Day 13-Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Stinginess/Miserliness
We have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts to move our hearts toward stinginess and miserliness.
We have fallen into stinginess and miserliness when we have not lived up to the call of our Baptism by not giving back to You a just tithing of our wealth of time, talents and treasure.
We cling to things so much, forgetting the truth that "we can't take it with us."
We ignore the words of the great Job: "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" -Job 1:21
In our weakness, we have been weak in Faith, and clung to our wealth like the Rich Fool.
In so many ways, we fear the loss of temporal wealth more than we fear the loss of Heaven.
We turn to You Lord, in our weakness, and beg Your forgiveness for our stinginess and miserliness.
We love You, Lord, and we beg for the courage to live out the generosity of the Psalmist: "How can I repay the LORD for all the great good done for me? I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people." -Ps 116:12-14
We know, Lord, if You will it, it will be done.
Trusting in You, we offer our prayer to You who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
In Your power and goodness, You created all things.
You set a path for us to walk on and a way to an eternal relationship.
By the strength of Your arm and Word of Your mouth
Cast from your Holy Church every fearful deceit of the Devil
Drive from us manifestations of the demonic that oppress us and beckon us to faithlessness and fear.
Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to Your will.
Send Your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of fear have planted in Your church.
Free us, our families, our parish, our diocese, and our country from all trickery and deceit perpetrated by the Devil and his hellish legions.
Trusting in Your goodness Lord,
We know if You will it, it will be done in unity with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever. Amen.
Christ, have mercy. R. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, R. have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Divine Victim on the Altar for our salvation, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, hidden under the appearance of bread, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, dwelling in the tabernacles of the world, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, really, truly and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, abiding in Your fulness, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Life, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Angels, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, with us always until the end of the world, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, sign and cause of the unity of the Church, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, adored by countless angels, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, spiritual food, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, Sacrament of love, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, bond of charity, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, greatest aid to holiness, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, gift and glory of the priesthood, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we partake of Christ, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which the soul is filled with grace, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we are given a pledge of future glory, R. have mercy on us.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
For those who are indifferent to the Sacrament of Your love, R. have mercy on us.
For those who have offended You in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, R. have mercy on us.
That we may make suitable preparation before approaching the Altar, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may receive You frequently in Holy Communion with real devotion and true humility, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may never neglect to thank You for so wonderful a blessing, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may cherish time spent in silent prayer before You, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may grow in knowledge of this Sacrament of sacraments, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That all priests may have a profound love of the Holy Eucharist, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That they may celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with its sublime dignity, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may be comforted and sanctified with Holy Viaticum at the hour of our death, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may see You one day face to face in Heaven, R. we beseech You, hear us.
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Lord.
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.
Most merciful Father, You continue to draw us to Yourself through the Eucharistic Mystery. Grant us fervent faith in this Sacrament of love, in which Christ the Lord Himself is contained, offered and received. We make this prayer through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
(16th S. Ord. Time)
Matthew,
Chapter 10, verse 31
So, do not be afraid; you
are worth more than many sparrows.
Our deepest fear is not that we are
inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful
beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that
most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be
brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the
world.
There is nothing enlightened about
shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure
around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children
do.
We were born to make manifest the glory
of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in
everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we
unconsciously
give other people permission to do the
same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates
others.
Marianne Williamson.
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost[1]
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord’, . .
.but he who does the will of my Father. . .shall enter the kingdom of
heaven". Not so much what one "says" about the Lord, but how he
"does" His "Will," is what brings forth "good
fruit". Deeds, not mere words, are acceptable to God, acceptable to
neighbor also. Example is the best precept.
The final fruit of sin is "death;" the
fruit of "justice" is "life everlasting".
The Holy Eucharist is the "health-giving"
Fruit of Calvary, our antidote against the poison-laden Dead-Sea fruit of the
world, the flesh and the devil.
"Faith cannot save without virtue" (St.
John Chrysostom).
IN[2] the Introit of the Mass
the Church invites us to the praise of God in the following words : “Oh, clap
your hands, all ye nations, shout unto God with the voice of joy, for the Lord
is most high, He is terrible : He is a great king over all the earth”; (Ps.xlvi.
2, 3).
Prayer. O God, whose providence never faileth in what
it doth order, we humbly beseech Thee to put away from us all things hurtful,
and to give us all things profitable to us.
