Sunday, February 21, 2021

 

Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Cowardice
My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
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

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception...pray for us
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

 
"Freedom from Cowardice" by Fr. Rick Heilman

Recently, Facebook suspended my account for 24 hours for sharing a video of a respected doctor who has had success with a treatment for COVID-19. The video that supposedly does not follow Facebook's community standards had 1.5 million views in one week, and at the time of this writing has not been banned on YouTube.

What's going on here? Obviously, this is about the ongoing threat of my willingness to speak the truth openly. Such behavior is not allowed by the mob who is clearly in power now. This action by Facebook is an example of the classic chilling effect meant to place fear in anyone who does not stay within the lines of the mob's agenda. "Chilling effect" is a term in law and communication that describes a situation where speech or conduct is suppressed by fear of penalization at the interests of an individual or group.

The problem right now is that this chilling effect is proving to be remarkably effective. Most people are cowering in fear. Even religious leaders are kowtowing to the mob. Why? Because speaking the truth openly is considered "divisive." In other words, because those who oppose the Holy Spirit aggressively express their offense of divine revelation (Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition), we must remain silent on these teachings. For the sake of unity, we are expected to silently sit by and allow the normalization of killing babies, the demise of the nuclear family, sodomy, gender dysphoria (grown men sharing a bathroom with little girls), Marxism, etc.

These growing calls for silence, amid the mounting aggression of the mob, have turned an incrementalism of evil into a bum-rush of everything that betrays the will of God.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote, "The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction."

Jesus did not prescribe this silent acquiescence to evil as a way to avoid division. We are not to kowtow to any chilling effect from the mob. Instead, we must be willing to boldly speak the truth with love, despite the backlash that is sure to come. We were told, "Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:21-22).

There it is - "but whoever endures to the end will be saved." Therefore, I must ask myself, "What if I get hit by a car today and must stand before the judgment throne of God?" Will I be eternally condemned for speaking truth that might have been divisive or offended people? Or will I be saved because I stood with Christ and His truth, endured in fortitude, and was unafraid to thwart the advancement of evil in our times, regardless of what the consequences were?

What will YOU choose...courage or cowardice?

 
Prayer of Reparation

My Lord and my God, we have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts toward cowardice. We have allowed the aggression of evil to make us recoil in fear. We have been too cowardly to openly stand with You and Your truth. In our fear and silence, we have allowed the ancient foe to advance. We turn to You Lord, in our shame, and beg Your forgiveness for our cowardly silence. We beg for the grace of Your strength and power to grant us the resolve to turn back the falsehoods of the enemy by freely and openly speaking Your truth with love to a waiting world. We know Lord, if You will it, it will be done. Trusting in You, we offer our prayer to You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 
Prayer of Exorcism

Lord God of heaven and earth, in Your power and goodness, You created all things. You set a path for us to walk on and a way to an eternal relationship. By the strength of Your arm and Word of Your mouth, cast from Your Holy Church every fearful deceit of the devil. Drive from us manifestations of the demonic that oppress us and beckon us to timidity and cowardice. Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to Your will. Send Your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of cowardice have planted in Your Church. Free us, our families, our parish, our diocese, and our country from all trickery and deceit perpetrated by the devil and his hellish legions. Trusting in Your goodness Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done, in unity with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

 
Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. R. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, R. have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, R. have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, R. have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal High Priest of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Divine Victim on the Altar for our salvation, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, hidden under the appearance of bread, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, dwelling in the tabernacles of the world, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, really, truly and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, abiding in Your fulness, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Life, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Angels, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, with us always until the end of the world, R. have mercy on us.

Sacred Host, summit and source of all worship and Christian life, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, sign and cause of the unity of the Church, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, adored by countless angels, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, spiritual food, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, Sacrament of love, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, bond of charity, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, greatest aid to holiness, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, gift and glory of the priesthood, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we partake of Christ, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which the soul is filled with grace, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we are given a pledge of future glory, R. have mercy on us.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

For those who do not believe in Your Eucharistic presence, R. have mercy, O Lord.
For those who are indifferent to the Sacrament of Your love, R. have mercy on us.
For those who have offended You in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, R. have mercy on us.

