EMBER FRIDAY-AUTUMNAL EQUINOX-MUHARRAM
“I will do
whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If
in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep
my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate, to be with you forever.”-John 14:13-16
Psalm 72, Verse 5
May they fear you with the sun, and
before the moon, through all generations.
This psalm is all about the glory of Christ’s Holy Catholic Church
for the church defends the oppressed among the people, and seeks to save the
children of the poor and crush the oppressor; for it is our church who rescues
the poor when they cry out, and the oppressed who have no one to help. It is
our church that shows pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the
poor from extortion and violence for precious is their blood in His sight. Yes
the apostates of the world mock us for our faith in a man that rose from the
dead and in His representative Peter; nevertheless they shutter with fear before
this church in the miracle of the Sun in Fatima. Life is delightful to God and
the Church.
Respect for Life[1]
Our Mission as Christians
The knowledge and realization of how deeply we are loved by God elicits a
response of love that simultaneously draws us closer to God and, at the same
time, impels us to share his love with others and embracing a relationship with
God means following in his footsteps, wherever he may call. Just as Jesus
invited St. Peter and St. Andrew to become his disciples, he invites us to do
the same: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men"
(Matthew 4:19). Being a disciple of Jesus naturally includes sharing the Gospel
with others and inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. As
Christians, our identity and our mission are two sides of the same coin; like
the apostles, we are called to be missionary disciples.
Missionary Discipleship
This doesn't necessarily mean quitting our jobs or moving to foreign
countries. For most of us, our mission field is daily life: "Christ
teaches us how to evangelize, how to invite people into communion with him, and
how to create a culture of witness: namely, through love. A Christian life
lived with charity and faith is the most effective form of
evangelization." The first step towards living this life is allowing Jesus
to meet and transform us daily. If we respond to his grace, our lives will show
we have something beyond what the world offers: we follow a person whose love
changes our lives, so we want others to also experience his transforming love. When
we live in union with God, open to his prompting, we're more able to see the
opportunities for witness and his guidance in responding to these
opportunities. We may fear doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing, but
we do not need to be afraid. Jesus promised his disciples, "I am with you
always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Identity Crisis
As a society and as individuals, we often measure ourselves by false
standards: by what and how much we do, our successes or failures, how others
treat us, the degree of our pleasure or independence, etc. And when these
changeable substitutes prove to be insufficient, or when we are faced with
challenges and suffering, we may feel helpless, alone, or abandoned; we may be
tempted to feel as though our lives have decreased value or worth. But God's
love—individual, real, unchanging—is the true source of our worth, identity,
and dignity. It really is not a question of who we are, but rather whose we
are. Because his love will never change, nothing can reduce our God-given
dignity, and nothing can diminish the immeasurable worth of our lives.
Our Response
When someone is facing great trials, we need to meet them where they are,
walk with them on their journey, intercede for them, and be open to sharing
Christ's love however he directs. When a woman becomes pregnant, and her
boyfriend threatens to leave if she continues the pregnancy, we need to
lovingly walk with her. When family members or friends become seriously ill, we
need to assure them that God still offers them something in this life, and they
still have purpose. We need to consistently be with them every step of the way.
Sometimes our actions speak for themselves; other times, words are needed.
Whatever the situation, Jesus knows how to speak to each person's heart; we
simply need to follow where he leads.
A Culture of Life
This is how we answer our missionary call. This is how we build a culture of
life, a culture that joyfully proclaims the truth of God's love, purpose, and
plan for each person. Changing the culture is a process of conversion that
begins in our own hearts and includes a willingness to be instructed and a
desire to be close to Jesus—the source of joy and love. When we encounter
Christ, experience his love, and deepen our relationship with him, we become
more aware of our own worth and that of others. His love for each person is
cause for great joy, and growing understanding of this priceless treasure
motivates us to share his love with others. Our lives are often changed by the
witness of others; so too, others' lives may be changed by our witness and
authentic friendship with them. Let us go, therefore, and not be afraid. God is
always with us.
Why
should I fear in evil days when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
Fitness Friday
Recognizing that God the
Father created man on Friday the 6th day I propose in this blog to
have an entry that shares on how to recreate and renew yourself in strength;
mind, soul and heart.
Sleep is an important element of
life and along with it is the rest or recreation. One must regenerate not only
the body but the mind and soul as well.
25 Ways to Re-Create[2]
1.
