Friday, November 30, 2018

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

Psalm 19, Verse 10-11

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The statutes of the LORD are true, all of them just; ¹¹More desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold, Sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb.

Our Lord showed no fear of the money changers or the priests when He overturned the tables in holy zeal for the statutes of the Lord. Is the Holy Spirit moving you to make a real change today? Are you being called to be holier, stronger, more committed to God and better prepared for the trials and persecution of our world? Consider the message of The Holy League.[1]

The Holy League

History-Pope St. Pius V formed the original Holy League in response to the dire situation in which Christian Europe found itself in 1571. Small bands of Catholic men and remnant armies from various nations came together under the spiritual leadership of the saintly pontiff and the military leadership of Don John of Austria. By prayer and fasting, they implored the help of God’s grace, through the intercession of the Mother of God, and, by the grace of Almighty God, on October 7, 1571, at the Battle of Lepanto, the Christian fleet won a crushing victory over the OttomanTurks, saving Christendom and western civilization.

The Battle Today

At this particular moment in time, the Church finds itself in a similar situation to that of the Church in the late Sixteenth Century. However, instead of a physical enemy on the horizon, the Church and the family (the domestic Church) are threatened daily by relativism, secularism, impurity, and confusion regarding Church teaching. The battle today “is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in the heavens” (Ephesians 6: 10-12). To combat the forces of evil in today’s society, the Holy League strives to call men back to the state of grace and to transforming the culture through prayer.” The Holy League, in fidelity to its mission as a Roman Catholic solidarity movement:

· Provides a Holy Hour format which incorporates: Eucharistic adoration, prayer, short spiritual reflections, the availability of the Sacrament of Confession, Benediction and fraternity;

· Encourages consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Purest Heart of Joseph;

· Promotes the Precepts and Sacraments of the Church; especially through devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the praying of the Most Holy Rosary;

· Creates a unified front, made up of members of the Church Militant, for spiritual combat;

· Strives to have a regular monthly Holy League Holy Hour available to men in every Roman Catholic parish.

Holy League Vision

The Vision of the Holy League is to develop a network of parish based regular monthly Holy Hours with confession and fraternity for men.

Our Mission

The Holy League, in a Spirit of Marian Chivalry, under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Joseph, seeks to provide opportunities for the faithful to unite in prayer, especially monthly Eucharistic Holy Hours, for purification from sin and predisposition to Supernatural Grace for the fuller exercise of the threefold offices of Priest, Prophet, and King received at Baptism. The particular prayer of the Holy League is the monthly Eucharistic Holy Hour.

Feast of Saint Andrew

ANDREW, a brother of St. Peter, born at Betlisaida, was first a disciple of John the Baptist. Afterwards both the brothers were called by Christ, on the Sea of Galilee, before all the other apostles, with the words: Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men (Mark i. 17). Immediately they left all, and became faithful disciples of Jesus, arid witnesses of His deeds and sufferings, of His resurrection and ascension. After the descent of the Holy Ghost, Andrew travelled through Scythia, Epirus, and Thrace, and by his teachings and miracles converted vast numbers to Christ. As he was preaching at Patras, a city of Acliaia, he was violently pressed by the proconsul, Aegeas, to offer sacrifice to the idols; but he nobly answered him, I daily offer sacrifice to God; not the flesh of oxen, nor the blood of rams, but an unspotted Lamb; and although all the faithful may have partaken of His flesh, yet the Lamb remains as before He was offered, alive and undivided. Aegeas, enraged, committed him to prison, and on the following day caused him to be scourged; and as he persevered in his declaration, condemned him to be put to death by crucifixion. When he saw the cross, the instrument of his death, he greeted it with joy, embraced it, and said, O good cross, that was adorned with the limbs of Christ, thee have I long desired; thee have I fervently loved; thee have I continually sought. Now thou art made ready for me, according to the wish of my heart. Take me away from men, and restore me again to my Master, that through thee I may come to Him Who through thee has redeemed me. After this he was nailed to the cross. Two days he remained hanging thereon, preaching faith in Jesus, until his soul was taken up to Him Whom he had so ardently desired to resemble in the manner of His death.

(Goffine’s Divine Instructions)

St Andrew Facts[2]

· Andrew was fishing with Simon Peter, James the Greater, John, and their father, Zebedee, when Jesus came and said he would make them fishers of men (John 1:35-42).

· Andrew was reportedly martyred on November 30 in the year 60 A.D by a Roman governor's order in Achaia (Greece). He was crucified and bound to the cross to increase his suffering. The cross was tilted to create an "x," which is known today as St. Andrew's cross and is the basis for the Scottish flag.

· The Feast of St. Andrew is the last holiday of the Christian year. It is held the day before Advent begins, November 30 in Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches. St. Andrew's Day is a holiday in Scotland that honors the disciple as the country's patron saint.

· St. Andrew is the brother of St. Peter (Simon Peter), who was the first leader of the church.

· St. Andrew is the Patron saint of: Amalfi (Italy), Barbados, Esgueira (Portugal), Luqa (Malta), Patras (Greece), Romania, Russia, Scotland and Ukraine.

St Andrew Top Events and Things to Do

· Travel to Scotland to celebrate St. Andrew's Day. The holiday commences many parties and festivals in Scotland and it is also an official holiday in the country.

· St. Andrew's remains, or relics, are thought to be buried in Italy at the cathedral in Amalfi. Pilgrimage to Italy to visit.

· Go fishing or enjoy a seafood dinner. St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen. He was a fisherman before he left his old life to follow Jesus Christ.

· Visit St Andrew's Cathedral in Patras, Greece. It is the largest church in the Balkans region and one of the largest in Europe. According to history, St. Andrew was crucified just outside of the church.

· Take pictures of yourself on St Andrew's Day and use the Instagram tag #myinstagram to win prizes.

49 Godly Character Traits[3]

As we near the Advent season let us take up the nature of God by reflecting on these traits that make us a model for our children and our sisters and brothers in Christ. Today reflect on:

Availability vs. Self-centeredness

Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to the wishes of those I am serving (Philippians 2:20–21)

The Way[4] Heart

"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."

Jesus isn't satisfied 'going halves': he wants the lot.