Overview
of April[1]
At that time: It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem: and it was
winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. The Jews therefore
came round about Him, and said to Him: How long dost Thou hold our souls in
suspense? if Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of My Father, they give testimony of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice: and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them life everlasting, and they shall not perish forever, and no man shall pluck them out of My hand. That which My Father hath given Me, is greater than all: and no man can snatch them out of the hand of My Father. I and the Father are one. The Jews then took up stones to stone Him. Jesus answered them: Many good works I have showed you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me?
The Jews answered Him: For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that Thou being a man, makest Thyself God. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods?
If He called them gods, to whom the word of God was spoken, and the Scripture cannot be broken: do you say of Him, Whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world: Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?
If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though you will not believe Me, believe the works: that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.
The Servant Songs, Day Three: (Within the Book of the Prophet Isaiah we encounter four poetic sections known as the Songs of the Suffering Servant. The specific identity of this Servant of the Lord remains the topic of scholarly debate. Perhaps it refers to the prophet Isaiah himself, perhaps the entire nation of Israel, or possibly the promised Messiah. Christian faith sees these prophetic utterances fulfilled in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Lord.
Because of the Christian identification of the Suffering Servant with Jesus, the four Servant Songs become a way of encountering the Lord during this Lenten Season. Not only do they give us a sense of the commitment and endurance that characterized his messianic ministry, but they become a way of touching the bruised face of the Messiah, of hearing the resolute determination that sustained him in the midst of trial, and of rejoicing with him in God’s ultimate vindication of his calling and service.)
In the third song, we learn of the abuse and derision the Servant endured at the hands of his enemies.
Reflect: Today we reflect on the third of the four Servant Songs.
Pray: Take time with the third servant song today. Read Isaiah 50:4-11.
Act: Here, the servant knows and declares that his help is with the Lord. He does not allow suffering to cause him to stop trusting in the Lord. Instead, with strength of spirit, the servant declares his faith in God. “The Lord GOD is my help . . . I shall not be put to shame.” Amidst darkness and adversity, because he fears the LORD, the servant walks not by his own light but by the light of God.
April Fools' Day is a
light-hearted comedic day of cheer, practical jokes and hoaxes. April
Fools' Day has been observed for centuries although its origins remain unclear.
It has been suggested that in ancient Roman and Hindu cultures, the day
originally marked ‘New Year’s Day’. Although in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII
issued the Gregorian calendar which moved New Year’s Day from April 1st to
January 1st. It is believed that those who continued to celebrate New
Year’s Day on April 1st were referred to as fools, leading to the
concept of April 1st representing All Fools’ Day. It has also been
suggested that April Fools' Day is related to the vernal equinox, the beginning
of spring, when
Mother Nature plays sudden weather tricks on people. The custom of April Fools'
was brought from Britain to the US centuries ago. Both kids and adults in North
America and many European countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland,
Poland, Finland, Iceland, and North American countries have developed
traditional customs to celebrate the day. These typically include fooling
another person and yelling April fools.
The month of April is dedicated to The Holy
Spirit. The first eleven days of the month fall during the season of
Lent which is represented by the liturgical color purple — a
symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart. The
remainder of April falls during the Easter season which is represented by the liturgical color
white — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence (absolute or
restored).
After our solemn commemoration of the last
days and death of Our Lord we will spend the month of April celebrating. As
Spring breaks forth even nature will join us as buds and blooms begin to
surface and we spend this month basking in the joy of the Resurrection. We
continue throughout the entire month our cry, "Christ is risen, Christ is
truly risen." The Feast of Divine Mercy offers us the opportunity to begin
again as though we were newly baptized. The unfathomable mercy of God is made
manifest today if we but accept His most gracious offer. Easter is the feast of
feasts, the unalloyed joy and gladness of all Christians. This truly is
"the day that the Lord has made." From Sunday to Sunday, from year to
year, the Easters of this earth will lead us to that blessed day on which
Christ has promised that He will come again with glory to take us with Him into
the kingdom of His Father.
·
The
saints that we will focus on this month — those who have already shared in the
rewards of the Resurrection — are St. Francis of Paola (April 2), St. Isidore (April 4), St. Vincent Ferrer (April 5), St. Stanislaus (April 11), St. Martin I (April 13), St. Bernadette (April 16), St. Catherine of
Siena
(April 29) and St.
