Monday, September 28, 2020
DAY 45 - MARY, QUEEN CONCEIVED WITHOUT ORIGINAL SIN, PRAY FOR US
YOU ARE A COMMISSIONED OFFICER
PRAY A ROSARY
- Rosary of the Day: Joyful Mysteries
- Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries
St. Michael the Archangel, we honor you as a powerful protector of the Church and guardian of our souls. Inspire us with your humility, courage and strength that we may reject sin and perfect our love for our Heavenly Father.In your strength and humility, slay the evil and pride in our hearts so that nothing will keep us from God.St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may be blessed by God with the zeal to live our lives in accordance with Christ's teachings.St. Michael the Archangel, you are the prince of angels but in your humility, you recognized that God is God and you are but His servant. Unlike Satan, you were not overcome with pride but were steadfast in humility. Pray that we will have this same humility.It is in the spirit of that humility that we ask for your intercession for our petitions... (Petition: Protect our nation from unGodly liberals gaining power and control)Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introduction to Ephesians[1]
Ephesians
is the great Pauline letter about the church. It deals, however, not so much
with a congregation in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor as with the worldwide
church, the head of which is Christ, the purpose of which is to be the
instrument for making God’s plan of salvation known throughout the universe.
Ephesians emphasize the unity in the church of Christ that has come about for
both Jews and Gentiles within God’s household and indeed the “seven unities” of
church, Spirit, hope; one Lord, faith, and baptism; and the one God. Yet the
concern is not with the church for its own sake but rather as the means for
mission in the world. The gifts Christ gives its members are to lead to growth
and renewal.
SEPTEMBER 28 Monday
ST. WENCESLAUS
Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verse 5-8
5
Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with FEAR and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, 6
not only when being watched, as currying
favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7
willingly serving the
Lord and not human beings, 8 knowing
that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he
is slave or free.
“Slaves be obedient to your human
masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ” I often reflected on this verse
while working constructing the South Pole Station especially on those days that
were close to 80 below zero! Therefore, increase in faith, hope, and love.
“Do
not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you
the kingdom.” (Lk 12:32)
Feast of St. Wenceslaus[2]
St. Wenceslaus, duke of
Bohemia, was born about the year 907 at Prague, Bohemia (now the Czech
Republic). His father was killed in battle when he was young, leaving the
kingdom to be ruled by his pagan mother.
Wenceslaus was educated by his grandmother, Ludmilla, also a saint.
·
Throughout
his life he preserved his virginity unblemished.
·
As
duke he was a father to his subjects, generous toward orphans, widows, and the
poor.
·
On
his own shoulders he frequently carried wood to the houses of the needy.
·
He
often attended the funerals of the poor, ransomed captives, and visited those
suffering in prison.
·
He
was filled with a deep reverence toward the clergy; with his own hands he sowed
the wheat for making altar breads and pressed the grapes for the wine used in
the Mass.
·
During
winter he would visit the churches barefoot through snow and ice, frequently
leaving behind bloody footprints.
Wenceslaus was eighteen
years old when he succeeded his father to the throne. Without regard for the
opposition, he worked in close cooperation with the Church to convert his pagan
country. He ended the persecution of Christians, built churches and brought
back exiled priests. As king he gave an example of a devout life and of great
Christian charity, with his people calling him "Good King" of
Bohemia. His brother Boleslaus, however, turned to paganism. One day he invited
Wenceslaus to his house for a banquet. The next morning, on September 28, 929,
as Wenceslaus was on the way to Mass, Boleslaus struck him down at the door of
the church. Before he died, Wenceslaus forgave his brother and asked God's
mercy for his soul. Although he was killed for political reasons, he is listed
as a martyr since the dispute arose over his faith. This king, martyred at the
age of twenty-two, is the national hero and patron of the Czech Republic. He is
the first Slav to be canonized.
Things to
Do
·
Learn more about Prague
and the Czech Republic and St. Vitus Cathedral, supposedly started by St.
Wenceslas in the 10th century as a small chapel to house relics of St. Vitus
and where in the 14th century St. John Nepomucene was buried after being
executed for refusing to violate the seal of the confessional.
·
Teach your children the Christmas carol, Good
King Wenceslas and discuss his life and virtue. If you can find a copy, a
wonderful book with music and illustrations is called Good King Wenceslas: A
Legend in Music and Pictures by Mary Reed Newland, published by Seabury
Press, 1980.
·
Read about the Infant Jesus of Prague
and pray the chaplet.
·
Bake
a loaf of bread for dinner and serve wine in honor of St. Wencelaus.
