate the suffering created by unemployment and the lack of steady work, as reflected in the Book of Ruth, Jesus’ own parable of the laborers forced to stand idly in the town square (Mt 20:1-16), and his personal experience of meeting people suffering from poverty and hunger. Sadly, these realities are present in many countries today, where the lack of employment opportunities takes its toll on the serenity of family life. Yet, those that employ are often trapped by their own greed and power and instead of using the joy in their work; they are selfish and instead of founding living sustainability with their work their actions often lead to the desertification of the earth (cf. Gen 3:17-19) By our work we are to build up a garden and make, no create with God, a better world, not rape it and by love make it better.

A good name is better than riches.

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[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.

Monday, April 25, 2016 Feast of St. Mark

Hosea, Chapter 10, Verse 5

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria are afraid for the calf of Beth-aven; its people mourn for it and its idolatrous priests wail over it, —over its glory which has departed from it.

This verse speaks of a people who want to be God's people while at the same time they want to worship pagan gods-they want it all.  They want freedom without truth.  No society can last long feeding on a diet of moral relativism. 

Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others.

According to Dr. Peter Kreeft[1], author and professor of philosophy at Boston College there are four different kinds of freedom and one false freedom.

The first freedom men often seek deliverance from is are obstacles or external wants of life such as poverty, material needs, dishonor, weakness, disease/death, pain, oppression, slavery and defeat.

The second freedom is more internal and spiritual in nature. Man seeks to be free to 1) have a free mind; to understand and to obtain wisdom 2) pursue human happiness and emotional well-being and 3) man wants his free will.

The third freedom is a belief that all men have a right to freewill. If we believe otherwise we treat others as objects and may justify and rationalize the use of violence against them.

The fourth freedom is liberty that is given by the Holy Spirit when we turn our freewill over to Christ and obtain freedom from sin via the new covenant which gives us eternal life.

The fifth freedom is a false freedom or myth of autonomy with no dependence on God. This false freedom comes in three forms 1) Individualism (Pride-self-esteem-I’m OK; your OK livelihood) 2) Hedonism (lust-pleasure) 3) Materialism (Greed). In order to have true freedom we should seek poverty, chastity and obedience.  Surely the poor are freer than the rich.

Professor Kreeft recommends 10 steps or paradigms to true freedom.

1. There are many types of freedom.
2. These freedoms must be in the right order.
3. We must put our freedoms in the right order.
4. Freedoms are political.
5. To be free we need detachment.
6. Everything is from God.
7. Use lower freedoms do not let them use you.
8. You are free in Christ; without Him you make your own prison.
9. Christ is our true freedom.
10. Only Christ.

 

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[1] Peter Kreeft, Lecture at Catholic Men’s Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 3/21/2015.

Fifth Sunday of Easter, 2016

The liberty of the New Covenant and its perfection in prayer and the Spirit. 

Hosea, Chapter 10, Verse 3

For now they will say, “We have no king! Since we do not fear the LORD, the king—what could he do for us?”

Christ is the strength of the weak and the humble confidence of those who trust in him. Christ says to us, “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (Jn. 10:27)

Short Explanation of the Lord’s Prayer[1]

Why does God wish us to pray to Him?

To remind us: 1. that all good things come from Him, and that without Him we have nothing. 2. That we may confide in Him and try to make ourselves worthy of His divine grace, by thoughts pleasing to Him, and valuing more, and using better, the graces we receive.

Why is our prayers often not heard?

It is because we often ask for something that would be more hurtful than profitable to us.

When ought we to pray?

We should pray at all times, but especially at, 1, morning, noon, and night; 2, in time of great temptation; 3, when receiving the sacraments; 4, when about to undertake anything important; 5, at the hour of death.

Which is the best of all prayers?

The Lord’s Prayer; but though we say it a hundred times, it will fail to produce its beneficial effects if we repeat it thoughtlessly, without thinking of its meaning or purpose.

Why does this prayer commence with “Our Father?”

To encourage us thereby to a child-like confidence in God. As our Father, Who loves all men, and is ever ready to help them.

Why do we say, “Who art in heaven,” since God is everywhere?

We say this to admonish us to lift up our hearts to heaven, our true home, where God has set up the throne of His kingdom.

What do we ask of God in this prayer?

