Thursday in the Fourth Week of Easter
ST.
CATHERINE OF SIENA
Psalm 103,
Verse 11
For as the heavens tower over the earth, so his mercy towers over those who FEAR him.
The earth is indeed blessed among all the planets in our solar system because of our heaven. As the heavens have made the earth a garden rich with life like so is God grace over those who are faithful and love Him.
Never forget our Lord asked Peter if he loves Him three times. One time for each of the times Peter denied our Lord on the eve of His crucifixion thus nullifying Peter’s denials and restoring him. Christ asks Peter with each affirmation to 1) feed His lambs 2) tend His sheep and 3) feed His sheep.
First Christ asked Peter if he loves Him more than the others thus establishing Peters leadership on love. Next Christ tells Peter to feed His lambs to give them a core of strength. If we wish to develop strength in ourselves and others it is imperative that we give hope, confidence, a work ethic, confidence, resilience, self-control and courage to the lambs in our charge.
Secondly Christ asks Peter to “tend His sheep” or that is to give a firm purpose to direct their efforts to create the Kingdom of God.
Lastly Christ asks Peter to “Feed His sheep” by having an understanding heart and to be compassionate, faithful, merciful, tolerant, forgiving and generous.
How God Raises a Leader[1] (Psalm 103: 1-5)
1.
God
pardons (v.3) leaders must
push past shame or blame.
2.
God
heals (v.3) they must become
healthy and be liberated from old wounds.
3.
God
redeems (v.4) they see their abilities and personality redeemed.
4.
God
crowns (v.4) they are given gifts and a place to serve.
5.
God
satisfies (v.5) they feel satisfied and fulfilled as they live out their
role.
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Natural Leadership vs.
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Spiritual
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Jesus
said to his disciples, "Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of
Man is to be handed over to men." But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and
they were afraid to ask him about
this saying.
St. Catherine of Siena[2]
Catherine,
the youngest of twenty-five children, was born in Siena on March 25, 1347.
During her youth she had to contend with great difficulties on the part of her
parents. They were planning marriage for their favorite daughter; but
Catherine, who at the age of seven had already taken a vow of virginity,
refused. To break her resistance, her beautiful golden-brown tresses were shorn
to the very skin and she was forced to do the most menial tasks. Undone by her
patience, mother and father finally relented and their child entered the Third
Order of St. Dominic.
Unbelievable
were her austerities, her miracles, her ecstasies. The reputation of her
sanctity soon spread abroad; thousands came to see her, to be converted by her.
The priests associated with her, having received extraordinary faculties of
absolution, were unable to accommodate the crowds of penitents. She was a helper
and a consoler in every need. As time went on, her influence reached out to
secular and ecclesiastical matters. She made peace between worldly princes. The
heads of Church and State bowed to her words. She weaned Italy away from an
anti-pope, and made cardinals and princes promise allegiance to the rightful
pontiff. She journeyed to Avignon and persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to
Rome. Even though she barely reached the age of thirty-three her
accomplishments place her among the great women of the Middle Ages. The virgin
Catherine was espoused to Christ by a precious nuptial ring which, although
visible only to her, always remained on her finger.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius
Parsch
Patron: Against fire; bodily ills; Europe;
fire prevention; firefighters; illness; Italy; miscarriages; nurses; nursing
services; people ridiculed for their piety; sexual temptation; sick people;
sickness; Siena, Italy; temptations.
Symbols: Cross; heart; lily; ring;
stigmata.
Things to
Do:
- If
you have never done so today would be a good time to read some of St.
Catherine's Dialogue.
- Learn
more about the Order of Preachers founded by St. Dominic.
Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare[3]
Day of Remembrance for all the Victims of Chemical Warfare commemorates the victims of chemical warfare and serves to reaffirm the world's commitment to eliminate chemical weapons. Thus, the day also serves to promote peace, security and multilateralism. Although, chemical weapons have been banned for some time by the Geneva Convention, they are still infrequently used. The United Nations proclaimed the Day of Remembrance for all the Victims of Chemical Warfare in November of 2005. It has since been celebrated on April 29th, the same date on which the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997. The day aims to destroy chemical weapons and further gain adherence to the Convention's articles in order to achieve a safer and more peaceful world.
Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare Facts &
Quotes
·
Chemical
weapons were used for the first time on a large scale in battle during World
War I at the battle of Ypres in 1915. The chemical that was used as a weapon
was chlorine gas.
·
90%
of the world’s declared chemical weapons stockpile of 72,525 metric tons has
been verifiably destroyed.
·
There
are three different schedules of chemicals:
1) Schedule One: these are typically used in weapons such as sarin and mustard
gas
2) Schedule Two: these are used in weapons such as amiton and BZ
3) Schedule Three: these are typically the least toxic chemicals and are used
for research and the production of medicines.
· For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us, or our allies is the greatest security threat we face. – Madeleine Albright, American politician and diplomat, first woman to be secretary of state.
Remembrance Victims Top Events and Things to Do
·
Watch
a documentary or movie on the perils of chemical warfare. Some popular options
are: Science at War: Laboratory of War, Chemical Warfare Watch, Avoiding
Armageddon: Chemical Weapons, and Total Recall.
·
Read
a book on the widespread dangers of chemical warfare. Some good suggestions
are: War of Nerves, Chemical and Biological Warfare: America’s Hidden Arsenal,
and a Higher Form of Killing.
·
Spread
awareness on social media by using the hashtags #peacenotwar and #remembranceforallchemicalwarfarevictims
·
Visit
the site of some of the chemical weapon use. Some ideas, the Battlefields of
Ypres, the Battlefields of Passchendaele and the Tokyo Subway.
Daily Devotions
·
do
a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 31
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 11 day 2
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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