FEAST OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW
Revelation, Chapter 2, Verse 10
Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to
suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be
tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
Christians today are pressed on all sides. Yes, we are
being tested by our government, the press, and the workplace. We may even find
by our own families and neighbors. This is the work of the evil one; resist him
and he will flee. Remain faithful until death by not giving up hope and when
you fall get back up and follow our Lord.
The
Feast of St. Bartholomew commemorates the life of Jesus' disciple Bartholomew.
It is observed in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.
St. Bartholomew is thought to have been from Galilee and was probably one
of Jesus' first followers. Traditionally, Bartholomew is believed to have been
a Jewish law scholar who was a close friend with the apostle Philip. He is
credited with converting many to Christianity, in particular in Armenia as well
as parts of India and Asia Minor.
St
Bartholomew Facts
·
Bartholomew is simply just listed by name in the
gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well as in Acts. He is not
mentioned in the Gospel of John, but some theologians believe that he is
referred to by the name Nathaniel. Most of the information the church has
about Bartholomew/Nathaniel is based on early sermons and writings.
·
In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew (known as
Nathaniel) is identified as being from Galilee. He was one of Jesus'
first disciples.
·
Bartholomew is thought to have been martyred in
Armenia. His skin was flayed from his body while he was still alive.
·
St. Bartholomew is the patron saint of Armenia because
early church writers placed him there spreading the gospel.
·
Bartholomew is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on
June 30. In the Roman Catholic tradition, his feast day is August 24.
St
Bartholomew Top Events and Things to Do
·
Travel to Rome and visit St Bartholomew's relics.
They are thought to be entombed in the basilica, St Bartholomew on the
Island (in Rome, Italy).
·
Visit the Sistine Chapel at St. Peter's Basilica in
Rome or look at its images online. St. Bartholomew appears in
Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment" with his skin flayed.
·
Gingerbread is a food associated with the St
Bartholomew. Bake some gingerbread men on his feast day.
Is
a traditional seasoned grilled meat for the Feast of St. Bart. While stationed
in Belgium many years ago with my young daughter Nicole there were none of the
American fast food places in close vicinity, but there were frites stands.
Nicole loved Belgium frites, which are “French Fries” with an attitude. We used
to joke that someday we will open our own Frite stand and on the placard, we
would proudly proclaim the name of our stand, “DICK AND NIC’S FRITES AND SHASLIKS”.
Enhancing one’s
fitness goes a long way to improving one’s self image and raising one to the
challenge of God’s mission for them.
Help!
I’m Poor but Want to Eat Healthy!
·
Target
nutrient dense foods, but understand that we’re looking
for the most economical choices. If food A costs $10 and has 50 of nutrient x,
we’ll pick food B instead, which only provides 45 of x but costs just $2.
·
Limit our draw to
‘good caloric deals,’ avoiding nutrient deficient options
such as white bread or ramen.
·
Identify foods
with high caloric AND nutritional value, for those
currently trying to gain weight through strength
training.
Vegetables
While vegetables can often be expensive, when we looked at some of the best choices, veggies are pretty awesome. One study showed:
“that although fruits and vegetables
are an expensive source of dietary energy (calories), they provide key
nutrients at a reasonable cost.”
·
For starters,
don’t
be afraid to buy frozen vegetables in the freezer section of your local grocery store
(or even canned vegetables). Sure, I love fresh veggies, but since frozen
veggies are picked and then frozen at peak ripeness (and thus most
nutritionally dense), they are often a better value while being edible for
months longer.
·
Kale and leafy greens (such as mustard or collard): If there is one super cheap
superfood, kale and leafy greens are it! Practically nature’s multivitamin,
kale is packed full of protein, vitamin K, C, and A, dietary
fiber, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and more (a
whole lot more). The catch is that kale and leafy greens can be bitter raw, so
they need to be cooked. But don’t worry, there are tons of quick and easy ways
to make kale delicious. You do NOT want to miss out on one of the most
economical superfoods. To get you started, check out Kale Chips or this try this kale and bacon recipe.
·
Cabbage:
A sister food to kale and leafy greens, from antioxidant to fiber to vitamin C,
cabbage is both affordable and nutritionally dense. Cabbage is
extremely versatile (soup, salad, stir fry, or sandwiches), and looks like it
may have some superfood cancer fighting qualities as well.
·
Broccoli: I
didn’t understand why everyone else hated Broccoli. Whether fresh or frozen,
broccoli provides an excellent price per nutrient value.
·
Spinach: Rich
in minerals and vitamins, fiber and protein, spinach should be your go-to
choose for salads over cheaper but nutritionally deficient greens
like iceberg lettuce. The difference between spinach and
lettuce is so large, this comparison is a great example to
demonstrate why we should be making choices based on price per nutrient, rather than
price per calorie.
·
Carrots: Carrots
are one of my favorite nutritionally dense snacks. Crazy amounts of
vitamin A, good carbs, and a little bit of everything else; carrots are a solid
choice to supplement a salad or soup.
Proteins
Consider the Paleo Diet, today we’re going to explore all cheap protein sources, Paleo or non Paleo. Meats (chicken/turkey/beef): When we looked at prices across the U.S., chicken and turkey consistently offered better values. However, don’t count beef out; there is almost ALWAYS a specific cut of beef on sale, and by targeting cheaper (and fattier) cuts, you can usually leave the meat section with a killer deal. We aren’t targeting these cuts simply because they’re cheaper.
