Saturday, March 9, 2019

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TOMORROW-MEATBALL DAY

Proverbs, Chapter 31, Verse 30

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Woman is the key to the salvation of the world. It is the miracle of God that the salvation of mankind was deposited in the care of the Virgin Mary and likewise in the physical sense the material world through the modern woman who is faithful to the precepts of the Lord. Such a woman knows the secret to raising children to be happy and successful is to do it in a home overflowing with love. A woman of faith truly knows:

God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken, and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.

A woman of Influence[1]

“The hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being acknowledged in its fullness, the hour in which women acquire in the world an influence, an effect, and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women impregnated with a spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling.” (Closing speeches Vatican Council II, 12/8/65).

Mother Mary is a perfect role model for all women, of course, but for women who work in particular. According to St. Louis de Montfort, Mary has principle virtues, which when practiced help to lead us to her Son and create a home and world that celebrates the greatness of the Lord.

· Profound Humility: Are you focused on others more than yourself? Do you recognize the work of the team, or are you taking credit for the work? Do you care who gets the credit? Does this impact the way you treat others?

· Angelic Sweetness: Is your approach nurturing and relational? Do you avoid calumniation of fellow co-workers and supervisors? Even when difficult, do you respond to others at work by extending grace and mercy?

· Ardent Charity: How can you demonstrate great love at work? This is not the same love as a spousal love, of course. How do you approach your employees? Your supervisors? Your clients? Your customers? Is your approach focused on valuing a relationship more than a material good? Are you able to articulate information and ideas in a mutually respectful way?

· Heroic Patience: Do you really listen at work? Are you able to rise above a situation in order to assist others as they learn new tasks? Do you hold your temper or judgment about your supervisor when you disagree with them? Are you willing in your attitude to seek understanding of others, even when it is difficult?

· Divine Wisdom: Recalling your baptism, and especially your confirmation, do you recall and use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in your work decisions? Do you pray for guidance? Do you seek Biblical and Church tradition answers and solutions? Do you show gratitude to God when you recognize divine wisdom at work?

Mary’s virtues bring us to a very feminine leadership style: one steeped in relationship building, not shying away from truth or faith, but approaching others in grace. When practiced at work, these virtues of Our Lady can lead us to Holiness and a fulfilled leadership at work.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday[2]

EPISTLE. Isaias Iviii. 9-14.

THUS, saith the Lord God: If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which is good for nothing. When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday. And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of water whose waters shall not fail. And the places that have been desolate for ages shall be built in thee: thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation: and thou shalt be called the repairer of the fences, turning the paths into rest. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy own will in My holy day, and call the Sabbath delightful, and the holy of the Lord glorious, and glorify Him, while thou dost not thy own ways, and thy own will is not found, to speak a word : then shalt thou be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift thee up above the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

GOSPEL. Mark vi. 47-56.

At that time: When it was late, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and Jesus alone on the land. And seeing them laboring in rowing (for the wind was against them), and about the fourth watch of the night He cometh to them walking upon the sea, and He would have passed by them. But they seeing Him walking upon the sea, thought it was an apparition, and they cried out. For they all saw Him and were troubled. And immediately He spoke with them, and said to them: Have a good heart, it is I, fear ye not. And He went up to them into the ship, and the wind ceased: and they were far more astonished within themselves: for they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Genesareth, and set to the shore. And when they were gone out of the ship, immediately they knew Him: and running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard He was. And whithersoever He entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch but the hem of His garment: and as many as touched Him were made whole.

Prayer. May Thy faithful, O Lord, be confirmed by Thy gifts, that, receiving them, they may seek them, and seeking may receive them forever.

Lenten Calendar[3]

Read: Today we honor another Lenten saint, St. Frances of Rome, who gave most of her great wealth to the poor.

Reflect: When we give alms, we can give money, our time, and/or our talents. We sacrifice our comfort for the sake of others. How have you viewed almsgiving during this penitential season? Has giving of your time, talent, or treasure brought about a change of heart?

Pray: The ease with which we are able to give alms may depend largely on how much we earn. For those out of work, the challenge is greater still. Today, we pray for those in our life who may be between jobs or looking for work.

Act: Daylight Savings Time begins tomorrow. Remember to set your clocks forward an hour tonight and start the week and the season off right by getting to Mass on time tomorrow.

Daylight Saving Time Begins Tomorrow^{^[4]}

Daylight Savings time had begun in an effort to help save energy and provide workers with more hours of serviceable daylight during the long summer days. Daylight Savings Time was first introduced in the U.S. in 1918. However, it was not until 1966, when the Uniform Act was passed, that all states had to either observe DST or pass a state law to abstain.