In the first petition, “hallowed be Thy name,” we pray that God may be known and loved by all men, and that His name may be glorified by a Christian life. In the second petition, “Thy kingdom come,” we pray God to enter and rule in our hearts by His grace, to spread His Church throughout the whole world, and after our death to award us eternal happiness. In the third petition, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” we offer ourselves entirely to God, and declare ourselves ready to be subject to the dispositions of His holy will, as are the angels in heaven, and pray to Him for grace to do this. In the fourth petition, “give us this day our daily bread,” we ask for all things which we need for the body, as food and clothing, and for the soul, as grace and the divine word. In the fifth petition, “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us,” we pray to God for forgiveness, but only as far as we forgive those that injure us. We must therefore remember that we shall not obtain forgiveness from God so long as we have in our hearts hatred against anyone. In the sixth petition, “and lead us not into temptation,” we acknowledge our frailty, and ask God to remove temptations from us, or, if He permit us to fall into those which the world, the flesh, and the devil prepare for us, to give us grace not to consent to them, but, by combating and overcoming them, to gain the merit and the crown of justice. In the seventh petition, “but deliver us from evil,” we pray to God to preserve us from sin, and the occasions of sin; an evil death and hell also from all temporal evils, so far as may be for the salvation of our souls.

America is now at the threshold of history

Like Israel in Hosea’s time America has drifted into serious sin. According to John Maxwell Israel while in captivity had no real leadership (much like America) and had broken the “Law of Solid Ground.” The 6th irrefutable law of leadership—The Law of Solid Ground states that “trust is the foundation of leadership.” Israel’s leadership made false promises that had eroded the people’s confidence in their leaders and people follow only in proportion to their trust in the leader.

American’s are a just people and fair people and our hearts go out to the world. Yet what are we to do?

Many years ago while reviewing the CIA handbook I noticed that economically all of the nations that have been giving us the most trouble militarily were also on the list of those countries with the worst per capita income: people who make less than 200 dollars a year. I thought rather than do battle with a number of of these people in some way if we were to bring the economic power of America to these populaces and help them to improve their lives and rid themselves of the gangs and dictators. Thus bringing up their per capita income; what would the effect be on those who we may have to embattle? I questioned would improving their lives in their own country decrease our need to do battle? I decided to do an experiment. With a little research I invested in one of the stocks from one of the poorest countries Zimbabwe. After three months I sold my stock after doubling my money. My point is perhaps we as America’s can do more by helping the downtrodden in building up their own countries.

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[1] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896

Saturday, April 23, 2016 Feast of St. George

HIKE TODAY

Daniel, Chapter 13, Verse 57

⁵⁷This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your lawlessness.

The internet is a great tool and benefit to mankind; however, it is also used by evil men, as in this chapter of Daniel, to enslave. Today we see that many on the internet kill the life of men and women by enslaving them. Many of our beautiful youth are caught up in human trafficking and the production of pornography.

Daniel in this chapter freed the woman Susanna from powerful men who tied to get her to yield her body to them or be killed. 

Today let us emulate Daniel in freeing women from this type of slavery by never treating women as an object of desire by avoiding any and all use of pornography or venues of entertainment that use women as object to fulfill men’s lusts. This could even include our selection of music and TV shows we watch.

We could also offer our prayers for these women by a monthly fast; thus giving up a portion of our body to redeem their bodies for the Lord.[1]

When I was stationed in Belgium there in the town of Mons was an annual celebration of the killing of a dragon called the Dudu. In one of the local museums we were shown the large skull of a crocodile (two foot by 5 foot) which was according to the legend to be the Dragon killed by St. George. The lesson here is that if we allow evil to grow like the crocodile it may get so large that we cannot defeat it. The sex industry is a dragon that we must slay.

