ICEMANforChrist: Tuesday, February 15, 2022

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Monday, February 14, 2022

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

TOTAL CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH-Singles Awareness

Sirach, Chapter 41, Verse 3

Do not FEAR death’s decree for you; remember, it embraces those before you and those to come.

55 This revelation was not broken off by our first parents' sin. "After the fall, [God] buoyed them up with the hope of salvation, by promising redemption; and he has never ceased to show his solicitude for the human race. For he wishes to give eternal life to all those who seek salvation by patience in well-doing."

Total Consecration to St. Joseph-Day 1[1]

I did not understand St. Joseph well enough, but that will change.

— St. John of the Cross

In the 16^th century, St. John of the Cross humbly acknowledged that he lacked a proper understanding of the greatness of St. Joseph. Inspired by the tremendous love that his friend, St. Teresa of Avila, had for St. Joseph, St. John of the Cross made a firm resolution to get to know and love St. Joseph better.

What about you? Do you know St. Joseph? Do you feel you understand his greatness and love for you?

Saint José Manyanet, a priest in 19^th-century Spain, fervently promoted devotion to St. Joseph and the Holy Family. He prophesied that a “time of St. Joseph” would soon arrive in the life of the Church. He wrote:

I believe that the true time of Saint Joseph has not arrived yet: after two thousand years we started only now to glimpse something of the mystery in which he is immersed.

Well, my friends, I firmly believe that in our day the Lord wants to direct our hearts, families, parishes, dioceses, and Church to St. Joseph in a major way. In 1961, St. Pope John XXIII made a profound statement about St. Joseph. He wrote:

In the Holy Church’s worship, right from the beginning, Jesus, the Word of God made man, has enjoyed the adoration that belongs to him, incommunicable as the splendor of the substance of his Father, a splendor reflected in the glory of his saints. From the earliest times, Mary, his mother, was close behind him, in the pictures in the catacombs and the basilicas, where she was devoutly venerated as “Holy Mother of God.” But Joseph, except for some slight sprinkling of references to him here and there in the writings of the Fathers [of the Church], for long centuries remained in the background, in his characteristic concealment, almost as a decorative figure in the overall picture of the Savior’s life. It took time for devotion to him to go beyond those passing glances and take root in the hearts of the faithful, and then surge forth in the form of special prayers and of a profound sense of trusting abandonment. The fervent joy of pouring forth these deepest feelings of the heart in so many impressive ways has been saved for modern times!

What the Vicar of Christ clearly stated is that now is the time of St. Joseph. We are living in modern times, the time in which the Church is witnessing an unprecedented era of devotion to St. Joseph. According to St. Pope John XXIII, God desires devotion to St. Joseph to surge forth in our day in the form of special prayers of “trusting abandonment.” This means one thing in particular: It’s time for total consecration to St. Joseph!

Here is a list a list of remarkable events that have taken place over the past 150 years that show St. Joseph’s increasing importance in the life of the Church. They clearly indicate that we are living in an unprecedented time of St. Joseph.

