Elements of the 40-Day "Let Freedom Ring"
Tactical Training for Freedom from the Devil
The Regimen
At a word from You the devil and his minions flee in terror.
You are the source of all truth. You are the source of all strength.
By the power of Your Cross and Resurrection, we beseech You, O Lord
To extend Your saving arm and to send Your holy angels
To defend us as we do battle with Satan and his demonic forces.
Exorcise, we pray, that which oppresses Your Bride, the Church,
So that within ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation
We may turn fully back to You in all fidelity and trust.
Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done.
Give us the perseverance for this mission, we pray.
Amen.
St. Joseph ... pray for us
St. Michael the Archangel ... pray for us
(the patron of your parish) ... pray for us
(your confirmation saint) ... pray for us
- To pray a Rosary for the intention of exorcism of the day's area of reflection
- To pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet in reparation for the sin caused by the area of the day's reflection
- To commit one act of either a spiritual or corporal works of mercy for either one who has been harmed by our sin or who has harmed us by their sin.
- To commit to fasting or abstinence days as prescribed below.
- To commit to a prescribed time of exercise based on one's abilities
- To commit to going to Confession once a week (where available)
- To refrain from all use of the conventional media throughout the 40 days and to limit one's use of social media to one hour a day for non-business or evangelical use.
Levels
Level | Fasting/Abstinence Regimen | Daily Exercise Regimen |
White | No fasting. Abstain 3x a week from sweets, soda, junk food, and fast food | Exercise for 30 min. + Spiritual reading for 30 min. |
Red | Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. Abstain from sweets, soda, junk food, and fast food the 5 other days of the week | 60 min. |
Blue | Fast 3x a week (on Wednesdays, Fridays, and any another day except Sunday) Abstain from sweets, soda, junk food, and fast food for all 40 days | 60 min. |
Black | Fast 3x per week (unless age or medical conditions are an issue) Abstain from sweets, soda, junk food, and fast food for all 40 days *See note for clerics below! | 60 min. (30 min. for those over 65 or who have medical conditions) |
- Commit to Holy Hour every day (prayer, reflection, and some acts of reparation can be done during this time).
- Make more time for the confessional and daily Mass.
- Pray all hours of the Divine Office daily for 40 days.
- Commit to confession once a week.
- In a special way, offer the prayers for those placed under your pastoral care and do your acts of reparation for those harmed by the actions of any cleric, including yourself.
More Information
You can order the book at RomanCatholicGear.com.
Shrovetide Monday
PRESIDENTS DAY SINGLES AWARENESS-SCOTTISH FEST
Exodus, Chapter 18, Verse 18-21
18
“You will surely wear yourself out,
both you and these people with you. The task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19
Now,
listen to me, and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. Act as
the people’s representative before God, and bring their disputes to God. 20
Enlighten them in regard to the
statutes and instructions, showing them how they are to conduct themselves and
what they are to do. 21
But you should also look among all
the people for able and GOD-FEARING men,
trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them over the people as
commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Our Lord asks us to lead, follow or
get out of the way. Our Lord tells us, “Whoever
is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but
blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Mt. 12:30-31)
If you are a leader start leading in the church with a group of ten; follow
where you can and do not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit.
Shrovetide Monday-Carnival Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago[1]
You can’t really understand
Trinidad unless you come for Carnival, or mas (for masquerade), as it’s locally
known. Trinidad is a melting pot of West African, East Indian, Chinese, South
American, and European, which has influenced both its music and Carnival
itself. The country’s West African roots gave birth to the steel pan (or steel
drum, originally made from empty oil barrels), calypso music, and its more
recent souped-up version, soca (“soul-calypso”), which makes this Carnival the
loudest and wildest in all the Caribbean.
It’s the national obsession, with
Port of Spain at its heart. Bands and masqueraders begin their preparations a
year in advance. Things start to hum after Christmas, gradually building to a
crescendo of rehearsals, concerts, open-air fêtes, and calypso duels. The final
2-day explosion of color, music, and unbridled excess officially kicks off at 4
A.M. on Carnival Monday with the
“opening day” parade called J’Ouvert (pronounced joo-VAY). Fueled by copious
amounts of beer, revelers covered in mud, grease, body paint, and chocolate
form a mass of happy humanity as they follow trucks blasting soca and “chip”
(dance) until sunrise.
