Ember Wednesday
Ezekiel,
Chapter 18, Verse 14-17
14 But, in turn, if
he (a sinful man) begets a son who sees all the sins his father commits, yet FEARS and does not imitate him— 15a son who does not eat on the mountains, or raise his
eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile a neighbor’s wife; 16who does not oppress anyone, or exact a pledge, or
commit robbery; who gives his food to the hungry and clothes the naked; 17who refrains from evildoing, accepts no interest or
usury, but keeps my ordinances and walks in my statutes—this one shall not die
for the sins of his father. He shall surely live!
This is the beauty of discipleship it gives us time to discern our spiritual leadership. To increase your leadership discernment: [1]
·
Assess each person based on their particular
situation. Are you stereotyping? Are you treating people as things and not
people? Are you treating others as you wish to be treated?
·
Listen to your heart and your head-do the right
thing.
·
Learn from wise leaders. Study and read the lives of
other leaders: Character is
Destiny.
"Heavenly Father, I come before you as your child, in great need of your help; I have physical health needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and interpersonal needs. Many of my problems have been caused by my own failures, neglect and sinfulness, for which I humbly beg your forgiveness, Lord. But I also ask you to forgive the sins of my ancestors whose failures have left their effects on me in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns and defects in body, mind and spirit. Heal me, Lord, of all these disorders. With your help I sincerely forgive everyone, especially living or dead members of my family tree, who have directly offended me or my loved ones in any way, or those whose sins have resulted in our present sufferings and disorders. In the name of your divine Son, Jesus, and in the power of his Holy Spirit, I ask you, Father, to deliver me and my entire family tree from the influence of the evil one. Free all living and dead members of my family tree, including those in adoptive relationships, and those in extended family relationships, from every contaminating form of bondage. By your loving concern for us, heavenly Father, and by the shed blood of your precious Son, Jesus, I beg you to extend your blessing to me and to all my living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative effects in future generations of my family tree. I symbolically place the cross of Jesus over the head of each person in my family tree, and between each generation; I ask you to let the cleansing blood of Jesus purify the bloodlines in my family lineage. Set your protective angels to encamp around us, and permit Archangel Raphael, the patron of healing, to administer your divine healing power to all of us, even in areas of genetic disability. Give special power to our family members' guardian angels to heal, protect, guide and encourage each of us in all our needs. Let your healing power be released at this very moment, and let it continue as long as your sovereignty permits. In our family tree, Lord, replace all bondage with a holy bonding in family love. And let there be an ever-deeper bonding with you, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, to your Son, Jesus. Let the family of the Holy Trinity pervade our family with its tender, warm, loving presence, so that our family may recognize and manifest that love in all our relationships. All of our unknown needs we include with this petition that we pray in Jesus' precious Name. Amen.
Wednesday
after Pentecost-Ember Day[2]
EPISTLE.
Acts v. 12-16.
IN
those days: By the hands of the apostles were many signs - and wonders wrought
among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. But of
the rest no man durst join himself unto them; but the people magnified them.
And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was more increased:
insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on
beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow
any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities. And there came
also together to Jerusalem a multitude out of the neighboring cities, bringing
sick persons, and such as were troubled with unclean spirits, who were all
healed.
GOSPEL.
John vi. 44-52.
At that time Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews:
No man can come to Me, except the Father, Who hath sent Me, draw him, and I
will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they
shall all be taught of God. Everyone that hath heard of the Father, and hath
learned, cometh to Me. Not
that any man hath seen the Father, but He Who is of God, He hath seen the
Father. Amen, amen, I say unto you: He that believeth in Me hath everlasting
life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are
dead. This is the bread which
cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it he may not die. I am the
living bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he
shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of
the world.
What Are Ember Days?[3]
The
term “Ember Days” is derived from the Latin term Quatuor Tempora, which literally means
“four times.” There are four sets of Ember Days each calendar year: three days
each – Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Ember Days fall at the start of a new
season and they are ordered as days of fast and abstinence. The significance of
the days of the week are that Wednesday was the day Christ was betrayed, Friday
was the day He was crucified, and Saturday was the day He was entombed.
According to
the Catholic Encyclopedia, the
purpose of Ember Days, “besides the general one intended by all prayer and
fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of
them in moderation, and to assist the needy.”
Ember Wednesday Mediation
on Betrayal[4]
Why is the Devil still in action? God is infinitely
more powerful than the Devil and his hosts. So why doesn’t God prevent them
from their evildoing on planet earth?
We could ask a
similar question about why God doesn’t stop human beings from committing wicked
deeds. Evil’s continuing presence among us is a mystery we can’t fully figure
out in this life. Nevertheless, we can say this much: God allows evil because
He’s powerful enough to bring out of even the greatest evil a much greater
good. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ provides a vivid illustration of this
reality. According to the Gospel, when “Satan entered into Judas,” one of the
twelve Apostles, he went out to betray Jesus (see Lk 22:3–4). So, the worst
evil we can imagine—the torture and murder of God’s innocent Son—occurred
through the Devil’s influence. Yet the triumph of the empty tomb transformed
the horror of the Cross. Satan was thwarted. When Jesus rose from the dead, He displayed
God’s power to bring out of the greatest of evils an even greater good: the
world’s redemption.
Every Wednesday is
Dedicated to St. Joseph
The Italian culture has
always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make
Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or
spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass.
You could even do carry out to help restaurants recover from the pandemic. If
you are really adventurous you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph
style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever
you do make the day special.
·
Do
Day 3 of Total Consecration to St. Joseph.
·
Do
the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.
Daily
Devotions
·
In desolation,
darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me and to your spiritual
director. He will always answer you in my name.
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1] The Maxwell Leadership Bible
[2]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
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