December
We turn our attention indoors with
Advent prayers and preparations for the birth of Christ; for most of us, the
indoors makes up the part of our environment in which we spend the most time.
It is also the most unregulated and can be the most polluted part of the total
environment –due to new home cleaning products and tighter ventilation.
Consider a simpler home environment, where houseplants purify the air, where
fresh air is plentiful, and where chemical products are limited and controlled.
The yearly cycle of twelve months can make us more aware of our human environment
and should help us as individuals and as a community to conduct a monthly
examination of conscience.
FIRST FRIDAY December
1
Sirach, Chapter 3, Verse 7
Those who fear the Lord honor their father, and serve their parents as
masters.
Besides the
virtues that must characterize our
conduct toward God, special duties are enjoined, such as honor and respect
toward parents, with corresponding blessings. By showing such respect especially
to old and infirm parents, the sins of children are pardoned. Failure to honor
father and mother is blasphemy and merits a curse from God (v. 16)[1]
First Friday Devotion[2]
Nine consecutive Fridays in reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque (1647-1690), a
French nun in the Visitation Order, and gave her the special task to spread
devotion to His Most Sacred Heart at a time when religion was growing cold in
the hearts of mankind. He said to her:
“Behold this heart which, not withstanding the burning love
for men with which it is consumed and exhausted, meets with no other return
from most Christians than sacrilege, contempt, indifference and ingratitude,
even in the sacrament of my love [the Eucharist]. But what pierces my heart
most deeply is that I am subjected to these insults by persons especially
consecrated to my service.” Jesus asked for special prayers and practices to
make amends (reparation) for this great neglect to the proper reverence
owed to God. For those who did this faithfully, he made what St. Margaret Mary
referred to as the “Great Promise” which was the last and greatest of the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“I promise you in the unfathomable mercy of my heart that my
omnipotent love will procure the grace of final penitence for all those who
receive communion on nine successive first Fridays of the month; they will not
die in my disfavor [the grace of final repentance], or without having received
the sacraments, since my divine heart will be their sure refuge in the last
moments of their life.”
Conditions to Fulfill the First Friday Devotion
The specific conditions to receive the Great Promise of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus are:
1. Receive Holy Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays
of the month (this assumes that the person is in a state of grace, having made
a sacramental confession for any mortal sins prior to receiving communion).
2. Having the intention, at least implicitly, of making
reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for all the sinfulness and ingratitude
of men.
"A man is worth what his heart is worth." Purity of heart is a gift of God and we are to be constant in our vigilance to acquire and keep this purity - whose reward will be the Beatific Vision. Holy purity is a virtue. Jesus placed such an emphasis on purity that He warned us to fight hard without making any concessions. And, if we fall from grace, we begin again. King David suffered the grave crime of adultery. God punished him, he repented his sin and went on to lead a life of holy purity. Jesus warned us to protect the purity of our whole being, especially the 'lust of the eyes' and 'adultery in the heart.' To understand this important teaching, let us look at scripture, Mt. 5: 27-28:
"You
have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you
that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery
with her in his heart."
"Adultery 'in the heart' is
committed not only because man 'looks' in this way at a woman who is not his
wife, but precisely because he looks at a woman in this way. Even if he looked
in this way at the woman who is his wife, he could likewise commit adultery 'in
his heart.'"
"Decorum and modesty are
younger brothers of purity," said St. JosemarÃa Escrivá.
World AIDS Day
History[4]
World
AIDS Day serves to remember those who have died from AIDS and to bring about
awareness of HIV/AIDS through education and publicly held events. HIV is a
virus that attacks the body's immune system and makes it progressively more
difficult to fight infections and diseases. Once HIV advances and becomes so
severe that the body's immune system is too weak to fight off many infections
and diseases, it is called AIDS. There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS and
if left untreated by antiretroviral medication, patients' immune systems fail
leading to death. World AIDS Day is also an opportunity for people to show
their support for people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is one of the eight
WHO Global Health Days. The day was created by the World Health Organization in
1988. Since its inception over two decades ago, the world has managed to halt
and reverse the spread of HIV. According to the WHO, the occurrence of new
cases has decreased 35% between 2000 and 2015, while AIDS-related deaths have
decreased by 24% over the same time frame, all thanks to antiretroviral
treatments and widespread AIDS education and awareness. World AIDS Day is
observed on December 1st of each year.
World AIDS Day Facts
·
The theme for World AIDS Day in 2016 was Leadership. Commitment. Impact.
·
The Red Ribbon is the universal symbol of
support for those living with HIV/AIDS.
