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.
Search This Blog
NINE-MONTH NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Start March 12 to December 12
Monday, August 21, 2017
ECLIPSE TODAY
Job, Chapter 41, Verse 25
Upon
the earth there is none like him, he was made fearless.
Was Job born fearless or did his
trial and faith make him fearless? I think we all can be fearless if we trust.
·2 Timothy 4:17 – Live as a fearless
witness. “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so
that the message might be preached fully through me…”
·Psalm 125:1-2 – Live fearless
because you are surrounded by God. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which
cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so
the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forever.”
·1 Timothy 6:11-12 – Fight the good fight
of faith fearlessly. “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have
confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
·John 16:13-14 – Live fearlessly guided by the
Spirit. “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He
will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but
whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will
glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you.”
·Isaiah 45:3 – Live fearlessly called by
God. “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden
wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God
of Israel, who calls you by your name.”
·Philippians 1:6 – Live fearlessly finishing
the work of Christ. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who
began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
·Psalm 40:2 – Fearlessly walk along the path
God has established. “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of
the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.”
·Isaiah 44:8 – Live fearlessly trusting God as
your Rock. “Do not fear nor be afraid. Have I not told you from
that time, and declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me?
Indeed, there is not other Rock; I know not one.”
·Psalm 91:4-5 – Live fearlessly under the
provision of God. “He shall cover you with His feathers and under His
wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler, you
shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by
day.”
·1 Corinthians 16:13-14 – Be strong –
fearlessly. “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Let all that you do be done with love.” When you believe in truth and remember
the promises of God, fear takes a back seat. Sure, it’s a
process. And sure, you’re still human so fear may not totally be gone until the
glory days in the kingdom. But work on believing. Work on trusting. Work on
hiding these words in your heart so that the impact of Christ is greater
than your fear.
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (CNS) -- A total solar eclipse is a rare event, something
to appreciate and enjoy in the mind of Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, director
of the Vatican Observatory. So as the first eclipse crossed the country from
coast to coast in 99 years Aug. 21, Brother Consolmagno wasn't going to do
anything but take it in and think about the beauty and mystery of God's
creation. The astronomer urged an audience in a packed Sts. Peter and Paul
Church during a pre-eclipse program in this southwestern Kentucky town near the
point of maximum eclipse to take the time to reflect on what the two minutes
and 40 seconds of totality means to them. "Pray for good weather," he
said to laughs. "But also pray for what God wants you to learn from the
experience." Tens of thousands of people had descended on Hopkinsville, a
city of 33,000 an hour northwest of Nashville, Tennessee, by late Aug. 20.
Thousands more were expected the morning of the eclipse. Brother Consolmagno
said he was as excited as anyone to view the blackening of the sun. He also
said that as a scientist and a person of faith, he is guided by inquisitiveness
to explore the heavens and the desire to better understand how God put the
universe together. There is no conflict between science and the faith, he said.
"Being a scientist can be a way of worshipping God," he said. He
repeated a similar message to reporters during a news conference before his
presentation. "We're here not just to remind my fellow scientists who are
used to me by now, but also to show religious people how important is it to be able to praise the Creator by studying
creation, studying it honestly, finding out how God really created this place.
There's never going to be a shortage of marvels for us to discover or surprises
for us to experience," he said. "We can come to know the Creator by
seeing the things of his creation." He said the by understanding the cycle
of solar eclipses -- occurring about every 18 months and 11 days -- people can
see the rhythms of the universe and the continuing nature of creation and have
an experience "that fills the soul with joy." Brother Consolmagno
made the trip to Hopkinsville at the invitation of Father Richard Meredith,
pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Father Meredith told Catholic News
Service he contacted the Vatican Observatory soon after he learned a few years
ago that the eclipse path would pass over the town. Parishioners prepared for
more than a year, having established a committee to welcome visitors and host
Brother Consolmagno. "Being a
parish with a parochial school, we stress the unity of truth," Father
Meredith said. "This (eclipse) is a major opportunity to reflect that, as
science and faith work together serving to manifest the Lord. The eclipse is a
wonder and these wonders praise the creator. This could very well be the only
planet around the only star whose moon is at the right distance and size to
give a total solar eclipse," the priest said. He introduced Brother
Consolmagno with by reading from Psalm 19: "The heavens proclaim the glory
of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft." "This isn't only
Catholic," he told CNS. "This is a tradition inherited from God's
revelation in the Old Testament."