Monday
(“old mas”) continues with bands and dancers along a 6-mile parade route. The
glitter and glamorous costumes of “pretty mas” are saved for Shrove Tuesday
(Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. Tens of thousands take to the
streets in costume (often sequined bikinis and feather headdresses), with
groups as large as 3,000 in identical costume following flatbed trucks carrying
steel bands competing for the title of “Masquerade Band of the Year.” Getups
are at their most extravagant for the Kings and Queens Costume Competition—
some can weigh up to 200 pounds (and are attached to wheels for mobility) and
incorporate fog, fireworks, and other special effects. “Pan” bands with as many
as 100 musicians perform nonstop in a riotous celebration of King Carnival.
Rosenmontag[2]
(English: Rose Monday)
is the highlight of the German Karneval
(carnival),
and takes place on the Shrove
Monday before Ash
Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
Mardi Gras, though celebrated
on Fat Tuesday, is a similar
event. Rosenmontag
is celebrated in German-speaking countries, including Germany, Austria,
Switzerland and Belgium (Eupen,
Kelmis),
but most heavily in the carnival strongholds which include the Rhineland,
especially in Cologne, Bonn,
Düsseldorf,[4]
Aachen
and Mainz.
In contrast to Germany, in Austria, the highlight of the carneval is not Rosenmontag, but Shrove
Tuesday.
The
name for the carnival comes from the German dialect word roose meaning "frolic" and Montag meaning Monday.
Overview
The
Karneval
season begins at 11
minutes past the eleventh hour on 11 November and the "street
carnival" starts on the Thursday before Rosenmontag, which is known as Weiberfastnacht ("women's
carnival", Fat
Thursday). Karneval is
prevalent in Roman Catholic areas and is a continuation of the old Roman
traditions of slaves and servants being master for a day. Karneval derives from the Latin carnem levare ("taking
leave of meat") marking the beginning of Lent.
Carnival
is not a national holiday in Germany, but schools are closed on Rosenmontag and the following Tuesday in the
strongholds and many other areas. Many schools as well as companies tend to
give teachers, pupils and employees the Thursday before Rosenmontag off as well and have celebrations
in school or in the working place on Weiberfastnacht, although every
now and then there are efforts to cut these free holidays in some companies.
Celebrations
usually include dressing up in fancy costumes,
dancing, parades,
heavy drinking
and general public displays with floats. Every town in the Karneval areas boasts at least one parade
with floats making fun of the themes of the day. Usually sweets (Kamelle) are thrown into the crowds lining
the streets among cries of Helau
or Alaaf,
whereby the cry Kölle
Alaaf is only applied in the Cologne
Carnival – Alaaf stems from or Alle af, Ripuarian
for "all [others] away". Sweets
and tulips
are thrown into the crowd.
The
celebrations become quieter the next day, known as Veilchendienstag ("Violet
Tuesday", Shrove
Tuesday), and end with Ash
Wednesday.
NOVENA TO THE HOLY
FACE
DAILY
PREPARATORY PRAYER
O
Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession of Holy Mary, whose
soul was pierced through by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of
her Divine Son, we ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We
now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede for us as we pray this Holy
Novena to the Most Holy Face of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy
Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ninth Day
Psalm 51, 18-21.
For in sacrifice you
take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice a
contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. In your
goodness, show favor to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem Then you will be
pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar.
Sacred
Face of our Lord and our God, what words can we do to express our gratitude?
How can we speak of our joy? That you have deigned to hear us, that you have chosen
to answer us in our hour of need. We say this because we know that our prayers
will be granted. We know that you, in your loving kindness, listened to our
pleading hearts, and will give, out of your fullness, the answer to our
problems. Mary, our Mother, thank you for your intercession on our behalf.
Saint Joseph, thank you for your prayers.
Through
the merits of your precious blood and your Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our
petition, Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer
to the Holy Trinity
Most
Holy Trinity, Godhead indivisible, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our first
beginning and our last end. Since you have made us after your own image and
likeness, grant that all the thoughts of our minds, all the words of our
tongues, all the affections of our hearts and all our actions may be always
conformed to your most Holy Will, so that after having seen you here on earth
in appearances and in a dark manner by the means of faith, we may come at last
to contemplate you face to face, in the perfect possession of you forever in
paradise. Amen.
