First
Friday
FEAST OF ST. BRIGID-NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY
FEAST OF ST. BRIGID-NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY
Deuteronomy, Chapter 3, Verse 2
The LORD said to me; do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him
into your power with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to
Sihon, king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.
Again,
in Deuteronomy we are told to not be afraid of men. God is our strength; He is
our success. Neither fear the evil one. Do not be afraid when men out of ignorance
or a lust for power commit all kinds of abominations. Like our Lord we must
pray for them. God’s blood does not call for vengeance but for repentance and
righteous action. We need not fear nor do nothing, but we must act within our
laws doing all we can to reverse the trend of men of power to sacrifice to the
evil one as in the recent actions of the Govenors of New York and Virginia to authorize
the full sacrifice of human lives to the altar of womenhood. Pray as our Lord,
Father they do not know what they do.
The
Black Mass[1]:
A Parody of the Eucharistic Celebration I have spoken of the black mass as a
ceremony during which the consecration to Satan occurs. The black mass is a
parody of [the Catholic] Mass, in which one adores and exalts Satan. Usually it
is officiated at night, because the darkness permits greater secrecy and
because during the night fewer people are found at prayer, which disturbs the
ritual. During the celebration, the words and the external signs of the
Eucharistic liturgy are used, but always in a contrary sense, in order to
manifest opposition to God. There is always a satanic priest officiating who
wears blasphemous vestments, an altar represented by a nude woman, possibly a
virgin, on whom very serious acts of profanity of the Eucharist (usually stolen
from a church), are performed, with words of consecration proclaimed in a
contrary sense and an overturned crucifix. Only members of the satanic sect,
who are sworn to secrecy, may participate. Nonmembers are never permitted to
attend unless it is hoped that, having already been seduced by the perversions
and the illusion of power, they may decide to enter the sect. In general, the
black masses are celebrated by small groups of ten or at most fifteen of the
“faithful.” Once the ritual is concluded, the woman who functions as the altar
is raped in turn by all the participants: first by the one who exercised the
“rites” of the priest, then by all the others. This woman may have freely
accepted that role, or she may have been led there against her will; and aside
from the physical violence, she often suffers the terrible consequences of the
ritual: [diabolical] possession. As in the Church, some of the official rites
are required and are tied to particular feast days. The most important is
Halloween, which falls on the night between October 31 and November 1 of each
year: it is considered the magic New Year. Therefore, it is necessary to
understand the extreme danger for our children and youth who participate in the
feast of Halloween on that date. The second precedes our feast of the
presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2. The night before, in fact,
begins the magic spring. The summer magic is the third satanic “solemnity” and
occurs on the night between April 30 and May 1. During the year [Satanists]
often choose nights when the new moon is inaugurated, because it is
particularly dark. The officiator of these rites is usually someone who is
consecrated to Satan, and although it is not stated, this person is also
usually possessed by the devil. It may also not be so. I am certain, however,
that during these rituals, as stated above, the Eucharistic hosts are profaned,
[having been] stolen from tabernacles or taken by some of the faithful at
Communion during Mass and not consumed. I once exorcised a person who had
purloined a consecrated Host during a Mass in order to participate at a black
mass. He robbed Hosts everywhere, even though he had already begun a courageous
path toward liberation. According to what he told me, he was acting in a state
of complete unconsciousness — that is, in the state of a trance typical of
persons possessed by the devil.
Fear
not the serpent for our Lord has crushed his head
Serpent Day is a day of reflection and coming to grips with our fears. It’s dedicated to pondering our reactions to the prime material behind that expensive high-fashion snake-skin handbag. Its unique, slithering form has long been associated with wisdom and power, used for either good or evil. Serpents have been both feared and revered, at times simultaneously, in many different periods of human history. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity, the worship of which was first known documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. Veneration of the figure appears spread throughout Mesoamerica between 600–900 AD.
Quetzalcoatl, also called “the Plumed Serpent,” played a dominant role as a god, model, myth, historical figure and symbol in Aztec culture. According to legend, he was incarnated on earth and founded the fabulous capital of the Toltecs, Tollan. Quetzalcoatl represented the universal quest for meaning in life, and was the guardian of water and rain, a precious resource of the Aztecs.
In the Hindu regions of Asia the serpent, or naga, is considered a nature spirit. As in the Aztec belief system, Naga is the protector of springs, wells and rivers, and so serpents bring rain, and fertility. The serpent is also a fascinating biblical symbol. Perhaps the most common is the portrayal of the serpent as an enemy in general, or as Satan in particular.
