This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. 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. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.
Thursday, October 8, 2020
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DAY 54 - OUR LADY OF VICTORY, PRAY FOR US
NO CROSS, NO CROWN!
No cross, no crown. No pain, no gain. No guts, no glory. St. James summons us to see the challenges we face as opportunities to rise to new heights of existence, "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him" (Jas 1:12).
In the military, the cross and crown symbolizes a soldier's willingness to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, and to country, no matter what. This kind of unwavering dedication is exactly what Jesus meant when he gave us the criterion for enlisting in his elite fighting force: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Lk 9:23-25).
While sounding like a military drill instructor, St John Vianney expounds on this radical call to discipleship: "There is no doubt about it: a person who loves pleasure, who seeks comfort, who flies from anything that might spell suffering, who is over-anxious, who complains, who blames, and who becomes impatient at the least little thing which does not go his way - a person like that is a Christian only in name; he is only a dishonor to his religion, for Jesus Christ has said so: 'Anyone who wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day of his life, and follow Me.'"
The Gospels stories show how Jesus touched people in ways that made them question the direction of their lives. Some turned away because his challenge seemed to be too hard. But many others were so moved by his mission and ministry that they were compelled to search for a more perfect way of living and being. Where do you stand? Are you ready to put it all on the line? This means nothing less than to do what God is calling you. Are you ready to say "yes" to the call to become his champion? (Excerpt from my book, Church Militant Field Manual).
PRAY A ROSARY
Choose either:
Rosary of the Day: Glorious Mysteries
Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary.
In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God's graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
Say: The Apostles' Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
The Resurrection - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Ascension - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Assumption of Mary - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Coronation of the Blessed Mother - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Say: The Hail Holy Queen.
Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request, see below). Hail Mary ...
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request, see below) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc.
PETITION: For the protection and provision for the USA and the world. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!
Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
By St. Maximilian Kolbe
O Immaculata, Queen of heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, N..., a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you. If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: "She will crush your head," and, "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world." Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin. R. Give me strength against your enemies.
All of the daily Novena Prayers and Reflections are also posted at usgraceforce.com
Those who would like to pray with others via The Telephone Rosary, call 1-951-799-9866 daily at 6 pm Eastern.
All are invited to participate virtually in each of the 15 days events. Use the Zoom link at the top of the schedule on the Triumph Tour 2020 website: triumphtour2020.com . For those who feel called to come and participate in person, those details are available.
The Rosary - The Great Dragon Slayer!
Father Calloway's book, "Champions of the Rosary" (order HERE) not only offers a clear presentation of the history of the rosary, but also a clarion call for everyone to enlist as a soldier in the army of the Queen of the Rosary.
We are in a new and most dangerous spiritual battle, making the Lepanto of old appear elementary. To fight the Lepanto of our times, we need to once again be reminded that the rosary is a spiritual weapon. Only then will we be able to conquer and banish the culture of death, the modern attacks against the Church and her teachings, and the diabolical agents who raise their weapons against Christ and his Cross.
We had the honor of having Father Donald Calloway back on our podcast, and he brought amazing insight into the Rosary so that we might understand the spiritual power of the sword of Mary. All that is left for us is to wield it!
Moses
was a warrior who was led by faith to serve the one who is invisible. Although
as the adopted son of pharaoh he could have had the power of Egypt, yet he
chose to follow Him who is. Moses was a righteous man. A righteous man is one
who leads a life that is pleasing to God.
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me. (Ps. 23:4)
Faith helps a
warrior to focus himself and conserve the warrior energy for where it is most
effective. Ponder the fact that Christ at any moment could have chosen to fight
and the results would have been the defeat of the Romans but the loss of man.
He chose not to fight but to suffer for the salvation of man.
William
Johnson a Jesuit writer suggests that we must stay with our painful experiences
and summit ourselves to the “Prayer of the Suffering.” He suggests one must
simply sit and accept one’s cross, accept it totally, unreservedly whether it
is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. It is the prayer of silent
acceptance. The pain is not a distraction but the substance of our prayer. One
unites one’s suffering with that of Jesus on the cross: for the salvation of
the world or for particular people. The cross may arise from the ache of
loneliness, the torment of betrayal, failure, fear of dying or the loss of one’s good name. Whatever the cause;
Sit with it, don’t run away; don’t try to escape. Don’t fight. Sit with your
cross.
