Monday, September 17, 2018

CONSTITUTION DAY

Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The God of Hope?

It has been said that the only things worse than insanity are despair and hopelessness. But praise the Lord, we serve a God of hope! The Greek word for "hope" is elpo meaning "to look forward to with pleasurable confidence and expectation." The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may aboard in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:13). Paul introduces an incredible idea "that you may abound in hope" He means, "that you may have enough to spare; a supply that is overflowing, excessive, beyond measure!" Some may think, "That sounds like a cruel joke. In my present condition all I want is a ray of hope, just a single evidence of answered prayer. Just one little sign of change!" But beloved, God's Word is true! He is a God of hope -- a hope that is excessive, overflowing and beyond measure. Paul's prayer for the people of God was that He would "fill you with all joy and peace in believing." This is to be a normal state for all Christians: not just for well-adjusted, happy-go-lucky believers -- but for all! God is not mocking His hurting children today. He is now a God of hope, ready to flood your soul with exceeding, overflowing joy and peace by the power of the Holy Ghost in you. Paul said, "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Romans 8:24-25) Yet we respond by demanding to see a change in our situation: "But I could have hope if I could just see a little movement, a small piece of evidence that God is working for my good, just something to get hold of. I need to see something change. How can I have hope when months go by and things only get worse?" But "to abound in hope" is to have excessive, overflowing patience -- more than enough patience to "wait for it." You see, the joy and peace come when you know God has everything under control![1]

Constitution Day[2]

Constitution Day commemorates the adoption of the United States Constitution and celebrates the citizens of the United States.  The Constitution was written because the existing charter of government, known as the Articles of Confederation, had resulted in creating a weak and ineffective central government.  The Constitution defines the supreme law of the United States, with each article of the constitution pertaining to aspects such as the congress, president, judicial system, interrelationship between the state and federal government and process of amendments to the Constitution. James Madison, Oliver Ellsworth, Nathaniel Gorham, Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, Gouverneur Morris, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington wrote the Constitution.  Constitution Day originally began in 1939 with the suggestion of a holiday to celebrate American Citizenship. President Harry Truman then declared that the third Sunday of May become I am American Day. A decade later, 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the date to coincide with the signing of the Constitution and renamed it Citizenship Day. Constitution or Citizenship Day is observed annually on September 17th, the same day as the US Constitution was signed in 1787.

Constitution Day Facts & Quotes

·         The 225th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution was celebrated in 2012.  Of all international constitutions written, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest and shortest.

·         The Constitution is a short document with only 4,543 words before the amendments.  In contrast, the Bible is approximately 20 times longer, while Harry Potter has approximately 70,000 more words.  

·         More than 11,000 amendments have been proposed in Congress.  However, only 27 amendments received approval to become official amendments to the Constitution.

·         The words God and Democracy are not found in the United States Constitution.

·         Today is a big step in our march toward equality.  Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else.  #Love Wins -tweet by President Barack Obama on June 26, 2015.  This after US Supreme Court ruled on this day that same-sex marriage is a right protected by the United States Constitution.

You can see by the last bullet that as Christ’s own we may not be able to be faithful to both our nation and our God; there may come a time in this nation that we may have to choose. I choose to cling to my gun and bible.

Marriage and Same-Sex Unions[3]

A growing movement today favors making those relationships commonly called same-sex unions the legal equivalent of marriage. This situation challenges Catholics—and all who seek the truth—to think deeply about the meaning of marriage, its purposes, and its value to individuals, families, and society. This kind of reflection, using reason and faith, is an appropriate starting point and framework for the current debate. Marriage is a basic human and social institution. Though it is regulated by civil laws and church laws, it did not originate from either the church or state, but from God. Therefore, neither church nor state can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Marriage, whose nature and purposes are established by God, can only be the union of a man and a woman and must remain such in law. In a manner unlike any other relationship, marriage makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to the common good of society, especially through the procreation and education of children. The union of husband and wife becomes, over a lifetime, a great good for themselves, their family, communities, and society. Marriage is a gift to be cherished and protected.

35 Promises of God[4] cont.

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” Ex 14:14

The Way[5]

"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."

55.  Slowly. Consider what you are saying, to whom it is being said and by whom. For that hurried talk, without time for reflection, is just empty noise. And with Saint Teresa, I will tell you that, however much you work your lips, I do not call it prayer.

Daily Devotions

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Pray our Democratic leaders confirm the new Supreme Court Judge.

·         Pray the 54 Day Rosary

·         Total Consecration Day 7

---

[1]http://www.tscpulpitseries.org/english/1980s/ts890805.html

[2] http://www.wincalendar.com/Constitution-Day

[3] http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/marriage/promotion-and-defense-of-marriage/questions-and-answers-about-marriage-and-same-sex-unions.cfm

[4]http://www.aggiecatholicblog.org/2014/12/35-promises-of-god/

[5]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm