Saturday, January 29, 2021

Sirach, Chapter 25, Verse 10-12

¹⁰How great is the one who finds wisdom, but none is greater than the one who FEARS the Lord. ¹¹ Fear of the Lord surpasses all else. To whom can we compare the one who has it? ¹²Fear of the Lord is the beginning of loving him, and fidelity is the beginning of clinging to him.

Saint Thomas Aquinas’ thoughts on fear:^{^[1]}

1. Fear is a shrinking back from evil. Hence, we cannot fear God in himself, for God is infinite goodness. But one is said to fear God in the sense of fearing the evil of being separated from God by sin, and in the sense of fearing to incur his punishments for sin.

2. Fear is called servile fear when it is the dread of punishment alone. It is called filial fear or chaste fear when it is primarily the dread of offending God, our loving father. Between these two types of fear is initial fear, which is properly the beginning of filial fear, and differs from it only as imperfect differs from perfect. There is another type of fear called worldly fear which is the dread of losing temporal things to which the heart clings as to the ultimate good.

3. Worldly fear is always evil, for it discounts God and eternity, and dreads only the loss of creatural goods.

4. Servile fear is not good in point of its servility, but it is good inasmuch as it recognizes and dreads the evil that attends upon sin. From such a dread a person may readily rise to the higher and noble type of fear, and through this, to charity and repentance.

5. However, servile fear is essentially different from filial fear. Servile fear dreads punishment; filial fear dreads offending God. These two types of fear differ in their specific objects, and therefore differ essentially from each other.

6. Yet servile fear, as we have seen, has a good aspect, and, in this respect, it comes from the Holy Ghost; but it is not the gift of the Holy Ghost that we call fear. Hence, servile fear, in so far as it is good, can remain in the soul which has charity, that is, which is in the state of sanctifying or habitual grace, and therefore in the friendship and love of God.

7. Wisdom is knowledge of God together with the will to serve him and possess him. Now, the beginning of wisdom itself is faith, for by faith we know God and are directed to him. But the beginning of wisdom, in the sense of what arouses one and stirs oneto be wise, is fear. This beginning of wisdom is both servile fear and filial fear; such fear puts spurs to a man, so to speak, and makes him cultivate wisdom. In this sense, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110).

8. Initial fear is, as we have said, beginning fear. Both servile fear and filial fear may be, in some way, the start of fearing the Lord. Yet initial fear is closer to filial fear than to servile fear; indeed, it is, properly speaking, an imperfect form of filial fear.

9. Filial or chaste fear of the Lord is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. By it we revere God and avoid what separates us from him.

10. Filial fear increases with charity, for the more one loves God, the more one fears to offend him. Servile fear loses its servility as charity increases, and then, as the non servile dread of deserved punishments, it decreases in the glow of charity. For charity fixes the soul more and more on God, and thus the thought of self, and even of deserved punishment of oneself, becomes less and less. Besides, the greater one's charity is, the more confident is one's soul of escape from punishment. And thus, finally, the only fear in the charity-filled soul is filial fear.

11. Filial fear will exist in a perfected state in heaven. It cannot be the same as it is during earthly life, for in heaven all possibility of losing or offending God will be taken away. Servile fear will not exist at all in heaven.

12. The first beatitude, "Blessed are the poor inspirit," corresponds to the gift of fear. For if a man fears God perfectly, as he may do by the gift, he does not pridefully seek to be rich or honored but is humble and poor inspirit.