·
Novena
of the Infant Jesus of Prague
Arbinger[3]
Our
mindset connects or disconnects us with others—there are a number of ways we
can “see” others from an inward mindset. Traditionally, Arbinger has
categorized these three ways of seeing others as obstacles, vehicles or simply
irrelevant.
1. When I’m seeing someone as an
obstacle, I see them as “in my way”, or as a hindrance to what I’m seeking to
accomplish.
2. When I’m seeing someone as a vehicle, I use
them to get me what I want, or where I need to go. They might have information
or connections that are valuable to me, so I “play nice” until I get what I
want.
3. When someone is irrelevant to me, I
don’t care about them and likely don’t allow their humanity to impact me in any
way.
All three of these labels are
ultimately ways that I objectify others. When I’m seeing someone as an
obstacle, vehicle or irrelevancy, I’m not seeing them as a human being with
needs, concerns, hopes and fears similar to my own. Think of someone who you struggle
to see as a person. Perhaps they get on your nerves frequently, or perhaps you
avoid them at all costs. This person might be a coworker, a family member, a
neighbor—someone with whom you feel your relationship could improve. How do you
see this particular person? Are they often an obstacle? A vehicle? Mostly
irrelevant? If the person you have in mind feels like an obstacle to you,
consider how you might not be receiving their goodness or kindness. If this
person feels more like a vehicle to you, contemplate what needs they might have
that you’re failing to see? Are you looking to simply “get”, or are you willing
to give? For someone you’re seeing as irrelevant, what must it feel like for him or her to feel ignored, barely noticed or
hardly cared about? Have you ever been seen as an obstacle, a vehicle or
irrelevant? How did it feel? Ponder what underlying qualities you might be
missing in the person you’re thinking of. What might the people who love them
see in them?
Michaelmass Eve[4]
·
In the British Isles,
Michaelmas is celebrated on September 29. As the Feast of St. Michael within
the Catholic church, this date is often associated with the harvest because of
its proximity to the autumn equinox. Although it's not a Pagan holiday in the true
sense, Michaelmas celebrations often included older aspects of Pagan harvest customs, such as the weaving of corn dolls from the last sheaves of grain.
· Like many other celebrations falling during harvest time, Michaelmas can trace some of its traditions to early Pagan practices in Europe. One of the most popular harvest customs that was adapted by Christians and integrated into the Michaelmas celebration was that of a corn doll. A corn doll is often associated with the period between Lammas, the first grain harvest, and the autumnal equinox.
· By the Middle Ages, Michaelmas soon became recognized as one of the so-called quarter days. The term is derived from a system in the British Isles in which four specific days each year were marked as a time to collect rents, hire new servants, and resolve legal matters. In England and Wales, the original quarter days were Lady Day, Midsummer, Michaelmas, and Christmas—corresponding with the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the autumnal equinox, and the winter solstice, all of which were days of great significance for early Pagans.
· During the medieval period, Michaelmas was considered one of the holy days of obligation for Christians, although that tradition ended in the 1700s. Customs included the preparation of a meal of goose which had been fed on the stubble of the fields following the harvest (called a stubble-goose). There was also a tradition of preparing special larger-than-usual loaves of bread, and St. Michael's bannocks, which was a special kind of oatcake.
· By Michaelmas, the harvest was typically complete, and the next year's farming cycle would begin as landowners saw reeves elected from among the peasants for the following year. The reeve's job was to watch over the work and make sure everyone was doing their share, as well as collecting rents and donations of products. If a holding's rent fell short, it was up to the reeve to make it up—as you can imagine, no one really wanted to be reeve. This was also the time of year when accounts were balanced up, annual dues paid to local guilds, workers were hired on for the next season, and new leases taken for the following year.
· Michaelmas was considered the official beginning of winter, which lasted until Christmas. It was also the time at which winter grains were sown, such as wheat and rye, for harvesting the following year. In a symbolic sense, because Michaelmas is so close to the autumnal equinox, and because it is a day to honor St. Michael's accomplishments, which include slaying a fierce dragon, it is often associated with courage in preparation for the darker half of the year. Michael was the patron saint of sailors, so in some seafaring areas, this day is celebrated with the baking of a special cake from the grains of the final harvest.
35 Promises of God[5]
cont.
“For God so loved
the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may
not perish but may have eternal life.”-John 3:16
Daily Devotions
·
Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance
of the Angels
·
Monday:
Litany of Humility
·
Rosary
[4] https://www.learnreligions.com/michaelmas-2562303
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