However, a serpent is later used to
foreshadow Jesus’ death on the cross and the salvation it makes possible when a
bronze serpent appears on a cross that the severely ill Israelites looked upon
to recover, which can be found in John 3:14-15. Anthropologists
have argued that the serpent as a symbol of death is built into our
unconscious minds because of evolutionary history, as for millions of years,
snakes were mainly just predators of primates. Nowadays, a snake wrapped
around the Rod of Asclepius is on the Star of Life, the worldwide symbol of
medical aid.
First Friday
Let us lean on the heart of Jesus; and driven on the stormy sea of this world, under the protection which He grants to those who love Him, we shall one day triumphantly enter the desired port, and enjoy the eternal blessings of that holy guidance. Death was always precious in the sight of God, for Jesus was to pass through its portal; it is precious to Him still, for Jesus has died. No one who is devout to the heart of Jesus will fail to find at the moment of his death more excellent and abundant treasures than he had ever expected to receive. Death, precious to Him self, will not Our Lord render it also inexpressibly so to us?
Faith cannot mistake the proofs of His tenderness. If we may venture to say so, the exile of the being He created is a sorrow to Him as much as to the soul itself; for, like a tender father, God desires that His children should be with Him in His kingdom. Of all the hours of life this is the one which is the most precious in the sight of God, exerts the greatest power over His love, and for this very reason has such a mighty influence over His mercy and justice. In order to receive the fulness of the new life to be merited by repentance through the divine reparation every man must undergo the terrible suffering of death; but is not this suffering, caused by sin, like all other trials, a token of love on the part of God? Without death life could not attain to its end; without death how could the soul ever reach eternal life?
The rebel angel escaped the sentence of death, but for him there was no resurrection. It is decreed that man should die, or, rather, the soul, cleansed by the blood of Our Lord, and vivified by His love, passes into eternity before the body which it shall one day glorify; united together they are called by Jesus to reign in heaven in a state so exalted that it could not have been won by primeval innocence. Even in this world, without awaiting the eternal glorifying of humanity, the most beloved amongst the friends of God experience through their whole being a marvellous transformation which robs death of its terrors, and wholly disengages them from this transitory world. The interior light by which they are led is no longer human, but divine, through Jesus; and a supernatural love is substituted for that natural love which they made their law; and not only are their criminal affections destroyed, but the love of God above all things gives them, even in this life, a foretaste of heaven. They feel no longer an engrossing care for the preservation of the body, but sigh after death, crying incessantly to God, with St. Paul, “I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. They exult when they hear the clock strike, at the thought that one hour less remains for them to pass in this exile; death is no longer a passage of sorrow, but the desired way by which they shall go to the Lord; they sigh after it, they desire it, and would fain hasten the moment of its approach by the ardor of their desire for the enjoyment of a never-ending eternity. One single thing restrains them: it is when the perfection of love imposes on them a law of charity yet stronger, which would detain them in this world for the glory of God and the good of their brethren; says St. Teresa, “thus do souls arrive at a strict union with Jesus.” Thus ardently they have desired to die in order to enjoy the presence of Our Lord; this is their martyrdom that their exile is prolonged; yet they are so inflamed with the desire of knowing Him, of making His name hallowed, of being useful to the souls of others, that far from sighing after death they would wish to live for many years, even amidst the greatest sufferings, too happy in being able to add to the glory of their divine Master. Perfect submission in death is an act of entire adoration, a magnificent profession of faith and praise; its beauty consists in the cheerful and ready sacrifice which the creature makes to the Creator of the life which He had given, shadowing forth God s power in all its grandeur. Death beholds the soul already in adoration annihilated at the thought of the near approach of eternity; this, we may well imagine, is the kind of death the angels love to contemplate. The soul takes to itself no merit, places no trust on the way in which it has served God, and desires to possess even the smallest consolation the Church can bestow. It is specially attracted by the sanctity of God, which makes it aspire to become pure, pure almost beyond conception, in order to appear before the inviolable majesty of God; relying only on His mercy; never losing its confidence in the greatness of the divine compassion, but fearing lest its offences may be beyond the reach of pardon; dying the death of a child, with its eyes fixed on the countenance of its tender Father. Why, then, when in a state of grace, should we entertain a fear of death?”