Daylight Saving Time Begins Facts

· Benjamin Franklin first proposed the idea of DST in 1784. He wrote An Economical Project for the Journal of Paris, wherein he discussed the cost of oil for lamps as well as working while it was dark and sleeping while it was day.

· Daylight Savings Time changes at 2:00 a.m. This time is selected in an effort to provide the least amount of inconvenience to businesses and citizens.

· Hawaii and Arizona do not use DST. Up until 2006, Indiana only used DST in part of the state.

Daylight Saving Time Begins Top Events and Things to Do

· Move your clocks forward 1 hour before bed on Saturday night before the Daylight-Saving Time day in March.

· Go to bed an hour earlier Saturday night before the Daylight-Saving Time day.

· Get outside and enjoy the extra hour of daylight.

· Replace the batteries in the smoke alarm and carbon dioxide monitors.

· Clean out the medicine cabinet. Dispose of all medicines properly.

Today imagine that God came to you and said you can move back time for two hours for any moment in your life. What would you change? Think of that before going to confession.

National Meatball Day[5]

Just the word meatball is enough to bring to mind great family meals for most people. These little balls of various meats can be found throughout the world in almost every culture. Most people may associate them with Italian cuisine, though spaghetti and meatballs are an American dish. No matter your background, you can jump in and enjoy Meatball Day! There are many times in history that meatballs have been recorded in culinary records. In Turkey, there is a dish called kofte which has many different variations. In China, there is a record of a recipe that can date back to 221 BC! Ancient Rome can add a claim to meatballs as there is a surviving cookbook that holds a variety of recipes with balls of meat. It’s easy to see that people have been enjoying meatballs for a very long time. Meatballs are made by taking ground or minced meat that has been mixed with spices, breadcrumbs, eggs or other ingredients and then rolled into a ball to be cooked. Cooking methods vary and include frying, braising, or baking. There is no wrong way to choose to make your version of the meatball. Just remember to make a large enough batch so that all your friends and family will get to try them!

How to Celebrate Meatball Day

· Meatball day, like other culinary holidays should be enjoyed with family or friends gathered around. The most difficult part of preparing for Meatball Day is going to be picking what nation’s recipe you will use. Lucky for you, this is a yearly occurrence, so you can pick a new nation each year to try if you like. Or you could be truly adventurous and try more than one at a time!

· Meatballs can be an appetizer, a side dish or the star of the meal. To celebrate, you and your friends who like to cook can have a playful evening by letting each person bring their own dish and then you can select a favorite! Think if it as the home version of Iron Chef! With a little craftiness, a prize could even be offered to grace the winner’s mantle.

· What is your favorite way to enjoy meatballs? There are so many ways to make them. Have you added them added to your pizza or on a sandwich? Do you prefer to stick to the traditions of your family or try to create something new? This is the time to shine! An entire day devoted to meatball goodness.

· It doesn’t matter if you are a chef or a first-time cook. Making a meal with meatballs is easy but has the wonderful side effect of making you look like the star of your kitchen. Just do a search with your favorite search engine for meatball recipes and pick the one that sounds yummy (that might be all of them!). Don’t forget to record your adventure by taking a few pictures and use #meatballday on social media to share!

Preparing for Battle^{^[6]} Know Your Weapons

The weapon of Sacred Sacraments

1. Baptism. Baptism is a sacrament of liberation and deliverance from Satan and his realm.

2. Reconciliation. Each time we sin, the Devil strengthens his grip on us; that is why it’s so important to go to sacramental Confession regularly

3. The Eucharist. Mass is a great defense against the assault of the Devil. Before Him the all-conquering power, the demons must flee. “We must return from that Table like lions breathing fire, having become terrifying to the Devil!”

4. Confirmation. To confirm means to make strong.

5. Anointing of the Sick. Illness, especially serious illness, can be a trial in which Satan comes to tempt us to be overcome by fear, discouragement, doubt, and even despair.

6. Matrimony. The Devil’s first attack on the human race was focused on a married couple. The home must become a sanctuary, a holy place, a fortress against Satan’s assaults.

7. Holy Orders. The sacrament through which Christ’s mission for the Church continues to be exercised until the end of the world.

The Way[7] Examination of conscience

"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."

Always end your examination with an act of Love — of Love-sorrow: for yourself, for all the sins of men. And consider the fatherly care of God in removing the obstacles in your way lest you stumble

Daily Devotions

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Universal Man Plan

· Nivevah 90 day 46

· Manhood of Christ Day4

· comment on your “Coffee with Christ”