SAINT
JOHN BOSCO-TU BISHVAT-FULL OLD MOON
Sirach, Chapter 40, Verse 7
As he reaches safety,
he wakes up, astonished that there was nothing to fear.
Our loving God wants us
free; He speaks to us at times through our dreams and reassures us of His
assistance. Rest is an important part of God’s care for us and the world.
In the Jewish calendar
God specified that we are to rest one out of seven days but it goes further
with a rest after seven weeks ending in a year of Jubilee after the 49th
year called a Shemitah (9/2014-9/2015).
The Shemitah Year is the
seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the
Land of Israel and still observed in contemporary Judaism. When Moses received
the Levitical law, God gave the commandment to rest on the seventh day… the
Sabbath. Moses also applied the cycles
of "seven" to weeks
and years. A cycle of seven weeks points to the 50th day, called
Pentecost. And a cycle of seven sets of seven years points to the 50th year,
the year of Jubilee. The year of Jubilee (9/2015-9/2016) is based on letting
the land rest every seventh year as follows; "For six years sow your
fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in
the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath of rest, a Sabbath to the
Lord." (Leviticus 25:3-4)
Before the Exodus, the
Israelites had been slaves in the land of Egypt, without freedom and without
possessions. When they reached the land of Canaan, Joshua divided the land
among their tribes and their families… so that each had his own inheritance. Every adult
male among them became a land owner. This land was a permanent possession that
could never depart from his family. If a man became poor he could sell part or
all of his land… but only temporarily. It would always revert to him or his
descendants at the “Year of Jubilee.” If he became even poorer and was unable
to pay his debts, he could sell himself into slavery, and work to pay off his
debts. Again that slavery could only ever be temporary. When the great “Day of
Atonement” in the “Year of Jubilee” came he became a free man once again and
repossessed his inheritance. The most unusual observance that God commanded the
Israelites through Moses was… the keeping of the Year of Jubilee. For most people this celebration occurred
only once in their life time and for many not even that, as it occurred …only
once every 50 years. At this year of jubilee all Israelites who
had sold themselves into slavery were set free… and all land that had been sold
reverted to its original owner. This meant that the Israelites could not ever
be in permanent slavery; nor could any Israelite permanently lose his
inheritance![1]
God’s purpose for the jubilee is
to set men free from slavery. Are there people and things you are enslaved too?
Now is the time to break free from them. If others happen to be enslaved to
you; now is the time to release them and god’s mercy will shine on you! If you
are enslaved to alcohol, drugs, pornography, food or any other thing or person.
Free yourself to be able to give yourself to God.
St. John Bosco was the
founder of the Salesian Society, named in honor of St. Francis de Sales, and of
the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. His lifework was the welfare of young
boys and girls, hence his title, "Apostle of Youth." He had no formal
system or theory of education. His methods centered on persuasion, authentic
religiosity, and love for young people. He was an enlightened educator and
innovator. Don Bosco decided to go ahead fearlessly with his educational
mission stating,” “Timid souls refrained from making any kind of fresh start
for fear of the coming storm.”
Things to Do
·
St.
John Bosco at a young age learned how to juggle and do other tricks to attract
children to him. This provided opportunities for him to give catechesis to
these children. Think of different activities that you could do to attract
children—perhaps juggling, putting on puppet shows, storybook time—and use that
opportunity to teach a virtue, catechism lesson, or just to be a good example.
Good clean fun or a wholesome activity is a lesson in itself in a world where
there is so much corruption.
·
Read
this article from Catholic Culture's library, Don Bosco, Seeker of Souls.
Today is
also the Hebrew New Year for trees-One wonders if our Lady celebrated this with
Christ in happier times.
Tu Bishvat (Hebrew: ט״ו
בשבט, literally: the 15th of the Lunar Month of Shevat) is the New
Year for trees (similar to Arbor Day). It falls in January or February
each year, typically when almond blossom is seen in Israel. It is one of
the four New Years in the Jewish Calendar. According to the Jewish Law
(Halachah), the 'New Year for trees' defines the beginning of the year for
separating tithes for the poor and Levite. Tithes are 10% portions of a
product, which are allocated as charity to either
the Levites or the poor. Torah Law requires, that when the Holy Temple was
standing, these tithes would be removed from the produce, before it was 'fit
for consumption'. There was a seven year cycle, culminating in the Shmittah
year, when fields lay fallow. After every seven seven year cycles, a Jubilee,
50th year was celebrated.
Tu
Bishvat Facts & Quotes
·
It
is customary on Tu Bishvat to eat fruits of the Land of Israel, particularly
those of the Biblical verse A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig
trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey (Deuteronomy
8:8). The honey in this verse refers to date honey, according to
tradition. Another custom is to plant trees in Israel.
·
On
Tu Bishvat, we remember that Man is a Tree of the Field (Deuteronomy 20:19).
It explains that we may not cut down trees during the siege of a city.
The tree of the field is man's life to be used in and after the siege.
·
The
Code of Jewish Law states that on Tu B'Shevat fasting and eulogies are
forbidden, and all penitential prayers are omitted. One of the most important
authorities, the Magen Avraham, adds (131:16): It is the custom to eat many
different kinds of fruit. The Arizal suggested the eating of fifteen
kinds of fruit (on the fifteenth of the month).
·
It
should be noted that all Jewish holidays begin at sundown one the eve before
the Gregorian date specified for the holiday.
Tu
Bishvat Top Events and Things to Do
·
Make a Tu Bishvat Fruit Plate.
Magen Avraham, a leading Jewish authority suggested the eating of fifteen
kinds of fruit (on the fifteenth of the month).
·
Say Blessings for new Fruit. Two
blessings are said for new fruits (which have not yet been eaten that year),
namely the standard blessing for fruits ..Who created the fruits of the tree
and ..Who kept us alive, and sustained us and allowed us to reach this day.
·
Attend a Tu Bishvat tisch which is
popular in Hasidic communities. A Tisch is the Yiddish word for table.
It refers to a festive meal with Holy Land fruits, wine, bread, fish and
other foods.
·
Sing a Tu Bishvat Song. There are
many songs on YouTube
about Tu Bishvat in both Hebrew and English.
Full Old Moon and Eclipse
According
to the almanac we are having a full old moon and eclipse today. Take the oldest
person you know out and ask them to give you an eclipse of their life and ask
them to advice you what is the greatest virtue you can practice. If you are old
write a letter to the youngest in your family doing this!
Daily
Devotions
·
Please pray for me and this ministry
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