Holocaust
Remembrance Day
Daniel,
Chapter 5, Verse 19
Because
he made him so great, the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Whomever he willed, he would
kill or let live; whomever he willed, he would exalt or humble.
The “He” we are talking about is King
Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel here explains to Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson that
"the Most High God" gave Nebuchadnezzar power and greatness, which
allowed him to do whatever he wanted as king. But God proved to Nebuchadnezzar
that only God was really in charge, by making him live in the wild with the
animals for seven years and forcing Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge God. Yet,
says Daniel, Belshazzar, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, failed to learn the same lesson and become humble.
Only humble leaders can be secure in their own
power.
The
Law of Empowerment[1]
says that
Only secure leaders give power to others. But what does it mean to be
secure? Using the analogy of personal finance, let’s look at what’s missing
from the lives of insecure leaders. This will help us better understand where
security comes from and why it matters. Paupers, debtors, and hoarders lack the
real or perceived financial security necessary to give generously to others.
·
Leaders without purpose are like paupers. Paupers have no source of income
aside from the financial assistance they receive from someone else. Penniless
and dependent, they’re clearly unable to help others financially. They have no
passion, low energy, and little drive to grow in influence. Usually, their only
source of power is the position they have been given by somebody else. In terms
of personal authority, they’re impoverished.
·
Leaders without authenticity are like debtors.
Debtors may have
nice salaries, but their expenses exceed their income. They’ve maxed out credit
cards and taken out hefty loans. Consequently, they’re stuck paying exorbitant
interest rates on the amounts they have borrowed. In an upside-down financial
situation, they’re in no position to give generously to others. Someone deeply
in debt may appear wealthy, even though they’re secretly on the verge of
bankruptcy. The closer you inspect their life, the more signs of dysfunction
you see. Similarly, inauthentic leaders may seem to have all the tools to lead
with excellence. However, they are missing the crucial component of moral
authority. They do not practice the values they preach, and they prefer to keep
others at arm’s length to hide their shortcomings.
·
Leaders without humility resemble
hoarders. Hoarders
are sitting on a pile of wealth, but they think only of protecting it rather
than of sharing it with others. They have the plentiful resources but are
unwilling to part with them.. Having put their talents to work, they enjoy a
significant amount of power. However, they’re worried about others taking it
from them or gaining more of it than they have. So, instead of using their
influence to empower others, they keep it for their own benefit.
As
leaders, we can only lift others up when we’re standing on a firm foundation.
Purpose, authenticity, and humility give us a secure, stable base from which to
lead. Purpose is the answer to the question: why do you want to lead? The best
leaders have a purpose that is greater than they are. Their “why” involves more
than accumulating money or seeking self-actualization. They see leadership as a
calling rather than a career, relishing the opportunity to use their unique
talents to accomplish something significant that will outlive them.
Authenticity means being comfortable in your own skin. Authentic leaders have
self-awareness, self-respect, self-confidence, and emotional maturity. They
prize integrity above image, and they seek to build trust with others on the
basis of their personal character. Humility is often wrongly associated
depreciating and downgrading ourselves. However, true humility flows out of
gratitude and comes when we credit God for our blessings and others for our
successes. As Rick Warren teaches, a humble leader doesn’t deny his strengths;
he’s simply honest about his limitations. Humble leaders feel no need to
trumpet their status, are unthreatened by criticism, and revel in the
accomplishments of others. They put their pride aside so that others have room
to shine.
The Holocaust Remembrance Day, (Yom Hashoah, Hebrew: יום השואה), seeks to commemorate the Holocaust, a systematic and state-planned program to murder millions of Jews and other minority groups in Europe. This program of mass killing was run by the German Nazis in the 1930s and 40s during the Second World War, where Jews and minorities were brought into concentration camps and murdered at the hands of Nazi officials. This observance seeks to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust, including six million Jews and thousands of Russians gypsies, homosexuals, disabled persons and other minorities.
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust
Remembrance Day) Facts
·
Yom
Hashoah is an Israeli Festival, as opposed to an ancient Jewish festival. Yom
Hashoah was inaugurated sixty-four years ago in 1953. It was instituted by the
Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and the President Isaac (Yitzchak) Ben
Zvi. The Ancient fast of the Tenth of Tevet (December) is the day on
which the siege of Jerusalem commenced, prior to the destruction of the Holy
Temple. Many Jews commemorate the Holocaust on this day.
·
In
Israel, on the Eve of Yom Hashoah, a siren is sounded, followed by an official
memorial service headed by the Prime Minister, President, Army Officials and
Holocaust survivors. The service includes speeches, Kaddish and El Maleh
Rahamim (memorial prayers) and the Hatikvah (Israel National Anthem). Another
siren is heard in the morning, followed by various memorial services.
Yom HaShoah Top Events and Things
to Do
·
Many
communities read a list of those who perished in the camps and Ghettos.
One way to commemorate the Holocaust is to browse the names in the Yad Vashem (Israel's Memorial to the Holocaust) names
Database.
·
Watch
the mini-series Holocaust starring Meryl Streep. It depicts
the story of a Jewish family's struggle to survive the Nazis.
·
Attend
a local memorial service. Tip: find one in your community by doing an
internet search for Yom Hashoah.
·
Donate
to a charity that serves holocaust survivors or
promotes education about the holocaust.
·
Watch
a movie about the Holocaust. Some popular picks: Schindler's List
(1993), Auschwitz (2011), The Boy is Striped Pajamas (2008),
Life is Beautiful (1997) and The Pianist (2002).
Prayers for the
Dead[3]
Relationships
never end and neither should our prayers for the dead. In addition to prayers
we should also offer up Masses for them and offer indulgences for their
benefit. The dead cannot pray for themselves but they can pray for us and we in
turn should pray for them.
In this exhortation, Pope Francis is
very clear – he is doing his duty as the Vicar of Christ, by strongly urging
each and every Christian to freely, and without any qualifications, acknowledge
and be open to what God wants them to be – that is 'to be holy, as He is
holy' (1 Pet 1:15). The mission entrusted to each of us in the waters
of baptism was simple – by God's grace and power, we are called to become
saints. 'Do not be afraid of holiness (no. 32).' In a way, each one of us
has a fear of striving for holiness – a fear that we would be mocked, ignored,
or even hated by others because we would stand out. Yet that is what the Lord
has called each and every person to! Pope Francis calls us out: A Christian
cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of
holiness, for 'this is the will of God, your sanctification (I Thess 4:3) (no.
19).' Holiness comes through the daily struggles each of us face. In
the ordinary course of each day, the Pope reminds us, 'We need to
recognize and combat our aggressive and selfish inclinations, and not let them
take root' (no. 114). Yet, he says, this 'battle is sweet,
for it allows us to rejoice each time the Lord triumphs in our lives' (no.
158). We need to have civility in all our interactions,
especially in the media. 'Christians too,' the Holy Father
writes, 'can be caught up in networks of verbal violence through the
internet and the various forums of digital communication.' This
can be true even in Catholic media (no. 115). Even in our heated
disagreements with one another, we always need to remember that it is God who
judges, not man (James 4:12).' In the light of Easter joy, as we
celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, I encourage every Christian to rekindle
their baptismal call to be holy by reading this wonderful exhortation by Pope
Francis, especially the beautiful section on the Beatitudes. Through an
exploration of the Beatitudes, and by offering examples of how to live out our
call to holiness in everyday life, the Holy Father has given us a wonderful
tool for renewing our love for God and for each other."
Daily Devotions
·
Manhood of
the Master-Day 5 week 11
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
[3] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic
Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 40. Prayers for the Dead.
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