Is a Satanic Conference-coming to a city near you[2]

Satanic Conference scheduled in Scottsdale February 11th -13th

The Satanic Temple has announced that Scottsdale has been selected as the site for the group’s first religious convention. They call it “SatanCon.com” a three-day event that will take place February 11-13, 2022. Scottsdale officials made clear that they are, in fact, accepting and inclusive regarding Satanists. Lucien Greaves (co-founder of the Satanic Temple) stated: “We heard you, Scottsdale, and we accepted that as an invitation to turn Scottsdale into the Happy Satanic Fun Capital of the World.” Satanic Temple To Host Satanic Convention, “We’re To Bring Satan To Scottsdale – Arizona Daily Independent

Their website says: ‘Lupercalia in Scottsdale'

What does ‘lupercalia’ in Scottsdale mean? Lupercalia is a Roman festival held on Feb. 15 in honor of Lupercus, regarded as the god of fertility, in the celebration of which dogs and goats were sacrificed and their skins cut up into thongs, with which the pagan priests ran through the city striking everyone, particularly women… https://www.definitions.net/definition/lupercali

What Is the Catholic Response from the Laity?

· February 11th (Friday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front of hotel.

· February 12th (Saturday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front of hotel.

· February 13th (Sunday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front of hotel.

Why Is the Rosary So Powerful Against Satan?

The Secret of the Rosary, Saint Louis de Montfort said: “Public prayer is far more powerful than private prayer to appease the anger of God and call down His Mercy, and Holy Mother Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, has always advocated public prayer in times of public tragedy and suffering.” Through our prayers we will call the grace of God down upon us and the city of Scottsdale. We will have a Marian consecration done for the city of Scottsdale. Catholics must confront this evil cult in every city they seek to consecrate to satan. Every square inch on planet earth belongs to Our Lord Jesus Christ, He purchased it with his blood. This is a rallying cry for Catholic men to stand up and non-Catholic men of good will.

Click the button below to view the prayers we will pray during the protest

Prayer Sheet For Protest

“Why Protest”? Below are the FAQs that will help you understand why we should take a stand in this fight

Why Are We Protesting? Click Here FAQs

PREPARATION for the Protest

It is important to be SPIRTUALLY PREPARED for this event. We STRONGLY recommend that you are in a STATE of GRACE:

· Go to CONFESSION within 7-Days before the event and receive the Holy Eucharist as often as possible

· Start a 9-Day Rosary Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Phoenix, AZ on Wednesday, 02-02-22

· PRAY: at least 3 times-a-DAY as Daniel did in Daniel 6:10-11

· PENANCE: (Rosary & Divine Mercy on your knees) and Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays

· BRING: your Rosary, Sacramentals, and Holy Images

Our Church is under attack! It is the laity’s time to rise up and “step into the breach.” We need “boots on the ground” and show the strength of our Catholic Faith. Make a prayerful discernment on how YOU are going to participate in this battle for Mother Church!

“I begin this letter with a clarion call and clear charge to you, my sons and brothers in Christ: Men, do not hesitate to engage in the battle that is raging around you, the battle that is wounding our children and families, the battle that is distorting the dignity of both women and men.” – First words of Bishop Thomas J Olmsted’s 2015 Apostolic Exhortation, ‘Into the Breach’

Four things that Conservative Americans Must Do[3]

· First, we must put our faith in God, not men. We need a conservative movement that is profoundly Christian, and that defends natural law and the Ten Commandments before all else. Our crisis today is, deep down, a religious one. Only a return to God and His order will make a defeat of the left possible. We must defend traditional morality and the traditional family, especially against the culture of death and the LGBT revolution. We must restore the notion of good and evil that has almost disappeared in our relativistic age. This must start in our personal lives.

· Second, we must recognize that the “progressive” left is not advocating progress, nor even a revolt, but a revolution. Critical race theory, the Green New Deal, LGBT tyranny (especially transgenderism), unrestricted abortion, Modern Monetary Theory, illegal immigration, and Medicare for All are weapons in the same army that wants to burn what remains of Christian civilization to the ground. Conservative Americans must understand that they are in a titanic struggle for civilization itself. We must study and understand the nature of this revolution, its characteristics, tactics, and driving forces. And if the enemy is waging a revolution, the only proper response is a counter-revolution. The book Revolution and Counter-Revolution by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira is a good place to start.

