Sunday, August 1, 2021
Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Pride
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
Christ, have mercy. R. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. R. Christ, graciously hear 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, 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, 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.
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 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.
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.
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.
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 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)
AUGUST
August--We may come to appreciate more deeply the various landforms (mountains, deserts, rock formations, valleys, and plains) during vacation time. They give us bearing, direction, and the geological history of our lives. This is the beginning of awareness of the "here" in our lives. The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord shows us the "hereness" of the risen Lord, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary speaks of God's power to the blessed. While we can choose to extend the Savior's redeeming power to our wounded earth, we also can choose to withdraw from this awesome challenge.
Overview of August[1]
The month of August is dedicated to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. The entire month falls within the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
August
is often considered the transitional month in our seasonal calendar. It is the
time of the year we begin to wind-down from our summer travels and vacations
and prepare for Autumn — back to school, fall festivals, harvest time, etc. The
Church in her holy wisdom has provided a cycle of events in its liturgical year
which allow the faithful to celebrate the major feasts in the life of Christ
and Mary. Most notably, during August, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration
(August 6) and the feast of the Assumption (August 15).
The days of summer have provided a welcome change of pace. However, while vacations afford us the time to relax and refresh, the change of habits and routines can also have a negative impact on our spiritual lives. As if to re-ignite us, the Church offers us in the plethora of August feasts vivid examples of the virtue of perseverance: six martyrs — two who are named in Canon I of the Mass and two who were martyred during World War II; seven founders of religious congregations, as well as three popes and two kings; the apostle, St. Bartholomew; the great Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine and St. Monica, his mother; the humble patron saint of parish priests, St. John Vianney, and the patron of deacons, St. Lawrence, who joked with his executioners while being roasted alive.
It is never too late to begin — as the life of the reformed sinner, St. Augustine teaches us — nor too difficult to begin again, as demonstrated by the conversion of the martyr, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein). We present-day members of the Mystical Body are certain of the reward to which we are called, for Christ's Transfigured body (August 6) is a preview of that glory. Moreover, in the Assumption of his Mother (August 15), Our Lord has demonstrated his fidelity to his promise. Her privilege is "the highest fruit of the Redemption" and "our consoling assurance of the coming of our final hope — the glorification which is Christ's" (Enchiridion on Indulgences).
The
Blessed Virgin Mary is the most perfect example of Christian perseverance, but
she is also our advocate in heaven where she is crowned Queen of Heaven and
Earth (August 22). Mary is the "Mother of Perpetual Help", the patroness
of the Congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1). "No one
who has fled to her protection is left unaided" is the claim of the
Memorare of St. Bernard (August 20). Heretics have returned to the faith by the
prayers of her Rosary, first preached by St. Dominic (August 8) in the twelfth
Century, and hearts have been converted by the graces received while wearing
her Miraculous Medal, promoted by St. Maximillian Kolbe (August 14) and adopted
as the "badge" for the Pious Union he founded. Hail, holy Queen,
Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!
AUGUST 1
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (18th
S. Ord. Time)
SAINT PETER IN CHAINS
Judith, Chapter 15,
Verse 1-2
1 On hearing what had
happened, those still in their tents were horrified. 2 Overcome with FEAR and dread, no one kept ranks any
longer. They scattered in all directions, and fled along every path, both
through the valley and in the hill country.
Judith
even in the midst of the enemy camp demonstrates her piety and continues to
keep Jewish dietary laws. When offered rich fair she refuses and continues in
prayer. Every morning before dawn she leaves the camp to beseech the Lord. She
keeps ritual purification and bathes in the spring of the camp. Judith for
three days establishes this routine in the camp. She knows she must kill
Holofernes before the 5th day when the rulers of the city promised
to surrender. She pushes trust in Yahweh to its limits. On the 4th
day she is invited by Holofernes to a banquet. She accepts prepares her weapon,
her beauty and sallies forth to battle. The power of her beauty is immediately
evident. Holofernes is overcome with desire. He drinks too much and lies drunk
on the bed. All the guests depart thinking they are getting jiggy with it. They
are alone. She prays and draws Holofernes own sword; asks for strength and
strikes: severing his head from his body. Judith calmly returns to her routine;
wraps the head in a food pouch and goes out of the camp for prayer. She goes
home and liberation is proclaimed. Victory now needs action. Judith acting as
general hangs the head on the city wall and initiates a fake attack on the
camp. The cry is heard in the camp of Holofernes: “A single Hebrew woman has
brought disgrace on the house of King Nebuchadnezzar!” The troops are dismayed.
