FEAST OF SAINT MARTIN/VETERANS DAY
Ecclesiastes,
Chapter 8, Verse 10-13
10 Meanwhile I saw the wicked
buried. They would come and go from the holy place. But those were forgotten in
the city who had acted justly. This also is vanity.
11 Because the sentence against an
evil deed is not promptly executed, the human heart is filled with the desire
to commit evil— 12 because
the sinner does evil a hundred times and survives. Though indeed I know that it
shall be well with those who fear God, for their reverence toward him; 13
and
that it shall not be well with the
wicked, who shall not prolong their shadowy days, for their lack of
reverence toward God.
Nothing ever
changes. The key to living a life fearlessly is to have our hearts close
to God’s. When we do this we will soon discover that the mind is designed to
implement your heart’s desire. Is your heart at peace? What are the
desires of your heart? What should the desires of our hearts be?
The old Baltimore catechism states that our purpose and our desires should be
to know, love and serve the Lord.
According to
paragraph 1718 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This
desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to
draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it: We all want to live
happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to this
proposition, even before it is fully articulated. How is it, then, that I seek
you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you
so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws
life from you. God alone satisfies.
When our
desires are not on God we become spiritually ill. Christ implemented the
sacrament of reconciliation to heal our hearts.
Our Holy
Father, Pope Francis recently commented that without daily prayer, regular
participation in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, daily
contact with God’s Word, and a “spirituality translated into charity,” we may
die spiritually. Pope Francis went on to list 15 spiritual “sicknesses” that
are “more usual” in “our life”. The 15 include not being self-critical and
thinking oneself indispensable, “Martha-ism” (excessive Martha-like busyness),
hardheartedness, excessive planning, failing to work with others, “spiritual
Alzheimer’s” (forgetting one’s spiritual journey), and rivalry and vainglory. Other spiritual sicknesses, the Pope added,
include existential “schizophrenia” (living a double life that is “often
dissolute”), gossip, careerism and flattering superiors, indifference to
others, a severe “funeral face” (rather than self-deprecating good humor), the
“disease of closed circles,” and “worldly profit, exhibitionism” (through
“calumniating, defaming, and discrediting others,” even in the media “in the
name of justice and transparency”). These temptations, he continued, are a
danger to every Christian and every community.[1]
MARTIN[2] was born in the year 316 in Pannonia, or Hungary, of pagan
parents, but he received secret instructions in the Christian religion, and in
his tenth year was received into the number of the catechumens, that is, of
those who are preparing themselves to receive holy Baptism. At the age of
fifteen he became a soldier, being, as is probable, forced to do so by his
father, to whom the religion of the boy had become known. Out of love of God he
not only kept himself aloof from the excesses so common in this state of life,
but he took advantage of it to practice love for man, by dividing his pay among
the poor. Being one day solicited for alms by a beggar, and having nothing but
his arms and his cloak, he gave him half his cloak. The following night Christ
appeared to him, wearing that half of the cloak, and said to him: Martin, who
is yet a catechumen, has clothed Me with this garment. Moved by this comforting
apparition, he received holy Baptism, gave up the life of a soldier, and
betook himself to St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, in France. As he was careful
for his own salvation, so also was he careful of the salvation of others, particularly
of his parents and relatives, for the sake of whose conversion he undertook a
journey to his native land. On his return he built, not far from Poitiers, the
first convent in France, into which he received twenty-four monks, with whom he
led a strict and virtuous life. His great faith made him like the apostles in
regard to miracles, and the fame thereof spread abroad to that degree that, in
spite of his refusals, he was chosen Bishop of Tours. This high dignity made no
change in his manner of living; rather it increased his humility, his patience
under the greatest persecutions, his zeal for the glory of God, his love for
his neighbor, and particularly for his enemies. After he had in such manner
ruled over his diocese for twenty-six years, being then over eighty years old,
the strength of life left him. He thereupon collected his disciples about him,
and said: Children, I am dying. They wept and mourned. Moved by their tears, he
in his prayers professed himself willing to labor longer if it were God's will.
But he had labored for heaven enough, and God desired to place upon him the
long-merited crown. With his eyes raised to heaven, he prayed incessantly,
allowing himself no relief. At his last moments the enemy sought to confound
him by a horrible apparition, but, full of confidence in God, the saint cried
out: What do you seek, cruel monster? In me you will find nothing that is
yours; and soon after his spirit gently sank to rest. Would that we might learn
from this saint truly to love God, and to care not only for our own salvation,
but for the welfare of our fellow-men in body and soul! Then we, too, might
have nothing to fear in death.
In
honor of St. Martin today would be a good day to go through our closets and cut
our cloaks in half to donate to the poor.
While serving in Germany myself I have a fond memory
of St. Martin Day in which my children participated in the nightime St. Martins
Day Parade in the small town of Gersbach, Germany.
