Saturday Night at the Movies
Introduction to Jeremiah[1]
Along with Isaiah and
Ezekiel, Jeremiah's one of the "Major
Prophets" of the Hebrew Bible: Jeremiah's the only one with a word named
after him: jeremiad, meaning a long, mournful lament or angry
harangue. God called Jeremiah to the prophecy biz when he was just a kid. Early
on in his career, Jeremiah saw King Josiah try to get the Judeans back to
observing the laws that God set down for them in Deuteronomy. That worked for a
while, but pretty soon they went back to their sinful ways—idol worship, child
sacrifice, eating bacon cheeseburgers, etc. God told Jeremiah what would happen
(total destruction of Judea courtesy of the Babylonian army) and told him he
had to warn the people to shape up or else. Jeremiah spent years prophesying
the bad news to no avail. All he got for his trouble was rejection,
imprisonment. For some reason, no one wanted to hear about invasion, slaughter,
divine wrath, starvation, rape, and enslavement. The king wouldn't listen to
his advice about surrendering to the Babylonians to save the nation. Jeremiah
spent a lot of time weeping about this. So, just as he prophesied, the city of
Jerusalem was invaded and burned to the ground by the Babylonian army as
punishment for their disobedience to God. The Temple was reduced to rubble and
the king hauled off into captivity. Most of the people who weren't slaughtered
immediately were exiled to Babylon from the land promised to them by God, where
they'd lived and flourished as an independent nation. The rest were left to
starve in the streets and get eaten by vultures. Jeremiah managed to refrain
from too much "I told you so." Instead, he went about trying to
comfort the people by prophesying about the eventual return from exile and
restoration of Jerusalem. He gave them advice about how to manage while living
in Babylon and warned them not to go to Egypt, where things would be just as
bad. As Rabbi Michael
Lerner points out,
Jeremiah lived through the most critical point in Jewish history. Having been
carted off to exile in Babylon, the Jews were about to disappear from history,
probably to be assimilated into the culture of their captors. No ancient nation
had ever returned from exile. Thanks to Jeremiah's ideas about personal
responsibility and having an individual relationship with the one God, the Jews
maintained their identity during the 70 years of foreign exile and Judaism
itself was transformed in the process. We have no idea who actually wrote or
edited together the prophecies in the Book of Jeremiah. It almost certainly
wasn't actually one guy named "Jeremiah," but it's possible that the
outlook of the real, historical Jeremiah (who lived from the reign of Josiah to
sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in roughly 586 B.C.) strongly influenced
the perspective of the Book of Jeremiah, and that at least some genuine
prophecies of Jeremiah are included. The book itself was put together at a
later time—probably during the end of the Babylonian Exile (late 6th Century
B.C.) when the people of Judah were finally allowed by King Cyrus of Persia to
go home. Jeremiah's prophecies all have a similar vibe. Jeremiah's desperately
warning people about the great tragedy that's about to come down, and it's not
a pretty picture. God's angry, and you wouldn't like him when he's angry.
Jeremiah is definitely the Red Dawn of Major Biblical Prophets' Books.
If you like dungeons and dragons (well, dungeons at least), apocalyptic visions
of death and destruction, thundering hordes, eye-gouging, betrayal, and a total
breakdown of society, this one's for you.
Why Should I Care?
Rules, rules, rules, we're
not recommending anarchy here but, obviously, lots of rules are necessary to
keep people living in peace, safety, health, and harmony. No texting while
driving is probably a good idea. But sometimes, all the rules we have to follow
seem really burdensome and arbitrary, especially when things are going well for
us and we assume we're doing the right things. That's the situation that the
Judeans of Jeremiah's day found themselves in. Life was pretty good, and the
Judeans weren't paying much attention to the rules they were supposed to be
living by. Even though those rules were given to them by God Himself and they
were living in the city where God's presence hung out in the Temple. The bottom
line in Jeremiah is except for the rule about not having other gods, God ends
up caring less about the exact details of his rules than about loyalty,
respect, and closeness with his people. By obeying the rules, the Judeans would
have been showing gratitude and respect to God for all they'd been given. It
would have been a real relationship, which was what God really wanted.
April 2 Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Ist Saturday-Ramadan-Autism
Do not be AFRAID
of them, for I am with you to deliver you—oracle of the LORD.
Jeremiah in this chapter received the call of God and he was afraid. Jeremiah as a young man felt inadequate to do the call of God. Moses on the other hand was a much older man but like Jeremiah when he received the call of God he felt inadequate. When Peter received the call from our Lord Jesus, he felt insignificant and cried out, “Leave me Lord. I am a sinful man.” (Luke 5:8b). The lesson here is that when we are called it will be scary. Christ asks us to not be afraid. The perfect example of what our attitude to the call should be was the attitude of Mary at the annunciation when God called her to be the mother of Christ. Mary’s fiat was "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1: 38).