Although this is not a catholic article; contemplate
on the main precepts from the catholic mindset.
What then, are the qualities of a spiritual
warrior? What attributes or states of mind are necessary to become warriors of
light?
1. Awareness
A spiritual warrior must possess
expanded awareness. While spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation
enhance and accelerate the growth of awareness, a spiritual warrior must have
the specific awareness to recognize that you are at war with the darkness of
ignorance. If you are to take up the call of spiritual warriorship, you must
remain vigilant that in the lack of awareness, ignorance will grow. As you pay
attention to yourself—your thoughts, speech, actions, and beliefs—you deprive
ignorance of a fertile field in which it can take root.
2. Courage
A spiritual warrior has courage. Martial artist
Bruce Lee said, “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure
a difficult one.” This is what it means to have courage. As previously
explained, the path of the spiritual warrior is not necessarily easy. You can
face danger, fear, pain, and uncertainty on the path to spiritual mastery.
Spiritual warriors press on when confronted
with adversity, doubt, or the inconsistencies or irrationality of their beliefs
and behavior. This doesn’t mean you don’t feel the fear; it means you feel it
and keep going. Deep down you know that the enlightenment you seek is worth
enduring the temporary discomfort of the journey.
3. Discipline
Next, the spiritual warrior possesses
discipline. Discipline is the ability to restrain yourself—to control your impulses,
desires, or emotions for the sake of improvement. It’s important to note that
such discipline comes not from some outside authority, rather the spiritual
warrior forges in the fire of your will. You make the difficult choice to
pursue spiritual practices or Sadhana over the often more comfortable or
conventional ways of life with the intention of attaining higher states of
consciousness.
Discipline can also mean simply staying on
the path. The spiritual warrior knows there will be obstacles on the journey,
but when those occur, self-discipline keeps you keeping on when others are
content to quit.
4. Relentlessness
Relentlessness is another key attribute of
the spiritual warrior. Being relentless refers not to being harsh or
inflexible. Rather it implies a persistent and determined intention to seek out
false beliefs, attempts to fool yourself, and ego delusions. The spiritual
warrior understands that ignorance is a tenacious adversary that requires daily
and consistent attentiveness so as to not let it take you by surprise.
Relentlessness also means ruthlessly slaying
the 1,000-headed dragon of self-importance. Your sense of self-importance can
slow spiritual progress and obscure your understanding of who you really are.
Relentlessly seeking out opportunities to subjugate the ego creates space for spirit to enter your life.
5. Cunning
The spiritual warrior is also cunning. As
your awareness and spiritual discipline grows, the warrior of light recognizes
the slippery nature of the mind and how easily you can fool yourself. You,
therefore, must be equally cunning and crafty when it comes to outwitting your
habitual thought traps and cognitive biases. In the space of
expanded consciousness you learn to anticipate the stories you tell yourself,
the ways you hide from the truth, and how you stubbornly defend your false
sense of self.
This alert witnessing and understanding of
your thought process or metacognition allows you to intercept your conditioned
behavior so you can course correct toward more conscious choices in thought,
word, and deed.
6. Patience
Patience is the next quality of the spiritual
warrior. Patience is the calm acceptance that not everything happens according
to your timeline. It allows you to be content as well as
pause, wait, endure, and allow things to unfold in their own way.
The spiritual warrior doesn’t act needy. You
don’t push or demand that the universe comply with your wishes. Instead, you
recognize that a bigger picture is unfolding; in the absence of a broader
perspective, you can’t always know what action to take. Therefore, you can
calmly be in the moment and wait for the universe to act. When the right time
becomes known, the spiritual warrior seizes the opportunity and takes spontaneous
and transformative right action.
7. Sweetness
The spiritual warrior also possesses
sweetness. Sweetness might seem like a strange attribute of the spiritual
warrior, something associated with weakness or sentimentality. In this context,
however, sweetness refers to impeccability in word and action. The spiritual
warrior holds yourself to the highest of standards, refraining from anything
that could be considered potentially cruel or hurtful.
