This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.
8 When they heard
the sound of the LORD God walking about in the garden at the breezy time of the
day, the man and his
wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9
The
LORD God then called to the man and asked him: Where are you? 10 He answered, “I heard you in the
garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid.”
Before the fall both Adam
and Eve were unafraid of being exposed to God and they were innocent in that
they knew not that they were naked. Adam
states I heard the sound of you in the garden. We do not know what the sound of
God is from the verse. Was it the same
sound as a man walking in the garden? Or was it the sound of a rushing wind? We
do not know; but Adam heard God and he was afraid because he was naked. On the
cross our Lord who always heard the Father was now utterly alone,…And at the
ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?' which
means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' and he was also naked nailed
to a tree. Tradition states that our Lord’s cross rested on the skull of Adam
in payment for the fall. Our Lord paid the ultimate price for our sins. Christ
on the cross reversed the taking of the fruit and the eating by Adam and Eve
and became the fruit of life. Christ on
the cross reversed the nakedness of Adam and Eve by being naked himself. Christ
on the cross no longer heard the Father and He was afraid. The greatest fear is
a world without the Father. Christ brought us at a great price to bring us back
to the Father. We need not fear for God is now in us through the accomplishment
of the Holy Spirit. We must listen to
His voice and follow Him.
The Law of
Influence[1]
Eve had no leadership role; no title yet she had
influence. Every one regardless of their roles is important and generates
influence either positive or negative. Eve demonstrated the impact of negative
influence. Although God commissioned Adam as her spiritual leader, Eve usurped
the role of Adam, who followed his wife rather than God and together they led
humankind into sin.
Solemnity of Mary
For Catholics, today is a holy day of obligation to
honor Mary the Mother of God the second Eve: who is the first example of
courage. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your
womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. (Luke 1:30-31)
On my 2006 visit to Israel my wife and I visited
and had Mass on the Mount of the Beatitudes. I remember our Priests were
a little miffed with the little sister who worked there. She was upset
with us because it was a warm day and some in our group had taken off their
sweaters and their arms were exposed. She was focused on the rules, as Christ
pointed out to the Pharisees who were focused on the outside of the cup being
clean rather than the inside being clean. Similarly the beatitudes of our
Lord seek to not do away with the rules (10 commandments) but points at our
inner dispositions. I think Church of the Beatitudes which is an octagon
(eight sided) best represents how me should seek to best conform our hearts and
our dispositions to be more like that of Christ. On the floor of the
Church of the Beatitudes are eight mosaics with words in Latin. They
reflect the dispositions of our Lord which we are to emulate.
Charitas (a heart
that burns with love of God and benevolence toward others)
Prvdentia (forethought
or prudence. Those who are Prudent are far from indecisive, for their bold
decisions bear no streaks of doubt. Prudence disposes us to have a true care
and concern for the health and wellbeing of others)
Lavs Tibi Christi
(Praise God in all that we do)
Temperantia (Temperance
is a spirit of moderation and personal restraint; to keep ourselves in balance
physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally)
Fides (Faith in
God; to trust Him; to give yourself as He gave Himself)
Fortitvdo (fortitude
and courage. We must have the courage to allow Christ to increase in us)
Spes (Hope.
We must hope in the good news of Christ and trust ourselves in the church as we
would a ship upon the waters)
Ivstitia
(Justice. Christ compels us to not ignore others, to understand others,
not to rationalize and/or justify our questionable acts, do right even at risk
of ourselves, and to pray for others.
Today is the 8th day of Christmas in The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Legend has it the song was a lesson for Catholic’s persecuted in protestant
England. The eight Maids a milking are a sign for the eight
beatitudes. Today would be a good day to reflect on them.
New Year's
Day
New Year's Day marks the start of a new year on the
Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was first introduced by Pope
Gregory XIII in 1582 and began to be used in Britain and its colonies in 1751.
It is a solar calendar which maintains synchrony with the tropical year. This
holiday is celebrated every year on January 1st.
New Year's Day Facts
·Baby New Year is the most common symbol associated
with this holiday. He is a toddler dressed in a diaper, hat, and sash
bearing the numbers of the New Year. The myth states that he matures into
an old man during the course of the year. On December 31st, he hands his
hat and sash to the new Baby New Year.
·In early Roman calendar New Year was celebrated on
March 1st. The new celebration of New Year on January 1st started in Rome in
153 BC. The New Year was moved to January because it was a month when two newly
elected Roman consuls began their tenure, which reflected the beginning of
civil year.