An interesting thing in this verse, is the use of the word presence. Worldly people are masters of presence or the projection of power. When called do not fear powerful people for is not God greater than the world? Talk to God, let him take control for our Lord will empower us and deliver us to accomplish his word just like he did Jeremiah and all the Saints. We for our part must be, ready for change, for God will prepare us for the challenges of our calling. We must be open to the promptings of our Lord and be willing to give up any of our own façades of presence or false images of power we may have developed over time.
We may have, at times, found ourselves projecting a presence, which is actually just an overreaction to our fears and self-doubts. Let us follow the advice of Father J. Brian Bransfield and realize:
To find the
depths of our identity we must pass through our fears.[2]
Saturday
of the Fourth Week of Lent[3]
Prayer. MAY our devotion be made fruitful
by Thy grace, we beseech Thee, O Lord, for the fasts we have undertaken will
become profitable to us only if they are pleasing to Thy mercy.
EPISTLE. Isaias xlix. 8-15.
Thus
saith the Lord: In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of
salvation I have helped thee: and I have preserved thee, and given thee to be a
covenant of the people, that thou mightest raise up the earth, and possess the
inheritances that were destroyed: that thou mightest say to them that are
bound: Come forth: and to them that are in darkness: Show yourselves. They
shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain. They shall
not hunger, nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them: for He
that is merciful to them, shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains of
waters He shall give them drink. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My
paths shall be exalted. Behold these shall come from afar and behold these from
the north and from the sea, and these from the south country. Give praise, O ye
heavens, and rejoice, O earth; ye mountains, give praise with jubilation:
because the Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy on His poor
ones. And Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb?
and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL. John viii. 12-20.
At that time: Jesus spoke
to the multitudes of the Jews, saying I am the light of the world: he that
followeth Me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The
Pharisees therefore said to Him: Thou givest testimony of Thy self: Thy
testimony is not true. Jesus answered and said to them: Although I give
testimony of Myself, My testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and
whither I go: but you know not whence I come, or whither I go. You judge
according to the flesh: I judge not any man. And if I do judge, My judgment is
true; because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me. And in your
law it is written, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that give
testimony of Myself: and the Father that sent Me, giveth testimony of Me. They
said therefore to Him: Where is Thy Father? Jesus answered: Neither Me do you
know, nor My Father: if you did know Me, perhaps you would know My Father also.
These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, teaching in the temple: and no man
laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come.
First Saturday[4]
In December of 1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia, giving her the following guaranty of salvation for those who complete the First Five Saturdays Devotion:
“I promise to
assist them at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the
salvation of their souls."
Why Five Saturdays?
The
five first Saturdays correspond to the five kinds of offenses and blasphemies
committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1) Blasphemies
against the Immaculate Conception
2) Blasphemies
against her virginity
3) Blasphemies
against her divine maternity, at the same time the refusal to accept her as the
Mother of all men
4) Instilling
indifference, scorn and even hatred towards this Immaculate Mother in the
hearts of children
5) Direct
insults against Her sacred images
How to complete the Five First
Saturdays Devotion:
On
the first Saturday of five consecutive months:
1. Go
to confession.
2. Receive
Holy Communion.
3. Say
five decades of the Rosary.
4. Keep
Our Lady company for 15 minutes, meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary.
5. Have the intention of making reparation to Our Lady for the offenses listed above.
Ramadan[5]
Ramadan
is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, during which, for a period of
thirty days, Muslims abstain from eating, and drinking from sunrise to sunset.
Muslims do this because it is a pillar of Islam, and obligatory for everyone
and the entire month is holy for Muslims so that they can increase their
remembrance of life after death. Muslims also abstain from all bad deeds
and habits, like smoking,
swearing, backbiting, and disrespectfulness. Muslims reflect upon themselves,
their religion. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Fasting and abstaining from bad habits teaches Muslim’s self-control, humility,
and generosity. Ramadan is a time for charity,
family, and good deeds. Muslims fast because they believe it is vital for
spiritual health. Unlike the fast of Ashurah, the fasts of Ramadan and salah
(praying towards Mecca), fasting helps Muslims maintain spiritual and physical
health. The month of Ramadan begins when the new moon of Ramadan is sighted and
ends when the new moon of Sha'ban is sighted. Muslims also believe that devils
are chained up during Ramadan.
Ramadan
Facts & Quotes
·
Ramadan
comes from the word ramadaa, which means 'sunbaked' in Arabic. This is perhaps
a reference to the pangs of hunger Muslims feel when fasting.
·
According
to Islamic tradition, menstruating women, women who are experiencing bleeding
after giving birth, people who are sick (either with short term or long-term
illnesses), and travelers are exempt from fasting. Pregnant women also have the
option of skipping fasts.
·
In
Islamic countries, when Ramadan ends and the crescent moon is first seen,
people bang drums and give mighty shouts.
·
According
to Sunnah belief, the Prophet Muhammad once said, there is no conceit in
fasting.
·
who
believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you;
perchance you will guard yourselves (Quran, 2:183)
Ramadan
Top Events and Things to Do
·
The
fast is usually broken in a family setting, where traditional foods are served.
Most Muslims begin their meal with a few dates and a glass of milk because the
Prophet Muhammad used to do the same. The high sugar content of the dates
sends energy to weary fasting Muslim, while the fiber in the dates and the
protein in the milk fills them up and prevents nausea.