Pray one (1) Our
Father, (3) Hail Mary’s, (1) Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine. (Three times)
Preparing for Battle[3] Know Your Weapons
The
weapon of Eucharistic adoration
Outside of Mass, the other great refuge from the Devil and his
wiles is prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. St. John Bosco used to tell the
boys who were under his care:
·
Listen:
There are two things the Devil is deathly afraid of: fervent Communions and
frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
·
Do
you want Our Lord to grant you many graces? Visit him often.
·
Do
you want Him to grant you only a few? Visit Him only seldom.
·
Do
you want the Devil to attack you? Rarely visit the Blessed Sacrament.
·
Do
you want the Devil to flee from you? Visit Jesus often.
·
Do
you want to overcome the Devil? Take refuge at Jesus’ feet.
·
Do
you want to be overcome by the Devil? Give up visiting Jesus.
·
Visiting
the Blessed Sacrament is essential, my dear boys, if you want to overcome the
Devil. Therefore, make frequent visits to Jesus. If you do that, the Devil will
never prevail against you.
Confession
and Holy Communion[4]
One of the Precepts of the Church is to
receive the sacraments of Penance
and Holy Communion at
least once a year, during Lent or Paschaltide. Catholics once dedicated the
three days prior to Lent as a special time to go to confession. Shrovetide
arose from the desire to prepare for the holy asceticism of the Great Fast.
Once Lent begins, however, confession should still be sought out: since Lent is
a time for frequent and frank examinations of conscience, confession is a
sacrament that should be liberally taken advantage of during this time.
Guardian
Angels[5]
Our
lives always are better if we work with God rather than against him. To this
end God has assigned an angel to protect churches and persons for indeed we are
the true temples of God. We should be particularly attentive to our own
guardian angels, since they are specifically assigned to our care. Our guardian
angels want to help us cooperate with the will of God, and they want to keep us
from sin. They help us to comfort others-and they want to keep us safe and from
causing harm to others. They are our best friend in that they always want
what’s best for us even if it does not coincide with the things, we desire the
most and they will undoubtedly help us, especially when we ask them. Learn to
ask for what you need. Our angel helps us to answer Gods call for holiness. As
we are the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit our angel is charged with protecting
our temples and keeping us pure for the presence of God. We must learn to speak
to the angels.
No evil shall befall you, no
affliction come near your tent for he commands his angels with regard to you,
to guard you wherever you go. With their hands they shall support you,
lest you strike your foot against a stone. You can tread upon the asp and
the viper, trample the lion and the dragon. (Ps.91:10-13)
President's Day[6]
President's
Day, or Washington's Birthday as it is still legally known, was originally
designed as a celebration of George Washington's birthdate. In 1880,
Congress voted to make this the first national holiday which honored an
individual. In 1968, Congress enacted the Uniform Monday Bill, to give
workers as many long weekends as possible. This moved as many holidays to a
standard Monday each year. Many states were already honoring Abraham
Lincoln's birthday, February 12th, and this celebration was combined with
George Washington's birthday, for one federal holiday. It is observed on
the third Monday in February each year.
President's Day Facts
·
According
to the Julian calendar, Washington was born February 11, 1732. The
Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1752, changing Washington's Birthday to
February 22.
·
Since
1888, Washington's Farewell Address has been read aloud in the U.S. Senate on
February 22nd.
·
George
Washington was the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, first U.S.
President, and President of the Constitutional Convention.
·
Presidents
Day never falls on Washington's actual birthdate (Feb. 22). The third
Monday in February can never be any later than February 21st.
President's Day Top Events and Things
to Do
·
Visit
Mt. Vernon, VA, Washington's ancestral home and place of both he and his wife
Martha's tomb. Admission is free on President's Day.
·
Go
shopping for a car. Presidents day weekend typically features some of the
best car deals of the year as dealers try to clear out prior-year inventory.
·
Read
George Washington's Farewell Address and reflect on his contributions to United
States.
·
Read
Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and reflect on his contributions to
the United States.
