Wednesday In the Second Week of
Lent
Spring
Begins-happiness day
Deuteronomy, Chapter
32, Verse 26-27
26 I
said: I will make an end of them and blot out their name from human memory, 27
had I not feared the provocation by the enemy, that their foes might
misunderstand, and say, “Our own hand won the victory; the LORD had nothing to
do with any of it.”
George
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary[1]
·
Men. Hebrew, "I said I will disperse or
exterminate them." Samaritan, "my fury shall consume them." We
may translate, "I had resolved to destroy them; (Ver. 27.) But,"
&c., (Calmet) or Protestants, "I said I would scatter them into
corners, and would.... were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy,"
&c. --- Where are they? in the mouth of God, shews an utter
destruction, so that no vestiges of them remain. Their memory is perished.
(Haydock) --- God sometimes defers punishing the sinner for just reasons.
(Worthington)
·
Wrath. The enemies of the Israelites wished
nothing more than their destruction. If therefore God had gratified this
desire, by punishing his people as they deserved, the enemy would have
presently insinuated that He had not been able to drive them out, or that (Haydock)
he was fickle, &c. --- Mighty. (excelsa;) "lifted
up." This expression shews the pride and insolence of those who make use
of it, as if they despised God and all his laws. Procopius mentions this wicked
inscription, to be still seen at Rome, "I lift up my hands to (or against)
God, who destroyed me, though innocent, in the 20th year of my age." Pos.
Procius, (Calmet) who seems to have been a woman, quæ vixi, &c.
(Haydock)
Prayer. regard Thy people, O Lord, we
beseech Thee, and grant that we, whom Thou cornmandest to abstain from carnal
food, may also cease from hurtful vices.
EPISTLE.
Esther xiii. 9-17.
In those days Mardochai prayed to
the Lord, saying: Oh, Lord, Almighty King, for all things are in Thy power, and
there is none that can resist Thy will, if Thou determine to save Israel. Thou
hast made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven.
Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist Thy majesty. Thou
knowest all things, and Thou knowest that it was not out of pride and contempt,
or any desire of glory, that I refused to worship the proud Arnan. (For I
wrould willingly and readily for the salvation of Israel have kissed even the
steps of his feet.) But I feared lest I should transfer the honor of my God to
a man, and lest I should adore any one except my God. And now, O Lord, O King,
O God of Abraham, have mercy on Thy people, because our enemies resolve to
destroy us, and extinguish Thy inheritance. Despise not Thy portion, which Thou
hast redeemed for Thy self out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful
to Thy lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live
and praise Thy name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to Thee,
O Lord our God.
GOSPEL.
Matt. xx. 17-28.
At
that time: Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and
said to them: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be
betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to
death. And they shall deliver Him to the gentiles to be mocked, and scourged,
and crucified, and the third day He shall rise again. Then came to Him the
mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of
Him. Who said to her: What wilt thou?
She
saith to Him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand,
and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom. But Jesus answering, said: You know
not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?
They
say to Him: We can. He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink but to
sit on My right or left hand, is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom
it is prepared by My Father. And the ten hearing it, were moved with
indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them to Him and said:
You know that the princes of the gentile’s lord it over them: and they that are
the greater exercise power upon them. It shall not be so among you, but
whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister. And he that
will be first among you, shall be your servant. Even as the Son of man is not
come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a redemption
for many.
Lenten
Calendar[3]
Read: During Lent, it is
important for us to remember the corporal
works of mercy, which are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a
model for how we should treat all others: as if they were Christ in
disguise.
Reflect: What small changes
would allow you to perform corporal works of mercy: Can you allocate your time
differently, so you have a couple extra hours to volunteer? Do you discard food
that could instead be donated to a local soup kitchen? When was the last time you
participated in a blood drive?
Pray: With mercy on your
mind, revisit Pope Francis’s Year
of Mercy Prayer.
Act: Pick one of the
seven corporal works of mercy and do it this week!
Spring
traditionally marks the end of winter and
the beginning of a season that signifies longer days and warmer temperatures.
