Thursday, April 8, 2021

 Thursday in the Octave of Easter or Easter Thursday

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

 

Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, Verse 12-13

12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, as well as the resident aliens who live in your communities—that they may hear and so learn to FEAR the Lord, your God, and to observe carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children also, who do not know it yet shall hear and learn to FEAR the Lord, your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. 

With the coming of the secular age, we have forgotten Who made us great and have not taught our children and immigrants fear of the Lord and as a result our world languishes.

 

Fear not, my people! Remember, Israel, you were sold to the nations not for your destruction; It was because you angered God that you were handed over to your foes. For you provoked your Maker with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods; You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you. She indeed saw coming upon you the anger of God; and she said: “Hear, you neighbors of Zion! (Baruch 4: 5-9)

 

Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; For he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.” (Baruch 4: 27-29)

 

What Can We Do? We must promote faith by having devotion to the Divine Mercy and prayer in our families. Christ started His ministry via Mary’s request at the wedding at Cana with a new family: a couple; a new Eve and a new Adam. Christ ended his ministry by making a new family. Woman this is your son…what is needed today to restore, protect and sanctify our world is devotion through families to the Divine Mercy. The Divine Mercy devotion is meant for the end times, therefore, the consecration prayer which enriches the devotion, fits perfectly into the “real time” of families everywhere. 

 

Lord Jesus, if you want to pour your mercy out on souls, how much more must you desire to pour it out on whole families, especially in our time when so many families reject you. Therefore, we the ______________ Family offer ourselves to your merciful love and ask for the graces and mercy that other families refuse. We ask this in order to console your Heart and because we need your mercy. Fill us with your mercy, Lord. Please forgive us our sins, and give us the grace to be merciful to one another in our deeds, words, and prayers. May the rays of mercy that go forth from your Heart reign in our home and in our hearts. Please make our home a place where your mercy can rest and where we, too, can find rest in your mercy. Bless us with your mercy when we leave our home and bless us again when we return. Bless everyone we meet with the mercy you pour into our hearts. Especially bless those who visit our home — may they experience your mercy here.

 

Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to faithfully live our Offering to God's Merciful Love. We give ourselves to you and ask you to share with us your Immaculate Heart. Help us to accept your Son's mercy with your own openness of heart at the Annunciation. Help us to be grateful for God's mercy with your own joyful heart at the Visitation. Help us to trust in God's mercy, especially during times of darkness, with your own steadfast faith at Calvary. Finally, Mary, protect and preserve our family in love, so that one day we may rejoice together with you and all the saints in the communion of the eternal Family of Love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Faustina, pray for us. St. Thérèse, pray for us.[1]

 

Thursday in the Octave of Easter or Easter Thursday[2] is a day for Commemoration of the departed which is a Slavic tradition. Thursday of the Dead is described as a universal day for visiting tombs, engaged in most diligently by townspeople, followed by fellaheen ("peasants"), and then Bedouins. Women would go to the cemetery before sunrise to pray for the departed and distribute bread cakes known as kaʿak al-asfar ("the yellow roll") and dried fruit to the poor, to children, and to relatives. Children would also receive painted eggs, generally yellow in color. The sharing of this tradition between Christians and Muslims is thought to date back to at least the 12th century when Saladin urged Muslims to adopt Christian customs in order to promote religious tolerance in the region.

Novena for the Poor Souls[3]

ON EVERY DAY OF THE NOVENA V. O Lord, hear my prayer, R. And let my cry come unto Thee. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

THURSDAY O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He Himself, on the night before His Passion, gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in Purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise Thee therefore, together with Thy divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Thy glory forever. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere— for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within my family. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE DYING O Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying! Amen.

Faith and Healing[4]

Shallow minds are easily scandalized at the thought that, despite Christ Jesus' divine mission and His heroic earnestness in fulfilling it, despite the limitless possibilities of the Sacrifice of Calvary glorified in the power of the Resurrection, even now so many human souls are still sick and diseased, even dead in sin and seemingly lost in impenitence. But think for a moment of some definite astounding force in nature, as for instance lightning, or even better, of so simple a force as the stroke of a hammer or the approach of a lighted match; notice the vast difference in the effects produced on a block of granite, on a cake of ice, and on a keg of powder. Even so, the definite effect of the same graces upon different individual souls depends on the receptivity of each. Yet never doubt, the doors of the treasury of the merits and fruits of Calvary are wide open; the fountains of the Savior are pouring out heavenly waters to purify and cure and refresh souls; the invitation goes out to all:

"Come, eat My bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. All you that thirst come to the waters, and you that have no money, make haste, buy, and eat come ye, buy wine and milk without money! Come! to experience the virtue of the waters, and of the food, and of the medicine, and of the fire. Come and drink lest you die of thirst! Come and eat lest your soul hunger and starve! Come, approach the fire of My charity, to be stirred out of your spiritual coldness and numbness!"

