feast of st. Stephen-BLUE CHRISTMAS-Kwanzaa
Exodus, Chapter 1,
Verse 21
And because the
midwives feared God, God built up
families for them.
God’s mercy is just like the drops of water which
grooves stones to make gorges and canyons; small acts of mercy have a similar
effect on the hearts of sinners making them into monoliths of strength. Therefore,
they resisted Pharaohs decree to kill the children of Israel. Likewise, we must resist the laws that are enacted
that defy the law of God.
The
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church[1]
addresses the issue of when and how St. Peter's teaching that obedience to
God comes before obedience to men applies in the modern Christian's life.
Presciently, or perhaps better, prophetically, Pope Benedict XVI foresaw and
foresees increasing conflict between American Catholics and a public authority
increasingly secularized and increasingly hostile to the moral values of its
Catholic citizens. The conflict is caused by the increasing demands of the
State to "to deny the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic
individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil
practices." The aggressive secularist State wants freedom of religion to
be limited to "mere freedom of worship," and not to "freedom of
conscience" which extends beyond the realm of the four walls of a Church
into the "public square" of social, civil, political, and economic
life." Christians may conscientiously object to civil laws if they
infringe upon one or more of three things: (1) the law violates the moral
order, that is, the natural moral law; (2) the law violates fundamental human
rights; or (3) the law violates the teachings of the Gospel, which is to say
the teachings of the Church. Laws that trespass against one or more of these
three things may not be obeyed, and obedience to them must be refused. In fact, the Christian has both a duty and a right
to refuse such a law. And though it may be unrecognized, it is a right that he must exercise regardless of the
consequences to him.
The
full text of the Compendium on
this issue merits quotation: "Citizens are not obligated in conscience to
follow the prescriptions of civil authorities if their precepts are contrary to
the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or to the
teachings of the Gospel. Unjust laws pose dramatic problems of conscience for
morally upright people: when they are called to cooperate in morally evil acts
they must refuse. Besides being a
moral duty, such a refusal is also a basic human right which, precisely as
such, civil law itself is obliged to recognize and protect. 'Those who have recourse
to conscientious objection must be protected not only from legal penalties but
also from any negative effects on the legal, disciplinary, financial and
professional plane.'" "It is a grave duty of conscience not to
cooperate, not even formally, in practices which, although permitted by civil
legislation, are contrary to the Law of God. Such cooperation in fact can never
be justified, not by invoking respect for the freedom of others nor by
appealing to the fact that it is foreseen and required by civil law. No one can
escape the moral responsibility for actions taken, and all will be judged by
God himself based on this responsibility (cf. Rom 2:6; 14:12)." (Compendium, No. 399)
The
right of conscientious objection is not the right of resistance, and the two should be
carefully distinguished. Moreover, resistance which can be expressed in
"many different concrete ways" should be distinguished from the last
and desperate recourse of "armed
resistance." The right to resist an oppressive law or an oppressive
government is one that is found in the natural law. It is a right which
precedes a government, and so is one that is inalienable. Resistance generally
is something to be avoided, and it is justified only if there is a
"serious" infringement or "repeated" and chronic
infringements of the natural moral law, a fundamental human right, or a Gospel
precept. "Recognizing that natural law is the basis for and places limits
on positive law means admitting that it is legitimate to resist authority
should it violate in a serious or repeated manner the essential principles of
natural law. Saint Thomas Aquinas writes that 'one is obliged to obey . . .
insofar as it is required by the order of justice.' Natural law is therefore
the basis of the right to resistance." The right of resistance is not one
that necessarily has the overthrow of government in mind. There may be many
ways in which resistance may be expressed, and there may be many ends which
resistance may have in mind: "There can be many different concrete ways
this right may be exercised; there are also many different ends that may be
pursued. Resistance to authority is meant to attest to the validity of a
different way of looking at things, whether the intent is to achieve partial
change, for example, modifying certain laws, or to fight for a radical change
in the situation." (Compendium,
No. 400)
Resistance
in the sense of armed resistance
is something which is a last resort. The Church has identified five conditions
all of which must be met before armed resistance is morally justified: "1)
there is certain, grave and prolonged violation of fundamental rights, 2) all
other means of redress have been exhausted, 3) such resistance will not provoke
worse disorders, 4) there is well-founded hope of success; and 5) it is
impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution." As the Church
observes, armed resistance, even if morally justified, is generally to be
avoided, and passive resistance is to be preferred. Armed resistance is often a
Pandora's Box which unleashes as much or more evil as it intended to avoid.