Pius V (April 30).
·
The
feast of St. John Baptist de la Salle (April 7) falls on Sunday so is
superseded the Sunday liturgy. The feasts of St. Anselm (April 21), St. George and St.
Adalbert
(April
23), St.
Fidelis of Sigmaringen (April 24), St. Mark (April 25), Our Lady of Good Counsel (April 26) and St. Louis Mary de Montfort and St. Peter Chanel (April 28) are
superseded by the Easter Week liturgy.
·
Jazz
Appreciation Month
·
Month
of the Military Child
[2]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/2019/04/01/
Wednesday Of the Fifth Week of Lent
ALL FOOLS
DAY
Isaiah,
Chapter 40, verse 9:
Go up onto a high
mountain, Zion, herald of good news! Cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news! Cry out, do not fear! Say to the cities
of Judah: Here is your God!
Christ delights in us if we delight
in Him we should also delight in others.
One of my favorite representations of the Lords
delight with us is a statue of Joseph and the baby Jesus. Jesus and Joseph are
playing. Joseph is slightly bent with
the baby Jesus giggling crawling over the back of Joseph and peeking over his shoulder
looking at his face in peek a boo fashion and delight is all over both of their
faces. How can we fear when we
have a God who loves us so!
In times of tribulation when we feel courage being
drained from our souls let us remember the courage of blessed Saint Joseph
reflecting on his mettle, strength and of course gentleness with our Lord
Jesus. In times of trouble let us call on the aid of St. Joseph reflecting on
this portion of the litany of Saint Joseph[1].
“St. Joseph,
Renowned offspring of David, Light of Patriarchs, Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, Foster father of the Son of God, Diligent
protector of Christ, Head of the Holy Family, Joseph most just, Joseph most
chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most strong, Joseph most obedient, Joseph
most faithful, Mirror of patience, Lover of poverty, Model of artisans, Glory
of home life, Guardian of virgins, Pillar of families, Solace of the wretched,
Hope of the sick, Patron of the dying, Terror of demons, Protector of Holy
Church. Pray for Us!”
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Prayer. SANCTIFY this fast, O God, and mercifully enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful;
and to those whom Thou grantest the grace of devotion mercifully grant, when
they pray to Thee, a favorable hearing.
EPISTLE. Leviticus xix. 1, 2, 11-19.
In those days: The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to
them: I am the Lord your God. You shall not steal. You shall not lie, neither
shall any man deceive his neighbor. Thou shalt not swear falsely by My name,
nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not calumniate thy
neighbor, nor oppress him by violence. The wages of him that has been hired by
thee shall not abide with thee until the morning. Thou shalt not speak evil of
the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind: but thou shalt fear the
Lord thy God, because I am the Lord. Thou shalt not do that which is unjust,
nor judge unjustly. Respect not the person of the poor, nor honor the
countenance of the mighty. But judge thy neighbor according to justice. Thou
shalt not be a detractor nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand
against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy
brother in thy heart, but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him.
Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love
thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord. Keep ye My laws, for I am the Lord your
God.
GOSPEL. John x. 22-38.
Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of My Father, they give testimony of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice: and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them life everlasting, and they shall not perish forever, and no man shall pluck them out of My hand. That which My Father hath given Me, is greater than all: and no man can snatch them out of the hand of My Father. I and the Father are one. The Jews then took up stones to stone Him. Jesus answered them: Many good works I have showed you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me?
The Jews answered Him: For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that Thou being a man, makest Thyself God. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods?
If He called them gods, to whom the word of God was spoken, and the Scripture cannot be broken: do you say of Him, Whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world: Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?
If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though you will not believe Me, believe the works: that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.
Lenten Calendar[2]
Read:The Servant Songs, Day Three: (Within the Book of the Prophet Isaiah we encounter four poetic sections known as the Songs of the Suffering Servant. The specific identity of this Servant of the Lord remains the topic of scholarly debate. Perhaps it refers to the prophet Isaiah himself, perhaps the entire nation of Israel, or possibly the promised Messiah. Christian faith sees these prophetic utterances fulfilled in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Lord.