They run back to Syria.[2]
ON KEEPING THE LORDS DAY HOLY[3]
CHAPTER III
DIES ECCLESIAE
The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday
The Sunday Eucharist
34. It is true that, in itself, the
Sunday Eucharist is no different from the Eucharist celebrated on other days,
nor can it be separated from liturgical and sacramental life as a whole. By its
very nature, the Eucharist is an epiphany of the Church; and this is most
powerfully expressed when the diocesan community gathers in prayer with its
Pastor: "The Church appears with special clarity when the holy People of
God, all of them, are actively and fully sharing in the same liturgical
celebrations — especially when it is the same Eucharist — sharing one prayer at
one altar, at which the Bishop is presiding, surrounded by his presbyters and
his ministers". This relationship with the Bishop and with the entire
Church community is inherent in every Eucharistic celebration, even when the
Bishop does not preside, regardless of the day of the week on which it is
celebrated. The mention of the Bishop in the Eucharistic Prayer is the
indication of this.
But because of its special solemnity
and the obligatory presence of the community, and because it is celebrated
"on the day when Christ conquered death and gave us a share in his
immortal life", the Sunday Eucharist expresses with greater emphasis its
inherent ecclesial dimension. It becomes the paradigm for other Eucharistic
celebrations. Each community, gathering all its members for the "breaking
of the bread", becomes the place where the mystery of the Church is
concretely made present. In celebrating the Eucharist, the community opens
itself to communion with the universal Church, imploring the Father to
"remember the Church throughout the world" and make her grow in the
unity of all the faithful with the Pope and with the Pastors of the particular
Churches, until love is brought to perfection.
Tenth
Sunday after Pentecost[4]
Humility and
its source in knowing that all goodness comes from the Spirit.
AT the Introit of the Mass, join with
the Church in extolling the help of God, whereby we are defended against our
enemies. “When I cried to the Lord, He heard my voice from them that draw near
against me, and He humbled them, Who is before all ages, and remains forever.
Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. Hear, O God, my prayer,
and despise not my supplication; be attentive to me, and hear me.”
Prayer. O God, Who dost particularly manifest Thy omnipotence by sparing and
showing mercy, multiply Thy mercy towards us, that running to the possession of
what Thou hast promised, Thou mayest make us partakers of heavenly goods.
EPISTLE, i. Cor. xii.
2-11.
Brethren: You know that when you were
heathens, you went to dumb idols, according as you were led. Wherefore I give
you to understand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, saith Anathema
to Jesus. And no man can say, the Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there
are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit: and there are diversities of
ministries, but the same Lord: and there are diversities of operations, but the
same God, Who worketh all in all. And the manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man unto profit. To one, indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of
wisdom: and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: to
another faith in the same Spirit: to another the grace of healing, in one
Spirit: to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the
discerning of spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, to another
interpretation of speeches. But all these things one and the same Spirit
worketh, dividing to everyone according as He will.
Explanation. As the Holy Ghost gave on Pentecost the gift of tongues, so also, He
imparted to the faithful many other gifts. This Holy Spirit works in different
ways. He confers not only ordinary but extraordinary graces on whom He will,
and how He will, as He finds it for the edification of the body of Christ, and
whatever gift anyone receives he must use for the glory of God and the
salvation of souls, without being elated by it, since he has received it only
as a pure grace.
GOSPEL.
Luke xviii. 9-14
At that time, to some who
trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, Jesus spoke this parable:
Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican. The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give Thee
thanks that I am not as the rest of men: extortioners, unjust, adulterers: as
also is this publican; I fast twice in a week; I give tithes of all that I
possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his
eyes towards heaven: but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a
sinner! I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than
the other, because everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Why
did Jesus recite the parable of the Pharisee and the publican? To warn us against pride, ambition,
and vanity in our good works, which thereby lose all their merits; to teach us
not to despise or judge any man, although he should appear most impious;
finally, to show us that if we would be heard in our prayers, we must appear
before God with an humble and penitent heart.
Why
was not the Pharisee’s prayer acceptable to God? Because it was not a prayer, but
rather a boast; for he praised himself, attributing his good works to himself,
instead of giving God glory for them. Thus, despising and presumptuously
judging others, he sinned the more against God, instead of making himself
worthy of his praise.
Why
was the prayer of the publican acceptable to God? Because, though short, it was most
humble and penitent. He did not, like the Pharisee, advance into the temple,
but remained afar off, as though unworthy the presence of God and the
fellowship of men. There he stood, with eyes cast down, in token that, for his
sins, he was not worthy to look up to heaven; nay, he openly confessed himself
a sinner, and in sorrow smote his breast, thereby punishing, as it were, says
St. Augustine, the sins which had come from his heart. Let us, then, be afraid
of vainglory, like St. Ignatius, who said, “They who praise me scourge me” and
St. Hilary, who wept when he saw himself honored, because he was afraid of
receiving his reward on earth. Learn to despise vainglory and think of what St.
Augustine says: God is most high; exalt yourself, and He withdraws from you;
humble yourself, and He comes down to you.” Seek in all things not your own but
God’s glory; accustom yourself before every undertaking to raise your heart to
God by making a good intention, and you will, like the publican, find grace
before God.
