DAY 45 - MARY, QUEEN CONCEIVED WITHOUT ORIGINAL SIN, PRAY FOR US
YOU ARE A COMMISSIONED OFFICER
PRAY A ROSARY
- Rosary of the Day: Sorrowful Mysteries
- Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries
ST. WENCESLAUS
Because I FEARED the great multitude and the scorn of the clans terrified
me—then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors!
Sounds like someone being attacked
by the twitter mob.
Job’s
present protest is made, not in spite of hidden sins which he had been
unwilling to disclose, but out of genuine innocence. He is claiming that his
only fear was that of the Lord and that all his life he has followed the law of
God in the nine areas of moral concern.
To practice righteousness in the areas of moral
concern we must strive for humility and its source in knowing that all goodness
comes from the Spirit.
Areas of
Moral uprightness[1]
1. Falsehood and deceit.
2482 "A lie consists in speaking a
falsehood with the intention of deceiving." The Lord denounces lying as
the work of the devil: "You are of your father the devil, . . .
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature,
for he is a liar and the father of lies."
1809 Temperance is the moral virtue
that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of
created goods. It ensures the will's mastery over instincts and keeps desires
within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the
sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion:
"Do not follow your inclination and strength, walking according to the
desires of your heart." Temperance is often praised in the Old Testament:
"Do not follow your base desires but restrain your appetites." In the
New Testament it is called "moderation" or "sobriety." We
ought "to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world."
To
live well is nothing other than to love God with all one's heart, with all
one's soul and with all one's efforts; from this it comes about that love is
kept whole and uncorrupted (through temperance). No misfortune can disturb it
(and this is fortitude). It obeys only [God] (and this is justice), and is
careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery
(and this is prudence).
2. Exploitation of the land.
2405 Goods of production - material or
immaterial - such as land, factories, practical or artistic skills, oblige
their possessors to employ them in ways that will benefit the greatest number.
Those who hold goods for use and consumption should use them with moderation,
reserving the better part for guests, for the sick and the poor.
3. Lust and Adultery.
2351 Lust is disordered desire for or
inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered
when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.
2380 Adultery refers to marital
infidelity. When two partners, of whom at least one is married to another
party, have sexual relations - even transient ones - they commit adultery.
Christ condemns even adultery of mere desire. The sixth commandment and the New
Testament forbid adultery absolutely. The prophets denounce the gravity of
adultery; they see it as an image of the sin of idolatry.
4. Rights of servants (We are all made
in the image of God)
2238 Those subject to authority should
regard those in authority as representatives of God, who has made them stewards
of his gifts: "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.
. .. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil;
but live as servants of God." Their loyal collaboration includes the
right, and at times the duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which
seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community.
5. Hardness toward the poor and needy.
2444
"The Church's
love for the poor. . . is a part of her constant tradition."
This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus,
and of his concern for the poor. Love for the poor is even one of the motives
for the duty of working so as to "be able to give to those in need."
It extends not only to material poverty but also to the many forms of cultural
and religious poverty.
6. Idolatry. Social injustice is the
reverse side of idolatry.
2317
Injustice,
excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging
among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars. Everything done
to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war:
Insofar
as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue
until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming
together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be
fulfilled: "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war anymore."
7. Hatred of enemies. Don’t curse.
Repay evil with good.
1933 This same duty extends to those
who think or act differently from us. The teaching of Christ goes so far as to
require the forgiveness of offenses. He extends the commandment of love, which
is that of the New Law, to all enemies. Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel
is incompatible with hatred of one's enemy as a person, but not with hatred of
the evil that he does as an enemy.
8. Hospitality. In ancient society
without police, you have a duty to protect and help.
