This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
Pageviews past week
The Iceman Story
Support this work by purchasing the book or the audiobook.
Monday, June 22, 2020
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
-
Monday in the Octave
of the Sacred Heart
ST. THOMAS MORE
Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 32
Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for
your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Fear is the eighth deadly sin and the Jewish
authorities were absolutely controlled by fear. Naturally when fear rules your
life you instinctively run or fight. They chose the death of one man to save
the people, which was their rationalization to have Christ killed. Judas was
their answer. The Jewish authorities’ leadership failed miserably out of
self-deception.
The anatomy of peace: resolving the heart of conflict[1]
Leadership and Self-Deception is simple: people whose
hearts are at peace do not wage war, whether they're heads of state or members
of a family. In this semi-fictional narrative ("inspired by actual
events") illustrating the principles of achieving peace, the setting is a
two-day parent workshop at an Arizona-based wilderness camp for out-of-control
teenagers, but the storyline is a mere setting for an instruction manual.
Workshop facilitators Yusuf al-Falah, a Palestinian Arab whose father was
killed by Israelis in 1948, and Avi Rozen, an Israeli Jew whose father died in
the Yom Kippur War, use examples from their domestic lives and the history of
their region to illustrate situations in which the normal and necessary
routines of daily life can become fodder for conflict. Readers observe this
through the eyes of one participant, a father whose business is in nearly as
much trouble as his teenage son. The usefulness of the information conveyed
here on how conflicts take root, spread and can be resolved more than compensates
for the pedestrian writing.
John McCain in his book entitled “Character is
Destiny” tells us that Sir Thomas More surrendered everything for the truth as
he saw it and shamed a king with the courage of his conscience. Thomas was a
brilliant student. He loved learning and would for the rest of his life prefer
the less prestigious but more satisfying rewards of a scholar to the riches and
power of the king’s court. He was part of a movement called humanism, whose
followers were faithful to the Church but hoped to encourage a better
understanding of the Gospels and their more honest application to the workings
of society. They studied the great Greek and Roman philosophers, whose views on
morality and just societies they believed complemented their Christian
principles. They were passionate in pursuit of the truth as revealed by God,
and by discovery through study and scholarly debate and discussion. They
thought the world could be made gentler with Christian love and greater
learning—love and learning that served not only the nobility of court and
Church, but all mankind. Thomas was a devout Christian, and for a time lived in
a monastery with the intention of entering the priesthood. The monastic life
was one of isolation and self-denial. And though he took his religious devotion
seriously, he loved the comforts of family life, and the rewards of learning
and earthly pleasures as well: music and art, reading and writing, friendship
and conversation and jests. He loved his city, London, then the greatest
capital of Northern Europe. He loved life. So, he left the cloister for a wife
and family, and returned to the worldly affairs of men. His love of learning
and truth was second only to his love of God, and he encouraged his children,
for the sake of their happiness, to seek truth through learning as well as scripture.
He cultivated friendships and exchanged letters with some of the greatest minds
in Europe, including with the Dutch priest and famous humanist philosopher
Erasmus, who became More’s greatest admirer outside his family, and whose
description of More became the title by which he is still remembered to this
day: “a man for all seasons.” His scholarly reputation and skill as a
scrupulously honest lawyer first gained the attention of the king’s most
powerful counselor, the lord chancellor of England, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. An
ambitious and shrewd politician, Wolsey recognized the younger man’s talents,
and pressed him into the king’s service. Serving first as a diplomat, then in a
series of increasingly powerful offices at court, knighted, and given lands and
wealth, More became a favorite of Wolsey’s and Henry’s. And while he might have
preferred the life of a philosopher, husband, and father to the rigors of
public life, he no doubt took pride in the king’s confidence and favor. When
Wolsey’s downfall came that would lead in time to Thomas’s death, Henry made
his friend, Thomas, Lord Chancellor. It was the highest office at court, and
Thomas More was the first layman to hold it. His appointment was greeted
favorably by the court and public alike, for Thomas was known by one and all as
an honest man, who would conscientiously discharge the duties of his office. As
it turned out, he was too honest for his king. Thomas More waged an
intellectual and judicial war against the followers of Luther that was at times
surprisingly aggressive and even cruel for such a reasonable and just man. In
the beginning, he had the king’s full support in his persecution and
prosecution of “heretics.” More defended the Church out of religious principle,
and because he and the king feared the uncontrollable social disorder that a
permanent split among the faithful would surely cause. But his hatred, if it
could be called that in such a mild man, was for the heresy and not the
heretics. Death was the judgment for heretics in the courts that Thomas More
governed, but he went to great lengths to encourage the accused to recant their
views and escape their sentence. In fact, in the many cases he prosecuted, all
the accused except for four poor souls, who went to their deaths rather than
recant, escaped the headman’s ax. More was diligent in his duty, but a much
more powerful threat than Luther’s protests had encouraged was growing to the
Catholic Church in England. Henry’s queen, Catherine of Aragon, had failed to