EPISTLE. Rom. vi. 19-23.
Brethren: I speak a human thing, because of the
infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members to serve
uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members to serve
justice unto sanctification. For when you were the servants of sin you were
free men to justice. What fruit therefore had you then in those things of which
you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death. But now being made free from
sin, and become servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and
the end life everlasting. For the wages of sin is death, but the grace of God,
life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Explanation. In these words, St. Paul
admonishes the Romans that they ought henceforward to devote themselves as
zealously to the service of God as they had hitherto done to that of iniquity, because
the service of sin is death, but the service of God is life everlasting. The
words “servants, to serve”, denote the full and unconditional subjection of the
Christian to God, without walking any longer according to his own will, just
as, in regard to the state of sin, they indicate the dominion of the passions over
the sinner. There is no requirement more reasonable than that a man should
labor as much for God and his own salvation as he has labored for sin and hell.
We should, therefore, often think on the wages of sin eternal death; and when
we are tempted, ask ourselves, “What shall I gain by my lust, my in justice, my
vengeance? Ah, nothing but eternal death! And shall I, created to inherit
eternal life, shall I make myself the heir of eternal death?”
GOSPEL. Matt. vii. 15-21.
At that time Jesus said
to His disciples: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of
sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves: by their fruits you shall know
them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit: neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit:
every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and shall be
cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone
that saith to Me: Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he
that doth the will of My Father Who is in heaven, he shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
Who are
meant by false prophets?
1. The world, which promises us honors and riches,
but in the end rewards our toil and labor with disgrace and scorn.
2. The flesh, which promises pleasures and joys,
but at last leaves nothing but the bitter reproaches of an unquiet conscience.
3. The devil, who promises us a long life, and time
for repentance, while the obdurate sinner is cut off suddenly in the midst of
his days.
4. All such evil-minded persons as conceal their
wicked purpose under the mask of virtue and honesty, until they have entrapped
unwary souls, and drawn them into all kinds of shameful misdeeds. It is these
false prophets of Satan, and wolves of hell, that make the greatest havoc in
the flock of Christ.
Why does
Christ say, “every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down
and cast into the fire”? He thereby warns us that faith alone, without good
works, or, in other. words, the mere desire for heaven without the practice of
virtue, will not save us. Christ says plainly, “Not everyone that saith to Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will
of My Father Who is in heaven.” Jesus also saith, “Whosoever shall do the will
of My Father Who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother; (Matt.
xii. 50). Endeavor, therefore, O Christian, to fulfil in all things the will of
God.
INSTRUCTION ON
GOOD WORKS
What are good works? All actions of men which are done according to the
will of God, from love of Him, and by the help of grace.
Which are the principal good works? Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer including
all acts belonging to the service of God: fasting, all mortifications of the
body; almsgiving, all works of mercy.
How many are the works of mercy? Two: corporal and spiritual.
Which are the spiritual works of mercy? Those which have for their object the salvation of
our neighbor; as,
1, to admonish the sinner.
2, to instruct the ignorant.
3, to counsel the doubtful.
4, to comfort the afflicted.
5, to bear wrongs patiently.
6, to forgive injuries and offences.
7, to pray for the living and the dead.
Which
are the corporal works of mercy?
1, To feed the hungry.
2, to give drink to the thirsty.
3, to clothe the naked.
4, to visit the prisoners.
5, to shelter the houseless.
6, to visit the sick.
7, to bury the dead.
What
is necessary to render works meritorious?
1, They must
be good in themselves.
2, they must
be done by the grace of God.
3, in the state of grace.
4, by free will.
5, with the good intention of pleasing God.
Can
we be saved without good works? No; for Christ says
expressly, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and
shall be cast into the fire.” And that servant in the Gospel (Matt. xxv. 25)
who neither wasted his talent nor yet traded with it, but digged into the earth
and hid his lord’s money, was therefore cast into the outer darkness.
National Ice Cream Day[3]
National Ice Cream Day is dedicated
to appreciating ice cream. In 1984, Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of
Kentucky initiated a joint resolution to declare July as the National Ice
Cream Month and July 15 as National Ice Cream Day. On July 9,
1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July 1984 as the National Ice Cream
Month and July 15, 1984 as the National Ice Cream Day. This holiday
is now celebrated on the third Sunday of July.
