Orthodox Easter[1]
Orthodox
Easter commemorates Jesus' resurrection three days after his crucifixion and
death. Following his death, he was removed from the cross and hastily buried in
a tomb. On Sunday, it was discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty and angels
informed onlookers that Jesus had risen. Throughout the next 40 days, Jesus
appears to his apostles and disciples before finally ascending to heaven.
Orthodox Easter is the highest and holiest of holidays in the Christian
Orthodox faith. Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar and must take place
after the Jewish Passover. For these reasons, Orthodox Easter is celebrated on
the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox and
always after Jewish Passover.
Orthodox Easter Facts
·
Easter
is often called Pascha in the Orthodox tradition. Pascha normally falls
either one or five weeks later than the feast as observed by Christians who
follow the Gregorian calendar. However, occasionally the two observances
coincide, and on occasion they can be four weeks apart.
·
Eggs
represent new life as well as Jesus' tomb. In some Orthodox church’s eggs
are dyed red to symbolize either the blood of Christ or the red cloak Roman
soldiers put on Jesus as they tortured him.
·
In
the Orthodox tradition, the Easter season lasts for 100 days. It begins
as a time of preparation, 49 days before the holiday. The proceeding 50
days after Easter is dedicated for strengthening faith in Jesus Christ.
·
The
final worship service of Pascha is usually held at noon on Sunday. Called
the Agape Vespers, the service highlights St. Thomas' encounter with the risen
Jesus. Thomas doubted that the resurrection was real until Jesus told him
to touch his wounds. Thomas' story is usually read in a number of
languages to emphasize the universal nature of Christ's life, death, and
resurrection.
Orthodox Easter Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Stay
up late and go to an Orthodox vigil service. Bringing light into the
church is a dramatic and joyous occasion.
·
Wear
some new clothes to church. This is an ancient tradition that goes back
to the early church when newly baptized persons were given a white gown to wear
on Easter.
·
Take
an Easter basket to an Orthodox church and have it blessed. Some Eastern
Orthodox Church members put together special baskets with particular items that
symbolize different aspects of their faith. These items often include
bread, wine, salt, cheese, ham, and horseradish.
·
Russian
Orthodox believers often visit the cemetery on Easter, placing a dyed red egg
on each loved one's grave. The eggs are dyed red because of a tradition
that says Roman soldiers put on Jesus' red cloak after he was crucified.
Consider paying homage to your deceased loved ones on Easter.
Candles[2]
When the people of
Israel offered worship, in the Old Testament they did son amid the flicker of
many lights. So important were these lights that the main one, the temple
menorah became the most recognizable symbol of Judaism. The Christian church is
a temple and as such lights play an important part in worship. In fact, lamps
and candles are a symbol of the person of Christ. “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12) At the church’s
greatest celebration on the Easter Vigil the priest holds the paschal candle
aloft and proclaims, “Christ our light!” three times. The lamp is a symbol of
Christ, God’s presence among us. The lighting of votive candles is the
“offering” of the faithful.
The Use of Candles in the Orthodox Church[3]
Question: Why do we light candles in the Orthodox
Church?
Answer: There are typically two types of candles
that Orthodox are familiar with. First there are the genuine pure beeswax
candles made from the combs of hives. Secondly, there are the paraffin wax
candles made from petroleum. When the Fathers of the Church speak of the
Orthodox use of candles, they are referring to the pure beeswax candles and not
the latter. Paraffin wax produces carcinogens and soot when burned. In fact,
one air quality researcher stated that the soot from a paraffin candle contains
many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel. With this information
in mind, we can better understand the six symbolic representations of lit
candles handed down to us by Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki:
·
As
the candle is pure (pure beeswax), so also should our hearts be pure.
·
As
the pure candle is supple (as opposed to the paraffin), so also should our
souls be supple until we make it straight and firm in the gospel.
·
As
the pure candle is derived from the pollen of a flower and has a sweet scent,
so also should our souls have the sweet aroma of Divine Grace.
·
As
the candle, when it burns, mixes with and feeds the flame, so also, we can
struggle to achieve theosis (union with God).
·
As
the burning candle illuminates the darkness, so must the light of Christ within
us shine before men that God's name be glorified.