On St. Martin's Day, children in Flanders, the
southern and north-western parts of the Netherlands, and the Catholic
areas of Germany and Austria still participate in paper
lantern processions. Often, a man dressed as St. Martin rides on a horse
in front of the procession. The children sing songs about St. Martin and about
their lanterns. The food traditionally eaten on the day is goose, a rich
bird. According to legend, Martin was reluctant to become bishop, which is why
he hid in a stable filled with geese. The noise made by the geese betrayed his
location to the people who were looking for him.
Today is Veterans Day
let us remember to pray today for both our military and veterans. Also ask
today's Holy Saint Martin of Tours to intercede for our military and veterans
who have born the yoke of service to this nation.
Veterans Day Facts & Quotes
·
In 1954, President Dwight D.
Eisenhower issued a proclamation urging the nation to support the Veterans Day
effort in any way possible.
·
During World War II, over 16 million
men and women served in the military. The war resulted in over 400,000 deaths.
·
The War of Global Terrorism,
encompassing October 7, 2001 to May 29, 2012, has seen 54,820 casualties of
which 6,456 resulted in death.
·
This nation will remain the land of
the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. - Elmer Davis
Veterans Day Top Events and
Things to Do
·
Volunteer at a local VA facility.
·
Thank everyone you know who has
served in the armed forces.
·
Take flowers to the grave sites of
deceased military personnel.
·
Invite local veterans to a special
luncheon in their honor.
·
Make a donation of time or money to
a local Veterans organization.
Remember
we are all in a battle…and…
It
shall not be well with the wicked
Porn[4]
The most strenuous battles today are that against
the ravenous wolf that we call porn. We can safely say, with great sorrow and
pain, that one of the most powerful and a prevalent addiction today is that of
porn. Because of the easy and all too prevalent availability and access to
porn, more and more people—teens and even children—are viewing porn. This being
the case, we must have some concrete strategy or game-plan to fight against
this powerful enemy of the salvation of our immortal soul. The following are
ten positive steps to win the battle. Let us fight the battle, not by
ourselves, but with the help of Almighty God and His Blessed Mother!
1. Love
of God. First
and foremost, I must be convinced of the great love that God has for me. His
love for me is infinite, non-changing and eternal. Even when I fall, God still
loves me as portrayed in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, or you might even
call it “The Parable of the Merciful Father.”
2. Battlefield. Our life on earth is a
constant battle between good and evil, the spirit and the flesh, light and
darkness, the good spirit and the bad spirit. Therefore, we should always be
vigilant, prayerful, alert and on guard. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh
is weak.” We have to know our weak point, or if you like, our
“Kryptonite.” For many, it is to view progressively more revealing
images—that is to say, porn.
3. Desolation. When we find ourselves in
a state of desolation, that is when the enemy or the devil will attack us. By
desolation we mean that in our soul we are experiencing sadness, depression,
discouragement, lack of faith, hope, and love. We feel like life has no real
meaning and it would be best to simply throw in the towel and give up the
fight. Review your life now! Before falling into viewing porn, you were
probably in a state of desolation. That being the case, what measures should
you take? That is the next step!
4. Prayer
and Wholesome Distraction. To
exit desolation and the temptation that goes with it—often the temptation to
view porn—we must take certain steps to conquer the temptation. First, quick
and fervent prayer! We cannot conquer temptation by our own human efforts; we
need the grace of God that comes through prayer. Then we should move into
wholesome, absorbing, and healthy distractions. Examples? Sports, good
conversation with a friend, an absorbing book, a hobby… All of these serve to
distract our minds from being engrossed in the desire for porn and giving in to
it.
5. Failure
(and recovering).
If we have the misfortune of falling into the trap and temptation of viewing
porn, then we should never give into despair and losing all hope. On the
contrary, we should be humble, admit our sin, have recourse to the Sacrament of
Confession, and trust in the infinite mercy of God! Remember the consoling
words of the Apostle Saint Paul: “Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds
all the more.”
6. Self-Knowledge. Saint Ignatius of Loyola
insists on our having self-knowledge so as to grow in the spiritual life.
The daily examen can be invaluable in overcoming any sin or
sinful pattern, especially related to lust and the sin or vice of pornography.
Addictions are not easy to conquer, but with the grace of God all is possible.
The following are the five steps in making a good daily examen:
·
Place
yourself in the presence of God who truly loves you totally.
·
Give thanks to
God for all of the blessings He has given you.
·
Beg
for the grace to see yourself as God sees you in total honesty.
·
Reflect on
the events of your life, your failures, and why you fell.
·
Resolution,
Reconciliation. Resolve to amend your life. Change!
7.