Salt Water
Fishing-As the title indicates, salt water fishing takes place out at sea
giving fishermen the opportunity to catch large and exotic fishes such as the
Marlin. The big draw back to this activity is that you have to have access to a
boat (either own, know someone who does, or rent), and own special fishing gear
that can handle large catches.
2. Bird Watching- With about 10,000 species
of birds and only a handful of people who can claim having seen over 7000 of
them, bird watching is become a popular recreation activity. It’s believed that
bird watching is an expression of the male hunting instinct while others links
it with the male tendency for “systemizing”. Either way, bird watching is a
great, safe way to enjoy nature.
3. Skiing- Also known as downhill skiing,
Alpine skiing began as a club sport in 1861 at Kiandra in Australia. Today,
most alpine skiing occurs at ski resorts with ski lifts that transport skiers
up the mountain.
4. Snowboarding- An American born sport
that is getting world wide attention, snowboarding was developed in the 1960’s
and became part of the Olympics in 1998. Like any other extreme sport,
snowboarding does present risks of injury (especially for new participants), in
fact, you are twice as likely to get injured while snowboarding than Alpine
skiing.
5. Overnight Backpacking- Not to be
confused with backpacking for traveling purposes, overnight backpacking
describes a multi-day hike that involves camping. Aside from the health
benefits, backpacking allows adventurers to enjoy remote places that are
usually un-accessible by any other means.
6. Showshoeing-Snowshoeing is a great way
to enjoy the outdoors during winter months while maintaining an active and
healthy lifestyle. In fact, as of 2006, at least 500 American schools have
started offering snowshoe programs in their physical education curriculum to
help combat obesity.
7. Skateboarding-Skateboarding appeals to
people all over the world. In a 2002 report, it was found that there were 18.5
million skateboarders in the world. 85 percent of those who had used a board in
the last year of the poll were under the age of 18.
8. Trailrunning-An increasingly popular
sport, trail runners have increased from 4.5 million to more than 6 million in
the United States alone between 2006 and 2012.
9. Snorkeling-If you want to check out an
underwater world without the mess of complicated equipment and tanks,
snorkeling are for you. Not only is it simpler than scuba diving, but cheaper
as well since you are not required to have a license and or permit to dive.
10. Bowhunting- Unlike hunting with a rifle,
Bowhunting places the hunter in closer proximity to its prey and is more
physical (in that you burn more calories by using a bow rather than firing a
gun). This activity entices many new participants; however it is a
controversial sport due to the fact that animals tend to die slowly when struck
by an arrow.
11. Cross-Country Skiing-Considered to be
one of the most grueling endurance sports out there, cross country skiing
promises to test your fitness. If you are looking for a sport that burns the
most calories per hour, this is it.
12. Wake Boarding-No waves? No problem. Wake
boarding makes up for the lack of waves with a boat by dragging you along. This
activity is relatively safe, popular, and will definitely keep you fit if done
consistently.
13. Fly Fishing-A perfect activity for
enjoying the outdoors, fly fishing requires some technical skill (mainly
casting techniques) but these are relatively easy to learn.
14. Sailing-Probably one the most romantic
outdoor activity on this list, sailing captivates the imagination and offers
participants a chance for a relaxing trip on the seas. The only downfall to
this activity is the price of a sailboat.
15. BMX Biking-BMX bicycling is an
impressive sport to watch, which is probably why so many people attempt to get
into it. If you are thinking of doing the same, be warned, you can’t fear getting hurt as falls, scrapes, and
fails are common.
16. Surfing-A challenging sport, surfing
definitely requires some skill development. Nevertheless, many people attempt
this dynamic sport.
17. Scuba Diving-With the opportunity to
experience a rare and stunning encounter with a world outside the norm, it’s
not surprising why so many people try out scuba diving. Just be careful as
scuba diving can get a bit expensive and certification is required for solo
divers.
18. Climbing-The danger factor should be
obvious with this one. Nevertheless, climbing appeals to many first time
participants and many more find it to be a great outdoor activity. If you’re
thinking about giving this a try, I suggest starting out in an indoor climbing
facility.
19. White Water Rafting-With six grades of
intensity, white water rafting appeals to veterans and novices alike. With that
said, if you want to try rafting for the first time, be sure to stick to the
lower grades since white water rafting can be dangerous.
20. Sea Kayaking-Kayaking in the sea will
allow you to enjoy an active lifestyle while gliding through open waters. It’s
a relatively easy sport to get into and for the most part safe (unlike the next
item on our list).