·In medieval Europe celebrations of New Year on
January 1st were not always observed. Sometimes it was celebrated on Dec. 25th,
March 1st and March 25th (The Feast of the Annunciation).
·Gregorian calendar came into force in 1582, which
replaced the Julian calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. After
adoption of Gregorian calendar, January 1st was restored as New Year’s Day.
·All our dreams can come true, if we have the
courage to pursue them. - Walt Disney
New Year's Day Top Events and Things to
Do
·Visit Times Square and watch the ball drop in New
York City to celebrate the New Year.
·Sing Auld Lang Sine and kiss a loved one at the stroke of midnight.
·Make new resolutions for the upcoming year and let
go of what happened in the previous one.
·Take advantage of New Year's Eve skiing at a local
ski hill near you. Usually the hills are less crowded and offer discounts on
this holiday.
·New Year – means new trails to hike. Go hiking on a
New Year’s Day to make a good start from day one and get motivated.
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What
came to be 4
through him was life, and this life was the light
of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness has not overcome it.
Now is the time to reject all hubris and pride of
life acknowledging our dependence upon God. He is our strength and speed
whoever has a Holy fear God delights in.
Saint
Slyvester/New Years
The night of the Holy Saint
Sylvester, the last night of the year, has always been the night of fun. Every
year Berlin hosts one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in all of
Europe, attended by over a million people. The focal point is the Brandenburg
Gate, where midnight fireworks are centered. Germans toast the New Year with a
glass of Sekt (German sparkling wine) or champagne. The saint of this day, Pope
Sylvester I, according to legend is the man who healed from leprosy and
baptized the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.
Sylvester
I and Constantine
Sylvester was a Roman, the son of
Rufinus. He was ordained a priest by Marcellinus. Chosen Pope in 314, he
continued the work of organizing the peacetime Church so well begun by St.
Miltiades. Sylvester saw the building of famous churches, notably the Basilica
of St. Peter and the Basilica of St. John Lateran, built near the former
imperial palace of that name. It is quite probable too that the first
martyrology or list of Roman martyrs was drawn up in his reign. St. Sylvester
died in 335. He was buried in a church which he himself had built over the
Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria. His feast is kept on December 31.
In many of the German-speaking areas the change of the year is celebrated
noisily and merrily. Guests are invited, and groups attend a "Sylvester
Ball." There is eating, drinking, dancing and singing. It may be
accompanied by the popular "Sylvester" custom of Bleigiessen. A small
piece of lead will be melted over a flame in an old spoon and dropped into a
bowl of cold water. From the shape you can supposedly tell your fortune for the
coming year. For instance, if the lead forms a ball (der Ball), that
means luck will roll your way. The shape of an anchor (der Anker)
means help in need. But a cross (das Kreuz) signifies death. At
midnight, when the old year is almost gone and the New Year is about to start,
glasses are filled with champagne or wine, and toasts and hugs go with wishing
each other "ein gutes neues Jahr". Some go out into the streets and
listen to the bells ringing throughout the land. Others participate in shooting
in the New Year, or put on their private fireworks.
Today
would be a good day to review the 10 Last things in
preparation for the New Year. The Four Last Things refer to death, judgment,
heaven and hell. The 10 Last Things as a phrase does not
exist, but all are found in Scripture and Tradition.
So,
when is Jesus coming back to earth? The
answer: At the end of the world. When is the end of the world? Jesus
said, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”—Mt 25:13. A
theologian of Scripture here in the USA said he believes one reason why so many
men have left the Catholic faith for Protestantism is because the Catholic
pulpit is silent on the apocalypse. It’s sad, especially since we have the
clearest and richest tradition. Although we’ll be discussing no specific dates,
the Sacred Scriptures and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) both name
the ten things that must come at the end of the world:
1)The Gospel must first be preached to the whole
world. The extent of the level of the orthodoxy of the
proclaimer is not clear, nor is it clear if every person or simply every
nation will have heard the truth of Christ and His Church before the end of the
world. At least every land will have heard the basics by the second
coming of Christ.
2)The Jews will return
to the Holy Land and ultimately enter the Catholic Faith. Obviously, the
first of these has happened (1948) and the second has not yet happened. I
had thought that the first was only a vestage of Protestant dispensationalism,
but I recently discovered in Yves Dupont’s Catholic Prophesy
that Saints like Alphonsus Liguori had taught that the Jews must return to Israel before Christ’s
second return.