·
Eggs:
There’s a
reason eggs are usually a staple among those seriously strength training: eggs
are a simple yet nutritionally dense source of protein. Toss hard boiled
eggs in a salad, scramble eggs in a stir fry, or prepare a regular breakfast
staple, eggs are usually too cheap to pass up.
·
Canned
Tuna: One
can of Albacore Tuna contains approximately 120 calories, 28g of
protein, and can cost $1 or less. This makes canned tuna a superb value and an
awesomely lean protein source. Check out other canned fish, such as salmon, for
some variety. And be sure to rotate canned tuna in and out of your diet to reduce risks associated with mercury.
·
Legumes: Beans,
chickpeas, lentils, oh my! Legumes (especially when purchased in
bags), are one of the best prices per nutrient values out there. Legumes such
as beans work great in a salad, soups, or even dips. Providing copious amounts
of both protein and carbs, legumes offer a great value and
easily satisfy macronutrient requirements. Be wary though,
nutritional value will vary depending on your specific legume of choice!
·
Protein
Powder: If
the above recommendations don’t work for you and you’re still a little short
on protein, try a huge tub of protein powder online. Make
yourself a quick protein shake breakfast or post workout meal.
·
Other `cheap protein options that may be a great deal include
quinoa, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and one of the many types of nut butter.
Fruits provide one of the biggest challenges, especially in the United States, because they are so expensive relative to other food groups. Fruits can also be tricky. Grapes, which seem to be a moderate value, end up being one of the worst price per nutrient options out there. This may lead to the completely understandable reaction that I had, “SCREW IT! I love grapes, and I’m buying them!” But don’t worry, there are still some excellent cost efficient options for fruits:
·
Watermelon: I
know, I know. My first thought too was, “isn’t it mostly water?” Well, yes. But
as it turns out, since watermelon is so darn cheap, it is an incredible value
per nutrient. Packed with lycopene (antioxidant), vitamins A and
C, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, watermelon is a wonderful and
easy to eat nutritional deal.
·
Bananas: If
you’re following the Paleo Diet and avoiding most grains, bananas are a great
source of carbs. Bananas are super cheap and provide you with tons of
potassium. They can be added to oatmeal, eaten as a snack, or my favorite, as a
desert (frozen bananas).
·
Plums: Packed
full great micronutrients like vitamin A, K, and C, plums are an excellent
source of fiber and carbs.
·
Pears: Although
pears possess a good amount of natural sugars, they are another great source of
fiber and vitamin C…and usually even cheaper than plums.
·
Other fruits
that may be great nutritional deals in your area: cantaloupe, apricots, kiwis,
and nectarines.
If you are training like crazy or are working hard to get bigger by packing on muscle and size, then chances are you’ll require more and more food (read: fuel) to reach your goals. If you’re strength training and not getting bigger, then you’re not eating enough – it’s that simple. Calories become more important, fats and oils, beans and legumes, and dairy products become more cost effective than vegetables and fruits (however, don’t neglect vegetables to make sure your…um…” plumbing” can handle the extra calories!).
·
Oats: Oats
are incredibly cheap, provide ridiculous amounts of both carbohydrates and
protein, and fulfill other micronutrient and mineral requirements such as
thiamin, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus. Oats are simple to make, can
be prepared a variety of ways (sweet or savory), and can be bought and stored
easily in bulk!
·
Whole Milk:
Although milk isn’t Paleo, its low cost combined with high amounts of protein,
calcium, and vitamin D makes it an attractive option when trying to meet high
calorie requirements (if your body can handle the lactose).
·
Avocados: Avocados
are perhaps the densest food listed in this entire article,
both calorically and nutritiously. Although they may appear costly,
avocados can be an incredible price per nutrient value. Put them in
salads, on sandwiches, or eat them plain with a little bit of salt! When
your local grocery store puts avocados on sale, be sure to stock up!
·
Sweet Potato: A better nutritional value than
normal potatoes (plus a lower glycemic load), sweet potatoes are a great
source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incredible amounts of vitamin A.
Sweet potatoes sliced, covered in olive oil, and thrown in the oven at 375 for
12 minutes each side. So simple, even a nerd could cook it.
·
Olive Oil:
One of the best ways to add good fat without cholesterol or sodium is olive
oil. Add extra olive oil to salads, meats, and legumes.
·
Almonds/Walnuts/Almond butter: Raw almonds are
a versatile option that can serve as a great supplementary source of
protein and fat. While almonds can be a great value, be sure to buy them in
bulk to optimize your price per nutrient deal. And if you haven’t tried almond
butter and apple slices, you’re missing out.
No matter what value foods you plan to buy, be sure approach eating healthy on a budget with a plan of attack. You will find that if you take advantage of healthy foods on sale (especially buy one get one free deals), many foods that aren’t listed here will suddenly become a great value! Remember: If your goal is weight loss, the majority of your calories should come from fat and protein, NOT carbohydrates/grains! This is the whole premise of the Paleo Diet that we’re so fond of. Concerned about pesticides and have a bit more money to spend? Here are nine foods you should try to buy organic, and seven organic options you can pass up. As long as you’re no longer thinking “more is better,” but instead searching for value healthy foods, you’ll be on your way to becoming a Superhero.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
40. When a layman sets
himself up as an expert on morals he often goes astray: laymen can only be
disciples.
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
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