·
The AIDS
Memorial Quilt Project allows friends and family members of someone who has
died from AIDS to construct a quilt panel and have it placed in the quilt. The
quilt travels and is displayed throughout the US.
·
The first case of what is now known as AIDS was
reported in the US in June 1981.
·
According to the Centers for Disease Control,
more than a million people in the United States are living with HIV infection,
and almost 1 in 5 are unaware of their infection.
·
According to World Health Organization, AIDS has
claimed over 39 million lives globally.
World AIDS Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Wear a Red Ribbon, an international symbol of
AIDS support.
·
Learn the facts of how HIV is transmitted so you
can be better prepared. Remember, HIV is spread through body fluids such as
blood, semen, rectal and vaginal fluids and breast milk.
·
Get involved in a fundraising efforts to support
research into HIV/AIDS treatment. Many fundraisers are done in the form of
HIV/AIDS day walks.
·
Watch a movie or documentary about HIV/AIDS.
Some popular suggestions: Dallas Buyers Club (2013), Philadelphia(1993),
Longtime Companion (1990), The Age of AIDS (2006) and AIDS,
Inc (2007).
·
Get tested if unsure of your infection status.
Local pharmacies sell HIV home test kits or you can find free testing sites in
most areas.
49 Godly Character Traits[5]
As we near the Advent season let us take up the nature of God by
reflecting on these traits that make us a model for our children and our
sisters and brothers in Christ. Today reflect on:
Boldness vs. Fearfulness
Confidence that what I have to say or do is true and right and just in the sight of God (Acts 4:29)
2610 Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks
before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us filial boldness: "Whatever you
ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will." Such is the
power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: "all things are possible
to him who believes." Jesus is as saddened by the "lack of
faith" of his own neighbors and the "little faith" of his own
disciples as he is struck with admiration at the great faith of the Roman
centurion and the Canaanite woman.
Fitness
Friday-Hunting Workout
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.
Elk hunting[1] (or indeed any rough-country hunt
where drastic elevation changes are a routine part of the hunt) requires a
different kind of planning and conditioning than your usual whitetail hunt. The
most common problem out-of-state hunters experience is not being in good enough
physical condition to handle constant up-and-down foot travel at high elevation
- especially when carrying a pack. The result is a physically exhausted hunter
who is unable to perform. Hours and days of precious hunting time are wasted
due to need for rest and recovery. Here’s a twelve-week plan that will prep you
for the high country. There are two main components to physical prep for
rough-country hunting: cardiovascular and muscular. Plan on exercising thirty
to forty-five minutes per weekday, alternating between cardio and muscular
workouts. Be sure to stretch and warm up gradually before workouts and cool off
gradually afterwards.
Week
One: Start out easy on
yourself to lower risk of hurting joints or tendons.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Go for a brisk 45-minute walk, preferably including up and down terrain.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Spend 30 minutes climbing up and down the local bleacher stairs (or a nice steep hill). Take regular short rests.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Go for a brisk 45-minute walk, preferably including up and down terrain.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Spend 30 minutes climbing up and down the local bleacher stairs (or a nice steep hill). Take regular short rests.
Week
Two: Step it up a little.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Add short stints of jogging to your walk.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: same 30-minute routine, just cut down on rest time.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Add short stints of jogging to your walk.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: same 30-minute routine, just cut down on rest time.
Week
Three: Start getting
focused.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Begin pushing yourself, walking less and jogging more.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Same 30-minute routine, add three squats and three lunges (don’t use weights) alternately during short rest periods.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Begin pushing yourself, walking less and jogging more.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Same 30-minute routine, add three squats and three lunges (don’t use weights) alternately during short rest periods.
Week
Four: You should be
feeling much stronger by now, and hurting less. Remain careful to avoid injury.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Try to jog the majority of your 45 minutes.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Try to spend the entire 30 minutes climbing your stairs or hillside, alternating between five squats and five lunges every few minutes. Only rest at the ten and twenty minute marks.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Try to jog the majority of your 45 minutes.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Try to spend the entire 30 minutes climbing your stairs or hillside, alternating between five squats and five lunges every few minutes. Only rest at the ten and twenty minute marks.
Week
Five: By now you should be
enjoying your workouts.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Warm up, then alternate two minute sprints with walking to catch your breath. 45 minutes.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Wear a pack with 20 pounds of weight in it during your routine. Rest when needed.
Mon/Wed/Fri cardio: Warm up, then alternate two minute sprints with walking to catch your breath. 45 minutes.
Tues/Thurs/Sat muscular: Wear a pack with 20 pounds of weight in it during your routine. Rest when needed.
Daily
Devotions
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
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