That we may show fitting reverence when entering Your holy temple, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may make suitable preparation before approaching the Altar, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may receive You frequently in Holy Communion with real devotion and true humility, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may never neglect to thank You for so wonderful a blessing, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may cherish time spent in silent prayer before You, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may grow in knowledge of this Sacrament of sacraments, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That all priests may have a profound love of the Holy Eucharist, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That they may celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with its sublime dignity, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may be comforted and sanctified with Holy Viaticum at the hour of our death, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may see You one day face to face in Heaven, R. we beseech You, hear us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Lord.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.

Let us pray.
Most merciful Father, You continue to draw us to Yourself through the Eucharistic Mystery. Grant us fervent faith in this Sacrament of love, in which Christ the Lord Himself is contained, offered and received. We make this prayer through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

 
Daily Checklist
__ Prayer for Freedom from the Devil
__ Daily reflection and prayers
__ Litany of the day
__ Pray a Rosary
__ Divine Mercy Chaplet
__ Spiritual or corporal work of mercy
__ Fast/abstain (according to level)
__ Exercise (according to level/ability)
__ Refrain from conventional media (only 1 hr. of social)
__ Examination of conscience (confession 1x this week)

First Sunday of Lent

 Leviticus, Chapter 25, Verse 36

Do not exact interest in advance or accrued interest, but out of FEAR of God let your kindred live with you.

 

Everyone serves something. Some serve gain, some serve pleasure, some serve others, but the wise person serves the Lord not out of servile fear but Holy fear; that is out of love.

 

Can we say with Joshua, “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Jos. 24:15) If we serve the Lord our own house should be open to our own kindred. If everyone did this would we have any who are homeless? Search your hearts; do you have kindred who are in need?

 

Sustain them especially widows and orphans; by the way the divorced are the same as widows and orphans.

 

Real charity is looking after widows and orphans.

 

ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[1]

 CHAPTER I 

DIES DOMINI 

To "keep holy" by "remembering"

 

16. The commandment of the Decalogue by which God decrees the Sabbath observance is formulated in the Book of Exodus in a distinctive way: "Remember the Sabbath day in order to keep it holy" (20:8). And the inspired text goes on to give the reason for this, recalling as it does the work of God: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (v. 11). Before decreeing that something be done, the commandment urges that something be remembered. It is a call to awaken remembrance of the grand and fundamental work of God, which is creation, a remembrance which must inspire the entire religious life of man and then fill the day on which man is called to rest. Rest therefore acquires a sacred value: the faithful are called to rest not only as God rested, but to rest in the Lord, bringing the entire creation to him, in praise and thanksgiving, intimate as a child and friendly as a spouse.

 

First Sunday of Lent, Called “Invocabit”. [2]

THIS, Sunday is called Invocabit from the first word of the Introit. All the Sundays of Lent and those from Easter to Pentecost take their names from the Introits of the Mass. In the Introit of this day, we are told: He shall cry to Me, and I will hear him; I will deliver him and glorify him; I will fill him with length of days. He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven (Ps. xc. 15, 16, 1).

Prayer of the Church

O God, Who dost purify Thy Church by the yearly observance of Lent, grant to Thy servants that what they endeavor to obtain of Thee by abstinence they may secure by good works.

EPISTLE, Cor. vi. 1-10.

Brethren: We do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain: for He saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee: and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold now is the acceptable time: behold now is the day of salvation; giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watching’s, in fasting’s, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true: as unknown, and yet known: as dying, and behold we live: as chastised, and not killed: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing, and possessing all things. By this epistle the Church admonishes us to profit by Lent as a season of grace, to spend it in earnestly combating sin and in the diligent performance of good works.

GOSPEL. Matt. iv. 1-11.

At that time: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry. And the tempter coming, said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, and set Him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thy self-down; for it is written that He hath given His angels charge over Thee, and in their hands shall they bear Thee up, lest perhaps Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took Him up into a very high mountain: and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said to Him: All these will I give Thee, if falling down Thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him: and behold angels came and ministered to Him.