"Recourse to arms is seen as an extreme remedy for putting an end to a
'manifest, long-standing tyranny which would do great damage to fundamental
personal rights and dangerous harm to the common good of the country.'
The gravity of the danger that recourse to violence entails today makes it
preferable in any case that passive resistance be practiced, which is 'a way
more conformable to moral principles and having no less prospects for
success.'" (Compendium,
No. 401)
Stephen, today’s Saint, like Jesus is unjustly
persecuted; yet he prays for his persecutors. Can we claim ourselves Christ
like if we do not love our enemies? Was not Stephen, and others who have
imitated him, men like ourselves? With the grace of God, we do what they have
done? Indeed, can we call ourselves Christians if we do not to do this? No; for
the love of our neighbor, and of our enemy also, is the chief token of the
Christian; since it is only by this love that we become like Christ, and
resemble our heavenly Father, who makes His sun to shine upon the evil and the
good, and sendeth rains upon the just and upon the unjust (Matt. v. 45). Let
us, therefore, imitate the love of God, of Christ, and of St. Stephen, and then
we may one day be able to give up our souls with calmness into the hands of our
Maker.
The
deacon Stephen, stoned in Jerusalem two years after the death of Christ, has
always been the object of very special veneration by the faithful. He is the
first martyr. The account in the Acts of the Apostles relating his arrest and
the accusations brought against him emphasize the parallel with our Saviour's
trial; he was stoned outside the city wall and died, like his Master, praying
for his executioners. Stephen belongs to the group of seven deacons whom the
Apostles associated with their work in order to lighten their load. He was
"filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit," "full of grace and
strength" he showed himself as a man of God, radiating divine grace and
apostolic zeal. As the first witness to Christ he confronted his opponents with
quiet courage and the promise made by Jesus (Mark 13.11) was fulfilled: ".
. . Disputing with Stephen they were not able to resist the wisdom and the
spirit that spoke." In St. Stephen, the first martyr, the liturgy
emphasizes the imitator of Christ even to the extent of the complete gift of
self, to the extent of that great charity which made him pray in his suffering
for his executioners. By establishing the feast on the day after Christmas the
Church draws an even closer comparison between the disciple and the Master and
thus extends his witness to the whole mission of the redeeming Messiah.
Though
there is no historical connection, St. Stephen is considered the patron
saint of horses. Scholars speculate that this has something to do
with the relief from work that domestic animal enjoyed during Twelfth-night; in
any case, horse parades or horse races were always held on
this day. One custom in rural areas was for the horses to be decorated and
taken to the church, where the priest would bless them. Afterwards, they would
be ridden around the church three times. Horse's food (hay or oats)
is also blessed on this day.
NOTA BENE:
In
the eleventh century, the Church instituted special feast days during the
Christmas Octave for various ecclesiastical ranks. Today, on
the day in which one of the first seven deacons was martyred, was the festival
for deacons.
Two
Turtle Doves
Christmas normally is a time for joy. Decorations are set up, parties ensue, presents are given and laughter commences. Not many people realize that those in law enforcement work tirelessly during the holiday season to keep people safe. Blue Christmas is a holiday dedicated to those who work in that field, giving them an opportunity to be thanked for their services and celebrate Christmas their own way. While Elvis made the term “A Blue Christmas” popular to describe Christmas blues, this holiday is for those who work in law enforcement, such as police, firefighters, EMTs, and 911 dispatchers. For them, it is rough. Long nights in the wet, cold snow or long nights in the office can be particularly dangerous, especially for those who have the potential factor of being shot at, having emotional trauma from an emergency situation, and so forth. Because of their job, they keep people safe and save lives, but it comes at a cost. They miss out on spending time with their families and lose out on enjoying what Christmas is all about. That’s why when it comes to the holiday season, Blue Christmas gives people a chance to give to others by giving gifts and thanking them for their services. While some may be cheerful doing their job, because they know that Christmas is about helping others, Blue Christmas helps raise awareness for the behind-the-scenes action that the people working in law enforcement and the medical field are the ones truly making the holiday seasons special. With the potential dangers involved, they deserved their thanks and gifts the most.