Saint George[2]

The traditional legends have offered a historicized narration of George's encounter with a dragon. The modern legend that follows below is synthesized from early and late hagiographical sources, omitting the more fantastical episodes. Saint George likely was born to a Christian noble family in Syria Palaestina, during the late third century between about 275 AD and 285 AD. He died in Nicomedia in Asia Minor. His father, Gerontios, was from Cappadocia, an officer in the Roman army; his mother, Polychronia, was a native of Lydda. They were both Christians from noble families so their child was raised with Christian beliefs. They decided to call him Georgios, meaning "worker of the land" (i.e., farmer). At the age of 14, George lost his father; a few years later, George's mother, Polychronia, died. Eastern accounts give the names of his parents as Anastasius and Theobaste. George then decided to go to Nicomedia and present himself to Emperor Diocletian to apply for a career as a soldier. Diocletian welcomed him with open arms, as he had known his father, Gerontius — one of his finest soldiers. By his late 20s, George was promoted to the rank of Military Tribune and stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor at Nicomedia. On 24 February AD 303, Diocletian (influenced by Galerius) issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods of the time. However, George objected, and with the courage of his faith, approached the Emperor and ruler. Diocletian was upset, not wanting to lose his best tribune and the son of his best official, Gerontius. But George loudly renounced the Emperor's edict, and in front of his fellow soldiers and tribunes he claimed himself to be a Christian and declared his worship of Jesus Christ. Diocletian attempted to convert George, even offering gifts of land, money, and slaves if he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods; he made many offers, but George never accepted. Recognizing the futility of his efforts and insisting on upholding his edict, Diocletian ordered that George be executed for his refusal. Before the execution, George gave his wealth to the poor and prepared himself. After various torture sessions, including laceration on a wheel of swords during which he was resuscitated three times, George was executed by decapitation before Nicomedia's city wall, on 23 April 303. A witness of his suffering convinced Empress Alexandra and Athanasius, a pagan priest, to become Christians, as well, so they joined George in martyrdom.

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[1] http://www.e5men.org/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George

Friday, April 22, 2016 Passover at sundown

¹ Daniel, Chapter 13, Verse 1-3

In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim, ² who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah; ³ her parents were righteous and had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses.

Susanna is included in the Book of Daniel (as chapter 13) by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. It is one of the additions to Daniel, considered apocryphal by Protestants. She refuses to be blackmailed and is arrested and about to be put to death for promiscuity when a young man named Daniel interrupts the proceedings, shouting that the elders should be questioned to prevent the death of an innocent. After being separated, the two men are questioned about details (cross-examination) of what they saw but disagree about the tree under which Susanna supposedly met her lover. The first says they were under a mastic, and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to cut him in two. The second says they were under an evergreen oak tree, and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to saw him in two. The great difference in size between a mastic and an oak makes the elders' lie plain to all the observers. The false accusers are put to death, and virtue triumphs.[1]

In the Old Testament we already find admirable witnesses of fidelity to the holy law of God even to the point of a voluntary acceptance of death. A prime example is the story of Susanna: in reply to the two unjust judges who threatened to have her condemned to death if she refused to yield to their sinful passion, she says: " I am hemmed in on every side. For if I do this thing, it is death for me; and if I do not, I shall not escape your hands. I choose not to do it and to fall into your hands, rather than to sin in the sight of the Lord!" (Dan 13:22-23). Susanna, preferring to "fall innocent" into the hands of the judges, bears witness not only to her faith and trust in God but also to her obedience to the truth and to the absoluteness of the moral order. By her readiness to die a martyr, she proclaims that it is not right to do what God's law qualifies as evil in order to draw some good from it. Susanna chose for herself the "better part": hers was a perfectly clear witness, without any compromise, to the truth about the good and to the God of Israel. By her acts, she revealed the holiness of God.[2]

In our modern secular world it is often difficult to find a God-fearing woman and even recognize her. One wonders what the characteristics of a God-fearing woman are. An important thing to remember for all women of real beauty is that love is the inner sense of peacefulness and joy that casts out the outer reflection of beauty.

God Fearing Woman[3]

These things aren’t things to add to your to-do list. They’re an opportunity to test your heart.  If we have a right ‘fear’ or understanding of God, then these four characteristics will overflow in our hearts:


1. A woman who fears the Lord isn’t anxious about what’s going to happen in her life.

First, a woman who fears the Lord is not anxious about the future…“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”

Our anxiety reveals what we think about God.

Do we honestly think He’s a sovereign and good Father?

 Do we honestly believe He cares about the mundane details of our lives and is working everything out for our good?


If so, it will affect our anxiety about how our kids are going to do in school this Fall or our fears about being single this time next year, or our obsession with how we’re going to pay our bills next month, or worry about how we’re going to do in that meeting at work tomorrow.


