First Saturday
ST. BASIL/9th Day of Christmas-MOTIVATION DAY
Psalm 23, verse 4:
4 Even
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will FEAR no
evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.
Saint Pope John
Paul II was an example of someone who walked through the valley of the shadow
of death and feared no evil. The Lord’s rod and staff sustained him through the
nightmare of the Nazis and the Communists. Both were evil empires devoted to
the destruction of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all except
for the few selected elite.
These empires
systematically replaced God with the rule of the chosen ones of the State.
People from both the Fatherland and the Motherland sat by and watched the evil
grow without taking decisive action, making the adage ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (or
women) do nothing.’ Remember to measure our nation and our politics with Gods Rod (Rods were often used in
ancient times to measure) and not the political States or the media nor the
opinion of the rich and the powerful. Let us be ever ready to speak up for what
is righteous using Gods rod, which are His laws of justice and mercy, working
tirelessly and remember Saint Pope John Paul II words of encouragement, “I plead with you –
never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become
discouraged. Be not afraid.”
Let us also carry with us for the journey the
Staff of God, which is truth, not worldly truth but Gods truth. “The word of
truth, publicly, indeed almost liturgically, proclaimed was the antidote the
Rhapsodic Theater sought to apply to the violent lies of the Occupation. The
tools for fighting evil included speaking truth to power.” [1]
9th day
of Christmas
The nine lady’s dancing is a sign of the fruits of the Holy Spirit for those who are not afraid: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
First Saturday[2]
The elements of this devotion, therefore, consist in the
following four points, all of which must be offered in reparation to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
1.
Confession: This confession can be made before
the First Saturday or afterward, provided that Holy Communion be received in
the state of grace. In 1926, Christ in a vision explained to Lucia (Fatima)
that this confession could be made a week before or even more, and that it
should be offered in reparation.
2.
Holy
Communion: Before
receiving Holy Communion, it is likewise necessary to offer it in reparation to
Our Lady. Our Lord told Lucia in 1930, “This Communion will be accepted on the
following Sunday for just reasons, if my priests allow it so.” So, if work or school, sickness, or
another just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with this
permission it may be received the following Sunday. If Communion is
transferred, any or all of the other acts of the devotion may also be performed
on Sunday if the person so desires.
3.
Rosary: The Rosary is a vocal prayer said
while meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord’s life and Passion and Our Lady’s life. To comply with
the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation and said
properly while meditating.
4.
15-minute
meditation: Also
offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may
include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the
richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she
said “...those who keep me company....”
Christmas Calendar[3]
Read: Today we read about St. Basil the Great, revered as a Doctor of the
Church.
Reflect: "St. Basil, in a much-quoted
homily, once declared that the bread we clutch in our hands belongs to the
starving, the cloak we keep locked in our closet belongs to the naked, the
shoes we are not using belong to the barefooted. In these ways in the
post-biblical age Christians strove to keep a religious perspective on their
use of material things."
Pray: As many prepare to return to work after
this Holy season, say a prayer for
work.
Act: St. Basil once wrote, "Do
everything possible to make yourself worthy of the Kingdom. Do not disdain the
invitation you have received" (Exhortation to Baptism, 7-8).
When
I think of all this, I am left terrorized and swallowed up with fear that,
because of fickleness of heart or preoccupation with things of no importance, I
may weaken in my love of God and even become a reason of shame or disorder for
Christ.”
St.
Basil’s Bread[4]
In
the Eastern Churches St. Basil's Bread is blessed on his feast day. This
blessing has been adapted for home use. The family gathers at the table where
the bread is placed along with an icon of St. Basil (if available). The parts
marked leader are done by the father or other suitable person.
Prayer
Leader:
Through the
prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us!
All: Amen.
Holy God, Holy Mighty,
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times) Glory to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Most holy Trinity, have
mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us of our sins. Master, forgive our transgressions.
Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for Your Name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (three
times)
Glory to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it
is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as
we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but
deliver us from evil.
Leader: For
Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and ever, and forever.
All: Amen.
Troparion - Tone 1 Your voice resounds throughout the world * which has
excepted the lessons so well taught by you. * You have given explanation of
divine truths. * You have clarified the nature of created things. * You have
made a rule of life for men. * By your royal priesthood, O venerable father
Basil, * intercede with Christ to save our souls.
Glory to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Kondakion - Tone 4 O venerable and heavenly inspired
Basil, * you were a firm foundation of the Church * by giving to all treasure *
and impressing them with your teachings.
Leader: Let
us pray to the Lord. All: Lord, have mercy.
