Day 40-Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Sloth
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We have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts to sloth, lazieness, and disordered love of ease.
We have allowed ourselves to be negligent and unjust to those around us.
We have allowed ourselves to squander the great gifts you have given us of our minds, bodies, and souls.
We have expected You to be turn a blind eye to our sloth and reward our lack of juctice.
We have, at times, been a source of scandal for those searching through our sinfulness and rebellion to You.
In our fear, we have allowed the ancient foe to advance.
We turn to You Lord, in our sorrow and guilt, and beg Your forgiveness for sloth in all its forms.
We beg for the grace of Your goodness to build up within us what You sought to build up in Your apostles in that tempest tossed boat.
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.
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 sloth.
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 sloth 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 forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Mary, like unto the Heart of God, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, instrument of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Divine Trinity, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of God Incarnate, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, immaculate from thy creation, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, full of grace, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, most humble, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, holocaust of Divine Love, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, fastened to the Cross with Jesus Crucified, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us.
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus.
O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, grant that we, who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, may merit to be found like unto the Heart of Jesus, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY
46
And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
47
my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will
all ages call me blessed.
49
The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50
His mercy is from age to age to those who
FEAR
him.
51
He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
52
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.
53
The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away
empty.
54
He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,
55
according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants
forever.”
Traditionally Roman Catholics believe Mary, the Virgin mother of Jesus,
never physically died and instead ascended into heaven. Mary, as the
mother of God, is believed by some Christian faiths to have lived a life
without sin. Some early-church theologians believed that since she and
Christ were both without sin that Mary must have raised bodily to heaven
just as Christ was. This belief began the feast of the Assumption of
Mary.
Assumption of Mary Facts
·
The Assumption of Mary isn't in the Bible. The theology it is based
upon is from several early church documents and sermons. The
Orthodox Church continued the tradition, but it didn't become doctrine in
the Roman Catholic Church until 1950 when Pope Pius XII declared the
belief infallible.
·
Thomas was the only disciple who purportedly saw Mary's ascension into
heaven. In a reversal of his story in scripture, the other disciples
didn't believe him at first. Mary dropped her girdle when she
reached heaven, and Thomas caught it.
·
The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is a high feast Day in the Roman
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. The day venerates the
assumption into heaven of Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is held on
August 15. In the Orthodox tradition, the feast, called the
Dormition of the Theotokos, is held the same date, although the day may be
later for churches that follow the Gregorian calendar.
Assumption of Mary Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend an Orthodox Church during the Feast of the Assumption to see the
blessing of flowers.
·
Start an herb garden or plant some bulbs to bloom in
spring
in honor of Mary.
·
The Assumption of Mary is a popular subject in Christian art. One
of the most famous is The Assumption of the Virgin, by El Greco and
available for viewing in the Art Institute of Chicago. See if your
local art museum has paintings of the Assumption.
·
Sing or Listen to a rendition of "Ave Maria". One of the more
popular renditions is by Luciano Pavarotti.
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Many faithful in the Orthodox Church will also be breaking a two-week
fast after the service honoring the Assumption of Mary. If you are
fasting attend a community meal offered by many Orthodox Churches.
·
The Directory on Popular Piety
talks about the deep significance of this feast day. It also refers to the
custom of blessing herbs:
o In the Germanic countries, the custom of blessing herbs is associated
with 15 August. This custom, received into the Rituale Romanum, represents
a clear example of the genuine evangelization of pre-Christian rites and
beliefs: one must turn to God, through whose word "the earth produced
vegetation: plants bearing seeds in their several kinds, and trees bearing
fruit with their seed inside in their several kinds" (Gen 1, 12) in order
to obtain what was formerly obtained by magic rites; to stem the damages
deriving from poisonous herbs, and benefit from the efficacy of curative
herbs.
o This ancient use came to be associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary, in
part because of the biblical images applied to her such as vine, lavender,
cypress and lily, partly from seeing her in terms of a sweet smelling
flower because of her virtue, and most of all because of Isaiah 11, 1, and
his reference to the "shoot springing from the side of Jesse", which would
bear the blessed fruit of Jesus.
o This
Blessing of Herbs
is included in the prayers library.
·
In an age of sensuality and materialism the Assumption points out the
dignity and destiny of our human body, extols the dignity of womanhood,
and turns our eyes to the true life beyond the grave. At Mass today ask
Mary for the grace to keep your mind fixed on things above and to aspire
continually to be united with her and to be brought to the glory of the
Resurrection.
Processions[3]
Most likely the oldest and certainly the highest annual feast day of
Mary, the Feast of the Assumption is held in both east and west as a day
of great solemnity.