produce a surviving male heir. Henry was determined to have a new wife who
could give him a healthy son. Other kings and nobles had received from the pope
annulments of their marriage. But the most powerful king in Europe, the Holy
Roman Emperor Charles V, was Catherine’s nephew, and he had great influence
with Pope Clement VII. He persuaded Clement not to grant an annulment that
would remove the crown from his aunt’s head. Once Henry fell in love with Anne
Boleyn, the fifteen-year-old daughter of a scheming courtier, he would no
longer accept papal opposition to his desire to remarry. In this dangerous and
growing conflict, Thomas More became a central figure, and he would struggle
with all his intellect, lawyer’s skills, and courage to obey his king without
forsaking his church. It would prove impossible. Initially More
dutifully served the king’s wishes, arguing in Parliament that there were
grounds to consider the marriage to Catherine unlawful. But when the king
declared himself, and not the pope, to be the supreme head of the Church in
England, More offered the king his resignation. Henry refused it and promised
his friend that he would never be forced to take any action that his conscience
would not permit. But the king’s assurance was hollow, and soon both he and
More realized that the king’s desires and More’s conscience could not be
reconciled. More again asked the king to accept his resignation, and this time,
Henry agreed. For many months, he was careful not to speak against the king’s
wishes, in public or in private. But he declined to attend the king’s wedding
to Anne Boleyn. When Parliament passed a law requiring the king’s subjects to
sign an oath recognizing Anne as queen, and any children she might bear Henry
as legitimate heirs to the throne, he refused to sign it because it denied the
pope’s authority over the Church in England. He was arrested and imprisoned in
the Tower of London. He remained there until his trial fifteen months later.
The jury, which included Anne Boleyn’s father, brother, and uncle, found him
guilty and sentenced him to be hanged, and drawn and quartered. Then More spoke
his conscience and said he could not in his own heart accept the king as head
of the English Church. The death to which he was first sentenced would have
been a far slower and more painful death than he was made to suffer in the end.
Henry, mercifully, permitted his old friend and counselor to die by beheading.
On the day of his execution, he had some difficulty climbing the scaffold
steps. He thanked the guard who helped him but joked that he should be allowed
to “shift for myself” when he came back down. He recited a prayer of
repentance. The hooded executioner, as was the custom, begged the condemned
man’s forgiveness. More gave him a coin, kissed him, and thanked him for giving
him a “greater benefit than ever any mortal man can be able to give me.” And
then the man who had all his life loved to jest, made one last joke. As he
knelt to place his head upon the block, he asked for a moment to arrange his
long beard so that it wouldn’t be severed by the ax, observing that as far as
he knew his beard had not offended the king. In his last address, spoken
moments earlier, he had asked the crowd of witnesses to pray for his soul and
for the king, for he died “the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” One swift
stroke and the king’s will was done. The life on earth of honest Thomas More
was ended. His glory had just begun.
A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt is a wonderful
play that captures much of St. Thomas More's vitality. There is a 1966 movie by
the same title that stars Paul Scofield as St. Thomas. If you haven't watched
the movie or read the play yet, put it on your priority list.
·If
you or your children are considering a career as a lawyer you might find Dr. Charles Rice's article helpful.
Religious Freedom Week
All people desire to know their Creator.
All people have a natural impulse to seek the good and to live in accordance
with that good. All people can flourish when they pursue the truth about God
and respond to the truth. Religious freedom means that all people have the
space to flourish. Religious freedom is both an American value and an important
part of Catholic teaching on human dignity. When we promote religious freedom,
we promote the common good and thus strengthen the life of our nation and the
community of nations. Learn more at www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek!
Daily
Devotions
·Do not be guided by feeling; it is
not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will. Will is an act of Love.
SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO Alien Manifestations vs Marian Apparitions Core message: Fr. Donald Calloway argues that the modern obsession with aliens, UAPs, and UFOs is becoming a major spiritual distraction and even a deception in the battle for souls. He warns that the cultural excitement around extraterrestrial phenomena is pulling people away from the Gospel, the sacraments, and especially the messages of the Blessed Mother. youtu.be Key Points from the Video The alien/UFO craze is an “unholy distraction.” It diverts attention from the real spiritual battle and from the messages Heaven has already given through Marian apparitions. youtu.be Confusion and division are growing. The topic is becoming a wedge among believers, creating fascination, fear, and speculative thinking instead of prayer and discernment. youtu.be The Blessed Mother has already warned us. Fr. Calloway stresses that Our Lady’s messages—Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe, Akita—contain everything...
NIC’s Corner- Try Legendary Pizza Recipes · Religion in the Home for Preschool: February · Spirit Hour: Burgundy Wine or Kahlua · Writer John Steinbeck born 1902-1968 · Bucket List trip: Chesa Grischuna · How to celebrate Feb 27th o Rise and shine! Start your day with a hearty breakfast to fuel the adventures ahead. Whip up some toast, bacon, eggs, and a steaming cup of coffee – celebrate The Big Breakfast Day in style. As you savor each bite, consider the importance of protein in your diet. Pack a protein-packed snack for an on-the-go boost later in the day to honor National Protein Day . o Feeling nostalgic? Throw it back with some ret...
