ST MATTHIAS-Novena St.
Rita-Chicken Dance Day
2 Samuel, Chapter 9, Verse 7
“Do not be afraid,” David said to him, “I will
surely be kind to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will restore to
you all the lands of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat at my table
always.”
David is showing
compassion to Mephibosheth; Jonathan’s disabled son following the civil war between
Israel and Judah. In the end David reigns over all of Israel. Israel with
David’s leadership then quickly defeats the Jebusites taking Jerusalem; defeats
the Philistines and brings the Ark to Jerusalem and God makes his Covenant with
David. Thus, David’s heart was full of gratitude. David now can return the
favor of his old friend Jonathan to his son and restores his lands and David
orders his servants to cultivate Mephibosheth’s lands, providing him with food,
income and a place in the court. Gratitude cultivates generosity. This is the
law of the Picture.[1]
The law of the picture summarizes what
is often observed in human nature. People tend to mimic the behaviors of their
leaders. When a leader demonstrates behaviors that lead to success, people that
follow mimic those behaviors and succeed as well. The picture consists of
vision, mission, and strategy. When the leader lives the vision, the leader
models the vision making it real and alive.
Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than
living them, day after day – Arthur Gordon
Good leaders
recognize the importance of the example they set. [2]
1. People watch what you do. As a
leader, recognize that people tend to model behaviors that you display. People
tend to believe what they see not necessarily what they hear. You convince people
by what you do: not by what you say.
2. Teaching what is right is easier than doing
what is right. Leaders must be willing to make sacrifices
that are painful and personal.
3. Change yourself before trying to improve
others. As a leader, you need to lead yourself first. Set
high standards of excellence for yourself. Work the hardest and longest on
improving yourself. Failing to lead by example creates a fuzzy picture to those
you intend to lead.
4. A leader’s example is the most valuable gift
a leader can give. People desire leaders that espouse beliefs and whose
actions are align. People learn best from watching good leaders in action. Many
leaders emerge by observing and replicating the behaviors of leaders that
mentored them.
Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
The feast of
Saint Matthias[3]
was included in the Roman Calendar in the 11th century and celebrated on
the sixth day to the Calends of March (24 February usually, but 25 February in
leap years). In the revision of the General Roman Calendar in 1969, his feast
was transferred to 14 May, so as not to celebrate it in Lent but instead in Eastertide
close to the Solemnity of the Ascension, the event after
which the Acts of the Apostles recounts that Matthias was selected to be ranked
with the Twelve Apostles.
OF[4]
this apostle nothing certain is known beyond what is con tained in the epistle.
In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: “To me Thy friends, O God, are
made exceedingly honorable; their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me; Thou hast known my sitting down and my
rising up.”
Prayer. O God, Who didst associate blessed
Matthias to the company of the apostles, grant, we beseech Thee, that, by his
intercession, we may ever experience Thy tender mercy towards us.
EPISTLE. Acts i.
15-26.
In
those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren said (now the number of
persons together was about an hundred and twenty) : Men, brethren, the
Scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the
mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that ap prehended
Jesus: who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. And he
indeed hath possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, and being hanged burst
asunder in the midst: and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so that the same field was called in their tongue,
Haceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of
Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell
therein. And his bishopric let another take. Wherefore of these men who have
companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among
us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day wherein He was taken up
from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of His resurrection. And
they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and
Matthias. And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, Who knowest the hearts of all
men, show whether of these two Thou hast chosen to take the place of this
ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that
he might go to his own place. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon
Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
GOSPEL. Matt. xi.
25-30.
At that time
Jesus answered and said I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them to little ones. Yea, Father: for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight. All
things are delivered to Me by My Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the
Father: neither doth anyone know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it
shall please the Son to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened,
and I will refresh you. Take up My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, because I am
meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke
is sweet and My burden light. The wise and prudent referred to in this gospel
are the proud scribes and Pharisees, who, in their imaginary wisdom, would not
receive the incarnate and suffering Son of God, but despised and rejected Him;
in general, they represent also all who in their pride would measure everything
by their own understanding, and to whom, consequently, the mysteries of faith
seem foolishness. The little ones are the apostles, who, although taken from a
low condition of life, without a learned education, but rather ignorant, were
enlightened by God to know the deepest mysteries, because they had docile and
humble hearts, desirous of salvation. Thus God gives grace to the humble, while
the proud go away empty. To those who bear His yoke, and follow Him, Christ
promises peace of mind, temporal and eternal happiness; and, indeed, we must
confess that as often as we are disquieted and discontented the cause of it is
our selfishness and want of submission to the will of God, our pride and
vanity. Learn, then, to love to be meek and humble, if you would enjoy peace,
here or here after.
Prayer
to St. Matthias. O
St. Matthias, glorious apostle and martyr of Jesus Christ, who, by the special
providence of God, wast added to the eleven apostles in the room of the
traitor, I humbly be seech thee to obtain for us the grace of Him Who chose
thee from all eternity, that, assisted thereby, we may, after thy example, keep
the commandments of God, practise good works, and thus merit to be numbered
with the elect. Amen.
Today
it is my daughter Dara Hope’s
birthday; (her name means: House of Compassion and Hope) please pray the Novena
of St. Rita for her. Also today is National Chicken Dance Day! Yes, she loves
to do the chicken dance.
This
novena prayer, although short is sufficient. It would be better of course to
add, if time permits, three Hail Mary’s or say five times the Our Father, Hail
Mary and Glory be to the Father, or to use some of the many well-loved novena
prayers from other sources. Remember that prayers must be said with the lips in
order to gain the indulgences. This novena begins on May 14 and ends on May 22.
Rita is the patron of the impossible.
Chicken Dance Day[6]
We’ve all seen it, it’s utterly ridiculous and usually performed in a bout of intoxicant driven lunacy. You tuck your hands into your arm-pits to make ‘wings’, and then you flap like an idiot in time with some particularly unfortunate music. All that aside, you’re having complete giggle fits with a bunch of your friends while you behave in a fashion that has the local sanitarium eyeballing you for membership. What are we talking about? The Chicken Dance of course! Chicken Dance Day commemorates this dance and its origins, and even gives you a chance to learn WHY anyone would do this terrible, terrible thing.
History
of Chicken Dance Day
How
to Celebrate Chicken Dance Day
Daily Devotions
·
90 Days for
our Nation, 54-day
rosary-Day 2
[1]
John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership Bible.
[2]
http://darrylpendergrass.com/Blog/13-the-law-of-the-picture/
[3]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Matthias
[4]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
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