As the Dalai Lama reminds you, “Compassion
and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.” It’s easy to
be hurtful and mean to yourself or others. Kindness, compassion, and sweetness
in the face of anger or ignorance require enormous strength and understanding.
Seeing the world from higher ground allows you to act and speak from a place of
sweetness that benefits everyone you encounter.
8. Love
The final quality of the spiritual warrior
is love.
To the spiritual warrior love is all that is. It is the core of your being and
core of all other beings. Removing the veils of love is the spiritual warrior’s
quest. You exist with love at your source, but often it lies hidden beneath
anger, trauma, or suffering. Expanding the field of love for both yourself
and others is the ultimate goal of the spiritual warrior. Love heals all
wounds. It is that transformative power that can change the world. The
spiritual warrior shines the light of your love into the darkness of ignorance,
not to destroy it, but to transmute it into knowledge.
When the spiritual warrior possesses these
attributes you become a powerful force for change in the world. The spiritual
warrior fights against the self-delusion, fear, and ignorance that create suffering in your life.
This battle is fought within; an effort to shed the chains of conditioning and
false beliefs that lie within you. The reward of this campaign is the expansion
of consciousness; the spiritual warrior becomes a beacon of awareness who
brings healing to the entire world.
Friday In the Octave of Christmas ST SYLVESTER-NEW YEARS EVE Sirach, Chapter 2, Verse 15-17 15 Those who FEAR the Lord do not disobey his words; those who love him keep his ways. 16 Those who fear the Lord seek to please him; those who love him are filled with his law. 17 Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him. “Perfect love casts out all fear .” Many of us are conscious of our sins and failures. The older we get, the more we become aware that we have not measured up to what God had in mind for us from all eternity. We begin to worry about Judgment Day. Fear . Even when we are younger, if we have a good conscience, we worry over our sins. Remember that God loved us so much that he sent his Son to save us. Remember that Jesus gave his life for each of us personally. Remember that God is not like us: He loves us with an everlasting love. We need to realize this love of God so that it will cast out all fear from our hearts. We
30 Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) 2 Maccabees, Chapter 15, Verse 8 He urged his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but mindful of the help they had received in the past from Heaven, to expect now the victory that would be given them by the Almighty. As an old, retired military man it was common for us to say while we were loading our magazines with bullets, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition." We knew that without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Optimists see steppingstones where pessimists see stumbling blocks. Heavenly Intercession [1] "Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him, he said 'Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your adversaries.' " —2 Maccabees 15:15-16 Nicanor planned to slaughter the Jews on th
Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - July 6 Saint of the day: Saint Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa Patron Saint of Missionaries of the Crusade Vinny’s Corner · Roy Rogers King of Cowboys RIP 1998 Today Party like you are Capt. Kidd Capt. Kidd arrested 1699 Tomorrow Start Let Freedom Ring: 40 Days to Freedom from the Devil [1] July 7-August 15, 2024 It is right and good for us to prepare ourselves as her retainers in her battle with Satan from now until the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven Goal: Through acts of reparation, fasting, penance, charity, and prayer (both personal and sacramental) we call upon the power of God to release ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation from all demonic influence and oppression. Method : Each day will be broken into prayer, reflection, and reparation. Reflection : A reflection (rotating from Fr. Peckman, Fr. Altman & Fr. Heilman) will
Switch of Manliness Legacy OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA Acts, Chapter 10, verse 1-4 1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica, 2 devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come into him and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 He looked intently at him and seized with FEAR , said, “What is it, sir?” He said to him, “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Cornelius’ Cohort was an auxiliary unit of archers, men who are expert at hitting a mark or target. Sin is the act of violating God's will. Sin can also be viewed as anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and God, or as any diversion from the ideal order for human living. To sin has been defined as "to miss the mark" to have a harden