2. A woman who fears the Lord speaks wisdom and kindness.
Second, the woman who fears the Lord has practical wisdom. Proverbs 31, Verse 26, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

I love this because I’m a big fan of women redeeming passive communication. This verse tells us that if we’re going to be good stewards of our words we have to know and love God.  A right view of Him will affect the way we choose to spend the gift of language He has given us.


3. A woman who fears the Lord is strong.

Proverbs, Verse 25, “Strength and dignity are her clothing.” Verse 17, “She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.”

Think for a second about how you define ‘strength’ Proverbs 23:17 says, “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.” The woman who continues in the fear of the Lord will have power to resist all the allurements to envy, to desire what she shouldn’t have.
True strength looks like contentment.
Do you want to know if your fear of the Lord overflows into strength?  Do you envy others?
Threads of discontentment reveal a heart that does not fully grasp the greatness and goodness of our maker.


4. A woman who fears the Lord is for other people, not against them.
A woman who fears the Lord will live not for herself alone but for others…Proverbs 31, Verses 11, 12, “The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not harm all the days of her life.”

Our view of God will play out in our interaction with others.  If we trust that God is for us, it frees us up to be for other people.  We can look out for their interests because we know God is looking out for ours.

All four of these characteristics overflow from a right understanding and relationship with God.
You can’t just get out of your chair and go do these four things to earn the ‘proverbs 31’ merit badge.
If you want to be free of anxiety, if you want to speak kindness and wisdom, if you want to be strong and be for other people, the solution is gloriously complex: fear the Lord.
My hope is that, like me you’ll see this list as a reminder of just how far you have to go in your sanctification.

Let this list remind you of the opportunity you have to grow in your ‘fear’ of the Lord.  Let that opportunity excited you.  There’s more of Him to know.  There’s more of Him to trust.
As we grow in fearing Him we will be transformed – not to the image of some cool Proverbs woman.  We will be transformed into the very image of His Son.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_%28Book_of_Daniel%29

[2] IOANNES PAULUS PP. II, VERITATIS SPLENDOR

[3] http://www.fabsharford.com/4-ways-to-tell-if-youre-a-woman-who-fears-the-lord/

Thursday, April 21, 2016 Full Pink Moon

“Fellow Israelite's and you others who are God-fearing, listen."  (Acts, 13:16)

Daniel, Chapter 10, Verse 19

“Do not fear, beloved. Peace! Take courage and be strong.” When he spoke to me, I grew strong and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

Read this verse again and imagine Christ saying this to you the next time you receive communion. Perhaps it would be a good idea to commit this verse to memory and repeat it to yourself at communion or on visits to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

Yes, we are beloved and if we are beloved we must share the love Christ gives us with others; especially our families and spouses.

Amoris Lætitia[1] (love) A Path of Suffering and Blood

The word of God constantly testifies to that sad dimension already present at the beginning with Adam and Eve, when, through sin, the relationship of love and purity between man and woman turns into domination: “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Gen 3:16) Jesus knows the anxieties and tensions experienced by families and he weaves them into his parables. Christ does not abandon us and His gospel is not a series of abstract ideas but rather a source of comfort and companionship for every family that experiences difficulties or suffering. For it shows us the goal of our journey, when God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more” (Rev 21:4)

Full Pink Moon

According to the almanac today we are having a Full Pink Moon; plan to spend some with the women in your life and develop a true friendship.

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[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 Weed Day

Daniel, Chapter 10, Verse 11-14

¹¹“Daniel, beloved,” he said to me, “Understand the words which I am speaking to you; stand up, for my mission now is to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up trembling. ¹²“Do not fear, Daniel,” he continued; “from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. Because of it I started out, ¹³but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia, ¹⁴and came to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the last days; for there is yet a vision concerning those days.”

Yet, when I read this verse I hear the Lord saying this to us all-Stay with me-do not be afraid. Today go to the Blessed Sacrament and spend some time with the Lord. There our Lord will pull us to Himself and transform us into warriors and conquerors. Daniel’s vision charges him with engaging him is spiritual warfare; as are we by Christ. Daniel learns the lessons every leader who confronts evil in the world must master.[1]

1.      Spiritual leaders lead not only God’s family, but God’s army.

2.      Prayer ignites spiritual warfare invisible to us.

3.      Both spiritual kingdoms seem to have princes.

4.      Spiritual warfare can delay victories.

5.      We must not fear spiritual warfare.

6.      Understanding warfare enables us to cooperate with God’s purposes.

Wisely face an invisible spiritual world around you. Draw near to Christ and He will transform your disenchantment with the world and help you along the road to holiness and sainthood.