Processions would wind
their way either through cities and towns in order to publicly honor Mary
or through fields in order to pray for God's blessing upon the harvest.
Marian hymns would be sung, and statues of the Blessed Virgin carried. In
some places there would even be a
dramatic representation
of the mystery of the assumption. The statue of Mary would be carried
through town to an elaborate arch of flowers symbolizing the gate of
Heaven. From here another statue, a statue of Christ, would greet "her"
and conduct her to the church as a symbol of her entrance into eternal
glory. The procession would then conclude with Benediction.
United in Prayer under Our Lady
“When people say the Rosary together, it is far more formidable to the
devil, than one said privately. Because in this public prayer, it is an
army that is attacking him. He can often overcome the prayer of an
individual, but if this prayer is joined to other Christians, the devil
has much more trouble in getting the best of it.” -St Louis de Montfort.
We are calling all “believing” Catholics to join in a powerful campaign
of spiritual warfare, entitled, “Novena for Our Nation” (August 15 to October 7). The
United States Grace Force
has grown to over 70,000 Special Forces Prayer Warriors, and we want to
get larger and stronger!!
Cardinal Burke has joined in calling us all to get in the fight …
“There is no question that we are living in the most troubled
times. Fundamental truths about human life about marriage and the
family and about the conscience are being called into question by
threatening the lives of individuals and of our society. But we are full
of courage because we know that our Lord is with us. He’s called us to be
His soldiers on the ground, working with Him for the salvation of the
world.
There is a 54 day Novena
beginning on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
which will be completed on October 7. Your prayer would be even more
efficacious if you would also take part in that 54 day Novena.”
We have witnessed a multitude of miracles (private and public) since this
“68,000 strong”
United States Grace Force began praying together in 2016 (see HERE).
PRAYER AND TRAINING!
This prayer campaign is also a Basic Training in Holiness. Each day,
along with praying your rosary, holiness trainees will be provided
with a 1-2-minute reflection on the qualities of excellence. The first 27
days, trainees will read from passages in scripture, quotes from
saints and the catechism on one of the following: Theological Virtues,
Cardinal Virtues, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the Fruits of the Holy
Spirit. The second 27 days will be excerpts from the book entitled,
Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training for the Life
in Christ.
The daily reflections for this prayer and training campaign can be found
in multiple places.
1) You can sign up to receive the 54 Day Rosary prayers with daily
reflection in your email.
Click Here to Sign Up.
2) You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group
HERE, to receive the reflections each day.
Our Lady’s 30 Days[4]
In pre-Christian times the season from the middle of August to the middle
of September was observed as a period of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the
successful harvest of grains. Many symbolic rites were aimed toward assuring
man of prosperous weather for the reaping of the fall fruits and for winter
planting. Some elements of these ancient cults are now connected with the
feast and season of the Assumption. All through the Middle Ages the days
from August 15 to September 15 were called
"Our Lady's Thirty Days"
(Frauendreissiger) in the German-speaking sections of Europe. Many Assumption shrines even
today show Mary clothed in a robe covered with ears of grain. These images
(Maria im Gerteidekleid, Our Lady of Grains) are favored goals of
pilgrimages during August. Popular legends ascribe a character of blessing
and goodness to Our Lady's Thirty Days. Both animals and plants are said to
lose their harmful traits. Poisonous snakes do not strike, poison plants are
harmless, wild animals refrain from attacking humans. All food produced
during this period is especially wholesome and good and will remain fresh
much longer than at other times of the year. The fact that herbs picked in
August were considered of great power in healing occasioned the medieval
practice of the "Blessing of Herbs" on Assumption Day. The Church thus
elevated a popular belief of pre-Christian times into an observance of
religious import and gave it the character of a Christian rite of deep and
appropriate meaning. In central Europe the feast itself was called "Our
Lady's Herb Day" (Kräutertag in German, Matka Boska Zielna in
Polish). In the Alpine provinces the blessing of herbs is still bestowed
before the solemn service of the Assumption. The city of Wurzburg in Bavaria
used to be a favored center of these blessings, and from this fact it seems
to have received its very name in the twelfth century (Würz: spice
herb). The Roman Ritual still provides an official blessing of herbs
on Assumption Day which, among other prayers, contains the petition that God
may bless the medicinal powers of these herbs and make them mercifully
efficient against diseases and poisons in humans and domestic animals. The
Eastern Rites have similar blessings. In fact, the Syrians celebrate a
special feast of "Our Lady of Herbs" on May 15. Among the Armenians, the
faithful bring the first grapes from their vineyards to church on Assumption
Day to have them solemnly blessed by the priest. Before breakfast the father
distributes them to his family. No one would dream of tasting the new
harvest before consuming the first blessed grapes on Our Lady's Day.
