Octave Wednesday
SPIRITUAL crib-MOUNTAIN
DAY
Proverbs, Chapter 3,
Verse 7-8
7 Do not be wise in
your own eyes, fear the LORD and turn
away from evil; 8
this will mean health for your flesh and vigor for your bones.
This chapter focuses on guidance for the young.
1. Don’t forget the law: Love the Lord
your God and your neighbor as yourself.
2. Be merciful as is God.
3. Seek the ultimate truth.
4. Seek humility.
5. Tithe and honor God with your
possessions.
6. Take correction (testing) with a
spirit of love and obedience.
7. Wisdom is greater than
possessions-be happy.
8. Be discrete and graceful-don’t
gossip.
9. Hold no grudges and you will sleep
soundly.
10. Do not fear the wicked when they
come remember the Lord is your confidence.
11. Do not delay on giving assistance
to those whom it is due when it is within the power of your hand to do so.
12. Do not scheme against your
neighbor.
13. Do not strive against someone
without just cause.
14. Do not be an oppressor, bully, and
teaser.
15. Do not be perverse, willful and
stubborn.
16. Be upright, decent and honest.
Wisdom promises a reward: long life, a good name,
divine protection, health, abundant crops. Yet, being a disciple of the Lord
does not guarantee unalloyed bliss: one must
allow God freedom to “reprove” or educate. The process of education is like
when a father first invites his son (or disciple) to memorize his teaching (v. 1), then to enter upon a
relationship of trust with him (v. 3), and finally to place
his trust in God, who takes up the parental task of education (v. 5). Education begun by
the parent is brought to full completion by God. One might be tempted to judge
the quality of one’s relationship to God by one’s prosperity. It is an
inadequate criterion, for God as a teacher might go counter to student
expectations. The discipline of God can involve suffering. Serving God requires
serving one’s neighbor through kindness (vv. 27–28), maintaining peace
with the good (vv. 29–31), having no envy of the
wicked (v. 31),
because the Lord’s friendship and kindness are with the just, not with the
wicked.[1]
Spiritual Crib[2]
A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to
prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults
and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life.
1st day, December 11th: THE
STONES—Pure Intention By pure intention today, we will bring together the
materials for the stable. The Wagon to carry the stones shall be the pure
intention, the Horses the great fervor in the service of God, and the stones we
collect by making 100
aspirations to the most Sacred Heart of our dear Redeemer.
In certain areas of the world they are also a source
of unique agriculture, providing ample space for the production of those
products that grow best on their slopes. Coffee, Cocoa, Herbs, Spices, and the
form of handicrafts that spring from the minds of those who live in the
unchanging protection of these towering edifices to geology. International
Mountain Day is your opportunity to head out and appreciate these unique
landforms, and all they have to offer. Established in December of 2003, the
United Nations General Assembly created this day to help bring awareness to all
of the things we rely on mountains for. Whether it’s all of the glories
mentioned above, or how necessary they are for the health and well-being of the
flora and fauna that call them their home, International Mountain Day promotes
them all.
How to Celebrate International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day can be
celebrated in a cavalcade of fun and educational ways. Head out to your local
mountain to discover all the things it has to offer. Whether it’s a day in the
numerous parks and hidden places that can be found in their craggy terrain, or
amazing tourist towns like Leavenworth, WA, get on out there and explore.
Hiking enthusiasts will find the many trails and secret places a joy, as well
as being able to enjoy the far-flung places that so few ever visit. Due to the
challenges of developing them, there is almost always an opportunity to enjoy
nature in all its glory. Even better, once you’ve hiked your way into the far
reaches of untouched wilderness, you can settle down to camp away from the
light pollution and noise of city life. Or maybe you prefer to drive, the
twisting winding roads that navigate the mountainsides have some of the most
beautiful country that can be found, near or far. Snugged down between the
rising cliff-face and the sheer drop into the valley, the view is simply
unmatched, and such a thing can be refreshing to the human soul. International
Mountain Day is a call to get out into the wild and see what it has to offer!