Because of the Christian identification of the Suffering Servant with Jesus, the four Servant Songs become a way of encountering the Lord during this Lenten Season. Not only do they give us a sense of the commitment and endurance that characterized his messianic ministry, but they become a way of touching the bruised face of the Messiah, of hearing the resolute determination that sustained him in the midst of trial, and of rejoicing with him in God’s ultimate vindication of his calling and service.)
In the third song, we learn of the abuse and derision the Servant endured at the hands of his enemies.
Reflect: Today we reflect on the third of the four Servant Songs.
Pray: Take time with the third servant song today. Read Isaiah 50:4-11.
Act: Here, the servant knows and declares that his help is with the Lord. He does not allow suffering to cause him to stop trusting in the Lord. Instead, with strength of spirit, the servant declares his faith in God. “The Lord GOD is my help . . . I shall not be put to shame.” Amidst darkness and adversity, because he fears the LORD, the servant walks not by his own light but by the light of God.
All fool’s Day
April Fool's Day
Facts & Quotes
·
Traditionally,
pranksters shout April Fool as they reveal the joke. In the United
Kingdom, jokes can only be played until midday. If someone plays a joke
after midday, then they are the April Fool. In Ireland, tradition was to
deliver an important letter to a person, who would then deliver the letter to
another person, and so on. Once finally opened, the letter would say send
the fool further.
·
Fool
me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Chinese Proverb.
April Fool's Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Stay
on guard! You will surely be the victim of a prank during April Fools'
Day, so be extra-careful of pranksters looming around you.
·
With
social media, you can use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to dupe your friends
and family. Celebrities too have been fooled on April Fool’s Day as fake
news about marriage, death or other significant events is propelled on social
media by fans.
·
One
of the best ways to fool someone on April Fools' Day is to call them first
thing in the morning. This way, they are less likely to realize that it
is April Fools' Day. Our top 3 phone call pranks:
1) Breaking news - create a fictional breaking news item about politics, celebrities, events in your city, etc.
2) You're late for work - tell your friend that the time is 11AM and they aren't at work or school yet.
3) Escaped monkey - a monkey from the local zoo is wandering in the backyard. You just saw a news clip of the monkey on the local news
1) Breaking news - create a fictional breaking news item about politics, celebrities, events in your city, etc.
2) You're late for work - tell your friend that the time is 11AM and they aren't at work or school yet.
3) Escaped monkey - a monkey from the local zoo is wandering in the backyard. You just saw a news clip of the monkey on the local news
·
Watch
a hidden-camera or practical joke TV show. Our top 3 picks:
1) Punk’d
2) Just for Laughs: Gags
3) Impractical Jokers
1) Punk’d
2) Just for Laughs: Gags
3) Impractical Jokers
Aids in Battle [2] The
Enemy’s Strategies
·
The
adversary of our human nature examines from every side all our virtues:
theological, cardinal, and moral. Wherever he discovers the defenses of eternal
salvation to be the weakest and most lacking, there he attacks and tries to
take us by storm. ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA
·
[St.
Catherine of Siena reports that Our Lord said to her:] I have told you that the
Devil invites men to the water of death— that is, to the things he has. Then,
blinding them with the pleasures and circumstances of the world, he catches
them with the hook of pleasure through the lure of something good. He could
catch them in no other way; they would not allow themselves to be caught if
they saw that no good or pleasure for themselves could be obtained in this
manner. For the soul, by her very nature, always relishes good. Yet it is true
that the soul, blinded by self-love, does not know and discern what is truly
good and profitable to the soul and to the body. So, the Devil, seeing them
blinded by self-love, wickedly places before these souls diverse and various
delights, colored so as to have the appearance of some benefit or good. He
tempts each one, according to his condition, to those principal vices to which
that soul seems to be most disposed.
·
When
the sly demon, after using many devices, fails to hinder the prayer of the
diligent, he desists for a little while. But when the man has finished his
prayers, the demon takes his revenge. He either fires the man’s anger and thus
destroys the good condition produced by prayer, or he excites an impulse toward
some animal pleasure and thus mocks the man’s mind. ST. NILUS OF SINAI
Daily
Devotions
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