3)The Great Tribulation
and Apostasy. Before the end of the world, CCC 675 speaks of “the Church’s
ultimate trial” which will be both “apostasy from the truth” and “persecution.”
Perhaps this one has been fulfilled. Indeed, many Catholics have apostatized,
formally or informally. However, many Catholics and other Christians are being
persecuted for following Christ. Since Christ’s birth, there have been 70
million Christian martyrs. Of these, the past hundred years have witnessed the
majority— 45,500,000 of all 70,000,000 martyrdoms! Granted, most of these were
Orthodox at the hands of communists; it’s still persecution of Christians.
Jesus said this tribulation would also be accompanied by an increase in
earthquakes (Mt 24:7.) Even CNN admits a marked increase in earthquakes the
past 100 years.
4)The Anti-Christ or the
man of lawlessness. Although there have been many anti-Christs (1 John 2:18)
we’re going to have to experience the big one, “the son of destruction, who
opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so
that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”—2
Thess 2:3-4. See CCC 676–680.
5)The Restrainer. Mercy
is defined as the divine limit to evil. The anti-Christ will deceive so many
people that God will send someone to limit evil. His name in the Bible is “The
Restrainer.” (I know “the Restrainer” sounds like the coolest Marvel Comic book
hero. But he’s right in the Bible, which might explain why our Protestant brothers
and sisters speculate about him more than Catholics.) Anyway, this mysterious
good-guy will come along at the end of the world as an agent of Divine Mercy so
that the man of lawlessness doesn’t win. “Only he who now restrains it will do
so until [the man of lawlessness] is out of the way.”—2 Thess 2:7. Some
Catholic theologians speculate the Restrainer will be St. John the Baptist or
St. Michael the Archangel. But he is unknown at this point.
6)Widespread
disturbances in nature. “Immediately after the distress of those days the sun
will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from
the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the
Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and
great glory.”—Mt 24:29-30
7)Second Coming of Jesus
Christ. There’s an actual “day and hour” (Mt 24:36) to Christ’s return to
earth. This day has definitely not yet come. “As the lightning comes from the
east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of
Man.”—Mt 24:27. Once, at a lunch, a priest with several impressive degrees
snickered at me for taking these words literally. Then, I have to wonder: If Jesus
doesn’t return with power, maybe he’ll return on a My Little Pony Cutie Mark
Magic Princess Twilight Sparkle Charm Carriage Playset? (That’s an actual toy
at Target! I have to wonder who named that…An 8 year old girl in love with a
cutie named Mark who was allowed to combine her eleven favorite words
randomly?) Anyway, my point isn’t to rally tough-guy fundamentalism. I just
can’t imagine a fitting middle ground between Christ coming as a baby and then
coming in glory. Unless…Jesus comes strolling into Seattle with corduroy pants
and a Dockers short-sleeve at His awful second coming. For my part, I’ll
believe the Apostle’s description of the last day: “For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise
first.”—1 Thess 4:16. See CCC 681 and the 13th century hymn Dies Irae, “Day of
wrath and doom impending…heaven and earth in ashes ending.” Google it. The rest
of it gets even more terrible, in the ancient Latin sense of the word.
8)Final Judgment. The
Church teaches that every one of us on earth will be judged by Christ at the
end of life, be it our particular judgment or the general judgment. The
particular judgment is what you will experience if you die before Jesus returns
in glory. It’s simply your judgment when you come before God a bit after
cardiac arrest. A great Spanish priest described that moment as a 2-dimensional
instantaneous download of your entire life, replete with Christ’s judgment of
you (heaven or hell). The general judgment, or the Last Judgment, however, is
what everyone will experience when Christ returns to earth. This will also
affect those who have already died. For everyone, it will be like a
3-dimensional instantaneous download of every good and evil action committed by
every person on the planet (Luke 8:17) and how it affected you and vice-versa.
In short, during your death and/or Christ’s return, your chance for mercy will
be done. That’s what the confessional is for. On judgment day, you will answer
for any unconfessed sins, and you will see how every one of your actions
affected the whole world, for better or for worse. I’m not trying to scare you.
This is Our Faith: You matter. See CCC 1021 and CCC 1038–1041.
9)Resurrection of the
Body. Simultaneous to #5, everyone will get their body back. It will be
physical, spiritual and hopefully glorified. I write “hopefully” because even
those even in hell will get a body back for eternal torture (John 5:29.)