Joy and Self-Fulfillment. A very key element in
conquering the sin and vice of porn is by experiencing joy in our lives. Joy is
one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul insists on joy: “Rejoice in
the Lord; I say it again: rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 4:4) Joy comes from the
Lord, but it also comes from cultivating a spirit of service and going out of
ourselves. Here is a short but helpful acronym for joy. J.O.Y. J= Jesus… O=
Others… Y= Yourself. If indeed we put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves
last, then we will experience joy, and the dark and bad spirit of porn’s grip
will be weakened. Both Saint Philip Neri and Saint John Bosco insisted on
creating a joyful atmosphere for the young people. As the flower flourishes in
the sun, so the human soul flourishes under the sun rays of joy!
8.
Hard Work. It is so true the proverb
or saying: “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.” How true this is related to
porn! Wherever there is an abundance of free time, which promotes laziness and
boredom, then the spirit of lust and the devil of porn work strenuously.
Physical labor or sports, mental efforts, and spiritual activities all serve as
dams to block the deluge of temptations to seek out porn materials! The saints
all agree on this: Let us work hard now and we can rest forever in heaven!
9.
Confessor/Spiritual Director. The battle to conquer
porn cannot be won alone. Honestly, it has to be fought with the help of a
Confessor and Spiritual Director. Both are important and necessary. The
following is the reason. Grace and healing come through the Sacrament of
Confession which only a priest-confessor can administer. At the same time, a
person struggling to overcome and conquer a serious problem with porn needs to
be listened to, receive advice and counsel, as well as be held accountable.
Therefore, the person of the Spiritual Director is indispensable. The
priest-confessor and the spiritual director can be the same person, or they can
be two separate persons. Saint Ignatius of Loyola insists that to conquer the enemy,
the temptation must be exposed to the light! The devil works in darkness and
secrecy!
10.
Call on the Blessed Virgin Mary. Experience has proven in
the history of the great friends of God—the saints—that a strong, loving,
filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has helped immensely to conquer many
of the demons, many of the sins, many of the sinful patterns in our lives. Our
Lady is especially strong in helping those who entrust their lives to her with
the grace to overcome the sins against the virtue of purity. Those who have
fallen into porn should consecrate themselves to Mary, pray the Rosary every
day, wear the Scapular, and invoke Mary especially in moments of temptation.
“Remember, O gracious Virgin
Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided!”
Abortion[5]
Abortion is the
worldly cure to the consequences of sexual sin. Yet know that, a shocking new video lays out a diabolical,
multi-decade scheme to exterminate the black population in the United States,
an agenda that has largely been embraced by the Democratic Party and others on
the “progressive” Left. Via abortion, blacks are essentially being exterminated
systematically, as statistics demonstrate: Not only is abortion more dominant
in black communities, but for every black baby born, three are killed
via the procedure. It is, as one African-American pundit called it, “genocide.”
Via the primary abortion organization in America — the inaccurately named
“Planned Parenthood, which was started by eugenics fan Margaret Sanger in the
1920s specifically to target the black community — minorities are
being killed at such an alarming rate that one expert said American blacks are
the only demographic on earth not replacing itself. “The goal: To rid the
country of the feeble-minded, defectives,” Sanger has been quoted as saying. Said
one pundit: “If they [the powers that be] can keep certain segments of the
population from reproducing, then all of the world’s problems would disappear.”
In the video, titled, “The Science Agenda to Exterminate Blacks,” Natural
News founder Mike
Adams, the Health Ranger, documents the pattern of heavy metals poisoning,
medical experimentation, organ harvesting, covert fertility task forces and
other tactics that seek to eliminate blacks from our planet. He notes that
abortion centers are predominantly set up in areas of cities where blacks are the
majority demographic, and always under the guise of wanting to ‘serve the
minority community’ with ‘reproductive rights’ and ‘health care.’ “Abortion
marketing is more aggressive toward black communities than it is toward white
communities,” Adams said. “The Planned Parenthood/abortion industry needs a
steady supply of black women getting pregnant and wanting to terminate those
pregnancies in order for them to be able to harvest [fetal] tissue and organs
via partial-birth abortions, which are almost all black babies.” While Planned
Parenthood and supporters of the organization say that harvested organs and
tissues are summarily used for “research” — and no doubt some are —
many baby body parts are sold for profit, as an undercover media sting by
the Center for Medical Progress proved a couple of years ago, via a series
of released videos. And many of those tissues, Adams says, are sold to vaccine
makers, which they use to grow “biomass for vaccines.” He pointed out
that Natural News has
reported on the ingredients lists of some of the most common vaccines — like
the flu vaccine and chicken pox vaccines, which clearly state they use “human
diploid cell cultures” and “human embryonic lung cell cultures” from aborted
babies.
Remember
we are all in a battle…and…the fallen are not just veterans…as we see in the
victims of porn and abortion…we must give ourselves up entirely to Him so that
He will recognize us on the Last Day.
Daily Devotions
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