This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." 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. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
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My Lord and My God
Method of hearing Mass Spiritually
Speak Lord your servant is listening
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Tuesday, October 6, 2020
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DAY 53 - OUR LADY OF GOOD HELP, PRAY FOR US
THE PRECEPTS
The Precepts of the Catholic Church are a description of the absolute minimum actions required of Catholics regarding the Church. The Church uses these precepts to remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. If we fall below this bare-minimum level, then, practically speaking, we can hardly consider ourselves to be in full communion with the Catholic Church.
Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally "strive" to do far more than they require.
First Precept: "You shall attend Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor."
Strive: Attend Mass at least one more time a week. (Most Church parishes celebrate Mass every day of the year!)
Second Precept: "You shall confess your sins at least once a year."
Strive: Go to confession at least once a month, and immediately after falling to mortal sin. Also, find a regular confessor so he can give you better guidance.
Third Precept: "You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season."
Strive: Receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at every Mass if you meet the guidelines for reception (are free from mortal sin, etc.).
Fourth Precept: "You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence."
Strive: Make a habit of practicing penitential and charitable acts beyond those required by the precepts of the Catholic Church. Try to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year, for example.
Fifth Precept: "You shall provide for the material needs of the Church."
Strive: Contribute as much as possible to the material needs of the Church. Consider working toward biblical tithing: 10% of your gross income.
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, blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, 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 blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten 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.
The Agony in the Garden - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Scourging at the Pillar - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Crowning with Thorns - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Carrying of the Cross - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Crucifixion - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies 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!
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.
GERMAN
AMERICAN DAY
Hebrews, Chapter 10, Verse 31
It
is a FEARFUL thing to fall into the
hands of the living God.
Mary shows us
how the just live by faith. Although she was literally the mother of God, she
did not count herself equal to God. Although throughout her life she lived in
poverty she was generous to a fault. Although a mother and wife she was chaste
to her spouse the Holy Spirit. Let us ask her to intercede for us that we may
never dread to fall into the hands of the living God. As Mary said, “His mercy
is from age to age to those who fear him.” (Lk. 1:50)
German American Day
celebrates German culture and heritage in the United States. This holiday
also serves to remember 13 German families from Krefeld, Germany that fled
religious oppression in Germany. On October 6th, 1683, these families
established Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first distinctly German-American
settlement. In the centuries that followed, more than seven million more
German-speaking immigrants arrived on the shores of the US and as of 2010, over
20% of the US population claims German ancestry. In 1983, on the 300th
anniversary of Germantown, President Ronald Reagan declared October 6th as German
American Day. President Reagan officially declared German American Day
four years later in 1987. Today, German American Day, a celebration of German
culture, identity and heritage, is celebrated annually on October 6th.
German American Day Facts &
Quotes
·The
current population of Germantown, PA is 26,563 inhabitants.
·Wisconsin,
Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa are now home to the
largest number of German descendants in the US.
·After
the Second World War, around 375,000 Germans immigrated to the US. In the 50s
and 60s alone, around 786,000 Germans immigrated to the US.
·Albert
Einstein was a German immigrant, a Jew who opted to remain in the US when the
Nazi party came to power in 1933.
·The world will not be destroyed by
those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything. - Albert Einstein
German American Day Top Events and
Things to Do
·Read
some popular stories by German writers including Hansel and Gretel, The
Trial and The Man Without Qualities.
·Spend
some time learning more about the religious oppression in Germany in 1683 in
order to further understand why the founding 13 families fled the country and
arrived in Philadelphia.
·Enjoy
a glass of mulled wine. It is a common drink found at Christmas markets all through
Germany.
·Enjoy
a German movie. Some of our favorites: Victoria (2015), Land of Mine
(2015) and Downfall (2004).
·Learn
more about the Nazi Regime from WW2 in order to better understand how the
population of German Americans grew so quickly around that time.
