DAY 18 - VIRGIN MOST POWERFUL, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE FRUIT OF PEACE
HEROES' WORDS
MEDITATION
PRAY A ROSARY
- Rosary of the Day: Luminous Mysteries
- Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries
THANKSGIVING
This is why the Father LOVES me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
This is probably a reference to the manna in the desert, which elsewhere is seen as a type of the Eucharist. In the Gospel of John Christ states, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So, the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. (John 4: 32-34).
We like our Lord should have the same desire to build the Kingdom of God; to create a New Jerusalem in our home, at our work and in our communities. Our Lord asks that we prepare ourselves for the work by eating the food he gives us which is the new covenant.
We need this food to
create a change in us from the old man to become sons of God in and through
Christ which is the new covenant of His blood. Those who love him frequent Mass
and take the food He gives us through His Priests. For this is real food
indeed. It is not food to give pleasure to the body, but it is intended
by God to give joy to the soul. According to the late Bishop Fulton Sheen,
"You can quickly become tired of pleasures, but you can never tire of
joys." Joy comes by finding God. You cannot satisfy a soul with
husks![1]
Thanksgiving
Day[2]
Thanksgiving Day is a
celebration of giving thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year. It
is a day of giving thanks to God for his many blessings and expressing our
gratitude to friends and family members. It is celebrated in the United States.
Thanksgiving Day dates back to the Reformation Period and is accompanied by
prayers, special ceremonies, and feasts. Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth
Thursday in November each year.
Thanksgiving Day Facts & Quotes
·
The
first Thanksgiving Day feast was held in 1621 between the Plymouth colonists
and the Wampanoag Indians.
·
In
1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a
national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
·
According
to the US Government Census, in 2014, 242 million turkeys were raised in the
United States.
·
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt established the fourth Thursday in November as the
official Thanksgiving Day in 1941.
·
Thanksgiving
is almost here. It's my favorite holiday, which is surprising since I'm
no fan of giving or saying thanks. - Stephen Colbert
Thanksgiving Day Top Events and
Things to Do
·
Watch
or attend a Parade. The largest are the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in
New York and the McDonalds Thanksgiving parade in Chicago.
·
Eat
lots of traditional Thanksgiving food including turkey, cranberry sauce and
sweet potatoes.
·
Watch
or attend a football game. Besides NFL, there are many college and high
school football games on this day.
·
Go
running or do some other form of exercise in the morning - so you won't feel so
guilty indulging a grand Thanksgiving meal.
·
Talk
to relatives and friends by phone, email, or internet to remind them how
thankful you are that they are all part of your life.
Thanksgiving: Plimoth Plantation Plymouth,
Massachusetts[3]
At
Plimoth Plantation, it’s always 1627. The living museum and its costumed
“residents” re-create New England’s first successful European settlement as
well as a Native village. Thanksgiving dinner has its roots in a harvest celebration
that 52 Pilgrims shared with 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe in 1621, one
year after the settlers sailed from England. It included fowl (probably ducks
and geese rather than turkey), venison, corn, and most likely fresh and dried
fruits and vegetables. Every fall Plimoth Plantation re-creates a harvest meal
from that period as well as serving a classic American Thanksgiving dinner.
The
Mass: The Perfect Thanksgiving[4]
Men have not only prayed
in thanksgiving but have offered in thanksgiving: something that was a sign of
themselves, to show they were thankful for life, were sorry for their sins against
the Giver of life, would give their lives in return, if they might, to the One
they owe so much. They made offerings in thanks for the things that sustain
life, for the preservation of life. "Abel also offered of the firstlings
of his flock, and of their fat.”.. "So Noe went out, he and his sons,
his wife and the wives of his sons.... all living things went out of the
ark. And Noe built an altar unto the Lord: and taking of all cattle and fowl
that were dean, offered holocausts upon the altar.... ." They made
bloody offerings, because the offering is a symbol of the offerer, and blood is
the essence of life. Blood is life. There were other offerings... . . "Melchidesech,
the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the
most high God, blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who
created heaven and earth.”. . . Because bread maintains life,
and wine enhances life. God told them what to sacrifice, and how to sacrifice;
but especially He told them to make the sacrifice of the Pasch, because it was
a memorial to their freedom and their protection, a memorial of thanksgiving to
the God who loved them. ". . . and it shall be a lamb
without blemish, a male, one year. . . and the whole multitude
of the children of Israel shall sacrifice it in the evening.”, "And this
day shall be a memorial unto you: and you shall keep it a feast to the
Lord. . . for with a strong hand the Lord hath brought you out
of this place." He brought them through water, led them by fire, fed them
with manna, and when they sinned against Him, He chastised them and accepted
their sacrifices of expiation. He made it part of their Law, their Covenant,
that they were to offer sacrifice: of reparation, of petition, of praise, of
thanksgiving.