Anointing of the Sick[5]

 

The Apostles must have been astonished at their power to heal the bodies of the faithful while on the road when Christ sent them out before His death.

 

Yet, the greatest power was to come after His death and resurrection. Jesus made it perfectly clear that the power to forgive sins is far greater than the power to heal. (Mk. 2:9) Jesus healed people of every disease as a sign of the greater work of forgiveness of sins. For in the gospel he states, “That you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sin.” (Mk 2:10) The physical signs were there for the sake of a spiritual reality. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. (Jas. 5:14-15)

 

This is the sacrament we know as the Anointing of the Sick. It must be noted that grave physical suffering is often accompanied by a great spiritual trial. Sacramental anointing gives us the grace we need to face our trials. Oils have been used for millennia to convey the grace and health of God. Anointing helps us transform physical suffering into something more deeply curative, something truly releasing. Don’t wait! At the first sign of serious ailment seek the aid of Christ through this sacrament.

 

Preparation for Death[6]

 

All Christian life is a preparation for death. We cannot predict the moment of our passing, but we should be prepared for it both remotely and near term when our death is imminent. It is best to prepare far in advance by making a lifetime habit of confession and reception of the Holy Eucharist. However, if seriously ill do not wait to take action. Confession must be made while we are still thinking clearly and have the energy for the task, and we should make arrangements to receive sacramental anointing. Do not rely on others to do this for you. It is important for you, if you are able, to contact the hospital chaplain or priest. Remember there is more after our death for the church teaches us that after our death there is judgment, heaven and hell.

 

·         Do not be a nilly willy and avoid thinking about death and we should remind ourselves that death is a normal part of life and we should have a sense of humor and it is not a license to make others miserable.

·         We should try to get our affairs in order so to make it easier on others.

·         We should choose a Catholic cemetery for the burial of our mortal remains, as a sign of our belief in the resurrection of the body. Our flesh has been divinized in baptism, made one the flesh of Jesus in Holy Communion, and so its repose is a matter of some consequence.

·         We should keep in mind that at our death as said by Cardinal Newman, “Life is changed, not ended” and “All who ever lived still live.”

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)[7]

The Holocaust Remembrance Day, (Yom Hashoah, Hebrew: יום השואה), seeks to commemorate the Holocaust, a systematic and state-planned program to murder millions of Jews and other minority groups in Europe. This program of mass killing was run by the German Nazis in the 1930s and 40s during the Second World War, where Jews and minorities were brought into concentration camps and murdered at the hands of Nazi officials. This observance seeks to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust, including six million Jews and thousands of Russians gypsies, homosexuals, disabled persons and other minorities.

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Facts

·         Yom Hashoah is an Israeli Festival, as opposed to an ancient Jewish festival. Yom Hashoah was inaugurated in 1953. It was instituted by the Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and the President Isaac (Yitzchak) Ben Zvi.  The Ancient fast of the Tenth of Tevet (December) is the day on which the siege of Jerusalem commenced, prior to the destruction of the Holy Temple.  Many Jews commemorate the Holocaust on this day.

·         In Israel, on the Eve of Yom Hashoah, a siren is sounded, followed by an official memorial service headed by the Prime Minister, President, Army Officials and Holocaust survivors. The service includes speeches, Kaddish and El Maleh Rahamim (memorial prayers) and the Hatikvah (Israel National Anthem). Another siren is heard in the morning, followed by various memorial services.

Yom HaShoah Top Events and Things to Do

·         Many communities read a list of those who perished in the camps and Ghettos.  One way to commemorate the Holocaust is to browse the names in the Yad Vashem (Israel's Memorial to the Holocaust) names Database.

·         Watch the mini-series Holocaust starring Meryl Streep.  It depicts the story of a Jewish family's struggle to survive the Nazis.

·         Attend a local memorial service.  Tip: find one in your community by doing an internet search for Yom Hashoah.

·         Donate to a charity that serves holocaust survivors or promotes education about the holocaust.

·         Watch a movie about the Holocaust. Some popular picks: Schindler's List (1993), Auschwitz (2011), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008), Life is Beautiful (1997) and The Pianist (2002).

Divine Mercy Novena[8]

Seventh Day - Today Bring Me the Souls Who Especially Venerate and Glorify My Mercy.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your Mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident in Your Mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.

Eternal Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, "I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."

Daily Devotions

·         do a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.

·         Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 10

·         Manhood of the Master-week 8 day 2

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary




[3]Schouppe S.J., Rev. Fr. F. X.. Purgatory Explained

[4]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-04-05

[5] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 22. Anointing of the Sick.

[6] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 39. Preparation for Death.

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