Friday, July 12, 2019

ST. VERONICA

Genesis, Chapter 46, Verse 3

Then he said: I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.

At times God asks us to go down into our personal Egypt’s; so he can make us more by raising us up.

·         I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. – Psalm 119:8

·         Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

What is your “Egypt”? What is your temptation, your land of (empty) promise? What has placed you under bondage? For some it could be that “dream” job across the country. For others it could be that big house, or luxury car. Chances are, if you find yourself saying something like, “Things would better if I could only…”, then you have an “Egypt” of your own. In most cases your “Egypt” is really just another heap of steaming trouble, bundled in empty hope and wrapped with false promise. God knows that humility, and a sense of self-worth centered in God’s grace and not in “things” and “stuff” is what leads to a heart that is not been made cynical by the disappointments of materialism. A humble and compassionate heart is softer, fertile ground made ready and willing to love. We must find contentment in the immutable, in the unwavering God. Only then will the distractions, the idols, and the daily lies we tell ourselves to feel okay… only then will they start to fall away and we can be fully Present. Being Present means to exist fully in the now, in this moment. Not regretting the past, not worrying about the future, but fully mindful and present in the moment at hand. Then you would be able to give this text your full attention, and not simply a cursory scan. You would find yourself really listening to someone speaking, and not simply waiting for a chance to talk. And most importantly, your find yourself fully enjoying the presence of someone close to you, fully mindful that in an instant they could be gone. Our personal “Egypt” is a always a source of bondage and domination. We find ourselves broken through our pursuit of it, and God forbid, we attain it! Then we realize that its promise and hope were dust and dreams and there is nothing of substance to sustain us. Where do we turn to now? We’ve already spent ourselves trying to attain our own personal “Egypt”? We turn back to God. He is always ready and willing to perform the next personal Exodus out of another personal Egypt. And you will need God’s help, for the wisdom of the world and its Pharaohs will rise up to stop you the very moment you start to trust God’s immutable providence for your life: Wake up. Spread the blood of lamb on the lintels of your soul. Ask God for salvation from bondage to your own personal Egypt, and God will act in your life.[1]

St. Veronica[2]

shroud and veil superimposed

According to Tradition, when St. Veronica saw Jesus fall beneath the weight of the cross He carried to his pending crucifixion, she was so moved with pity she pushed through the crowd past the Roman Soldiers to reach Jesus. She used her veil to wipe the blood and sweat from His face. The soldiers forced her away from Jesus even as He peered at her with gratitude. She bundled her veil and did not look at it again until she returned home. When she finally unfolded the veil--history does not clarify exactly what kind of material the veil was made from--it was imprinted with an image of Christ's face.

Some stories have alluded to St. Veronica being present at the beheading of St. John the Baptist. Others claim Veronica (Bernice) was a woman whom Jesus cured from a blood issue before His arrest in Jerusalem. There is no reference to the biography of St. Veronica in the canonical Gospels. Her act of kindness and charity is represented in the Sixth of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. St. Veronica is believed to be buried in the tomb in Soulac or in the church of St. Seurin at Bordeaux, France. Her veil (the Veronica) is kept at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican at Rome

Simplicity Day[3]

” In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.”

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We live in a complicated world; with taxes and devices and every imaginable complication the world can provide. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just take some time to keep things simple? To winnow life down to the bare essentials and hold onto it like the precious thing it is? Simplicity Day encourages you to do just that, to let go of all of life’s complications and live a day… simple. Simplicity Day was born out of a need to be free from the complications of the world and to allow ourselves to just be simple. Celebrate life through simplicity by turning off your devices, getting rid of complicated things and just let life be about living for a day. One of the great conundrums of the modern world is that the more opportunities and options you have the less happy you’re going to be. Some of the happiest people in the world have been determined to be those who live in uncivilized areas concerning themselves only with what they’re going to eat that day and where a good place to sleep is. We can learn much from them, though few of us would want to go to such extremes. However, we can all benefit from just cutting out the things that make our lives difficult. Simplicity Day is about getting rid of these complications and culling from your life what doesn’t bring you joy.

How to Celebrate Simplicity Day

·         Step away from the computer and find a sunny nook with a cup of tea and a book to pass the time.

·         Walk in the forests or through fields and just feel the sun on your skin and the sounds of birds and insects. These moments will be the ones that can truly set you free. During these long moments take the time to relax and consider how you want to proceed in your life.

·         What can you cut out that buries you under complications that bring no benefits? Are there people or things you can remove that will make your life a little happier each day by the removal of these complications?

·         These questions can lead you to a simpler, happier life. Wouldn’t it be nice to have peace of mind? Simplicity Day can lead the way.

Daily Devotions

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face

·         90 Days for our Nation, Total Consecration-Day 3

·         Meditate on the Passion of Christ.

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[1] http://www.epochalypsis.org/daily-devotion-your-own-personal-egypt/

[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-07-12

[3]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/simplicity-day/