Eat Something with Spinach today OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Isaiah, Chapter 7, Verse 3-6 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah: Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller’s field, 4 and say to him: Take care you remain calm and do not fear ; do not let your courage fail before these two stumps of smoldering brands, the blazing anger of Rezin and the Arameans and of the son of Remaliah— 5 because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you. They say, 6 “Let us go up against Judah, tear it apart, make it our own by force, and appoint the son of Tabeel king there . These verses contain a series of oracles and narratives, all closely related to the Syro-Ephraimite war of 735–732 B.C. Several passages feature three children whose symbolic names refer to the Lord’s purposes: Shear-jashub, Emmanuel, and Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Judah and its Davidic dynasty should trust Go
Monday Night at the Movies Luis Bunuel, Simon of the Desert, 1965 SAINT MOTHER THEODORE GUERIN Hebrews, Chapter 12, Verse 21 Indeed, so FEARFUL was the spectacle that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” Moses was the heir apparent to the throne of Egypt in his youth. As a member of the Egyptian court, he would have seen many fearful spectacles yet imagine what it must have been like to have been a witness of God descending on Mount Sinai to give the law. He was terrified and trembling. Again, now imagine if Moses was somehow resurrected and was able to walk into an ordinary catholic church that has a very modest Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Do you think his reaction would be any different than the first time he encountered the living God? Be Still and Know that I am God [1] On the evening of October 1995, John Paul II was scheduled to greet the seminarians at Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. It had been a very full day that began with a Mass at Oriole Park in Camden Y
Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - July 15 Saint of the day: Saint Vladimir of Kiev Monday- Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop ST. SWITHUN Monday Night at the Movies Raffaello Matarazzo, The White Angel, 1955. Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, Verse 8 It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not FEAR or be dismayed.” For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. The Lord our God calls us to His service. This is the message of St. Therese of Lisieux that we are all called, and we should have great confidence and humility seeking to bring the kingdom in small ways and asking our Lord to multiply our efforts. The greatest way we can bring about the Kingdom is in our own families. This is the reason Pope Francis made such efforts to attend the family symposium in Philadelphia in 2015. Yes, families
Drink Beer Try the Chimay Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - July 18 Saint of the day: Saint Arnulf of Metz Patron Saint of Beer When I was stationed in Belgium me and my family were not told in advance when staying in the temporary quarters not to drink the water; as a result we were all very sick due to the water was tainted; we should have drank the beer. ST. CAMILIUS DE LELLIS -Nelson Mandela Day-St. Ann Day 2 Deuteronomy, Chapter 32, Verse 26-27 26 I said: I will make an end of them and blot out their name from human memory, 27 had I not FEARED the provocation by the enemy, that their foes might misunderstand, and say, “Our own hand won the victory; the LORD had nothing to do with any of it.” Meditate on the humility of Saint Joseph this day; ask for his assistance and special protection. Prayer to St. Joseph. O most chaste Joseph, who, by thy purity and other exalted virtues, wast worthy to be c
Saints, Feast, Family - Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring - July 12 Saint of the day: Saint Veronica Patron Saint of the images; laundry workers, pictures, photos, photographers NIC’s Corner- What was the Physicality of Christ like? Here is what I got from Co-pilot: In the tapestry of Jesus Christ’s life, His teachings, miracles, and spiritual legacy are threads that have woven a history-changing narrative. Yet, among these divine aspects, the humble profession of carpentry attributed to Jesus during His time on Earth offers a unique perspective on His human experience. According to biblical references, Jesus was indeed a carpenter. Mark 6:3 explicitly asks, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” This direct association with carpentry provides a rare glimpse into Jesus’s day-to-day life before His public ministry began . [1] Carpentry
Auxilium Christianorum - Praying for Persecuted Priests Monday, May 24 is the Feast of Mary Mother of the Church. It is also the Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Auxilium Christianorum). Please consider joining this Auxilium Christianorum family to pray daily for our holy and courageous persecuted priests. The Church teaches us that it is divided into the Church Triumphant (which includes the members of the Church in heaven), the Church Suffering (this includes the members of the Church in purgatory), and the Church Militant (this refers to those members of the Church who are alive in this world). Because we are part of the Church Militant, we are in a spiritual warfare and this spiritual warfare requires that we recognize, as Saint Paul teaches us "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." ( Ephesians 6:12 ) The me
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