Happily, 100% of those in purgatory will go to heaven and also get their
glorified body back. But most adult Catholics think of heaven as an amorphous
reality for the soul…kind of like a nursing home hot tub where billions of
doped-up souls stare in a smiley bliss. Rather, let’s consider Jesus’
resurrection: He could eat fish but walk through walls; He shined with glory,
but He had wounds. In fact, the four Catholic doctrinal points of the
resurrection is that your new body will be: 1) Glorified (like Jesus at the Transfiguration),
2) Agile (not subject to gravity. I promise I’m not making this up.), 3) Subtle
(from the Latin, meaning the body will obey the soul as the essential form of
the body…meaning you won’t accidentally burp in your new body.) and 4)
Impassible (unable to suffer.) Does this all sound just a little fantastic? CCC
996 says: “From the beginning, Christian faith in the resurrection has met with
incomprehension and opposition. On no point does the Christian faith encounter
more opposition than on the resurrection of the body.” Wait. No other point met
with more opposition? What about contraception and same-sex marriage? You see,
the resurrection of the body is the foundation of all other Catholic morality
since “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one
may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or
evil.”—2 Cor 5:10. Apparently, man’s notion of once-saved always-saved doesn’t
fool God. See CCC 988–1019.
10)New Heavens and
a New Earth. First, this earth will burn (2 Pt 3:10.) Then God will make a New
Heavens and a New Earth (Is 65:17.) Where else did you expect to use your new
body? Notice that the physical reality of eternity is already found in the Old
Testament. For the Jews, the “age to come” will not be any more nebulous than
this age. But it will be an era of peace. That era of the Messiah’s peace will
permeate so deeply into creation that even the lion will lie down with the
calf. (Show off that Bible trick at parties since 99% of you thought I should
have written “lamb.” You’re wrong! See Isaiah 11:6.) There’s a solid section on
the New Heavens and the New Earth in CCC 1042–1060. Finally, since I made fun
of a goofy notion of heaven in #5, I really should highlight all of Christian
history’s most beautiful description of heaven. It’s composed by the Holy
Spirit through the Apostle John. This description of heaven spans from
Revelation 21 to 22 (the last two chapters of the Bible) but here’s my
favorite, the beginning of the end, literally and eschatologically: Then I saw
a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had
passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of
God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God
Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes, and death shall be no more.—Rev 21:1-4a
Seventh Day of Christmas[3]Seven Swans a-Swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
wisdom
understanding
counsel
fortitude
knowledge
piety
fear of the Lord
Also, the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith [Baptism,
Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and
Matrimony]
GREAT GIFT FOR THE NEW YEAR! GET IT NOW IN TIME FOR THE NEW YEAR.
COURAGE FOR THE MODERN WORLD 2017 #2017CALENDAR
Authored by Mr. Richard H. Havermale Jr.This book is the continuation of my first book based on more than 365 references in the Bible to fear, dread, and that in fact our God encourages us to "BE NOT AFRAID". To do this we must be in the presence of our Lord and talk to Him. I recommend you develop the habit of spending 10-15 minutes a day with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or if that is not available some other quiet place where you can be in the presence of our Lord. Read the daily entry and reflect on it asking our Lord and His mother to talk to your heart and reveal to you the will of the Father and then Do it. The layout of this book is to list and reflect on the books of the bible Sirach through Revelations. In the early part of September my search of the verses dealing with fear and being afraid was completed; so I asked the Lord what do I, do now. After some reflection I realize that the fruit of fear in the Lord is the Theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love which ultimately results in Peace of the Lord. As a consequence the month of September will deal with Peace, October with Love and the month of November will be reflections on Faith and Hope. After Thanksgiving for the season of Advent and Christmas this work uses a multitude of references that reflect the Christmas season. There are many theologians who state that the eighth deadly sin is fear itself. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. Saint John Paul II in his writings and talks also tells us to BE NOT AFRAID. In fear or anger we walk away from God. Our Lord, Jesus Christ taught us how to walk back toward God in His sermon on the mount through the Beatitudes. Each of the beatitudes is the antidote for the opposite deadly sins.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into
which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.
Today would be a good day to rest in the Lord and
go to Mass and receive His body and blood. As we receive realize
that He has given us peace with God and saved us. Such is the love of our
God, the Father! After Mass follow the Exhortation given from
the 1896 edition of Goffines Divine Instructions.