Our lives are songs; God writes the words and we set them to music at pleasure; and the song grows glad, or sweet or sad, as we choose to fashion the measure.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Weed Day

April 20 has become a counterculture holiday in North America, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. Some events have a political nature to them, advocating for the legalization of cannabis. North American observances have been held at Hippie Hill in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park near the Haight-Ashbury district, the University of Colorado's Boulder campus, Ottawa, Ontario, at Parliament Hill and Major's Hill Park, Montreal, Quebec at Mount Royal monument, Edmonton, Alberta at the Alberta Legislature Building, as well as Vancouver, British Columbia at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The growing size of the unofficial event at UC Santa Cruz caused the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs to send an e-mail to parents in 2009 stating: "The growth in scale of this activity has become a concern for both the university and surrounding community."[2]

This video presents to mindset in which we are spiritually engaged to combat.

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[1] John Maxwell, The Leadership Bible.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_%28cannabis_culture%29

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Daniel, Chapter 10, Verse 7

⁷ I alone, Daniel, saw the vision; but great fear seized those who were with me; they fled and hid themselves, although they did not see the vision.

What have you to fear with God at your back?

We as the heirs of God’s promises to the Hebrews must have the courage to support and defend Israel at each threshold of change that God brings about. Yes, there will be suffering and we must be up to the challenge; to carry our cross, as God wills it. The Lord is patient and kind yet He is also just. He will right the evil of man. When man goes too far God intervenes. Is another intervention coming? Is there a breach in the lines of defense against the forces of darkness? Have we become fat and gross and gorged with secularism? Have we forsaken the God who made us and scorned Him? Have we sacrificed to demons, to “no-gods,”?

Good men heed the message of St. Faustina, and seek the Divine Mercy of God while there is still time and then join the battle of God coming into the breach. Read the online message of the Bishop of Phoenix and be prepared to fight and defend our church.[1]

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, a simple, uneducated, young Polish nun receives a special call. Jesus tells her, "I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful Heart." These words of Jesus are found in the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, which chronicles Sr. Faustina's great experience of Divine Mercy in her soul and her mission to share that mercy with the world. 

Though she died in obscurity in 1938, Sr. Faustina was hailed by Pope John Paul II as "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time." On April 30, 2000, the Pope canonized her as St. Faustina, saying that the message of Divine Mercy she shared is urgently needed at the dawn of the new millennium.[2]

We must follow the example of Our Lady of Sorrows and bring our savior to others and undergo the joys with sorrows. Today would be a good day to contemplate the seven sorrows of our Lady and to pray.

St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), Our Lady directly revealed the amazing graces granted by her Son for all those who daily pray seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on her seven dolors and tears:

1. “I will grant peace to their families.”

2. “They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries.”

3. “I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.”

4. “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.”

5. “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.”

6. “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.”

7. “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”[3]

Today might also be a good day to take a hike or walk and pray along the way; going out to an isolated place was the original way to pray. It was practiced by Abraham in the desert, and Mary on her way to visit her aunt during her pregnancy with St. John the Baptist and by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Below is an excerpt taken from my book, Divine Mercy Hikes for your review and use if you can make it to Sedona, Arizona; however, all hike meditations are adaptable to any other location. The secret is to talk to God during the walk and He will talk to you.
Soldiers Pass Trail[4]

During this hike, if you are doing the Divine Mercy Novena, you will be reflecting on the souls of the persons who are detained in purgatory. This trail will take you by the devils kitchen (sinkhole) and the seven sacred pools which are great geological features to reflect on the grace of purgatory and the seven sacraments. 

Length: 1.4 miles one way

Rating: Moderate

Use: Medium

Season: Year round

Hiking time:  2.5 hours

USGS Map: Wilson Mountain

Location:  From the junction of Routes 89A and 179, take 89A west 1.2 miles to Soldier Pass Road on the right. Go 1.5 miles to Rim Shadows Drive, then right 0.2 miles (keep straight ahead where Rim Shadows branches left) to a gated entry road to trailhead parking on the left.