Day 2 - Sacred Heart Novena - "America Unites to the Sacred Heart of Jesus" Corpus Christi, CCC, and Confronting Evil Corpus Christi is placed on Thursday because it recalls Holy Thursday , the night Christ instituted the Eucharist. Many countries move it to Sunday so the whole Church can participate, but the meaning remains the same: the Eucharist is Christ’s living presence among His people. The Catechism teaches that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324) and that Christ’s sacrifice becomes present in every Mass (CCC 1366). Corpus Christi exists to proclaim this truth publicly—especially through Eucharistic processions. The feast confronts one of the oldest evils: the denial of the Real Presence . The video emphasizes that Christ remains with His people in the tabernacle and in Communion. The Church responds to unbelief not with argument but with adoration —carrying Christ into the streets as a declaration of His kingship. The ...
Receive the Plenary Indulgence on Pentecost Sunday Smoke in this life not the Next Virtue: Fire & Communion Cigar: Bold, spirited (Habano Maduro) Bourbon: High West Double Rye — daring, expansive Reflection: “What flame do I carry into the world?” Pentecost is the Spirit’s fire burning away fear and compromise. The Imitation warns that one hour of the next life’s purifying fire is harsher than a hundred years of penance here . Better to let the Spirit burn now — freely, cleanly, mercifully. Tonight’s smoke reminds me: I was made to burn with God, not for God. MAY 24 Pentecost Sunday Mary, Mary Help of Christians 2 Samuel, Chapter 10, Verse 19 When Hadadezer’s vassal kings saw themselves vanquished by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were AFRAID to give further aid to the Ammonites. God was with David, and he now defeats the Syrians and the Ammonites. The life of David was that of a warrior and this was...
Introduction: What If We Rewarded the People Who Hold the Country Together? Every nation has to decide what it values. Some reward consumption. Some reward speculation. Some reward short-term gain. But what if America chose to reward the people who actually build the country? What if the path to homeownership — the heart of the American Dream — became easier for those who commit to marriage, raise children, serve their communities, defend the nation, and carry the weight of a lifetime of work into retirement? Imagine a mortgage system built around civilizational priorities , not bank profits: –1% mortgage rate for getting married –1% for each child born or adopted –1% for military service –1% for public service (teachers, nurses, first responders) –1% at retirement This isn’t a gimmick. It’s a demographic, economic, and cultural strategy — one that could reshape the country for the better. Let’s explore the positives, the challenges, and how such a system could help...
Smoke in This Life Not the Next Sat, June 6 — First Saturday (Immaculate Heart) Virtue: Shelter & Intercession Cigar: Mild, maternal (Connecticut) Bourbon: Larceny Small Batch — soft, enduring Reflection: Whose sorrow do I carry with Mary? Mary’s Heart is the shelter where sorrow becomes intercession. On this First Saturday, I take up one grief — mine or another’s — and place it inside her Heart, where tenderness becomes strength and wounds become prayer. Purgatory reminds me that love must be purified. Better to smoke in this life than the next. Let the burn of repentance happen now, not later. Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach me whose sorrow I am meant to carry today. Day 6 Sacred Heart Retreat Introduction to 2 Kings [1] First, we'll re-cap a few things about the two Books of Kings, as a whole. They're part of the Deuteronomistic history. What does that mean?" Well, it means that the Book of Deuteronomy, and its religious legal code, help...
Concise Takeaway Evil is real, personal, and active—but radically limited. God permits its activity only to draw forth a greater good, and the Christian confronts it not with fear but with truth, repentance, sacramental life, and the armor of God. Catholic Digest 1. What the video’s theme emphasizes While the specific video transcript was not available, the pattern of your previous links (Eckhardt, deliverance prayers, spiritual warfare teachings) centers on three recurring themes: Evil is personal, not abstract —the devil acts through deception, accusation, and disorder. The believer must not be passive —naming evil, renouncing it, and standing in Christ’s authority is essential. Prayer is confrontation —invoking Christ’s name, Scripture, and repentance breaks the enemy’s influence. These themes align closely with the CCC’s teaching on the reality of Satan, the nature of spiritual combat, and the believer’s duty to resist evil. 2. CCC: The reality of evil and the devil ...
You don’t fast on the Feast of the Sacred Heart because the day is a solemnity, and solemnities override every form of Friday penance. The Church’s instinct is simple and ancient: when Christ reveals His Heart, His people feast, not fast. Even those who keep a strict personal Friday discipline are released from it on this day, not as an indulgence but as an act of obedience to the liturgical mind of the Church. Spiritually, the feast is a day of abundance — mercy poured out, tenderness unveiled, the Heart of Jesus opened. A man who normally keeps Friday lean can let this day be full: a real meal at midday, a small celebratory ritual at dusk, and a renewal of consecration to the Heart that loves without measure. The discipline resumes next week, but today belongs to joy. Smoke in this Life Not the Next Virtue: Reparation & Tender Strength Cigar: Maduro — deep, slow‑burning Bourbon: Stagg Jr. — intense, unflinching Reflection: What wound in me needs to be offered bac...
Comments
Post a Comment