Ponder with care on the truths and doctrines which the holy Church has
laid before thee in the epistles and gospels; thank God with thy whole heart
for the great favors and benefits which thou hast received in the incarnation
and birth of Jesus Christ; examine thyself also whether thy faith is living and
efficient, that thou mayest have the hope of being a child and heir of God; ask
thyself whether, during the past year, Christ has been thy fall or thy
resurrection? Hast thou confessed Him in heart and deed, or hast thou been a
Christian only in name? With such exercises and examinations occupy thy mind
until the New Year, that thou mayest be prepared to begin it worthily.
Given
the build-up of Christmas it might seem strange that the feast of the
holy family is celebrated so late when the holy family has just been
formed by the birth of the son? The surprising answer is that the family had not
been formed by this event. According to the Mosaic Law, a Hebrew boy was not
part of the family until he was circumcised eight days after his birth; only
then was he given his name, i.e., his identity as an individual and as a son of
Abraham. It is appropriate, therefore, that any celebration of the holy family
takes place after the celebration of the circumcision and the holy name. But
there is a deeper reason as well. Paradoxically, it is only after we have
contemplated the various revelations of the Light to both Jew and Gentile that
we can appreciate the period of Jesus' life that is shrouded in obscurity. It
is because we now know who the boy Jesus truly is that we can understand the
importance of His family and the excellence of His so-called hidden life. Like
the shepherds of Bethlehem, we now recognize Him as the Messiah for whom the
Jews yearned; like the Magi, whose gifts bespoke their convictions, we now
recognize Him as a King worthy of gold, as God worthy of frankincense, and as
the Suffering Servant to be one day buried with myrrh. And like the Blessed
Virgin, who -- as we learn from the Gospel on this feast-- kept all these
things in her heart, we are now in a position to appreciate the unique role of
His Holy Family in the economy of our salvation.The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
holds up the domestic life of Jesus, his mother, and foster father as the perfect
model for all Catholic households. As Pope Leo XIII explains, there is a
lesson in this family for everyone: for fathers, for mothers, for children; for
nobility (the Holy Family was from the royal house of David), for the poor
(they gave up their possessions in fleeing to Egypt), and so on. There are no
prescribed or uniform customs for the feast, but that does not mean no
observances were made. The following is an account from Father Weiser of Holy
Family Sundays at our own parish, Holy Trinity German Church, in the
1940s.
The annual Holy Childhood procession, on the feast
of the Holy Family, is one of the most attractive ceremonies. In former years
this procession was called the "Shepherds' Procession" as the
children marched through the church dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses -- a
lovely relic of popular medieval piety (Holy Trinity Parish, 1844-1944,
p. 37).
This feast is also an ideal time to pray any of the devotions to the Holy
Family that are given in the Raccolta, the Church's old official
list of indulgences. The fact that many of these prayers are no longer
indulgenced does not make them any less meaningful or worthy of use.
Let us reflect that the Holy family was holy because of how they
interacted with each other and the world. A good practice during the
twelve nights of Christmas would be to turn off the TV and to rest and have
joyful prayer with the family. It is good to remember that Christ’s
primary teachers in the faith were Joseph and Mary. We also should
remember to not rely on schools to bring up our children in devotion to the
Lord and that we are the primary teachers of Faith, Hope and Love in our
families. Things to Do[2]
·Let
us imitate the Holy Family in our Christian families, and our family will be a
cell and a prefiguration of the heavenly family. Say a prayer dedicating your
family to the Holy Family. Also pray for all families and for our country to
uphold the sanctity of the marriage bond which is under attack.
·Read
the explanation of Jesus' knowledge in the activities section. Read Pope Pius
X's Syllabus
of Errors which condemns the modernist assertion that Christ did not
always possess the consciousness of His Messianic dignity.
·Have
the whole family participate in cooking dinner. You might try a Lebanese meal.
Some suggestions: stuffed grape leaves, stuffed cabbage rolls, lentils and
rice, spinach and meat pies, chicken and dumplings, hummus, Lebanese bread,
tabbouleh — a Lebanese salad and kibbi, a traditional Lebanese dish of
specially ground meat mixed with spices and cracked wheat. This is the same
kind of food that Mary served Jesus and St. Joseph. It's healthy and delicious.