According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the origins of ice
cream date back to the second century B.C., when several prominent historical
figures such as Alexander the Great, King Soloman and Nero Claudius Caesar
enjoyed consuming iced beverages and snow. As the centuries passed, the snow
and ice were refined into cream ice and eventually, in 1777, ice cream
was first advertised in New York. However, ice cream was a rare delicacy for
the elite until 1800s when ice houses were built. Since then, it has become a
staple dessert for the American people.
National
Ice Cream Day Facts & Quotes
·
During the summer of 1790, President George
Washington spent $200 on ice cream. Meanwhile, according to Thomas Berry
of Duke University, the price of 1 pound of coffee was $0.50 in 1788.
·
10% of milk in the US goes towards making ice
cream.
·
During World War II, ice cream was served to
troops to boost morale while sanctions and rationing was in effect for the
general public. When the war ended, rationing of ice cream was lifted and
Americans celebrated victory with a cold, creamy treat. In fact, each American
consumed more than 20 quarts of ice cream in 1946.
·
In 2014, 872 million gallons of ice cream were
produced in the United States. The average American annually consumes 22
pounds of ice cream.
·
Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food,
enjoyed by over ninety percent of the people in the United States. It enjoys a
reputation as the perfect dessert and snack food. Over eight hundred and
eighty-seven million gallons of ice cream were consumed in the United States in
1983. - President Ronald Reagan, Proclamation 5219 - National Ice Cream Month
and National Ice Cream Day, 1984
National
Ice Cream Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Enjoy ice cream with your family and friends.
·
Get free or discounted ice cream. Most ice
cream shops giveaway free ice cream or offer special discounts on National Ice
Cream Day.
·
Make President Thomas Jefferson's favorite vanilla ice
cream. The recipe
believed to have been handwritten by Jefferson is archived at the Library of
Congress.
·
Liven up your ice cream by getting some healthy toppings.
Our favorites:
-Chopped Walnuts
-Fresh Berries
-Raw Cacao nibs
-Goji Berries
-Frozen chopped banana
-Granola
-Unsweetened shredded Coconut
·
Try a non-dairy alternative to milk-based ice
cream products. Whether it is for dietary choices or lactose-intolerance,
there are a variety of non-dairy frozen desserts made from soymilk, coconut
milk, almond milk, cashew milk and rice milk. Here are some non-dairy
frozen desserts to try:
- Rice Dream Organic Vanilla
- Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey
- So Delicious Dairy Free Cashew Milk in Salted Caramel Cluster flavor
- Nada Moo Gotta Do Chocolate Ice Cream
- So Delicious Almond Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Something for Mommy[4]
Need a way to cool off? Why not
celebrate Daiquiri Day. This refreshing drink was invented in the early
1900’s in a small mining town of Daiquiri near Santiago, Cuba, an engineer
named Jennings Stockton Cox created a simple drink called a Daiquiri.
Cox came up with this concoction in an
effort to cool down during the summer month, with a simple blend of lime juice,
sugar and local Bacardi rum, over cracked ice. This he found to be the best way
to boost the morale of mine workers during the hot months.
Such was the success of Cox’s drink
not only did he received a generous stipend from the company, he also received
a monthly gallon of Bacardi to continue supplying the refreshing drink.
Novena of St. Ann[5]
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those
who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the
weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take
the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it
before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue
to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me
the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the
saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail
Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St.
Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.
THIRD DAY
Hail, good St. Ann, who
first responded to the needs of Mary, Mother of our Savior and Queen of Angels.
Hail to you and to your husband St. Joachim, who watched over her infancy,
presented her to the Lord in the temple and, according to your promise,
consecrated her to the service of God.
Hail St. Ann, good
mother! I rejoice in the marvels you continually perform, because they
encourage all to seek your intercession.
Good St. Ann, by the
great power that God has given you, show yourself my mother, my consoler, my
advocate. Reconcile me to the God I have so deeply offended. Console me in my
trials; strengthen me in my struggles. Deliver me from danger in my time of
need. Help me at the hour of death and open to me the gates of paradise.
Daily Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after SUNSET ON SATURDAY till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
"Faith cannot
save without virtue"
·
Rosary
[1]My Sunday Missal,
Confraternity of the Precious Blood
[2]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896
[4] https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/daiquiri-day/
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