Whosoever dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God abides in him.” He who loves God is then sure of His grace and dying in this state is certain of enjoying forever the sovereign good in the habitations of the elect. And can such a one fear death?
David has, however, said that no living man is entirely pure in the sight of God. Thus no one should have the presumption to hope for salvation through his own merits; for, except Jesus and Mary, no one was ever exempt from sin. But we need not fear death when we have a true sorrow for our faults, and place our confidence in the merits of Jesus, who came on this earth in order to redeem and save sinners, for whom He shed His blood, for whom He died. The blood of Jesus Christ, says the Apostle, cries more loudly in favor of sinners than the blood of Abel for vengeance against Cain. Grace transforms into a brilliant light that which by its nature was plunged in darkness and obscurity, and the plaintive cry of our misery is changed into a song of triumph; for the fetters which yet separate the soul of the dying from the heavenly Jerusalem are so near being severed asunder that the triumphant alleluias of heaven mingle with the lamentations of earth, and the last gaze of repentant love is tenderly fixed on the crucifix till earth fades from view. The transit of the creature from time to eternity is dear to the Creator; for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Let us throw aside, then, those vain fears of death, and regard it as a tribute which all must pay to nature. Let us be ready cheerfully to leave this world when Our Lord shall call us to the land where the saints await us, and where we shall meet those who have instructed us in the faith, and whose victory will in some measure supply for the negligence with which we have performed our own duties toward our heavenly Father. Let us unite ourselves to those glorious troops of blessed spirits who are seated in the kingdom of God with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; into which the good thief entered in triumph after a life of sin, and now enjoys, in the company of the elect, the ineffable delights of paradise; where there is no darkness nor storms, no intense heat, excessive cold, sickness, or sorrow ; and where there is no need of the light of the sun, because the Sun of justice alone enlightens the heavenly Jerusalem.
Bridget (Brigid, Bride, Bridey) of Kildare was born around 450 into a Druid
family, being the daughter of Dubhthach, court poet to King Loeghaire. At an
early age, Brigid decided to become a Christian, and she eventually took vows
as a nun. Together with a group of other women, she established a nunnery at
Kildare. She was later joined by a community of monks led by Conlaed. Kildare
had formerly been a pagan shrine where a sacred fire was kept perpetually
burning. Rather than stamping out this pagan flame, Brigid and her nuns kept it
burning as a Christian symbol. (This was in keeping with the general process
whereby Druidism in Ireland gave way to Christianity with very little
opposition, the Druids for the most part saying that their own beliefs were a
partial and tentative insight into the nature of God, and that they recognized
in Christianity what they had been looking for.) As an abbess, Brigid
participated in several Irish councils, and her influence on the policies of
the Church in Ireland was considerable.
Things to
Do
- Read Amy
Steedman's biography of Saint Brigid of Ireland to gain a greater
appreciation and devotion for this holy woman, who had a great tenderness
for mothers and their children.
- Read Saint Brigit: The Mary of the Gael (Catholic
Culture Library) or go to this fascinating page St. Brigit - The Giveaway where you will find
some folklore and recipes.
- Saint Brigid
always recognized Christ in the sick and the poor. Visit Christ in a
nursing home or hospital today, and pray for the grace of clear vision,
even when you encounter Him in a distressing disguise.
- Meditate on
today's beautiful reading, in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13. Is this the kind
of love you share with your family? Pray to Saint Brigid for the grace to
be patient, kind, and gentle with those entrusted to your care.
- For more
recipes and for a craft go to Brigid's Day
Foods and How to Make a Traditional St. Brigid's Cross.
National
Wear Red Day is a holiday dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease.
Heart disease is currently the number one killer of women in America, claiming
the lives of approximately 500,000 American women annually. National Wear Red
Day was established by the American Heart Association and National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute in 2003. The day is celebrated annually by wearing
red color to represent the fight against heart disease and stroke in an effort
to generate awareness and initiate change. By the 13th anniversary of the
National Wear Red Day, the campaign had achieved many positive goals including
these statistics: more than 33% of women in America have lost weight and more
than 50% of American women are more physically
active. National Wear Red Day is celebrated on the first
Friday of February annually.
National
Wear Red Day Facts & Quotes
·
Heart
disease and stroke kill 1 in 3 women, yet 80% of cardiovascular events are
preventable.
·
1
in 4 deaths in America are related to heart disease.