·
During
Ramadan, Muslims congregate every night in the mosque to pray Taraweeh prayers
in congregation. In the United States, in between sets of prayers, the Imam
gives a brief sermon and encourages people to give to charity.
·
In
Islamic countries, the end of the fast is signaled by a loud call to the sunset
prayer. Most people eat a small meal, pray at the mosque, and then join their
families for a large, festive dinner.
World
Autism Awareness Day[6]
World Autism Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness of the autism spectrum disorders and improve the lives of those currently living with autism. Autism refers to a lifelong brain development disorder that affects social interactions, learning, routines and communication. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the global population is autistic. World Autism Awareness Day was designated by the United Nations in 2007 in an effort to end stigmatization and discrimination against those with autism. World Autism Day is celebrated annually on April 2nd and fits in with the UN's Agenda for Sustainable Development, which promises to leave no one behind.
World Autism Awareness Day Facts
& Quotes
·
Autism
now affects 1 in 68 children
and 1 in 42 boys. Boys are 5 times more likely to have autism than girls.
·
Autism
costs a family $60,000 a year on average.
·
35
% of young adults (aged 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received
postgraduate education after leaving high school.
·
Who
do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If you were to get
rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon. – Temple
Grandin, world-renowned Autism spokesperson and university professor.
World Autism Awareness Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Wear
blue in order to support World Autism Day. The color blue is internationally
recognized as a symbol of support for World Autism Day and it is accompanied by
the catchphrase wear blue, April 2.
·
Watch
a movie about autism such as Fly Away, Sounding the Alarm and The
Story of Luke.
·
Light
up your home or your business in blue like many famous buildings or monuments
worldwide. There are many ways you can do this. It can be as simple as putting
blue plastic over floodlights to project the color blue on your home. You can
also use a blue Phillips light bulb, which can be bought at Home Depot.
·
Take
part in an Autism Speaks Walk that raises money for the cause. You can gather a
team and walk in support of someone you know with autism or simply donate, walk
and enjoy the day with thousands of others.
Aids in Battle[7] The Devil fears those
who pray
My
dear brothers and sisters not only is prayer very powerful; even more, it’s of
the utmost necessity for overcoming the enemies of our salvation. Look at all
the saints: They weren’t content with watching and fighting to overcome the
enemies of their salvation and with keeping well away from all
that could offer them temptation. They passed their whole lives in prayer, not
only the day, but very often the whole night as well. Yes, my dear children, we
watch over ourselves and all the motions of our hearts in vain, and in vain we
avoid temptation, if we don’t pray. If we don’t continually resort to prayer,
all our other ways will be of no use at all to us, and we’ll be overcome. We
won’t find any sinner converted without turning to prayer. We won’t find one
persevering without depending heavily on prayer. Nor will we ever find a Christian
who ends up damned whose downfall didn’t begin with a lack of prayer. We can
see, too, how much the Devil fears those who pray, since there’s not a moment
of the day when he tempts us more than when we’re at prayer. He does everything
he possibly can to prevent us from praying. When the Devil wants to make
someone lose his soul, he starts out by inspiring in him a profound distaste
for prayer. However good a Christian he may be, if the Devil succeeds in making
him either say his prayers badly or neglect them altogether, he’s certain to
have that person for himself. Yes, my dear brothers and sisters, from the
moment that we neglect to pray, we move with big steps towards hell. We’ll
never return to God if we don’t resort to prayer.
ST. JOHN VIANNEY
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART ONE:
THE PROFESSION OF
FAITH
SECTION
ONE
"I
BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER TWO-GOD COMES TO MEET MAN
Article 2-THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
I. The
Apostolic Tradition
75 "Christ the Lord, in whom the entire Revelation of
the most high God is summed up, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel,
which had been promised beforehand by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in
his own person and promulgated with his own lips. In preaching the Gospel, they
were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. This Gospel was to be the
source of all saving truth and moral discipline."
In the apostolic preaching. . .
76 In keeping with the Lord's command, the Gospel was handed
on in two ways:
- orally "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their
preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what
they themselves had received - whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of
life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy
Spirit”.
- in writing "by those apostles and other men associated with the apostles
who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of
salvation to writing".
. . . continued in apostolic succession
77 "In order that the full and living Gospel might
always be preserved in the Church the apostles’ left bishops as their
successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority." Indeed,
"the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the
inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until
the end of time."
78 This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit,
is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely
connected to it. Through Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and
worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is,
all that she believes."37 "The sayings of the holy Fathers are
a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches
are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her
prayer."
79 The Father's self-communication made through his Word in
the Holy Spirit, remains present and active in the Church: "God, who spoke
in the past, continues to converse with the Spouse of his beloved Son. and the
Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the
Church - and through her in the world - leads believers to the full truth and
makes the Word of Christ dwell in them in all its richness."
Daily
Devotions
·
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Church
· 54 Day Rosary for Priest’s and Religious Day 41
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 6 day 7
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 14
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