1868 — Blessed Jean-Joseph Lataste, OP, writes a letter to Blessed Pope Pius IX asking him to declare St. Joseph the “Patron of the Universal Church.”
1870 — Blessed Pope Pius IX declares St. Joseph the “Patron of the Universal Church.”
1871 — Founding of the Josephites by Cardinal Herbert A. Vaughan
1873 — Founding of the Congregation of St. Joseph by St. Leonardo Murialdo
1878 — Founding of the Oblates of St. Joseph by St. Joseph Marello
1879 — Apparitions at Knock, Ireland. Saint Joseph appears with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Apostle, and Jesus (appearing as the Lamb of God).
1889 — Pope Leo XIII writes Quamquam Pluries, an encyclical letter on St. Joseph.
1895 — Blessed Petra of St. Joseph begins construction on a shrine to St. Joseph in Barcelona, Spain. It is consecrated in 1901. At her beatification in 1994, St. John Paul II calls Blessed Petra the “apostle of St. Joseph of the 19^th century.”
1904 — Saint André Bessette constructs an oratory dedicated to St. Joseph in Montreal, Canada. It expands, is declared a minor basilica, and finally is completed in 1967. Today, it is known as St. Joseph’s Oratory and is considered by many to be the preeminent international center of devotion to St. Joseph.
1908 — Saint Luigi Guanella begins constructing a church dedicated to St. Joseph in Rome. It is completed and consecrated as a basilica in 1912.
1909 — Saint Pope Pius X officially approves the Litany of St. Joseph.
1914 — Saint Luigi Guanella founds the Pious Union of St. Joseph for the Salvation of the Dying.
1917 — Apparitions at Fatima, Portugal. During the last apparition on October 13, St. Joseph appears holding the Child Jesus and blessing the world.
1921 — Pope Benedict XV inserts the phrase “Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse” into the Divine Praises.
1947 — Spanish Discalced Carmelites found Estudios Josefinos, the first theological journal devoted to St. Joseph.
1950s — The alleged apparitions of Our Lady of America given to Sr. Mary Ephrem emphasize a renewed devotion to St. Joseph, and St. Joseph himself speaks to the visionary about this devotion.
1955 — Venerable Pope Pius XII establishes the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, to be celebrated on May 1.
1962 — Saint Pope John XXIII inserts St. Joseph’s name into the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I).
1989 — Saint Pope John Paul II writes Redemptoris Custos, an apostolic exhortation on St. Joseph.
2013 — Pope Francis, echoing and fulfilling the intentions of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, inserts the name of St. Joseph into all Eucharistic Prayers. He also consecrates Vatican City State to St. Joseph.

Whoa! Did you know all that? Most people are unaware of these remarkable events. Without exaggeration, the Church has done more to promote St. Joseph in the last 150 years than in the previous 1,800 years of Christianity! But why now? Why St. Joseph?

There are many reasons, but I believe there are two that are especially important.

First, we need the spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph to help us protect marriage and the family. Marriage and the family have always been under attack, but in modern times, the threats have reached extraordinary heights. Many people no longer know what it means to be a man or a woman, let alone what constitutes a marriage and a family. Many countries even claim to have redefined marriage and the family. There is great confusion on these matters, greater confusion than in any previous era of human history. The Servant of God Sr. Lucia dos Santos, the longest-lived visionary of the Fatima apparitions, knew the seriousness of the times and made a powerful statement about this issue. She wrote:

The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and the family.

To combat and overcome Satan’s deceptions, the Church needs St. Joseph. His example and protection are the only way out of the confusing mess we are in. Who else can we turn to who can help us understand what marriage and the family are all about if not to the Head of the Holy Family and our spiritual father?

Second, the entire world needs to be re-evangelized, including the vast majority of baptized Christians. Saint Joseph was the first missionary. Today, he desires again to bring Jesus to the nations. Many nations and cultures that were previously Christian have fallen away from their Christian roots and are on a path of self-destruction. Countries once established on Judeo-Christian principles have become overrun by ideologies and organizations that seek to strip society of all that is sacred. Without a major turnaround, civilization itself is going to self-destruct.

In an apostolic exhortation on St. Joseph in 1989, St. John Paul II reminded us of the necessity of invoking St. Joseph in the work of re-evangelizing the world. He wrote:

This patronage [of St. Joseph] must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization in those lands and nations where religion and the Christian life were formerly flourishing and are now put to a hard test.

Now is the time to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph! God is telling his Church that, in order to defend marriage and the family, elevate morals, recover lost ground, and win souls for Jesus Christ, we need to bring St. Joseph onto the battlefield. He is the Terror of Demons! With his powerful spiritual fatherhood, incredible love for his spiritual children, and constant intercession, the Church can be renewed as a light to the nations!