The first day of Spring is also known as the Vernal Equinox. This
marks the day that the Sun's path is directly over the equator. This day
also contains equal amount of day time and night time. This day typically
occurs each year on March 20, and on March 21 on some years.
The
First Day of Spring is also called the Vernal Equinox.
·
The
Vernal Equinox is the day of the year where there are exactly 12 hours of
daylight and 12 hours of dark in the Northern Hemisphere.
·
On
the vernal equinox, the Sun crosses the equator into the Northern Hemisphere.
This has the effect of making the days longer in the Northern Hemisphere
until the Summer Solstice occurs.
·
The
Egyptian Great Sphinx points directly at the Sun on this day.
Vernal
Equinox-Spring Begins Top Events and Things to Do
·
Visit
a nursery and purchase seeds or plants.
·
Start
your spring cleaning.
·
Plan
your flower beds and garden.
·
Put
away winter clothes and prepare summer clothes.
At the UN Conference on Happiness in 2012, the United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Happiness. The day was celebrated for the first time on March 20, 2013 in an effort to highlight the importance of global happiness and its impact on world development and peace.
International
Day of Happiness Facts & Quotes
·
There
are currently about 1.8 billion young people
in the world, more than ever before, creating an unprecedented opportunity for
economic and social progress. Many studies have proved the link between
happiness and productivity.
·
Happiness
is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. - Mahatma
Ghandi
·
At
this time of grave injustices, devastating wars, mass displacement, grinding
poverty and other manmade causes of suffering, the International Day of Happiness
is a global chance to assert that peace,
well-being and joy deserve primacy. — UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
International
Day of Happiness Top Events and Things to Do
·
Print
out and hang up posters of the Ten Keys to Happier
Living. Research
has proven that these ten keys have a positive impact on happiness and
well-being.
·
Make
the effort to cross an item off of your bucket list. We all have dreams and
goals and fulfilling them creates happiness and a sense of accomplishment.
·
Give
to others. Whether it's donating to a charity
of your choice, volunteering or giving a thoughtful gift, studies have found
that giving makes us happier.
·
Reduce
the stress in your life. According to the American Psychological Association,
these are the 5 best ways to manage stress:
1) Take a break from the stressor
2) Exercise
3) Smile and laugh
4) Get social support
5) Meditate
1) Take a break from the stressor
2) Exercise
3) Smile and laugh
4) Get social support
5) Meditate
·
Watch
a movie about happiness. Our suggestions: Hector and the Search for
Happiness (2014), Eat, Pray, Love (2009), The Pursuit of
Happiness (2008), Bruce Almighty (2003), Click (2006) and The
Bucket List (2007).
Action for Happiness has developed the 10 Keys to
Happier Living based on a review of the latest scientific research relating to
happiness. Everyone’s path to happiness is different, but the research suggests
these Ten Keys consistently tend to have a positive impact on people’s overall
happiness and well-being. The first five (GREAT) relate to how we interact with
the outsideworld in our daily activities*.
The second five (DREAM) come more from insideus and
depend on our attitude to life.
Giving-Do
things for others
Relating-Connect
with people
Exercising-Take
care of your body
Awareness-Live
life mindfully
Trying
out-Keep learning new things
Direction-Have
goals to look forward to
Resilience-Find
ways to bounce back
Emotions-Focus
on what’s good
Acceptance-Be
comfortable with who you are
Meaning-Be
part of something bigger
True Happiness[7]
Full Worm Moon
According
to the almanac we are having a Full Worm Moon-plan to take your family or
grandchildren fishing!
"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."
You
want to hear all that I think of 'your way'? Very well, then..., listen: if you
respond to the call, you will do your utmost in your work for Christ: if you
become a man of prayer, you will be granted the grace necessary to respond and,
hungry for sacrifice, you will seek out the hardest tasks...And you will be
happy here, and unspeakably happy hereafter.
Daily Devotions
·
comment on your
“Coffee with Christ”
[2]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[6]http://www.actionforhappiness.org/media/80220/10_keys_summary.pdf
[8]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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