1971 To the Lord's Sermon on the Mount
it is fitting to add the moral catechesis of the apostolic teachings, such as Romans
12-15, 1 Corinthians 12-13, Colossians 3-4, Ephesians 4-5, etc. This doctrine
hands on the Lord's teaching with the authority of the apostles, particularly
in the presentation of the virtues that flow from faith in Christ and are
animated by charity, the principal gift of the Holy Spirit. "Let charity be
genuine. . . . Love one another with brotherly affection.
. . . Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in
prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality." This
catechesis also teaches us to deal with cases of conscience in the light of our
relationship to Christ and to the Church.
9. Hypocrisy. Integrity between mind, body,
and actions.
2468 Truth as uprightness in human
action and speech is called truthfulness, sincerity, or candor. Truth or
truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and
truthful in words, and in guarding against duplicity, dissimulation, and
hypocrisy.
Feast of St. Wenceslaus[2]
St. Wenceslaus, duke of Bohemia, was born about the year 907 at Prague, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). His father was killed in battle when he was young, leaving the kingdom to be ruled by his pagan mother. Wenceslaus was educated by his grandmother, Ludmilla, also a saint.
·
Throughout
his life he preserved his virginity unblemished.
·
As
duke he was a father to his subjects, generous toward orphans, widows, and the
poor.
·
On
his own shoulders he frequently carried wood to the houses of the needy.
·
He
often attended the funerals of the poor, ransomed captives, and visited those
suffering in prison.
·
He
was filled with a deep reverence toward the clergy; with his own hands he sowed
the wheat for making altar breads and pressed the grapes for the wine used in
the Mass.
·
During
winter he would visit the churches barefoot through snow and ice, frequently
leaving behind bloody footprints.
Wenceslaus was eighteen
years old when he succeeded his father to the throne. Without regard for the
opposition, he worked in close cooperation with the Church to convert his pagan
country. He ended the persecution of Christians, built churches and brought
back exiled priests. As king he gave an example of a devout life and of great
Christian charity, with his people calling him "Good King" of
Bohemia. His brother Boleslaus, however, turned to paganism. One day he invited
Wenceslaus to his house for a banquet. The next morning, on September 28, 929,
as Wenceslaus was on the way to Mass, Boleslaus struck him down at the door of
the church. Before he died, Wenceslaus forgave his brother and asked God's
mercy for his soul. Although he was killed for political reasons, he is listed
as a martyr since the dispute arose over his faith. This king, martyred at the
age of twenty-two, is the national hero and patron of the Czech Republic. He is
the first Slav to be canonized.
Things to
Do
·
Learn more about Prague
and the Czech Republic and St. Vitus Cathedral, supposedly started by St.
Wenceslas in the 10th century as a small chapel to house relics of St. Vitus
and where in the 14th century St. John Nepomucene was buried after being
executed for refusing to violate the seal of the confessional.
·
Teach your children the Christmas carol, Good
King Wenceslas and discuss his life and virtue. If you can find a copy, a
wonderful book with music and illustrations is called Good King Wenceslas: A
Legend in Music and Pictures by Mary Reed Newland, published by Seabury Press,
1980.
·
Read about the Infant Jesus of Prague
and pray the chaplet.
·
Bake
a loaf of bread for dinner and serve wine in honor of St. Wencelaus.
·
Novena
of the Infant Jesus of Prague
Arbinger[3]
Our
mindset connects or disconnects us with others—there are a number of ways we
can “see” others from an inward mindset. Traditionally, Arbinger has
categorized these three ways of seeing others as obstacles, vehicles or simply
irrelevant.
1. When I’m seeing someone as an
obstacle, I see them as “in my way”, or as a hindrance to what I’m seeking to
accomplish.
2. When I’m seeing someone as a vehicle, I use
them to get me what I want, or where I need to go. They might have information
or connections that are valuable to me, so I “play nice” until I get what I
want.
3. When someone is irrelevant to me, I
don’t care about them and likely don’t allow their humanity to impact me in any
way.