What exactly is consecration to St. Joseph? In other words, what does it mean for a person to be consecrated to St. Joseph? Well, it basically means that you acknowledge that he is your spiritual father, and you want to be like him. To show it, you entrust yourself entirely to his paternal care so that he can help you acquire his virtues and become holy. Total consecration to St. Joseph means you make a formal act of filial entrustment to your spiritual father so that he can take care of your spiritual well-being and lead you to God. The person who consecrates himself to St. Joseph wants to be as close to their spiritual father as possible, to the point of resembling him in virtue and holiness. Saint Joseph, in turn, will give those consecrated to him his loving attention, protection, and guidance.

Perhaps someone reading this has already consecrated themselves entirely to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and is wondering if they can consecrate themselves to St. Joseph and entrust everything to him, as well. The answer is a resounding “Yes!” God desires that all children be committed to the love and care of a mother and a father. You are not a member of a single-parent spiritual family. Mary is your spiritual mother, and St. Joseph is your spiritual father. The spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph is extremely important for your spiritual growth. Total consecration to Mary is not diminished by total consecration to St. Joseph. Mary wants you to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph! Jesus wants you to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph! Everything you have given to Jesus and Mary can also be given to St. Joseph. The hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are one.

So, is there a book that offers a method of consecration to St. Joseph? Yes, there is! It’s called Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father and it follows a method similar to the tried-and-true 33-day preparation method employed by St. Louis de Montfort in his Marian consecration. The 33-day program can be done by individuals, parishes, and entire diocese. Through this program, I hope to spark the first worldwide movement of consecration to St. Joseph!

Consecration to St. Joseph has endorsements from Cardinal Raymond Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Jim Caviezel, Scott Hahn, and many others. Get your copy of Consecration to St. Joseph and be part of the movement! Go to www.consecrationtostjoseph.org to find out more!

Veni Sancte Spiritus[2]

Holy Spirit, God of light, fill us with your radiance bright;

Gentle father of the poor, make us, by your help, secure;

Come, your boundless grace impart, bring your love to every heart.

Lord of consolation, come, warm us when our hearts are numb;

Great consoler, come and heal, to our souls your strength reveal;

Cool, refreshing comfort pour, and our peace of mind restore.

Light immortal, fire divine, with your love our hearts refine;

Come, our inmost being fill, make us all to do your will;

Goodness you alone can give, grant that in your grace we live.

Come, our lukewarm hearts inspire, mold our wills to your desire;

In our weakness make us strong, and amend our every wrong;

Guide us when we go astray, wash our stain of guilt away.

Give to every faithful soul, gifts of grace to make us whole;

Help us when we come to die, so that we may live on high;

Ever let your love descend, give us joys that never end.

Litany of St. Joseph
Lord, have mercy on us	Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us,	Jesus, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven,	have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World,	have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,	have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,	have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,	pray for us.
St. Joseph,	pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David,	pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs,	pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God,	pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,	pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God,	pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ,	pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family,	pray for us.
Joseph most just,	pray for us.
Joseph most chaste,	pray for us.
Joseph most prudent,	pray for us.
Joseph most strong,	pray for us.
Joseph most obedient,	pray for us.
Joseph most faithful,	pray for us.
Mirror of patience,	pray for us.
Lover of poverty,	pray for us.
Model of artisans,	pray for us.
Glory of home life,	pray for us.
Guardian of virgins,	pray for us.
Pillar of families,	pray for us.
Solace of the wretched,	pray for us.
Hope of the sick,	pray for us.
Patron of the dying,	pray for us.
Terror of demons,	pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church,	pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,	spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,	graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,	have mercy on us, O Jesus.