Day 2 - Sacred Heart Novena - "America Unites to the Sacred Heart of Jesus" Corpus Christi, CCC, and Confronting Evil Corpus Christi is placed on Thursday because it recalls Holy Thursday , the night Christ instituted the Eucharist. Many countries move it to Sunday so the whole Church can participate, but the meaning remains the same: the Eucharist is Christ’s living presence among His people. The Catechism teaches that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324) and that Christ’s sacrifice becomes present in every Mass (CCC 1366). Corpus Christi exists to proclaim this truth publicly—especially through Eucharistic processions. The feast confronts one of the oldest evils: the denial of the Real Presence . The video emphasizes that Christ remains with His people in the tabernacle and in Communion. The Church responds to unbelief not with argument but with adoration —carrying Christ into the streets as a declaration of His kingship. The ...
Smoke in This Life Not the Next Sat, June 6 — First Saturday (Immaculate Heart) Virtue: Shelter & Intercession Cigar: Mild, maternal (Connecticut) Bourbon: Larceny Small Batch — soft, enduring Reflection: Whose sorrow do I carry with Mary? Mary’s Heart is the shelter where sorrow becomes intercession. On this First Saturday, I take up one grief — mine or another’s — and place it inside her Heart, where tenderness becomes strength and wounds become prayer. Purgatory reminds me that love must be purified. Better to smoke in this life than the next. Let the burn of repentance happen now, not later. Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach me whose sorrow I am meant to carry today. Day 6 Sacred Heart Retreat Introduction to 2 Kings [1] First, we'll re-cap a few things about the two Books of Kings, as a whole. They're part of the Deuteronomistic history. What does that mean?" Well, it means that the Book of Deuteronomy, and its religious legal code, help...
You don’t fast on the Feast of the Sacred Heart because the day is a solemnity, and solemnities override every form of Friday penance. The Church’s instinct is simple and ancient: when Christ reveals His Heart, His people feast, not fast. Even those who keep a strict personal Friday discipline are released from it on this day, not as an indulgence but as an act of obedience to the liturgical mind of the Church. Spiritually, the feast is a day of abundance — mercy poured out, tenderness unveiled, the Heart of Jesus opened. A man who normally keeps Friday lean can let this day be full: a real meal at midday, a small celebratory ritual at dusk, and a renewal of consecration to the Heart that loves without measure. The discipline resumes next week, but today belongs to joy. Smoke in this Life Not the Next Virtue: Reparation & Tender Strength Cigar: Maduro — deep, slow‑burning Bourbon: Stagg Jr. — intense, unflinching Reflection: What wound in me needs to be offered bac...
30 Day Retreat Sacred Heart Day 8 🔸 Monday Night at the Movies- June 2026 – Prophets & Pilgrims Prophecy in June is a pilgrimage through the Church’s feasts. These films follow the soul from guilt to purification, from conscience to renunciation, and finally to a vocation lived in motion. Each week’s feast sharpens the film’s meaning and reveals a different face of the prophet’s call. Jun 1 – The Informer (1935) St. Justin Martyr A prophet begins in the ruins of his own failure. Gypo’s betrayal and collapse mirror Justin’s insistence on truth: falsehood destroys, repentance clarifies. Jun 8 – Stromboli (1950) Sacred Heart / Immaculate Heart Karin’s volcanic exile becomes purification. As the Hearts of Jesus and Mary burn with love, Stromboli burns away pride and forces a reckoning with God. Jun 15 – A Man for All Seasons (1966) St. Barnabas Barnabas stands firm in the Spirit; Thomas More does the same. Here the pilgrimage becomes confrontation — conscience refusing to bow befo...