·
Visit
the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
Salute the Presidents
What better way to
celebrate President's Day than with a trip to Mount
Rushmore. This
national memorial in South Dakota features the heads of George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
Single? So Sad, too bad[7]. Singles Awareness Day
After a Christmas spent
with elderly family members asking when they’re finally going to get married,
or at least find a boyfriend or girlfriend to bring home, life does not get any
easier for singles after Christmas, either. No sooner have the Santa Claus and
snowman decorations vanished from the shops than the shelves begin to burst
with cuddly teddy bears, heart-shaped balloons and boxes of cheap chocolates,
all in shades of nauseating neon pinks and reds. Yes, Valentine’s Day has
become one of the world’s most profitable occasions, yet another marketing scheme
that has hit pay dirt more than the original creators of the idea could have
ever dreamed. If you’re not in a relationship Valentine’s day is bad enough,
what with all the additional pressure to be ‘romantic’, if such rampant and
blatant consumerism and commercialism can be considered romantic at all. The
restaurants are all overpacked with couples trying too hard to impress each
other, and it seems every flower in the whole city has been bought out, just so
someone can say it’s pretty once and then thrown away. Hallmark holidays are
called that for a reason. For singles, on the other hand, Valentine’s day can
be a simple and cruel reminder that they are alone. No pink stuffed animals for
them, and no tacky heart-shaped boxes of poor-quality chocolate, either, though
one does tend to wonder whether that really makes them worse off in the first
place. Singles Awareness Day used to
be an alternate name used for Valentine’s Day among those who found themselves
unattached during the day, but it all became too depressing. So, by
single’s hive-mind consensus, it fell to the day after as a perfect antidote to
all of the neon nonsense.
How to Celebrate Singles
Awareness/Appreciation Day
·
It’s
a humorous holiday to celebrate being single, to share with single friends, to
send each other presents or even order yourself some flowers. On this day many
people wear green, as it is the complementary opposite of red.
·
Another
popular option is an absence of color (black), to symbolize an absence of
celebration.
·
One
increasingly popular activity is to travel to Brazil and witness the
Brazilian Carnival. The trip, coupled with the fact that Brazil doesn’t
celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14, but in June, provides a temporary
getaway from the neon pink of the Valentine’s holiday in the Western culture,
by simply substituting it with another celebration.
·
Some
who celebrate Singles Awareness Day just want to remind romantic couples that
they don’t need to be in a relationship to celebrate life, and that the key to
being happy is being able to be happy with yourself.
·
Contrary
to popular misconceptions, Singles Awareness Day is not about self-pity but
rather a chance to announce to the world that you are single and happy to be
so. Originally, most singles referred to February 14 as Single’s Awareness Day
(acronym: SAD) until it they realized that that was just depressing. Choosing
the next day allowed single people a chance to turn this into a celebration
rather than a festival of self-pity. There is no reason to be miserable that
you are independent and unattached; on the contrary, there are many more people
in relationships than you might think who rather wish they were in your shoes,
with nobody to answer to but themselves. This is the day that all of the
single people can proudly stand up and show that it is okay to be single. Take
that, cupid!
While
cleaning out my files the other day I came across this note. I don’t
know the source but thought I would share it.
Dear Beloved, One,
I see your loneliness and fears, your guilt and frustrations. I see your endless search for love and fulfillment. All this must be, in order for you to come the end of your own understanding—then you can hear My voice. Listen carefully amid the noise of the world and you will hear…I love you, I shed My blood for you to make you clean. Give yourself completely to Me. I created you to be just as you are, and you are lovely in My eyes. Do not criticize yourself or become depressed for not being perfect in your own eyes. This leads only to frustrations. I want you to trust Me one step, one second at a time. Dwell in My power and My love and be free, be yourself. Don’t allow other people to control you. I will guide you, if you let Me, but be aware of My presence in everything. I will give you patience, love, joy, and peace. Look to Me for answers for I am your shepherd and will lead you. Follow Me only!! Do not ever forget this. Listen and I will tell you My will.
Let My love flow from you and spill over to all you touch. Be not concerned with yourself—you are My responsibility. I will change you without your ever knowing it. You are to love yourself and love others, simply because I love you. Take your eyes off yourself, look only to Me, I lead, I change, I create, but not when you are striving. You are mine…let Me have the joy of making you like Christ.
Your only command is to look to Me and Me, only—never to yourself and never to others. Do not struggle but relax in My love. I know what is best and will do it in you. Stop trying to become and let me make you what I want.
My will is perfect;
My love is sufficient. I will
Supply all your needs…
Only look to Me.
I love you,
Your
Heavenly Father
·
30 Days (day 29) with St. Joseph (End on Ash Shrove Tuesday)
·
Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
·
Monday: Litany of
Humility
·
Rosary
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