He made him the lord of his household	And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray:

O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Single? So Sad, too bad[3]. Singles Awareness Day

After a Christmas spent with elderly family members asking when they’re finally going to get married, or at least find a boyfriend or girlfriend to bring home, life does not get any easier for singles after Christmas, either. No sooner have the Santa Claus and snowman decorations vanished from the shops than the shelves begin to burst with cuddly teddy bears, heart-shaped balloons and boxes of cheap chocolates, all in shades of nauseating neon pinks and reds. Yes, Valentine’s Day has become one of the world’s most profitable occasions, yet another marketing scheme that has hit pay dirt more than the original creators of the idea could have ever dreamed. If you’re not in a relationship Valentine’s Day is bad enough, what with all the additional pressure to be ‘romantic’, if such rampant and blatant consumerism and commercialism can be considered romantic at all. The restaurants are all overpacked with couples trying too hard to impress each other, and it seems every flower in the whole city has been bought out, just so someone can say it’s pretty once and then thrown away. Hallmark holidays are called that for a reason. For singles, on the other hand, Valentine’s Day can be a simple and cruel reminder that they are alone. No pink stuffed animals for them, and no tacky heart-shaped boxes of poor-quality chocolate, either though one does tend to wonder whether that really makes them worse off in the first place. Singles Awareness Day used to be an alternate name used for Valentine’s Day among those who found themselves unattached during the day, but it all became too depressing. So, by single’s hive-mind consensus, it fell to the day after as a perfect antidote to all of the neon nonsense.

How to Celebrate Singles Awareness/Appreciation Day

· It’s a humorous holiday to celebrate being single, to share with single friends, to send each other presents or even order yourself some flowers. On this day many people wear green, as it is the complementary opposite of red.

· Another popular option is an absence of color (black), to symbolize an absence of celebration.

· One increasingly popular activity is to travel to Brazil and witness the Brazilian Carnival. The trip, coupled with the fact that Brazil doesn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14, but in June, provides a temporary getaway from the neon pink of the Valentine’s holiday in the Western culture, by simply substituting it with another celebration.

· Some who celebrate Singles Awareness Day just want to remind romantic couples that they don’t need to be in a relationship to celebrate life, and that the key to being happy is being able to be happy with yourself.

· Contrary to popular misconceptions, Singles Awareness Day is not about self-pity but rather a chance to announce to the world that you are single and happy to be so. Originally, most singles referred to February 14 as Single’s Awareness Day (acronym: SAD) until it they realized that that was just depressing. Choosing the next day allowed single people a chance to turn this into a celebration rather than a festival of self-pity. There is no reason to be miserable that you are independent and unattached; on the contrary, there are many more people in relationships than you might think who rather wish they were in your shoes, with nobody to answer to but themselves. This is the day that all of the single people can proudly stand up and show that it is okay to be single. Take that, cupid!

While cleaning out my files the other day I came across this note. I don’t know the source but thought I would share it.

A Note From Heaven

Dear Beloved, One,

I see your loneliness and fears, your guilt and frustrations. I see your endless search for love and fulfillment. All this must be, in order for you to come the end of your own understanding—then you can hear My voice. Listen carefully amid the noise of the world and you will hear…I love you, I shed My blood for you to make you clean. Give yourself completely to Me. I created you to be just as you are, and you are lovely in My eyes. Do not criticize yourself or become depressed for not being perfect in your own eyes. This leads only to frustrations. I want you to trust Me one step, one second at a time. Dwell in My power and My love and be free, be yourself. Don’t allow other people to control you. I will guide you, if you let Me, but be aware of My presence in everything. I will give you patience, love, joy, and peace. Look to Me for answers for I am your shepherd and will lead you. Follow Me only!! Do not ever forget this. Listen and I will tell you My will.

Let My love flow from you and spill over to all you touch. Be not concerned with yourself—you are My responsibility. I will change you without your ever knowing it. You are to love yourself and love others, simply because I love you. Take your eyes off yourself, look only to Me, I lead, I change, I create, but not when you are striving. You are mine…let Me have the joy of making you like Christ.

Your only command is to look to Me and Me, only—never to yourself and never to others. Do not struggle but relax in My love. I know what is best and will do it in you. Stop trying to become and let me make you what I want.

My will is perfect;

My love is sufficient. I will

Supply all your needs…

Only look to Me.

I love you,

Your Heavenly Father

Daily Devotions/Activities

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: The Families of St. Joseph Porters

· Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion

· Pray Day 2 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

· Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 1