Total Consecration to St. Joseph-Day 27[5]
On Day 27 Father Calloway shows that devotion to St. Joseph will help
families from falling apart.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, Pray for Us.
Noble offspring of David, Pray for Us.
Light of Patriarchs, Pray for Us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, Pray for Us.
Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, Pray for Us.
Foster Father of the Son of God, Pray for Us.
Zealous Defender of Christ, Pray for Us.
Head of the Holy family, Pray for Us.
Joseph Most Just, Pray for Us.
Joseph Most Chaste, Pray for Us
Joseph Most Prudent, Pray for Us.
Joseph Most Courageous, Pray for Us.
Joseph Most Obedient, Pray for Us.
Joseph Most Faithful, Pray for Us.
Mirror of Patience, Pray for Us.
Lover of Poverty, Pray for Us.
Model of Workmen, Pray for Us.
Glory of Domestic Life, Pray for Us.
Guardian of Virgins, Pray for Us.
Pillar of Families, Pray for us.
The family was designed by God to be a school of love, something that is beautiful, delightful and life-giving. St. Joseph will help to protect your family which the devil and his cohorts desire to destroy.
·
Saint Joseph loves the family!
· Saint Joseph wants to be the pillar of your family.
Joseph wants you to establish norms of:
·
Prayer
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mutual respect
·
purity
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honesty
·
forgiveness
·
affection
· and most importantly the supremacy of God as the head of your family.
The TV’s current representation of the modern family is a lie and
deception. Joseph will show you the means to be a true husband and father.
The men represented by Satan are self-serving and seek to avoid
responsibility. Joseph will help you to perfect your love through a spirit
of sacrifice and faithfulness to your wife and children. You are the vicar
of your family and God has appointed you to lead them to salvation.
TEN COMMANDMENTS OF A HUSBAND & FATHER[6]
“Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the Lord, your
God, following His ways and observing His statutes, commands, ordinances
and decrees, that you may succeed in whatever you do.” – 1 Kings 2:2-3
1.
Develop an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to forgive you of your past,
to talk to you, to heal you and to guide you. Then, trust the Holy Spirit in
all things. Trust Him to provide everything you need, including financial
help.
2.
Get your priorities in order: Jesus first, your
wife second, your children third, your work fourth, etc. Develop a
weekly schedule, blocking out quality time for the Lord, your wife, each child
and the family as a whole. A husband’s most important time during any
given day is the first five minutes when he gets home from work and the love
and attention, he shows his wife and children at that time. Remember
that your human fatherhood is rooted in the Divine Fatherhood of Almighty God
(cf. Ephesians 3:14-15; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church,
2214).
3.
Realize that you are the “vicar” of the
home. It is your primary responsibility to oversee the TV and its influence,
the internet and its influence, as well as the books and magazines that enter
into your home. You must stand firmly against all evil
influences, asking constantly for God’s strength and guidance to lead your
family in living a pure, holy and non-violent lifestyle.
Esto vir! (Be a man!). A father fosters moral virtue
within his home first and foremost by example. Get into the habit of
blessing your children – both alone and with your wife – before they go to
sleep at night or before they leave the house in the morning.
4.
Make sure you know what your children are being
taught at school regarding morals and values. All teachers teach “in your
place” as you and your wife are the primary educators of your children.
If objectionable subjects or materials are being taught in the classroom, you
must stand strong. The primary place for Christian morals and values to
be taught and practiced is within the family home – your home, which
you oversee. This is an awesome responsibility given both to you (as the
“head” of your household) and to your wife (as the “heart” of your
household). Realize that your headship is to be modeled after the
headship of the
wise and prudent king who loves and rules over his kingdom and its
inhabitants. Your headship is not to be modeled after the headship
of the master who rules over his slaves. You do not exist as the
head of your family to have your needs met, but rather to have
your family’s needs met. Your headship is not about you
being served, but rather about you serving. Your headship
is about sacrificial love and service. As head of the family, you are
called to great responsibility. Many husbands and fathers want headship
without the responsibility it demands. Dare to discipline with love and
firmness. The wise and prudent king loves all of the subjects within his
kingdom and wishes to see them prosper in the fullness of beauty and
Truth. He desires to bring them all to the fullness of Truth and
prosperity. Jesus Christ Himself is the Head of His Church; He is the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Augustine calls the family the
“domestic church.” You are the “head” and “king” and “lord” of
this domestic church: “The place and task of the father in and for the family
is of unique and irreplaceable importance. In revealing and in reliving
on earth the very fatherhood of God (cf. Ephesians 3:14-15), a man is
called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members
of the family” (Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio [The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World], 25).