Cup
of Wisdom
For Christmas my wonderful wife brought me three
coffee mugs on being 1) a man of courage 2) a man of strength and 3) a man of
wisdom. To be a person of wisdom there is no better model for us than that of
the Holy Family. Here is what is on the wisdom mug my wife gave me: Blessed is
the man who uses knowledge and experience to improve the well-being of others
who guides with respect, and encourages with love. “Make me to know your
ways, O Lord, teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25: 4)
Sixth Day of Christmas-Six Geese a-Laying = The six days of creation[3]
1st Day: Creation of light and its separation from darkness
2nd Day: Creation of the firmament and division of the
waters
3rd Day: Collection of waters (sea) and formation of dry
land (earth); creation of plants according to their own likeness
4th Day: Creation of heavenly bodies in the firmament (sun,
moon, and stars)
5th Day: Creation of sea creatures and winged fowl from the
waters
6th Day: Creation of cattle, creeping things, and beasts
from the dry land; creation of mankind, male and female
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
Psalm, Chapter 135, verse 20:
House of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD,
bless the LORD!
How can I a sinner, bless the Lord; the creator of all? In what we
think, in what we see, in what we love and in where we use our natural talents;
in our strengths. This is the prayer of Israel; the prayer that Christ himself
said.
Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your
God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and
with all your strength.
All prayers are of equal importance
before God, whether you are praying for patience with an excitable child or
praying to make ends meet until your next paycheck. Prayer is simple and can be
done any time. "I tell you, therefore, everything you ask and pray for,
believe that you have it already, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)
Believe in these words and God will bless you. He loves us and wants the best
for our lives. Don't hesitate; be prepared for God to change your life for the
better!
1.What do you
want of me, Lord?Knowing what God wants you to do is
definitely a life-changing experience. Sometimes God wants us to do things we
don't want to do (see Jonah)
but in the end, He will never ask us to do something that isn't for His Glory.
2.Reveal to me
my sin, and forgive me, Father! Living without guilt is certain to change
anyone's life. As humans, we make mistakes - constantly. One of God's greatest
gifts is His glorious forgiveness. We don't need to live our lives in constant
guilt but we do need to seek forgiveness before we can
change our bad habits.
3.Teach me to
love! Love is perhaps the most amazing emotion mankind is capable of. It is
also the most complex. Love has different forms and can cross several planes to
include familial love, romantic love, and even cross into other aspects such as
respect and kindness. Must you absolutely love your mean
boss or that one finicky neighbor who always has something negative to say? In
a sense, yes, you do. Without realizing it, your ungrateful boss is teaching
you patience, self-control and how to love the unlovable. That rude neighbor
with the passive-aggressive comments is also teaching you lessons, such as how
to handle situations with respect, how to be a mature adult and how to handle
difficult situations by thinking both critically and emotionally. Learning to
love and respect the people in your life - including yourself, which may be the
most difficult of all - can turn your world right-side-up. Imagine what you
will be capable of once you learn to love!
4.Give me
strength!Life is full of struggles - whether they stem from a stressful home
life, financial difficulties or social situations, God wants to heal all of these
wounds. Everyone struggles with something in their lives. What's important
is to remember God is always here for us to lean on and He encourages us to do
so. We aren't meant to deal with negative situations alone; this is why we have
priests, friends and family. We're meant to communicate the good and the bad to
each other - and to lift each other up. Similarly, God wants us to know He can
change your personal situation to lift your spirits and relieve your stresses. Pray
for guidance, forgiveness, love and strength.
If you incorporate these prayers into your
life, you will see positive changes in your being. Your perspective will shift
and you'll catch glimpses of God's glory in every situation.
So get out there and start praying!
For Christmas my wonderful wife brought me three
coffee mugs on being 1) a man of courage 2) a man of strength and 3) a man of
wisdom. It takes strength to do the will of God. Here is what is on the strength
mug my wife gave me: Blessed is the man whose goodness, honesty, and strength
of character lead him to defend what he believes in with certainty, and to
stand up for others wholeheartedly. “I can do all things through Him who
strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
St. Thomas
Becket
Today is the Feast of St. Thomas Becket and it is
also St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, suffered
martyrdom by the king's men in 1170 on this day. There is an excellent
movie about his life “Becket” if you have time to watch tonight which stars
Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole. Becket was a man of strength.
Five Golden Rings
Today is the 5th day of
Christmas the Five Golden Rings represent the five books of the
"Pentateuch" [Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy].
GREAT GIFT FOR THE NEW YEAR! GET IT NOW IN TIME FOR THE NEW YEAR.
