St. john of the
cross-roast chestnuts day
Genesis, Chapter 35, Verse 7
When her labor was
most intense, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.”
Rachel was the one love of Jacob (Israel). Due to her
father, Lot’s, tricks on Jacob, he was forced to work for her for over 14 years
to take Rachel, whom he dearly loved, as his bride. Rachel was barren and died
in child birth with her two sons Joseph and Benjamin. She was not afraid
because after her long suffering with barrenness at last she had given birth to
two healthy sons; a dying wish. Life at times can be hard. God does not promise
us perfect happiness in this life; for we are made for heaven and eternal
happiness with Him. We are to do our best, but when our best is not sufficient;
surrender it to Him. We must be
humble; trusting with great confidence in Him that we may do His will in good
seasons and bad. Pray that we may not forget this truth and complain as the
Israelites did in the desert to such an extent that Moses cried out to God,
“Where can I get meat to give to all these people? For they are crying to me,
‘Give us meat for our food.’ I cannot carry this entire people by myself, for
they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you will deal with me, then
please do me the favor of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face my
distress.” (Nm 11:13-15)
Moses was despondent here yet he did not give up; he
gave it up. When things get tough; trust in Him. Knowing that, “One does not
live on bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”
(Mt. 4:4) In retrospect when we are despondent let us remember to go to the
great Mother of God, Mary for truly on the day of Christ’s death in some
respects she died too-yet she did not fear
for “now she had another son” reflecting her spiritual adoption of all of
mankind.
Read: St.
John of the Cross, who we honor today, was known for his deep
spirituality and compassion.
Reflect: "We
must dig deeply in Christ. He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing
treasures: however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit.
Indeed, in every pocket new seams of fresh riches are discovered on all
sides." —St. John of the Cross
Act: Brainstorm
ideas for how you can live out your call to "imbue every area of social
life with the spirit of the Gospel" as an active citizen. For ideas, visit
the Faithful Citizenship website.
In the chill of December, there’s one warming treat that is especially popular across the world to keep the cold away. Roasted chestnuts are often seen this time of year being cooked by street vendors, and the earthy, spicy scent is more than enough to get anyone into the Christmas spirit. On the 14th of December, it’s time to honor the humble chestnut. Or specifically, mark the time-honored tradition of roasting chestnuts round about the season of good cheer. Roast Chestnut’s day is a relatively new day in the calendar, but the practice of roasting chestnuts has been around for donkey’s years. Although it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when they started to become so popular, historians pencil the 16th century in as being a turning point, when the nuts would be sold by street vendors to anyone wanting a quick and warming snack. It has also long been a tradition in Portugal to eat them roasted on Saint Martin’s Day, and in Tuscany on Saint Simon’s Day. When chestnuts are carefully roasted, the natural sweetness of the nut is revealed. This makes them an ideal snack if you want something to stave off a sweet tooth that also happens to be quite nutritious, chestnuts being comparatively low in calories and being a good source of fibre. They are also very rich in vitamin C, which may come as a surprise to you. Although they are technically nuts, they taste very unlike other nuts – the sweet, earthy taste is certainly worth a try if you’ve never had one before – and Roast Chestnuts Day is the perfect time to try that first one. Chestnuts are often roasted on a grill, which helps to remove their bitter, shiny skins, but you can make them at home using your conventional kitchen oven. All you need to do is cut a cross into each nut, put them on a roasting tin and bake them until the skins open. They are eaten after peeling away that tough, shiny skin.
How to Celebrate Roast Chestnuts
Day
·
It’s
so, so easy to make roast chestnuts, so why not roast up a batch for yourself
on the 14th December? Have them as a snack on their own, add them to stuffing
or pair them with roasted beef.
·
And
you’ll be able to find them in most supermarkets during the festive season, so
you won’t have to go foraging for them in the woods!
From Latin Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus and
wife of Ceyx. When her husband died in a shipwreck, Alcyone threw herself into the sea
whereupon the gods transformed them both into halcyon
birds (kingfishers).
When Alcyone made her nest on the beach, waves
threatened to destroy it. Aeolus restrained his winds and kept them calm
during seven days in each year, so she could lay her eggs. These became
known as the "halcyon days," when storms do not occur. Today, the
term is used to denote a past period that is being remembered for being happy
and/or successful.
Today reflect on seven successes or happy
times of the year then pick one to thank Our Lord for and offer to Our Lord an
appropriate gift for it for his birth!
Spiritual Crib[4]
A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to
prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults
and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life.
·
4th day, December 14th: THE ROOF—Self-denial
Today we must practice self-denial in everything great or small. We must
therefore do the very things from which nature shrinks, and if opportunity
permits, abstain from some amusement in whatever way it presents itself. No
TV today
49 Godly Character Traits[5]
During this 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:
Enthusiasm vs. Apathy
Expressing with my soul the joy of my spirit (I Thessalonians 5:16, 19)
2004 Among
the special graces ought to be mentioned the graces
of state that accompany the exercise of the
responsibilities of the Christian life and of the ministries within the Church:
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given
to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in
our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his
exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he
who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
2094 One
can sin against God's love in various ways:
·
Indifference
neglects or refuses to reflect on divine charity; it fails to consider its
prevenient goodness and denies its power.
·
Ingratitude
fails or refuses to acknowledge divine charity and to return him love for
love.
·
Lukewarmness
is hesitation or negligence in responding to divine love; it can imply
refusal to give oneself over to the prompting of charity.
·
Acedia
or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy that comes from God
and to be repelled by divine goodness.
·
Hatred
of God comes from pride. It is contrary to
love of God, whose goodness it denies, and whom it presumes to curse as the one
who forbids sins and inflicts punishments.
2750
By entering into the holy name of the Lord Jesus we
can accept, from within, the prayer he teaches us: "Our Father!" His
priestly prayer fulfills, from within, the great petitions of the Lord's
Prayer: concern for the Father's name; passionate zeal for his kingdom (glory);
the accomplishment of the will of the Father, of his plan of salvation; and
deliverance from evil.
"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."
'I was amused to hear you speak of the "account" that
our Lord will demand of you. No, for none of you will he be a judge — in the
harsh sense of the word; he will simply be Jesus.' These lines, written by a
good bishop, have consoled more than one troubled heart, and could well console
yours.
Daily Devotions
[5]http://graceonlinelibrary.org/home-family/christian-parenting/49-godly-character-qualities/
[6]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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