Saturday, September 16, 2017

OCTOBERFEST

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”-Ex 14:14

Psalm 55, Verse 20

God, who sits enthroned forever, will hear me and afflict them. Selah. For they will not mend their ways; they have no fear of God.

The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends, prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism and mental turmoil, culminating in the wish to flee society. The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice. The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place.[1]

Nobody can hurt us more than those with whom we have a kinship. One of the hardest things to see is; those whom you care about go down the road to perdition knowing that they will not mend their ways. Yet, there is always hope, continue in prayer. Look at the accomplishment of St. Monica.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness will unleash a power in your life that is underrated and often ignored. It is underrated mainly because it is underused. We fail to capture the power of forgiveness because we are afraid of it, because we have grown comfortable in our familiar wounds, or because we are sinfully stubborn. But the power is there waiting for us. The lesson is simple: Give forgiveness and you will unleash a flood of grace on yourself and on those around you. When you clench your fists and grit your teeth in anger toward someone, you have no room in your heart for God to place His hand in yours. Replace your clenched fist with an open hand and watch as God fills your soul to overflowing.

Pray that those whom you forgive may be protected from wicked spirits.

Wicked Spirits[2]

Great courage is required in spiritual warfare. Our enemies are terrible in strength and numerous beyond count. They are ever active, ever alert to work our destruction. Yet, only one angel of God is able to defeat the devil and all the demons. God never permits us to be tempted beyond our strength. By God’s grace we can resist them and advance the work of our sanctification. Know that the devil fears no person and would destroy us if not for the limits God puts on him and the protection provided by our guardian angels and the other eight choirs of angels. Let ourselves be guided by the grace which the precious blood provides and call upon the intersession of Mary Queen of Heaven. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (He will go on to easier pickings like any criminal) When tempted call upon the Blood of Christ to give you courage and strength to fight the enemy.

Wicked Spirits and Wicca[3]

· There are a great many kinds of sins. Scripture provides several lists of them. The Letter to the Galatians contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God." (CCC 1852)

· God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility. (CCC 2115)

· All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone. (CCC 2116)

· All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others—even if this were for the sake of restoring their health—are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity. (CCC 2117)

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Oktoberfest (Sep 16-Oct 1)[4]

Remember no carousing or drunkenness!!!

Oktoberfest is a 16-day folk festival celebrated in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is also the world’s largest Volksfest, which are German events that combine beer festivals with traveling funfairs. Oktoberfest first emerged on October 12, 1910 when King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Citizens of Munich celebrated the marriage in fields leading to the city gates. These fields were named ‘Theresienwiese’ in honor of the Princess. The wedding celebrations ended on October 17th with horse races and until 1960, horse races were held annually. Eventually, carnivals, amusement rides, food booths, beer tents and parades were all added to the celebrations. Today, Oktoberfest is still held annually at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds in Munich although there are no longer any horse races. Oktoberfest celebrations have also spread globally, becoming synonymous with beer and German culture. This festival usually starts on the third weekend of September and ends on the first weekend of October.

Oktoberfest Facts

· According to tradition, beer tents at the Oktoberfest can only sell beer that has been brewed in Munich. The beer has to adhere to the Bavarian Purity Requirements called Reinheitsgebot.
The six breweries allowed at the Oktoberfest include:
1) Augustiner
2) Hacker Pschorr
3) Hofbräu
4) Löwenbräu
5) Paulaner
6) Spaten

· Since Oktoberfest is still held on the Theresienweise, locals refer to Oktoberfest as Wies'n.

· Beer served at the Oktoberfest is poured in mugs called Maß. A Maß is made of clear glass, so that the consumer can see whether the Maß is full or not. Maß also contains a calibration mark to which beer must be filled and the calibration mark has to amount to 1-liter. If a Maß is not completely filled, or the calibration mark falls below the true 1 liter position, or if there is no calibration mark, then the seller can be prosecuted for committing fraud. Verein gegen betrügerisches Einschenken is a Munich-based organization that monitors whether glasses are being completely filled or not.

· Traditional German clothing for Oktoberfest includes a Sennerhut. Sennerhut is a woollen hat that may have symbols of a person’s hometown, or is embroidered with bright flowers. For a measure of good luck, some people add goat hair on the hat. Men traditionally wear Lederhosen, which are leather breeches, while women wear Dirndl. A dirndl is a dress that consists of a bodice, blouse, skirt and apron.

· In 2015, 5,900,000 visitors attended Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Approximately 7.3 million liters of beer was consumed and the average 1-litre mug of beer cost approximately 10.22 euros ($12).

Oktoberfest Top Events and Things to Do

Attend the real Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Try the only beer that adheres to Bavarian Purity Requirements (Reinheitsgebot), and which is sold at the Oktoberfest, including:
1) Augustiner
2) Hacker Pschorr
3) Hofbräu
4) Löwenbräu
5) Paulaner
6) Spaten
Try traditional Oktoberfest food:
1) Bavarian Brez’n, a soft pretzel that is served with sausage and mustards
2) Sausages including Bratwurst, Weisswurst, or Currywurst
3) Slow roasted ox
4) Rotisserie chicken
5) Schweinshaxe which is a pickled ham served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes
Celebrate Oktoberfest at beer gardens in the United States. Here are some recommendations:
1) Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2) Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan
3) Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California
4) Fremont Brewing Company in Seattle, Washington
5) Draught House Pub & Brewery in Austin, Texas
6) Frankford Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7) Radegast Hall & Biergarten in Brooklyn, New York
8) Cisco Brewers in Nantucket, Massachusetts
9) Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in San Diego, California
10) Der Biergarten in Atlanta, Georgia
11) Rhein Haus in Seattle, Washington
12) Wurstküche in Los Angeles, California
Host an Oktoberfest party. Try different German beers and Oktoberfest dishes including sausages and soft pretzels and even dress up in traditional Oktoberfest clothing called Tracht , including a dirndl for women and a lederhosen for men.