Notice for this meditation the water flows from the first pool and fills it and then in succession the second pool is filled. Similarly grace fills our life where one virtue will complete us enough to overflow to the next. With this concept in mind we will review the seven sorrows of the Mother of God and emulate the virtue she had in them; seeing that we must be filled with grace from one pool to the other in secession.

O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.[5]

As we meditate on the first pool ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Humility.

1.      I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of your tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by your heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God. Hail Mary…

After we have filled our spirit with the grace of humility now let us ask our Lady to pray that her son fill us with the grace of Generosity.

2. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of your most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and your sojourn there. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety. Hail Mary…

Moving to the third pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of the Gift of Chastity.

3.      I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried your troubled heart at the loss of your dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge. Hail Mary…

Moving to the fourth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Patience.

4.      I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the consternation of your heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude. Hail Mary…

Moving to the fifth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Temperance.

5.      I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which your generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by your afflicted heart obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel. Hail Mary…

Moving to the sixth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Understanding.

6. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of your compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance before His Body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by your heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding. Hail Mary…

Moving to the seventh pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Wisdom and Love.

7. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched your most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom. Hail Mary…

Let Us Pray:

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, O Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

With the coming of the secular age we have forgotten Who made us great and have not taught our children and immigrants fear of the Lord and as a result our world languishes.

Fear not, my people! Remember, Israel, You were sold to the nations not for your destruction; It was because you angered God that you were handed over to your foes. For you provoked your Maker with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods; You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you. She indeed saw coming upon you the anger of God; and she said: “Hear, you neighbors of Zion! (Baruch 4: 5-9)

Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; For he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.” (Baruch 4: 27-29)

What Can We Do? We must promote faith by having devotion to the Divine Mercy and prayer in our families. Christ started His ministry via Mary’s request at the wedding at Cana with a new family: a couple; a new Eve and a new Adam. Christ ended his ministry by making a new family. Woman this is your son…what is needed today to restore, protect and sanctify our world is devotion through families to the Divine Mercy. The Divine Mercy devotion is meant for the end times, therefore, the consecration prayer which enriches the devotion, fits perfectly into the “real time” of families everywhere. 

Lord Jesus, if you want to pour your mercy out on souls, how much more must you desire to pour it out on whole families, especially in our time when so many families reject you. Therefore, we the ______________ Family offer ourselves to your merciful love and ask for the graces and mercy that other families refuse. We ask this in order to console your Heart and because we need your mercy. Fill us with your mercy, Lord. Please forgive us our sins, and give us the grace to be merciful to one another in our deeds, words, and prayers. May the rays of mercy that go forth from your Heart reign in our home and in our hearts. Please make our home a place where your mercy can rest and where we, too, can find rest in your mercy. Bless us with your mercy when we leave our home and bless us again when we return. Bless everyone we meet with the mercy you pour into our hearts. Especially bless those who visit our home — may they experience your mercy here.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to faithfully live our Offering to God's Merciful Love. We give ourselves to you and ask you to share with us your Immaculate Heart. Help us to accept your Son's mercy with your own openness of heart at the Annunciation. Help us to be grateful for God's mercy with your own joyful heart at the Visitation. Help us to trust in God's mercy, especially during times of darkness, with your own steadfast faith at Calvary. Finally, Mary, protect and preserve our family in love, so that one day we may rejoice together with you and all the saints in the communion of the eternal Family of Love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Faustina, pray for us. St. Thérèse, pray for us.[6]

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[1] www.intothebreach.org

[2] http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-diary-of-st-faustina?utm_source=Lighthouse+Catholic+Media&utm_campaign=77ff8641ef-Faustina_Feast_Day_Fr_Gaitley_Segment_1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cb00b554f5-77ff8641ef-292834361&goal=0_cb00b554f5-77ff8641ef-292834361&mc_cid=77ff8641ef&mc_eid=15e7808aac

[3] http://www.motherofallpeoples.com/2010/09/the-promises-of-the-seen-sorrows/

[4] www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/hiking

[5] http://www.motherofallpeoples.com/2010/09/the-promises-of-the-seven-sorrows/

[6] http://www.thedivinemercy.org/chj/prayers/familyoffering.php