Saint Peter in
Chains[5]
Today commemorates St. Peter’s miraculous escape from prison by the hand of an angel. He had been incarcerated by Herod Agrippa, who had already killed St. James the Greater and intended to bring St. Peter before the people also after Easter. But, as the Acts of the Apostles tells us, “prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him”, and he was delivered by an angel who awoke him in the night, led him past the guards and out of prison.
The
chains of St. Peter in Rome
Though no longer included
in the general liturgical calendar, the feast of St. Peter in Chains is
nonetheless an important day for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The
pilgrims who joined the Fraternity on our 30th Anniversary Pilgrimage to Rome
last October visited the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, where they were able
to venerate the chains of St. Peter.
Also commemorated today
are the seven Maccabees, the holy brothers who were tortured and killed before
the eyes of their mother in the 2nd century before Christ for refusing to
abandon the Jewish faith. Please pray today for the priests of our Fraternity,
that, through the intercession of our patron St. Peter and the holy Maccabees,
we may ever possess the same fortitude and love for the Faith that enabled them
to endure all things for its sake. “And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I
know in very deed, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out
of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”
This is an extraordinary demonstration of God’s mercy in removing the chains of sin from those who devoutly and faithfully seek to gain the indulgence by completing its requirements. It is said that St. Francis was given this day by Our Lord because the Feast of the Chains of St. Peter celebrated on August first is the day Peter was released from prison and his chains removed.
Conditions
The
conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi is
(for oneself or for a departed soul) is as follows:
·
Sacramental
Confession to be in God’s grace (during eight days before or after.)
·
Participation in the
Holy Mass and Eucharist
·
Recitation of The
Apostles Creed, Our Father and also a prayer for the Pope’s Intention (such as
an Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.).
The
Portiuncula Indulgence is a grace not to be missed—not only for yourself but
for the many suffering souls in Purgatory. Mark your calendar for the Feast of
Our Lady of the Angels beginning at Vespers (Noon) on the First of August to
August 2nd at Midnight.
Today is my deceased
father’s birthday. My father was not always a blameless and upright man,
but he had a great devotion to St. Jude. He always swore it was St. Jude’s
prayers and intercession that brought him home from the war in the pacific and
maybe it was. He got my grandmother to sign the papers and he was in combat
before his 18th birthday. He was a ghost diver during WWII; his job was to
scuba dive in before invasions and set up radio beacons for the invasion and
avoid detection or capture. He went on 26 missions with 11 others in frogman
teams. The normal mortality rate for these teams was 50%.
After the war, my father drank a lot to forget. As his
disease of alcoholism ramped up, he stopped going to church refusing to go to
church drunk. I don’t know if my father was aware St. Jude admonishes false
teachers who used the church as a sort of country club and caroused fearlessly
looking after themselves. My father did not see the church as a social
institution but as a place where one encounters our Holy God, our Holy mighty
one; our Holy immortal one.
My father knew he was a sinner. He always said that St. Jude
was his patron saint because; St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, and
my father swore that’s what he was. As his disease progressed, he stopped going
to church but built a shrine to our Mother Mary. Every day he would cut fresh
roses for the shrine and sit at twilight, with beer and cigarette in hand;
silently staring at the shrine.
In the end my father did receive his last rights and was
ushered into our Lord by our Lady and St. Jude.
Prayer of St. Alphonsus Dc Liguori To the
Sacred Heart.
O adorable heart of my
Jesus, heart created expressly for the love of men, until now I have shown
towards Thee only ingratitude. Pardon me, O my Jesus. Heart of my Jesus, abyss
of love and of mercy, how is it possible that I do not die of sorrow when I reflect
on Thy goodness to me and my ingratitude to Thee? Thou, my Creator, after
having created me, hast given Thy blood and Thy life for me and, not content
with this, Thou hast invented a means of offering Thyself up every day for me
in the Holy Eucharist, exposing Thyself to a thousand insults and outrages. Ah,
Jesus, do Thou wound my heart with a great contrition for my sins, and a lively
love for Thee. Through Thy tears and Thy blood give me the grace of
perseverance in Thy fervent love until I breathe my last sigh. Amen.
Novena
in Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney[7]
Dispeller
of Satan
O Holy Priest of Ars, the
infamous attacks of the devil which you had to suffer and the trials which
disheartened you by fatigue would not make you give up the sublime task of
converting souls. The devil came to you for many years to disturb your short rest,
but you won because of mortification and prayers. Powerful protector, you know
the tempter’s desire to harm my baptized and believing soul. He would have me
sin, by rejecting the Holy Sacraments and the life of virtue. But good Saint of
Ars dispel from me the traces of the enemy. Holy Priest of Ars, I have
confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for
... (mention silently your special intentions).
Our
Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Our
first path to holiness is through the Eucharist! Yes, prayers, confessions, the
rosary and the saints, angels and our Lady help us in that path to holiness,
but when we receive honorably, we become the resurrected Christ to others and us
radiant His presence. Today make the Eucharistic Stations of the Cross.
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.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Go to MASS
·
Rosary
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