Our Savior was led by the Holy Ghost into the desert there to prepare by fasting forty days and nights for His holy ministry. Here the tempter approaches and seeks to betray Him. After He had overcome the Evil One angels came and ministered to Him: by which we learn that they who overcome temptations enjoy the consolation and assistance of the angels. This should encourage us to combat joyfully to the end.

What is temptation? Temptation is an inducement to transgress the commandments of God. Temptation comes from our own concupiscence (James i. 14) for the flesh lusteth against the spirit (Gal. v.17.)

How does the devil tempt us? He moves the natural concupiscence to such sins as he sees men particularly inclined to, and then deceives and confuses the man’s mind, that he may not see clearly either the temporal loss, or the dishonor and danger of sin. He can, however, do nothing but what God permits. St. Augustine therefore compares him to a chained dog that can hurt only those who put themselves within his reach.

Does God also tempt us? St. James says (i. 13), Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God; for God is not a tempter of evils, and He tempteth no man; But He allows us to be tempted, sending us manifold trials.

Does God permit us to be tempted beyond our strength? No; for He combats with us and gives you always as much strength as is required to conquer temptations, and even to gain advantage from them (i. Cor. x. 13).

When do we consent to temptation? When we decide of our own free will to do the evil proposed; as long as we resist, however little, we do not consent.

What are the best means to overcome temptation?

1. Humility and prayer.

2. The consideration of the suffering which follows sin, and of the happiness which awaits those who resist temptation.

3. Invoking the aid of the Blessed Virgin, our guardian angel, and all the saints.

4. Praying devoutly, lead us not into temptation, and calling on the holy name of Jesus.

Lenten Calendar[3]

Read: Todays Gospel tells the story of Jesuss journey into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 

Reflect: Every day, but particularly in Lent, Christians must face a struggle, like the one that Christ underwent in the desert of Judea, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil, and then in Gethsemane, when he rejected the most sever temptation, accepting the Fathers will to the very end.  

It is a spiritual battle waged against sin and finally, against Satan. It is a struggle that involves the whole of the person and demands attentive and constant watchfulness.  (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, March 1, 2006)

Pray: Say something from your heart.

Act: With Jesuss response of One does not live on bread alone in mind, think of what ways you can feed your spiritual life this Lent. Decide to do something during this Lenten season that will nurture your relationship with God. Consider reading one of the Psalms on Saturdays, challenge yourself to fast from speaking any negative or critical word on Fridays, or do an act of generosity on Mondays. 

Christ is the model for our fasting

Christ in the desert, and the kinds of temptations we can expect to encounter.

"Not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God".

1. The devil tries to tempt us with the bread of fleshly desire. "Now is the acceptable time" to "ration" our self-indulgence, our worship of physical culture, and to feed our souls with the Divine Word. This temptation calls for the mortification of self.

2. The "pinnacle of the temple", recalls the pride of usurping God's power, of trying to live beyond His reach. We must topple ourselves from the pinnacle of pride and lift ourselves up by prayer to the pinnacle of God Himself.

3. The "kingdoms of the world," are those who covet mere earthly "glory." To offset this temptation there must be almsgiving or devoting one's talents to the service of one's neighbor.

The Epistle exhorts us not to receive "in vain" this plan of personal reformation, first by warning, then by encouraging us in the eternal struggle between Christ and Antichrist.

Excerpted from My Sunday Missal, Confraternity of the Precious Blood

Take Someone Out to the Ballpark 

Starting February 21

One of the first signs that spring is on the way is the beginning of
Major League Baseball’s spring training camps. Spring training games are a great way to see up-and-coming players as well as the seasoned veterans up close in smaller stadiums; plus, the ticket prices are more affordable than the regular season. The Grapefruit League (Florida) and the Cactus League (Arizona) both start in late February and continue through opening day in early April.


Daily Devotions


·         Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

·         Devotion of the Seven Sundays: St Joseph-4th Sunday

·         Manhood of the Master-week 1 day 5

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Rosary



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