1. Video Summary — C.S. Lewis on Demonic Influence and the Mind The video presents a sermon‑style synthesis of C.S. Lewis’s writings ( The Screwtape Letters , Mere Christianity ) focused on how evil attempts to influence human thought . Key themes: Demonic strategy is subtle, not spectacular. Evil rarely appears dramatically; instead it works through distraction, discouragement, noise, and distorted desires. The battlefield is the interior life. The enemy aims to keep the mind unfocused, reactive, and spiritually numb—never still enough to hear God. Temptation begins with suggestion, not coercion. Evil cannot force the will; it can only whisper distortions: resentment, self‑pity, fear, pride, or despair. Isolation is a primary tactic. The enemy tries to cut a person off from prayer, community, sacrament, and silence—because isolation weakens discernment. Resistance requires active alignment with God. Lewis emphasizes that the Christian must fill the mind wi...
Summary of the Video ( One Nation Under God – The Unknown Heroes Who Kept It That Way ) youtu.be The video highlights the 250th anniversary of the United States and focuses on the Catholic men and women who helped shape the nation through sacrifice, virtue, and fidelity to God. John Paul Brisette from the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion discusses: The hidden Catholic heroes who served the nation spiritually and physically The importance of remembering those who offered their lives for God’s glory and the good of souls An upcoming event honoring these American saints and witnesses The call for Catholics today to rediscover courage, identity, and mission The role of prayer, especially the Rosary , in strengthening the nation The need for spiritual readiness in times of cultural, moral, and social upheaval The tone is one of gratitude , patriotism rooted in faith , and a call to spiritual battle for the soul of the country. Copilot’s Take — CCC & Confronting Evi...
Smoke in this Life Not the Next Rye & Grancatera A man once died, crossed the threshold, and was sent back — not with soft light, but with terror still clinging to him . His penance afterward was the proof. No theatrics. Just the hard discipline of someone who had seen what sin costs. Rye for sharpness. Grancatera for gravity. A pairing meant to remind the living that purification is better chosen than imposed. Tonight’s smoke is not pleasure. It is clarity. JUNE 10 Wednesday within the Octave of Corpus Christi 1 Chronicles, Chapter 14, Verse 17 Thus, David’s fame was spread abroad through every land, and the LORD put the FEAR of him on all the nations. Great leaders are great followers of the Lord. You're Going Down, Philistines [1] Back in Jerusalem, David is sitting pretty. He takes on a few more wives and they start producing princes and princesses. Obviously, the Philistines are worried. They just got rid of Saul and now some other more powerf...
30 Day Retreat Sacred Heart Day 7 Smoke in This Life and Not the Next Sun, May 31 — Trinity Sunday Virtue: Mystery & Memory Cigar: Oscuro Bourbon: Knob Creek 12 Reflection: “What mystery do I honor in remembrance?” St. Teresa says the soul reaches for God and is pushed back by justice. St. Catherine says the torment is beyond speech. Like a drowning man touching shore, only to be thrust away. Tonight the Trinity stands before you: three ribbons of smoke, one steady burn. The pain of loss reveals the weight of the union you were made for. Honor the mystery. Name the sin that keeps you from its center. Evening Add‑On — Visitation (May 31) Virtue: Joy & Recognition Cigar: Candela Bourbon: Blanton’s Reflection: “Who leaps with joy at my arrival?” John leaps because he recognizes Christ. Joy is the soul’s instinct for holiness. Ask who breathes easier when you walk in — and whether they meet Christ or only you. JUNE 7 Sunday-Body and Blood of Chri...
Day 1 - Sacred Heart Novena - "America Unites to the Sacred Heart of Jesus" Join brother Knights in prayer as the United States turns 250! Leading up to America’s 250th anniversary this summer, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All American Knights and their families are encouraged to participate. You’re invited to join us in a novena — nine days of prayer — from June 3-11, concluding with the consecration of the country on the eve of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. Thousands have already signed up to receive each day’s prayers in their inbox. Sign up to receive yours! Sign Up Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly is also encouraging all Knights to enthrone an image of the Sacred Heart in their home — a simple act of devotion that centers us on the heart of Jesus. You can find everything you need for an enthronement at the Catholic Information Service website, shopcatholicinfo.com . We look forward to joining you in prayer! 1. Summary o...
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