How to celebrate Blue Christmas
Kwanzaa
is an African-American and Pan-African celebration of family, community and
culture. Kwanzaa, a week-long cultural festival from the 26th of December to
the 1st of January that climaxes in feasts and gift giving, was initially
established to unite African-Americans with their African roots and heritage.
Nguzo Saba, the seven principles that guide the holiday, is central to
Kwanzaa as a different principle is emphasized every day during the
celebration. Celebrants often dress in traditional Pan-African clothing and
decorate their homes in African artwork. Kwanzaa was created in 1965 by Dr.
Maulana Karenga, a major figure in the Black Power movement, with the intention
of providing African Americans with a link to their ancestral heritage. Karenga
aimed to bring together African-Americans as a community through the
combination of various aspects of other celebrations such as Thanksgiving,
Christmas and African Yam Festivals. Since Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a
religious one; it can be celebrated by Africans from all religious backgrounds.
Kwanzaa Facts
& Quotes
·
The
name Kwanzaa is derived from Matunda ya kwanza, which in Swahili means first
fruits. Kwanzaa is based on the Ashanti and Zulu traditions of first
fruit harvest celebrations.
·
Each
day of Kwanzaa celebrates one of 7 principles, known as Nguzo Saba. These
include Unity, Self-determination, Collective work and responsibility,
Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. The colors of Kwanzaa are
black, red and green. Each color carries an important meaning to unify
those of African descent. Black is for the people, red for the noble
blood that unites all people of African descent and green for the land of
Africa. A candle holder, called a Kinara, holds the seven candles that
represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Read
about the seven principles of Kwanzaa with your family. These principles
teach about working together, learning from the past and strengthening bonds.
·
Attend
a Kwanzaa celebration event.
·
Prepare
a festive Kwanzaa dinner. Include Kwanzaa foods include:
1) Shisa nyama (meat cooked over a hot wood fire).
2) Kapenta with sadza (kapenta is a freshwater fish and sadza is a maize porridge).
3) Nyama na irio (mashed potatoes, peas, corn and onion served with spicy roast meat).
·
Give
festive Kwanzaa gifts to your friends and family. Some traditional gifts
include a food basket, kinara candle holder, books about African culture and
handwoven items like gloves and scarves.
·
Watch
“The Black Candle” (2008). This is a vibrant and powerful
documentary that illuminates the African-American experience from the perspective
of Kwanzaa. Narrated by Dr. Maya Angelou (poet), the documentary won the
award for best full-length documentary at the Africa World Documentary Film
Festival in 2009.
49 Godly Character Traits[9]
During this Christmas 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:
Love vs.
Selfishness
Giving to others’ basic
needs without having as my motive personal reward (I Corinthians 13:3)
219 God's love for Israel is compared
to a father's love for his son. His love for his people is stronger than a
mothers for her children. God loves his people more than a bridegroom his
beloved; his love will be victorious over even the worst infidelities and will
extend to his most precious gift: "God so loved the world that he gave his
only Son."
Jesus said to his
disciples: "Love one another even as I have loved you."
2196
In
response to the question about the first of the commandments, Jesus says:
"The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than
these." The apostle St. Paul reminds us of this: "He who loves his
neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit
adultery, you shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,'
and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the
fulfilling of the law."
1784 The education of
the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the
child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by
conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear,
selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of
complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience
guarantees freedom and engenders peace of 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."
When you see a poor wooden Cross, alone, uncared-for, and of no
value... and without its Crucified, don't forget that that Cross is your Cross:
the Cross of each day, the hidden Cross, without splendour or consolation...,
the Cross which is awaiting the Crucified it lacks: and that Crucified must be
you.
Daily Devotions
[1]
http://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=45255
[3]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896
[7]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/a-blue-christmas/
[9]http://graceonlinelibrary.org/home-family/christian-parenting/49-godly-character-qualities/
[10]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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