Since ancient times various
mountains around the world have been held sacred. Here are 10 worth visiting
for a spiritual high.
1. Mount Nebo, Jordan (2,330 ft)
According to the final
chapter of Deuteronomy, Mount Nebo is where the Hebrew prophet Moses beheld the
promised land that God would give to the Jewish people. On a clear day you can
see the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the River Jordan, Jericho and the Mount
of Olives. The remains of a 4th century monastery was discovered on this windy
peak in western Jordan in 1933, and the church features an impressive
collection of ancient mosaics.
2. Mount Croagh Patrick,
Ireland (2,507 ft)
As many as one million pilgrims trek this peak
annually to pray at the stations of the cross, participate in Mass, or just
enjoy the spectacular view over Ireland’s western coast. Pre-Christian Celts
believed the deity Crom Dubh lived on the mountain and later St. Patrick who
introduced Christianity to Ireland “is believed to have spent 40 days and
nights fasting and praying atop the mountain.
3. Mount Olympus, Greece
The legendary home of the
Greek Gods and throne of Zeus is the highest mountain in Greece at 9,577 feet.
The 2-3-day hike to the summit features a close-up look at the roughly 1,700
different species of flora that grow on the mountain.
4. Mount Agung, Bali
The Balinese consider the
volcanic Mount Agung to be the center of the universe. It rises 10,308 feet
high in eastern Bali. The Mother Temple of Besakih, the largest and holiest
temple in Bali, sits roughly 3,000 feet up its slopes.
5. Mount Fuji, Japan
This snowcapped mountain
west of Tokyo is sacred in both Buddhism and Shintoism. During the July and
August climbing season more than 200,000 people hike to the top of this 12,388
ft. peak. Also, an active volcano, Mount Fuji has been venerated as the home of
a fire god, a Shinto goddess and Dainichi Nyorai, the Great Sun Buddha.
6. The San Francisco Peaks, Arizona
More than a dozen Native American tribes consider this
volcanic chain in the Coconino National Forest to be sacred, including the
Hopi, who believe the peaks are the mythological home of the Kachina People. In
order to protect the area as much as possible, there are no paved roads to the
summit. The 9-mile Humphreys Peak Trail is a strenuous round-trip journey that
leads to the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet.
7. Mount of the Holy Cross, Colorado
Legends of a giant cross
hidden deep in the Rocky Mountains proved true when photographer William Henry
Jackson returned from an expedition in 1873 with a picture of this mythical
peak, the northernmost 14,000 ft mountain in the Sawatch Range. Mount of the
Holy Cross is named for the distinctive cross-shaped snowfield that adorns its
northeastern face and is a popular Christian pilgrimage site.
8. Popocatepel, Mexico
(17,802 ft)
This volcanic peak located roughly 45 miles southeast
of Mexico City figures largely in both Aztec and Nahua legends and among local
Nahua today El Popo, as its called for short, is a living, breathing entity.
Spanish missionaries built 14 monasteries on El Popoâs slopes during the 16th
century, and they’ve been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
9. Mount Kailash, China/Tibet
(21,778 ft)
Thousands of Buddhist,
Hindu, Jain and Bonpo pilgrims’ journey to the remote Himalayan town of Darchen
each year to make koras, ritual circuits, around the base of Mount Kailash.
Setting foot on the mountain is considered to be a sacrilege, but one 32-mile
kora around the base is believed to erase a lifetime of sins.
10. Mount Everest,
Nepal/China border
Tibetans call Mount Everest
the Goddess Mother of the Universe, the Nepalese call it Goddess of the Sky. At
29,029 feet, it the highest mountain on the planet. Everest is part of the
Himalayan mountain range and it a day hike from the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet
to Base Camp.
Daily
Devotions
·
Attend
Mass: During the Octave of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
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