Friday In the Third Week of Lent
happiness day
Isaiah,
Chapter 8, verse 5-7
The
Choice: The Lord or Assyria. 5Again the LORD
spoke to me: 6Because this people has rejected the waters of Shiloah
that flow gently, And melts with FEAR at the display of Rezin and Remaliah’s
son, 7Therefore the Lord is bringing up against them the
waters of the River, great and mighty, the king of Assyria and all his glory.
Isaiah here is admonishing the people that if they
give in to fear and seek the aid
of neighboring kings, they are making a choice. The Lord or Assyria. Isaiah
encouraged them to have courage and trust in God rather than men. The people
repeated the same error as in the time of Moses for they lacked courage failing
to trust in God and while Moses was on Mount Ararat receiving the Ten
Commandments the people made a graven image to protect them. Ultimately King Ahaz and Israel lacked
courage and sought the aid of the strong warrior nation of Assyria which caused
their ultimate failure. We must learn from this verse to put our trust solely
in God and mark our actions and thoughts with total confidence in the power of
God.
Isaiah in the previous chapter had strived to get King
Ahaz to make an act of faith in God's power: "Ask a sign of the Lord your
God." However, the king refused;
for he preferred to seek salvation in human aid, the prophet made this
prediction: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to
weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give
you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his
name Emmanuel"[1](Is
7:13-14). Courage requires us to have the vision of Christ: “For where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18).
Prayer. LOOK down on
our fasts, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with merciful favor, that, as we abstain
from food in body, so we may fast from vice in mind.
EPISTLE. Numbers xx.
2-13.
In those days, the children of Israel came together against Moses
and Aaron: and making a sedition, they said: Would God we had perished among
our brethren before the Lord. Why have you brought out the Church of the Lord
into the wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die? Why have you made
us come up out of Egypt, and have brought us into this wretched place which
cannot be sowed, nor bringeth forth figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates, neither
is there any water to drink?
And Moses and Aaron leaving the multitude, went into the
tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to the
Lord, and said: O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them Thy
treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied they may cease to
murmur. And the glory of the Lord appeared over them. And the Lord spoke to
Moses, saying: Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron
thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters. And
when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their
cattle shall drink. Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as
He had commanded him. And having gathered together the multitude before the
rock, he said to them: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you
forth water out of this rock?
And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice
with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and
their cattle drank. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not
believed Me, to sanctify Me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring
these people into the land which I will give them. This is the water of
contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord,
and He was sanctified in them.
GOSPEL. John iv.
5-42.
At that time Jesus came to a city of Samaria which is called
Sichar; near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was
there. Jesus therefore being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well. It
was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus
saith to her: Give Me to drink. For His disciples were gone into the city to
buy meats. Then that Samaritan woman saith to Him: How dost Thou, being a Jew,
ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate
with the Samaritans. Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the
gift of God, and Who He is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou perhaps
wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water. The woman
saith to Him: Sir, thou hast nothing wherein to draw, and the well is deep:
from whence then hast Thou living water? Art Thou greater than our father
Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and
his cattle?
Jesus answered, and said to her: Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him shall not thirst forever: but the water that I will give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into life everlasting. The woman saith to Him: Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw. Jesus saith to her: Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said I have no husband. Jesus said to her: Thou hast said well, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands: and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. This thou hast said truly. The woman saith to him: Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers adored on this mountain, and you say that at Jerusalem is the place where men must adore. Jesus saith to her: Woman, believe Me, that the hour cometh when you shall neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem adore the Father. You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore Him. God is a spirit, and they that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith to Him: I know that the Messias cometh (Who is called Christ): therefore, when He is come, He will tell us all things. Jesus saith to her: I am He Who am speaking with thee. And immediately His disciples came: and they wondered that He talked with the woman. Yet no man said: What seekest Thou, or why talkest Thou with her?
The woman therefore left her water-pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men there: Come, and see a man Who has told me all things whatsoever I have done. Is not He the Christ?
They went therefore out of the city and came unto Him. In the meantime,
the disciples prayed Him, saying: Rabbi, eat. But He said to them: I have meat
to eat which you know not. The disciples therefore said one to another: Hath
any man brought Him to eat? Jesus saith to them: My meat is to do the will of
Him that sent Me, that I may perfect His work. Do not you say. there are yet
four months, and then the harvest cometh?
Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the countries, for they are already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. For in this is the saying true: that it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labor, others have labored, and you have entered into their labors. Now of that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him, for the word of the woman giving testimony: He told me all things whatsoever I have done. So, when the Samaritans were come to Him, they desired Him that He would tarry there. And He abode there two days. And many more believed in Him because of His own word. And they said to the woman: We now believe, not for thy saying: for we ourselves have heard Him and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.
Lenten
Calendar
Read: The Seven Penitential Psalms, Day Four:
(During times when we wish to express repentance and especially
during Lent, it is customary to pray the seven penitential psalms. The
penitential designation of these psalms’ dates back to the seventh century.
Prayerfully reciting these psalms will help us to recognize our
sinfulness, express our sorrow and ask for God’s forgiveness.) Today we will
focus on Psalm 51.
Pray: “Have mercy on me, God, in accord with
your merciful love; in your abundant compassion
blot out my transgressions.” (Ps 51:3, NABRE)
Act: In this chapter, the psalmist acknowledges his sins to the Lord,
and asks God to cleanse him from sin and unrighteousness. With faith in God’s
purity and faithfulness, he asks to be washed and cleansed, so that his heart
may be made pure. Listen to a recording
of Psalm 51 as you follow along with your
Bible.
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 inside us 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
Litany
of Humility[6]
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear
me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Refrain: Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I
...
That, in the opinion of the world, others may, increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…
That, in the opinion of the world, others may, increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…
National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C.
The nation’s capital comes abloom every spring with the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. See the famed cherry blossom trees, lining the Tidal Basin, while strolling by iconic sites like the Jefferson and Martin Luther King memorials.
Daily
Devotions
[1] Pope John Paul II's General Audience on
January 31, 1996, Vatican Press, February 7, 1996.
[2]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4]http://www.actionforhappiness.org/media/80220/10_keys_summary.pdf
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