5.
Pray with your wife and regularly so. Try to keep
a simple, but sincere spiritual journal and share it with her, even if your
entries are just short, inspirational sentences. Trust the Lord to
guide, purify and sanctify your relationship with your wife. She is the
“heart” of the home. Reverence her as such. Love her with the same
love and affection Christ has for His Church.
Remember that your sons will grow up to relate to women much in the same
way that they saw you relate to your wife. Similarly, your daughters
will learn from their father what to expect from men in a relationship. Share with your wife her burdens, her sorrows and her joys. Ask
the Lord for the strength to love her with the same love and purity with which
He loves His Bride, the Church.
6.
Spend quality time with each child. Treat each
child in a unique and personal way. The power of a father’s affirming
love is tremendously overwhelming and something truly wonderful.
Children need it. They require it for their full and proper
development. Let each child share his or her ideas, feelings, fears and
problems with you. Do everything in your power to ensure that your child
can always approach you in any matter. Be sure to share periodically
with your wife your insights concerning each child. Discipline with
firmness and love (again, your model here is that of the
wise and prudent king who rules over the inhabitants of his kingdom
with a firm, but great love and not of the
master who rules over his slaves).
7.
Consecrate your home to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. Set up a “prayer corner” within the home in the room where the family
most gathers. In this room should be an “altar-table.” On this
table place a Bible, a good condensed version of the
Lives of the Saints and a copy of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. On or around this table also
place images (statues, pictures or icons) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. The daily family Rosary is a powerful
prayer. If your children are still small, pray only a decade of the
Rosary and/or vary it daily with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A
wonderful, fixed time for daily family prayer and spiritual reading (say, a
total of just 15 or 20 minutes) is immediately after supper each
evening. Included here could be the Readings from the Mass of the day;
purchase a daily Roman missal for this. Again, remember that you are the
priest of the home. As such, you are called to be a true leader.
A child will remember well into his adult life these early family practices
of the Faith. They will never be forgotten. A father must be the first
Christian witness to his wife and children. This is both a duty
and a responsibility. Also, be sure to foster the use of sacramentals
among your family members. Sacramentals are “sacred signs which bear a
certain resemblance to the Sacraments and by means of which spiritual effects
are signified and obtained through the prayers of the Church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary). Examples of sacramentals include the Sign of the
Cross, holy water, enrollment in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,
religious medals, blessings, pilgrimages, processions, the Stations of the
Cross, sacred art, rosaries and the veneration of relics. While
sacramentals do differ from the seven Sacraments, they are still very
important in the life of a Catholic Christian. Also, promote visits to the
Blessed Sacrament with your family members, for instance, when in town running
errands.
8.
Do not let sports or outside activities become
more important to you or to your children than Christ and family. Sports have
become a false god in America today – especially on Sundays – and we tend to
overemphasize them. Spend fun time at home. Do things together as
a family. This calls for creativity, imagination and frequent planning
in advance. Seek suggestions from your wife and older children in this
regard.
9.
Pray that each one of your children may answer
the call to the vocation that Almighty God has chosen for him or her from all
eternity. Never ask your children, “What do you want to be?”
Rather, ask each child, “What do you think God is calling you to be?” Help them to discern their states-in-life, whether it be
singlehood, the married state or
consecrated religious life. Have this discussion often with your
children, especially after they reach the age of 15.
10. Ensure the frequenting of the Sacraments by your
family members. The Sacrament of Confession should be partaken of at least
monthly and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist should be partaken of at least
weekly. You must make sure that your family’s sense of sin is never
dulled. Take your family to Sunday Mass precisely as a family. Do
not give your teenagers an option here. If you do, you are not
fulfilling your vocation as a father. Foster among your family members a
great love of the Holy Eucharist. Tithe regularly and devotedly.
Do everything in your power (as the wise and prudent king of your home)
to truly make Sunday the Lord’s Day and a day of family togetherness;
that is, a day of prayer, relaxation and recreation. Again, this calls
for creativity, imagination and frequent planning in advance. Seek input
from your wife and older children in this regard. Remember, any good and
wholesome recreation is really a “re-creation” of both body and soul.
Silent Witness[7]
Joseph knew as a father “examples are caught; not taught”. Your actions are
a silent witness. Who do you think modeled the “Our Father” for Jesus? Your
attitudes toward bearing fatiguing work, or wealth/poverty; or in the
bearing of injuries; or in standing up to injustice bear more of a witness
that any spoken words.
Pray the Litany of St. Joseph.
Daily Devotions
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
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