First Saturday
Tobit,
Chapter 12, Verse 16-17
16 Greatly shaken, the two of them
fell prostrate in fear. 17 But Raphael said to them: “Do not fear; peace be with you! Bless God now
and forever.
On
flag day in 2917, a horrible act of violence befell our congressmen and they fell
prostrate in fear as a shooter was taking aim on them playing baseball in a
Washington, D.C. park. Men when confronted with the terrible power of man and
nature instinctively fall flat. Yet, imagine if you suddenly were confronted
with the power of an angel of God. You like a soldier would seek the ground.
- After all the
festivities, Tobit wanted to settle up with Azariah, which included paying
him for his work during the journey.
- At this
point, Azariah told them who he really was – an angel sent by God.
Both Tobit and Tobias were shocked and a bit fearful. Yet, Azariah
assured them of God’s providence and care for them. His job was to
bring the healing God had decreed. Their job was to proclaim God’s
great mercy. They were supposed to write everything down that had
happened. Then Azariah simply disappeared.
David shows
us how to overcome fear, whether it be the fear of death, the fear of speaking
in public (which surveys show to be greater than the fear of death!), fear of
losing your children, fear of the future, or whatever. He says:
To overcome fear,
seek the Lord!
David knew
what he was talking about! He had evildoers coming at him to devour his flesh
(27:2). They were breathing out violence (27:12). Nothing would have made them
happier than to see David’s head removed from his body. He had an entire army
encamped against him. The soldiers had probably been told, “Whoever comes back
with David’s head gets an instant promotion to general and a fat reward!” And
yet David could say, “My heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in
spite of this I am confident” (27:3)! The man knows his subject! He can teach
us about overcoming fear. David isn’t dispensing a formula that’s easy or
simple to apply. God isn’t a good-luck charm which you can pull out when you’re
in a jam and rub the right way. David is talking about a total way of life that
is focused on God and which clings to God with naked faith in desperately
overwhelming situations where there is no other source of help.
May this Nation
prostrate itself not before men or nature but seek the Lord as David did.
Psalm 27
The LORD is my
light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of
whom should I be afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, these my
enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me,
my heart does not fear; though war be waged against me, even then do I trust.
One thing I ask
of the LORD; this I seek: to dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life,
to gaze on the LORD’s beauty, to visit his temple. For God will hide me in his
shelter in time of trouble, He will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and
set me high upon a rock. Even now my head is held high above my enemies on
every side! I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing
and chant praise to the LORD.
Hear my voice,
LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. “Come,” says my heart, “seek
his face” your face, LORD, do I seek! Do not hide your face from me; do not
repel your servant in anger. You are my salvation; do not cast me off; do not
forsake me, God my savior! Even if my father and mother forsake me, the LORD
will take me in.
LORD, show me
your way; lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not abandon me to
the desire of my foes; malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me. I
believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the
LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!
The
world's gone mad. Take the attacks and outrages perpetrated by men upon their
neighbors or the persecutions of the Church in China and North Korea, and the
list could go on. But it's pointless to compare tragedies, to try to determine
who's most wounded, who is most in pain. Rather, it's time and long past time
to apply the solutions we've had all along. I'm talking, of course, about the message of Fatima, specifically Our Lady's calls for
the daily Rosary for peace in the world and the Five First Saturday’s devotion.
My
fellow Marian Fr. Seraphim Michalenko sometimes tells a story that a priest
ministering in Japan shared with him in Rome. This priest was attending an
international gathering of Christians from across the world, attended by
foreign dignitaries. The ambassador from Japan approached the priest, verified
that the priest served in Japan and was a Catholic priest, and then said,
"War is your fault." The priest was surprised and asked what the
ambassador meant. The ambassador said, "You Catholics, all of you — we do
not have peace in the world. It is your fault." The priest said,
"Ambassador, why do you blame us?" The ambassador said, "I've
read about this. The Lady came to you at Fatima, right? That's what you
believe? She told you what to do to secure peace in the world. Well, there's no
peace in the world, so obviously you Catholics haven't done it." The
priest had to acknowledge that the ambassador was correct, but still tried to
protest, saying, "Isn't peace everyone's responsibility?" The ambassador
was vehement. "No, she came to you Catholics. Not to Buddhists. Not to
Hindus. She came to you, and it is your responsibility."
We've been given the answer. Pray
the Rosary daily for peace in the world and invite others to pray with you. At
college, there would occasionally be "sit ins for peace." A number of
my fellow students, passionately convicted and righteously indignant though
they were, would go and sit outside the student center with signs. That was
their sit in for peace. It always massively frustrated me because here we were,
a Catholic school, armed with a whole host of powerful prayers and devotions,
and there they were just sitting. If they'd just bothered to pray the Rosary,
their protest would have meant a great deal in this world and the next. Why not
arrange for a Rosary for peace at your colleges and universities, if not every
day, then at least every Saturday, traditionally set aside as Our Lady's day?
Why not revive the tradition of family and neighborhood Rosaries, offered specifically
for the intention of peace in the world? What about having a regular Rosary for
peace at your parish, maybe even before Mass with the permission of your
pastor? And as we come up on the 101st anniversary (May 13-Oct. 13, 2018) of
Our Lady's apparitions at Fatima in 1917, let's embrace the whole message of
Fatima.
• Make the Five First Saturdays devotion
• Consecrate yourself to the Immaculate Heart, and encourage others to do the same.
• Become invested in the Brown Scapular.
• Do penance for your sins and on behalf of poor sinners everywhere.
Don't just sit there — the world is in trouble, and we have the answer.
• Make the Five First Saturdays devotion
• Consecrate yourself to the Immaculate Heart, and encourage others to do the same.
• Become invested in the Brown Scapular.
• Do penance for your sins and on behalf of poor sinners everywhere.
Don't just sit there — the world is in trouble, and we have the answer.
Desire
for Heaven
O
Holy Priest of Ars, your precious remains are contained in a magnificent
reliquary, the donation from the priests of France. But this earthly glory is
only a very pale image of the unspeakable glory which you are enjoying with
God. During the time you were on earth, you used to repeat in your dejected
hours, 'one will rest in the other life." It is done, you are in eternal
peace, and eternal happiness. I desire to follow you one day. Until then, I
hear you saying to me:
"You
should work and fight as long as you are in the world."
Teach
me then to work for the salvation of my soul, to spread the good news and good
example and to do good towards those around me in order that I will receive the
happiness of the Elect with you. Holy Priest of Ars, I have confidence in your
intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for ... (mention
silently your special intentions).
Our
Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
O
St John Vianney, Patron of Priests, pray for us and for all priests!
Daily Devotions
[1]http://www.biblewise.com/bible_study/characters/tobit-and-tobias.php
[4]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1129
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