· Third, we must resolve not only to elect godly statesmen to office but also to act directly on public opinion through a cultural counter-revolution. Politics, it is often said, is downstream from culture. The left has subverted America and especially our youth through culture: music, fashions, movies, television, schools, technology and many others. Like the early Christians, we must fight a counter-cultural crusade against the perverse society in which we live. We need to act on public opinion, one person, one family, one neighborhood at a time. We need to be more dedicated to our cause than the revolutionaries have been to theirs, to prevail in the battle for public opinion inch by inch. Only culture imbued with Christian principles and defended by men and women of strong religious convictions is capable of resisting and defeating the cultural steamroller of our times. The future belongs to those who fight.

· Finally, we need to pray to Our Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of His Holy Mother Mary, for graces of repentance, wisdom and fortitude. God sent His Mother Mary to the world at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, to warn about the errors of Russia and the future chastisements that would come. If mankind did not convert, she said, many nations would be annihilated. We are now witnessing the final fulfillment of those prophecies. It is not too late for America and the world to turn back to God with a humble and contrite heart.

Attitudes on Confession[4]

You must emphasize the importance of the sacraments, especially Confession, and give your child ample opportunity to receive this sacrament, but never force or ridicule him in this matter. These are suggestions on maintaining the balance between privacy and following the parental role of making the sacraments readily available for your children. Most Catholic parents fully respect their child's right to privacy in regard to confession. Of course, you should not question him about what he told the priest, or what the priest told him. To do so would be depriving him of the right to privacy in confessional matters which is his. His decision to receive or not receive the sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist also must be his to make.

While you must stand guard over your child's spiritual welfare, never place him in a position where his failure to confess or receive Communion will make him conspicuous. The reason for this warning is that a child who is unworthy to receive Communion or fears to confess his sins may be tempted to partake of the Holy Eucharist sacrilegiously if his failure to receive will make him stand out in the crowd. Before the rule for the Eucharistic Fast was relaxed, a person who did not wish to receive Communion might create an excuse by saying that he had inadvertently swallowed water. Since beverages one hour before Communion are now permitted, and water is permitted at any time, such an excuse is no longer valid. The person who does not wish to receive may find it more difficult to hide the fact that he may not be in a state of grace. Be doubly cautious, therefore, that you do not use pressure upon your child so that he receives unworthily to hide the existence of another sin.

Parents should be alert for opportunities to suggest the reception of Penance and the Holy Eucharist, however. If a child consistently resists the sacraments, they may fairly assume that he is troubled by some moral problem. Without mentioning the matter directly, a parent might tell him anew that God will forgive any sin and that any problems brought to the priest in the confessional will receive sympathetic consideration. Children may need to be reassured that they have nothing to fear in confessing their sins and that their secrets will be kept from all mankind. If your own attempts to encourage your child to frequent the sacraments prove unsuccessful, you should discuss the subject with your pastor.

Toto We are not in Kansas anymore[5]

Kansas Day Facts

Kansas was the first state to ratify the 15th amendment, thus allowing African American men the right to vote. The 15th amendment reads, the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Kansas is one of the highest producing agricultural states in the U.S. It is believed that they produce enough wheat in one year to provide everyone in the world with several loaves of bread.
The state of Kansas gets its name from the Kansa people, a Native tribe of Siouan who lived along the Kansas and Saline rivers. The name comes from the Siouan-language phrase meaning, people of the south wind.

Kansas Day Top Events and Things to Do

Visit the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas. It is one of the U.S's oldest history museums and is home to more than 50 historic and re-created buildings.
Visit the Strataca Underground Salt Museum Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. It is a popular museum built within one of the world's largest deposits of rock salt. It lets visitors explore tunnels and travel 650 feet underground.
Watch a movie representative of Kansas and its notable figures. Here are our suggestions:
Amelia (2009)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)