Auxilium Christianorum - Praying for Persecuted Priests Monday, May 24 is the Feast of Mary Mother of the Church. It is also the Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Auxilium Christianorum). Please consider joining this Auxilium Christianorum family to pray daily for our holy and courageous persecuted priests. The Church teaches us that it is divided into the Church Triumphant (which includes the members of the Church in heaven), the Church Suffering (this includes the members of the Church in purgatory), and the Church Militant (this refers to those members of the Church who are alive in this world). Because we are part of the Church Militant, we are in a spiritual warfare and this spiritual warfare requires that we recognize, as Saint Paul teaches us "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." ( Ephesians 6:12 ) The me
Switch of Manliness Legacy OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA Acts, Chapter 10, verse 1-4 1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica, 2 devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come into him and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 He looked intently at him and seized with FEAR , said, “What is it, sir?” He said to him, “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Cornelius’ Cohort was an auxiliary unit of archers, men who are expert at hitting a mark or target. Sin is the act of violating God's will. Sin can also be viewed as anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and God, or as any diversion from the ideal order for human living. To sin has been defined as "to miss the mark" to have a harden
Monday Night at the Movies Leo McCarey, Make Way for Tomorrow, 1947. Make Way for Tomorrow is a 1937 American drama film directed by Leo McCarey . The plot concerns an elderly couple (played by Victor Moore and Beulah Bondi ) who are forced to separate when they lose their house and none of their five children will take both parents. FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION Get to Mass as today is a Solemnity If you can't make it to Mass spend time with the Lord Luke, Chapter 1, verse 30: 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be AFRAID , Mary, for you have found favor with God. Mary had no fear of the world or man, yet, when the angel appeared she was immersed in holy fear. Let us follow Mary’s example and bravely face the day saying YES to God. Mary Garden [1] The joy over the appearance of new plants and flowers in spring prompted man to attribute to them a special power of protection and healing. People planted special spring flower gardens; they brought branches of ear
Monday Night at the Movies Luis Bunuel, Simon of the Desert, 1965 SAINT MOTHER THEODORE GUERIN Hebrews, Chapter 12, Verse 21 Indeed, so FEARFUL was the spectacle that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” Moses was the heir apparent to the throne of Egypt in his youth. As a member of the Egyptian court, he would have seen many fearful spectacles yet imagine what it must have been like to have been a witness of God descending on Mount Sinai to give the law. He was terrified and trembling. Again, now imagine if Moses was somehow resurrected and was able to walk into an ordinary catholic church that has a very modest Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Do you think his reaction would be any different than the first time he encountered the living God? Be Still and Know that I am God [1] On the evening of October 1995, John Paul II was scheduled to greet the seminarians at Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. It had been a very full day that began with a Mass at Oriole Park in Camden Y
Easter Tuesday Autism Psalm 33, verse 18-19 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who FEAR him, upon those who count on his mercy, 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through famine. You cannot receive if you do not ask. Let us ask for God’s mercy and count on it, to deliver our soul from death and keep us alive through this earthly famine for ourselves and others. In fact, one pious work we could do this week is a Novena to the Divine Mercy. In the novena Christ asks us to pray each day for certain groups of people. All Sinners Priests and Religious Devout Souls Unbelievers Heretics Children Saints Those in purgatory And the Lukewarm A good time to pray the novena is the hour of Christ’s death. “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy…” Tod
Second Sunday after Easter DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY John, Chapter 20, Verse 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for FEAR of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Life begins at the end of our comfort zone. Do you live in fear of failure or are you locking the doors of your heart to new opportunities? When you let in the spirit of Christ you open yourself to empowerment. The Law of Empowerment [1] The job of leadership is to lead with the intent to work yourself out of a job. Imagine what would happen if our politicos did this! This is what Jesus did. After Christ gave His Peace to the apostles, he breathed on them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and thus empowered them to live the supernatural life. We in turn by the power of the successors of the apostles are heirs to this. Christ wants us to be change agents to bring about the Kingdom. How can we begin? W
Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - April 27 Saint of the day: Saint Zita Patron Saint of Domestic Workers, Maids, Servants Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Job, Chapter 21, Verse 9 Their homes are safe, without FEAR , and the rod of God is not upon them. With the current political climate of today-North Korea, Kenya, Venezuela, Sanctuary Cities, Gangs etc.; we may not be feeling safe in our homes. We may feel God’s rod is upon us. Yet, we learn that God does not wish to destroy us but bring about the best in us. The wages of sin are usually destruction, but God is mercy. As in the parable of the wheat and tares God allows the weeds to grow with the wheat. We often ask with Job, “Why do the wicked keep on living, grow old, become mighty in power? Mercy! Zophar & His Asps [1] · Zophar decides to beat a dead horse. · Not literally. · He tells Job that the wicked get what they
Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - April 12 Saint of the day: Saint Teresa of Los Andes Patron Saint Against disease, Against illness, Ill people, Young people, Santiago, Chile, Los Andes, Chile Friday of the Second Week of Easter 2 Maccabees, Chapter 15, Verse 18 They were not so much concerned about wives and children, or family and relations; their first and foremost FEAR was for the consecrated sanctuary. Today’s meditation: Where is God’s consecrated Sanctuary? I asked Bing AI: Is it the in the body of a holy catholic soul God’s consecrated Sanctuary? According to the Catholic faith, the human body is not just a material object, but a living being that is animated by a spiritual soul. The soul is the principle of human consciousness and freedom, and it is created by God in his image. The soul and the body are so intimately united that they form one unique human nature. The soul is also the “
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. 2 Maccabees, Chapter 14, Verse 22 Judas had posted armed men in readiness at strategic points for FEAR that the enemy might suddenly commit some treachery. But the conference was held in the proper way. During our last episode we see that our Hero Judas, with the help of the All Seeing Almighty vanquishes the enemy. Judas wants peace and returns home but the enemy the devil never sleeps, and snip snap the Syrians invade again. This time under the leadership of a gangster called Nicanor; a crafty little snake who wants a peace treaty. In this verse we see Judas is being ready and prepared for any trouble; and his fear is justified. Making and Breaking Treaties [1] "When the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and that the Gentiles were rallying to him, they sprinkled themselves with earth and prayed to Him Who established
This just in: Countries That Give Financial Incentive To Move There Moving abroad can be a dream come true. It can be a joy to fully immerse yourself in a different culture or simply the excitement of a new experience. Check out places that pay you to move there. apartmenttherapy ~ "Japan No, you can’t move to one of those amazing towers in Tokyo on the Japanese government’s yen. But the country will grant foreigners a year-long visa and up to $10,000 to move to a more rural area that needs a population/economic boost. If you’ve got a family and are looking to make a life-changing move, there are also more incentives available. Spain Small towns in Spain are in need of a population boost. For example, Ponga in the northern province of Asturias will pay up to €2,000 for single people to move there and up to €3,000 for families with children. If children are in your future, the government will pay you an incentive of €3,000 for each birth." ~ apartmenttherapy For the co
Comments
Post a Comment