21. White Water Kayaking-A surprisingly
popular activity for first time practitioners, white water kayaking is a pretty
intense sport. If you’re not careful, you can end up seriously hurt, or
worse…dead. Nevertheless, 35% of first time participants indicate that this is
their sport of choice.
22. Adventure Racing-You just never know
what you will get with adventure racing. As the name suggest, the ‘adventure’
can consist of swimming, running, climbing, kayaking, etc. There usually is no
time limit and some races can even last days.
23. Triathlon Consisting of three continuous
and sequential endurance disciplines (running, bicycling, and swimming), a
triathlon does not require a particular high level of skills per se. However,
the training for such an event can be grueling.
24. Windsurfing-An engaging combination of
sailing and surfing, windsurfing takes the #2 spot on our list. If you’re
itching to try this sport, know that it does take some patience and
perseverance to become proficient. You must develop your balance and core
stability; acquire a basic understanding of sailing theory; and learn a few
techniques.
25. Stand Up Paddling-Stand up paddling
(SUP) is the #1 activity for new time users. Similar to surfing in that you
stand a board. In SUP, waves are not required and you can enjoy a tranquil
stroll while enjoying a total body workout.
Fall begins in
the Northern Hemisphere when the Sun is perpendicular to the equator. This
day has equal hours of day and night. The first day of Fall is also
called the Autumnal Equinox. In many areas it coincides with harvests.
The first day of Fall happens between each year between September 22 and
24.
Fall begins (Northern H.) Facts &
Quotes
·
The Harvest Moon is
the full moon which occurs closest to the autumnal equinox.
·
The Fall Equinox is
also known as: Alban Elfed, Cornucopia, Feast of Avilon, Festival of Dionysus,
Harvest Tide, Mabon, Night of the Hunter, Second Harvest Festival, and
Wine Harvest.
·
The Earth takes
365.25 days to make one complete revolution around the Sun. This results
in the first day of Fall beginning 6 hours later each year, and moving a full
day backwards on Leap Years.
·
During the fall, the
leaves on many trees die and fall to the ground. 500 years ago, expressions
like fall of the leaf and fall of the year were quite common in the English
speaking world. The term fall as the name for this season comes from
these early expressions.
·
How beautifully
leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days - John
Burroughs
Fall begins (Northern
H.) Top Events and Things to Do
·
Take a hike and
enjoy the colorful leaves.
·
Visit a Nature
Center or Nature Museum near you.
·
Rake leaves into
piles and then jump in them.
·
Visit an apple
orchard and pick some fresh apples. Use some of them to make a delicious apple
pie or apple crisp for dinner.
·
Muharram (1st first month of the Islamic
calendar), is the holiest month after Ramadan. This month is most
recommended by Muhammad to fast and worship in.
·
The Islamic method of dating was invented by
Umar ibn Al-Khattab, a close friend of Muhammad. He was the second
Islamic Caliph (rulers) and in the year 638 he standardize the many calendars
of the Arabian peninsula.
·
The Islamic calendar is lunar cycle based and
contains twelve months that make up a total of 354.36 days together.
·
There are parallels between this holiday and the
day of Ashura. Ashura
commemorates what Muslims believe is Moses crossing the Red Sea to escape the
oppressive Pharaoh on Ashura. Similarly, the Islamic New Year marks
Muhammad's crossing the desert between Mecca and Medina to escape the
oppressive Quraish nobles. For both observances, Muhammad recommended
Muslims to fast.
·
The Islamic calendar is abbreviated A.H. or Anno
Hegirae in Western languages. The first date on the Islamic calendar, 1,1
Muharram A.H. corresponds to July 16, year 622.
Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Muslim parents traditionally tell their children
of Muhammad's escape from Mecca to Medina on this night.
·
Attend a Islamic New Year Celebration. In
Indonesia, the government holds various parades and marches to celebrate the
Islamic New Year. This includes chanting songs called kidung.
·
Read more about Muhammad's journey from Mecca to
Medina by reading his biography, The Sealed Nectar.
Daily Devotions/Prayers
·
Fast today
praying for those who will embrace the other side with our cruxified Lord and that
they may die in the presence of our Lord and His Mother. In the evening when
you break the fast have some fish (Paella II). In light of this day’s reflection (Ember Friday of September reflects
on the profound importance of total conversion) make a donation to an organization that
supports widows and orphans.
Comments
Post a Comment