My spring edition of Be Not Afraid is now available at my estore.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 19, Verse 16-20
16 If a hostile
witness rises against someone to accuse that person of wrongdoing, 17 the two parties in
the dispute shall appear in the presence of the LORD, in the presence of the
priests and judges in office at that time, 18 and the judges must investigate it thoroughly. If the
witness is a false witness and has falsely accused the other,
19 you shall do to
the false witness just as that false witness planned to do to the other. Thus
shall you purge the evil from your midst. 20 The rest shall
hear and be afraid, and never again
do such an evil thing as this in your midst. 21 Do not show pity.
Life for life, eye for eye, tooth
for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot!
This is some pretty hard stuff.
Yet, we should not be namby-pamby either. There should be a system of justice
and we should be just people. Christ reminds us that if we want justice we must
be just ourselves.
The Gospel of St. Matthew records these words of
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:
5:38 "You have heard that it was said, —An eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 5:39 But I say to you, Do not resist one
who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the
other also; 5:40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have
your cloak as well; 5:41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him
two miles. 5:42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would
borrow from you. 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, —You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.' 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you, 5:45 so that you may be sons of your Father
who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 5:46 For if you love those who love
you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 5:47 And
if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not
even the Gentiles do the same? Answer
provided by Fr. John Echert[1]
on 6/12/2001 via EWTN.
The weapon of Sacred
Sacramentals
·
Sacramentals include certain actions, such as
the Sign of the Cross and other blessings, as well as objects that have been
blessed, such as holy water, oil, salt, candles, incense, rosaries, crucifixes,
scapulars, and religious images.
·
In an exorcism, the Church asks publicly and
authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be
protected against the Devil’s power and withdrawn from his dominion.
·
The Sign of the Cross is the most terrible
weapon against the Devil.
·
the Church displays images of the cross so that
we can have it continually in front of our minds to recall to us just what our
souls are worth and what they cost Jesus Christ.
·
Blessings and blessed objects. Both the
blessings that are properly given by clergy (such as those in the Liturgy) and
the blessings spoken by lay people as part of their daily lives (such as a
table grace) are important sacramentals.
Ember Day Prayers[3]
Antiphon: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath
done for thee.
V. Lord, Thou has been our refuge.
R. From generation to generation.
V. Lord, Thou has been our refuge.
R. From generation to generation.
Let us Pray: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that as year by year
we devoutly keep these holy observances, we may be pleasing to Thee both in
body and soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Honor of Christ's Betrayal and Passion
O God, Who for the
world's Redemption was pleased to be born, circumcised, rejected by the Jews,
betrayed by the kiss of traitor Judas, bound with chains, led like an innocent
lamb to sacrifice, and shamefully presented before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and
Herod, accused by false witnesses, beaten with whips, buffeted, insulted, spat
upon, crowned with thorns, smitten with a reed, blindfolded, stripped of Thy
garments, fastened with nails to the cross and lifted up on high, reputed among
thieves, made to drink gall and vinegar and wounded by a lance; oh, by these
most sacred sufferings, which, unworthy as I am, I thus commemorate, and by Thy
holy cross and death, deliver me, Lord, from the pains of hell, and deign to
lead me where Thou didst lead me where Thou didst lead the penitent thief, who
was crucified by Thy side. Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and
reignest, forever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail
Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc. five times.
Prayer for God's Blessing on our Labors
O Lord, graciously look
down upon Thy servants and upon the work of their hands, and do Thou, Who givest
food to every creature, bless and preserve the fruits of the earth, that the
needy may be filled with good things and that all may praise the glory of Thy
bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Vocations to the Priesthood
Antiphon. Why stand ye all the day idle, go ye into my vineyard.
V. Ask the Lord of the
harvest.
R. That He send laborers into His vineyard.
R. That He send laborers into His vineyard.
Let us Pray God, who willest not the death of the sinner, but rather
that he be converted and live; grant, by the intercession of blessed Mary ever
Virgin and of all saints, laborers for Thy Church, fellow laborers with Christ,
to spend and consume themselves for souls. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy
Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever
and ever. Amen.
Daily Devotions/Prayers
Daylight
Saving Time Begins Tomorrow[1]
Daylight Savings time had begun
in an effort to help save energy and provide workers with more hours of
serviceable daylight during the long summer days.
Daylight Savings Time was first introduced in the U.S. in 1918.
However, it was not until 1966, when the Uniform Act was passed, that all
states had to either observe DST or pass a state law to abstain.
Daylight Saving Time Begins Facts
·
In 2017 Daylight Savings Time began Sunday March 12,
2017 at 2:00 a.m. local time. Clocks shifted forward 1 hour, making the
local time 3:00 a.m. It ends on November 5, 2017 at 2 a.m., when the time
will reverse 1 hour back and will make the local time 1 a.m.
·
Benjamin Franklin first proposed the idea of DST in
1784. He wrote An Economical Project for the Journal of Paris,
wherein he discussed the cost of oil for lamps as well as working while it was
dark, and sleeping while it was day.
·
Daylight Savings Time changes at 2:00 a.m.
This time is selected in an effort to provide the least amount of inconvenience
to businesses and citizens.
·
Hawaii and Arizona
do not use DST. Up until 2006, Indiana only used DST in part of the
state.
Daylight Saving Time Begins Top Events and
Things to Do
·
Move your clocks forward 1 hour before bed on
Saturday night before the Daylight Saving Time day in March.
·
Go to bed an hour earlier Saturday night before the
Daylight Saving Time day.
·
Get outside and enjoy the extra hour of daylight.
·
Replace the batteries in the smoke alarm and carbon
dioxide monitors.
·
Clean out the medicine cabinet. Dispose of all
medicines properly.
[2]Thigpen,
Paul. Manual for Spiritual Warfare. TAN Books.
[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1369
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