·
Since
the initiation of National Wear Red Day campaign in 2003 and increased focus on
heart disease in women, death in women has decreased more than 30% over the
past 10 years.
·
Factors
that increase the risk of heart disease include:
- Physical inactivity
- Increased cholesterol levels
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Increased cholesterol levels
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity
·
I
saw many people who had advanced heart disease and I was so frustrated because
I knew if they just knew how to do the right thing, simple lifestyle and diet
steps, that the entire trajectory of their life and health would have been
different. - Mehmet Oz - Dr. Oz Show Host and Cardiothoracic Surgeon
National
Wear Red Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Raise
awareness for heart disease research. Volunteer with the local heart
disease fundraising organization in your area.
·
Wear
red on National Wear Red Day to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke in
women.
·
Visit
your family health physician and get a blood pressure, body mass index and
cholesterol tests in order to further discuss your exposure to heart disease
and take preventative measures.
·
To
prevent heart disease, get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Opt to head
out for a brisk walk, a light run, swimming or biking.
·
Purchase
one of many watches or download aps that monitor your daily steps, heart rate
and food consumption. Garmin and Apple both sell watches while aps such as My
Fitness Pal and Runkeeper monitor steps and food consumption.
CONCLUSION
145. “Man cannot live without love. He remains a
being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is
not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience
it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This, as
has already been said, is why Christ the Redeemer fully reveals man to
himself.”
146. Let me conclude this exhortation with one more
witness to the Gospel, a saint, a man’s man, and a holy one who changed my life
personally. I was blessed to work with him directly at the Holy See for nine
years, and most of what I know about leading and being a spiritual father comes
from him.
147. It was from his father and mother, and his only
brother Edmund too, that young Karol Wojtyla (now known as St. John Paul II)
discovered the beauty and nobility of love. In the daily rhythm of the Wojtyla
home in Wadowice, worshipping the Lord together every Sunday, praying before
meals and in the evening, the future pope experienced and made his own the love
of God that was revealed in its fullness through Jesus, the Son of God and Son
of Mary.
148. Then, while facing with his Dad the tragic
deaths of his Mom and brother, the love of Jesus took ever greater root in
young Karol’s life. With the death of his Dad, shortly after his own 20th
birthday, he experienced the loneliness of having no earthly family member with
whom to share the joys and sorrows, the hopes and dreams of human life; yet by
divine providence he had already received through them a great gift which many
of our contemporaries do not know. Fr. George Rutler describes it this way: “…a
woman being a woman and a man being a man do not play roles unless the roles
are part of a divine drama of creation. This creation of man and woman was
God’s greatest outpouring of perfection...”
149. Dear husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, whom
I have the privilege to serve as a spiritual father, let your hearts rejoice
anew at God’s call to bear witness to Jesus and His Gospel by loving one
another in the very family in which you now are living. You are not alone as
you face the sorrows and struggles, the lights and shadows, that are part of
family life. Recall Jesus’ promise, “Know that I am with you always.” (Matthew
28:20)
150. It is not by chance that Jesus called you and
me to be His witnesses at this troubled time in history, in the post-sexual
revolution confusion. Now, He is calling us to know, love and serve Him in the
“final battle about marriage and family” of which Sister Lucia wrote.
151. We walk side by side with many whose
experiences have led them to think that the nature of the family is “a jungle,
not a garden.” For reasons known only to Christ, He has chosen you whom He has
joined in marriage to be, at this time in history, an icon of His love for His
Bride the Church. When you make sacrifices, then, for one another, when you
encourage and forgive each other, when you worship the Lord together, when you
welcome children and raise them in the practice of the Catholic faith, you are
helping our skeptical generation to believe that free, total, faithful and
fruitful love is still possible. Indeed, nothing is impossible with God; trust
Him and begin.
"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."
That Christ you see is not
Jesus. It is only the pitiful image that your blurred eyes are able to form...
— Purify yourself. Clarify your sight with humility and penance. Then... the
pure light of Love will not be denied you. And you will have perfect vision.
The image you see will be really his: his!
Daily Devotions
[1]Amorth,
Fr. Gabriele. An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His
Army of Fallen Angels
[3]https://catholicsaints.info/meditation-for-the-first-friday-of-the-month-of-the-sacred-heart/
[6]https://family.dphx.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2018-Complete-My-Joy-Apostolic-Exhortation-English.pdf
[7]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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