Prayer of Blessing
Leader: O
Lord, King of the Ages and Creator of all things; You are abounding in mercy and
plenteous in goodness! You accepted the gifts of the Wise Men in Bethlehem. You
are the Bread of Life Who came down from heaven. You put times and years under
Your authority and hold our lives in Your hands. Hear us on this auspicious day
of the beginning of this New Year of (name the year) and bless + this sweet
bread which is offered for Your glory and honor and in memory of our Father
among the Saints Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodocia. O
Generous One, look down from heaven and send down Your heavenly gifts upon us,
those who prepared this bread and all who shall partake of it, because we have
placed our hope in You, the Eternal Living God! Bless our coming and going,
enrich our lives with Your abundant blessings and direct our steps in the
working of Your Divine commandments, because we shall not live by bread alone.
Through the intercessions of Your all-pure and holy Mother, of our Father among
the Saints, Basil the Great, and of all Your Saints, who have pleased You over
the ages.
All:
Amen.
The leader takes a
knife and incises the sign of the Cross in the bottom of the loaf. It is then
cut. It is eaten after the prayers are complete.
Closing Prayers
All:
Lord, have mercy. (three
times)
Glory to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
More honorable than the
Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who, a virgin,
gave birth to God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify you!
Leader: Lord
Jesus Christ, our true God, circumcised in the flesh, through the prayers of
His most pure Mother, of Saint Basil the Great, whom we honor this day and of
all the saints, have mercy on us and save us.
All:
Amen.
Motivation and
Inspiration Day[5]
It’s January 2nd, the
beginning of a whole new year, and you’ve just gotten over your hangover—what
time could possibly be better to be motivated and inspired? You have a whole
365 days ahead of you, and now is the time to start making them count! Even though
to many, January 2nd is in fact just about finally getting over your New Year’s
Party hangover, the history of Motivation and Inspiration day is much more
somber. National Motivation & Inspiration Day was passed by The United
States Congress on December 18th, 2001, after the tragic events of September
11th, 2001. That was when Kevin L. McCrudden became the first and so far, only
motivational and leadership speaker to ever have had such a day passed by
Congress, acknowledging the importance of “motivation” and “inspiration” in our
daily lives. After the tragedy that was September 11th, 2001, McCrudden felt
that all Americans needed something to remind them that there were still many
things to live on for. The reality was bleak at that time, and many people felt
sad, scared or lost—especially those whose family members or friends had gotten
killed suddenly in the World Trade Center attacks of just a few months before.
McCrudden originally intended for this day to be dedicated to helping
people become the best they can be and maximize their potential through the
creation of annual goals. The idea caught on quite quickly, and Motivation and
Inspiration Day is now celebrated in different places across the world as well
as in the United States, encouraging people everywhere to change their lives
for the better.
How
to Celebrate Motivation and Inspiration Day
There are a few things you
can do to celebrate this special day. Firstly, taking into consideration the
events of September 11th, 2001 that led to the creation of Motivation and
Inspiration Day, it would be good to just spend a minute or two in silence out
of respect for the men and women who lost their lives to terrorism so suddenly
that day. And then honor their memory by appreciating your own life and
making it better! There are many ways to do this. One is to think of someone in
your life who inspires you, whether it’s your mother, father, spouse or friend
and find a way to show them an appreciation for being who they are. The gesture
doesn’t have to be a grand one—take your mother, father or friend out to lunch
and talk about their life and what helped to make them as strong as
they are, thank them for showing you how to deal with life’s challenges.
Buy a nice bottle of wine for your spouse and be sure to spend the evening with
him or her, telling them how glad you are to be able to share your life with
them. All too often in life, people take their close ones for granted, but we
should never miss a chance to tell people who are special and inspirational to us
just how much we appreciate them. You can also start doing something you’ve
wanted to do for a long time but have kept putting off. Sign up for a martial
arts class, start learning a new language, make a list of books to read, or buy
a cookbook full of healthy recipes to make for your family instead of eating
takeout every evening. Whatever way you decide to celebrate Motivation and
Inspiration Day, make sure it changes your life for the better and helps you
appreciate life more!
Watch a Movie at the
Palm Springs International Film Fest[6]
(Canceled
COVID 19-this may be a good thing)
Hob-knob with some of the
movie industry’s biggest movers and shakers at one of the largest film
festivals in North America. With over 135,000 attendees each year, the two-week
long Palm Springs festival includes new and celebrated
international features and documentaries. The festival is also known for its
annual Film Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the year by a
celebrated list of talents.
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
·
Make a bucket list for 2021
·
Rosary
[1] George Wiegel, Witness to Hope, 1999,
p66.
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