COURAGE FOR THE MODERN WORLD 2017 #2017CALENDAR
Authored by Mr. Richard H. Havermale Jr.This book is the continuation of my first book based on more than 365 references in the Bible to fear, dread, and that in fact our God encourages us to "BE NOT AFRAID". To do this we must be in the presence of our Lord and talk to Him. I recommend you develop the habit of spending 10-15 minutes a day with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or if that is not available some other quiet place where you can be in the presence of our Lord. Read the daily entry and reflect on it asking our Lord and His mother to talk to your heart and reveal to you the will of the Father and then Do it. The layout of this book is to list and reflect on the books of the bible Sirach through Revelations. In the early part of September my search of the verses dealing with fear and being afraid was completed; so I asked the Lord what do I, do now. After some reflection I realize that the fruit of fear in the Lord is the Theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love which ultimately results in Peace of the Lord. As a consequence the month of September will deal with Peace, October with Love and the month of November will be reflections on Faith and Hope. After Thanksgiving for the season of Advent and Christmas this work uses a multitude of references that reflect the Christmas season. There are many theologians who state that the eighth deadly sin is fear itself. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. Saint John Paul II in his writings and talks also tells us to BE NOT AFRAID. In fear or anger we walk away from God. Our Lord, Jesus Christ taught us how to walk back toward God in His sermon on the mount through the Beatitudes. Each of the beatitudes is the antidote for the opposite deadly sins.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
Psalms, Chapter 128, verse 1:9
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, and who walk in his ways.
Those who fear the Lord work to not react
to their feelings but act from the principle of God’s unconditional love to
empower others even at personal cost. They practice the three cardinal
virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. The act of blessing works both ways
and all are bless’;both those who receive and those who give. This was
the lesson of the third day of Christmas; today in the song the 12 days of
Christmas the 4th day we sing of the Four Calling Birds which represent
the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. During the upcoming year
it would make a worthy project to read them all. These gospels will help us to
be persons of courage. For Christmas my wonderful wife brought me three coffee mugs
on being 1) a man of courage 2) a man of strength and 3) a man of wisdom. It takes
courage to live out the gospels. Here is what is on the courage mug: Blessed is
the man who faces his fears honestly, holds on to hope passionately, and seeks
others readily for help, reassurance, and love.
Be
strong and courageous…the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.-Joshua 1:9
Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents who were
killed by Herod in his search to kill the baby King who was born in Bethlehem.
What persons are like Herod? All those who destroy children, in
body or in soul; for example unmanly men who are cruel to their wives while
with child, who strike them, incite them to anger, or terrify them; heedless
parents who neglect their little ones, who do not take pains to keep them clean
and healthy; those corrupt and godless women who destroy the fruit of their
shame either before or after birth, and while yet unbaptized. But more
cruel than all these, and even than Herod himself, are they who scandalize
little children by impure conversations, by indecent songs, by acts of impurity
in their presence, or by inciting them to the like; for thereby they plunge the
souls of the children into destruction.
In many religious communities, Innocents' Day was the traditional feast for
the youngest members. In keeping with the upside-down spirit of Twelfth-night,
the youngest novice had the privilege of sitting at the first place or even of
being abbot for a day. Feast of the Holy Innocents is a day for the younger
members of the family or religious community. Some kind of "babyfood"
-- such as a hot cereal with sugar and cinnamon -- is generally served
to them. In the family, the youngest member is also the "celebrity"
of the day, especially if he is a baby. Customs like decorating the crib
or blessing the baby are appropriate ways of observing the feast. Today,
on the day in which little ones shed their blood for Christ, was the festival
for choirboys and students.
Today is also an excellent day for Father’s and Mother’s to bless their
children.
Blessing
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Who didst embrace and lay thy hands upon the little
children when they came to thee, and didst say to them: "Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for the kingdom of heaven is
theirs, and their angels always see the face of my Father," — look with a
Father's eye upon the innocence of these children and their parents' devotion,
and bless them this day through our ministry. By thy grace and goodness let
them make progress in desiring thee, loving thee, fearing thee, obeying thy
commandments — thus coming to their destined home, through thee, Saviour of the
world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God,
forever and ever. Amen.
Today I will ask the Lord to bless all my seven children! (Claire,
Christopher, Candace, Dara, Rachel, Nicole and Vincent) Also my step children!
(Kelly, Ryan and Nathan)