Then Christ came.
When it was time for the
thing to happen for which He came, He said to the Apostles: "This is My
body, which is being given for you; do this, in remembrance of Me." And He
said: "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which shall be shed for
you." This was the new covenant, the new
Pasch. . . "in My blood," He said. From that
moment on they were to make sacrifice "in My blood." The
offering is a symbol of the offerer. Blood is the essence of life. This is our
gift to offer: His Body and Blood, every day. Think of all the things the
Redemption accomplished, and do not forget this last: to put into our hands the
perfect Gift, the pure Victim — "holy and spotless, the holy bread of
everlasting life and the chalice of everlasting salvation." With the
sacrifice of Holy Mass, Catholics make their thanksgiving.
The Virtue of Patience[5]
CHRIST tells you:
MY CHILD, I came down from Heaven for
your salvation and perfection. Not only did I make reparation for your sins,
but I also gave you an example of the virtues which you need in order to gain
eternal life. I took upon Myself your daily trials and difficulties, in order
to show you how to deal with them.
One of the virtues which you often need in your daily life
is patience. I had to practice a great deal of patience with the people around
Me during My earthly life. I had to bear the same things which annoy and
irritate you. I bore these trials with patience. Meditate on My patience and
pray for the wisdom and strength to imitate Me in this holy virtue.
Consider how I treat My loyal
followers. I do not send them an easy life, but one which demands great
patience, not many earthly joys, but many trials; not honors, but contempt and
hatred; not ease, but endless labors. By their unwavering patience they earn a
crown of unending glory.
Some are willing to suffer only what
they choose to endure. Others can be patient with certain persons, but not with
everyone. A truly patient man, however, makes no exceptions and sets no
conditions as to when, or with whom he will be patient. One who possesses
supernatural patience, does not consider what kind of people cause his trial;
whether they are superiors, equals, or inferiors, whether they are well meaning
or malicious. He is interested only in taking this trial as though I were
handing it to him. As long as the matter does not require him to defend his
rights, or to correct the people involved, he is willing to bear his trial for
My sake.
THINK: The supernatural virtue of
patience is an act of love for God shown by the disregard of one’s own
convenience or inconvenience. It is another form of self-giving. Jesus could
have saved me with far less inconvenience to Himself. He endured much more for
me than He needed to. That was His way of showing His love for me. If I fix my
eyes on Him, I shall never again say that I can take anything except this or
that. I shall be willing to suffer anything for Jesus. I shall lose sight of
the people involved, and see only Jesus.
PRAY: Dear patient Jesus, who can
describe the boundless love with which You suffered so many trials in Your
daily life? Can I think of this and still refuse to practice greater patience
in my own life? Can I see my God and Savior bearing so much aggravation for my
sins, and still go on demanding a smoothly running life for myself? You are
still practicing patience with me, as You wait for me to come to my senses and
start practicing a bit of humility in my daily life. If I were truly humble, I
would find it easy to be patient. I deserve far worse than what I now suffer in
my daily life. Therefore, I shall be patient with the trials which come along. Someday
I may rise to a higher generosity with You. I may even reach the joy which Your
saints had in suffering for You. I must, however, begin today. I hope to face
my problems and annoyances with patience, for Your sake, my Jesus. Amen.
Octave of Christ the
King
·
Mediate
on the virtues of Mary (Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Patience, Temperance,
Understanding/love and Wisdom. One for each day.
·
attend
Mass daily or via EWTN or the internet
·
Fast
doing the Daniel fast (Monday-Saturday).
·
Exercise-Universal Man Plan.
Daily Devotions
·
do
a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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