All three of these labels are
ultimately ways that I objectify others. When I’m seeing someone as an
obstacle, vehicle or irrelevancy, I’m not seeing them as a human being with
needs, concerns, hopes and fears similar to my own. Think of someone who you
struggle to see as a person. Perhaps they get on your nerves frequently, or
perhaps you avoid them at all costs. This person might be a coworker, a family
member, a neighbor—someone with whom you feel your relationship could improve.
How do you see this particular person? Are they often an obstacle? A vehicle?
Mostly irrelevant? If the person you have in mind feels like an obstacle to you,
consider how you might not be receiving their goodness or kindness. If this
person feels more like a vehicle to you, contemplate what needs they might have
that you’re failing to see? Are you looking to simply “get”, or are you willing
to give? For someone you’re seeing as irrelevant, what must it feel like for him or her to feel ignored, barely noticed or
hardly cared about? Have you ever been seen as an obstacle, a vehicle or
irrelevant? How did it feel? Ponder what underlying qualities you might be missing
in the person you’re thinking of. What might the people who love them see in
them?
Michaelmass Eve[4]
·
In the British Isles,
Michaelmas is celebrated on September 29. As the Feast of St. Michael within
the Catholic church, this date is often associated with the harvest because of
its proximity to the autumn equinox. Although it's not a Pagan holiday in the true
sense, Michaelmas celebrations often included older aspects of Pagan harvest customs, such as the weaving of corn dolls from the last sheaves of grain.
·
Like
many other celebrations falling during harvest time, Michaelmas can trace some
of its traditions to early Pagan practices in Europe. One of the most popular
harvest customs that was adapted by Christians and integrated into the
Michaelmas celebration was that of a corn doll. A corn doll is often associated
with the period between Lammas, the first grain harvest, and the autumnal
equinox.
·
By
the Middle Ages, Michaelmas soon became recognized as one
of the so-called quarter days. The term is derived from a system in the
British Isles in which four specific days each year were marked as a time to collect
rents, hire new servants, and resolve legal matters. In England and Wales, the
original quarter days were Lady Day, Midsummer, Michaelmas, and
Christmas—corresponding with the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the
autumnal equinox, and the winter solstice, all of which were days of great
significance for early Pagans.
·
During
the medieval period, Michaelmas was considered one of the holy days of
obligation for Christians, although that tradition ended in the 1700s. Customs
included the preparation of a meal of goose which had been fed on the stubble
of the fields following the harvest (called a stubble-goose). There was also a
tradition of preparing special larger-than-usual loaves of bread, and St.
Michael's bannocks, which was a special kind of oatcake.
·
By
Michaelmas, the harvest was typically complete, and the next year's farming
cycle would begin as landowners saw reeves elected from among the peasants for
the following year. The reeve's job was to watch over the work and make sure
everyone was doing their share, as well as collecting rents and donations of
products. If a holding's rent fell short, it was up to the reeve to make it
up—as you can imagine, no one really wanted to be reeve. This was also the time
of year when accounts were balanced up, annual dues paid to local guilds,
workers were hired on for the next season, and new leases taken for the
following year.
·
Michaelmas
was considered the official beginning of winter, which lasted until Christmas.
It was also the time at which winter
grains were sown, such as wheat and rye, for harvesting the following
year. In a symbolic sense, because Michaelmas is so close to the autumnal
equinox, and because it is a day to honor St. Michael's accomplishments, which
include slaying a fierce dragon, it is often associated with courage in
preparation for the darker half of the year. Michael was the patron saint of
sailors, so in some seafaring areas, this day is celebrated with the baking of
a special cake from the grains of the final harvest.
35 Promises of God[5]
cont.
“For God so loved
the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may
not perish but may have eternal life.”-John 3:16
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Binding
and suppressing the Devils Evil Works.
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday
Devotion
·
Pray Day 3 of
the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
·
Tuesday:
Litany of St. Michael the Archangel
·
Iceman’s Total
Consecration to Mary-Day 18
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary.
Comments
Post a Comment