·
As
the candle gives its own light to illuminate a person in the darkness, so also
must the light of the virtues, the light of love and peace, characterize a
Christian. The wax that melts symbolizes the flame of our love for our fellow
men.
Besides the six symbolic
representations above, Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite gives us six different
reasons why Orthodox light candles:
1.
To
glorify God, who is Light, as we chant in the Doxology: "Glory to God who
has shown forth the light..."
2.
To
dissolve the darkness of the night and to banish away the fear which is brought
on by the darkness.
3.
To
manifest the inner joy of our soul.
4.
To
bestow honor to the saints of our Faith, imitating the early Christians of the first centuries who lit candles at the
tombs of the martyrs.
5.
To
symbolize our good works, as the Lord said: "Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in
the heavens." The priest also gave us this charge following our baptism.
6.
To
have our own sins forgiven and burned away, as well as the sins of those for
whom we pray.
For all these reasons
cited by our Holy Fathers, let us often light our candles and make sure as much
as possible that they be pure candles. We should abstain from all corruption
and uncleanness, so that all of the above symbolism
is made real in our Christian lives. At one point during the Presanctified Divine Liturgy the liturgist holds a lit
candle, and facing the people he proclaims: "The light of Christ shines on
all". Christ is "the true light who enlightens and sanctifies all
men". Are we worthy recipients of this light?
The saints themselves constantly sought after this light. Let us then also
imitate the saints and like Saint Gregory Palamas
continuously supplicate the Lord in the following words: "Enlighten my
darkness".
Question: Is there any other reason why we
light our candle in church?
Answer: Besides the higher spiritual
reasons mentioned above for why we light candles, there is another simpler and
practical reason: to make a financial offering to the church. When we go to
light our candle, we should also give an offering for the various services and
expenses of the church. The church gives us the candle as a blessing for our
offering and allows us to ignite the flame of the symbolisms
mentioned above.
Question: Should we light candles outside
the church as well?
Answer: It is good and laudable to light
candles at home when we pray, when the priest visits for a house blessing with Holy
Water or Holy Unction, and even light a candle when we visit the grave of a
loved one.
Question: Is there any other purpose to the
candle?
Answer: When we light a candle in the
church, we are making an offering to the church or to a particular icon to
beautify it and show through physical light the symbolization of the uncreated
light of God's house or the saint depicted in the icon. It is also customary
for the faithful to offer pure beeswax candles at the Consecration of a new
church.
[1]http://www.wincalendar.com/Christian-Orthodox-Easter
[2] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic
Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 24. Candles.
Second Sunday after Easter
DIVINE MERCY
SUNDAY-feast of saint fidelis
Revelation,
Chapter 1, Verse 17-18
17 When I caught
sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. He touched me with his right hand
and said, “Do not be AFRAID. I am the
first and the last, 18 the
one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the
keys to death and the netherworld.
All have sinned; all are unjust. Have you ever
thought “Now comes the reckoning for his blood” as Joseph’s brothers did (OT:
coat of many colors)? Yet, the Lord has touched us, and it is important to note that he has touched us
with his right hand; signifying power, forgiveness and authority saying, “Do
not be afraid”.
Saint
Pope John Paul II was an example of someone who walked through the valley of
the shadow of death and feared no evil. The Lord’s rod and staff sustained him
through the nightmare of the Nazis and the Communists. Both were evil empires
devoted to the destruction of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for
all except for the few selected elites.
These empires systematically replaced God with the rule of the chosen
ones of the State. People from both the Fatherland and the Motherland sat by
and watched the evil grow without taking decisive action, making the adage ‘All
that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (or women) do
nothing.’ Remember to measure our nation and our politics with Gods Rod (Rods were often used in
ancient times to measure) and not the political States or the media nor the
opinion of the rich and the powerful. Let us be ever ready to speak up for what
is righteous using Gods rod, which are His laws of justice and mercy, working
tirelessly and remember Saint Pope John Paul II words of encouragement, “I plead with you
– never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become
discouraged. Be not afraid.”
Let us also carry with us for the journey the Staff of God which is
truth, not worldly truth but Gods truth. “The word of truth, publicly, indeed
almost liturgically, proclaimed was the antidote the Rhapsodic Theater sought
to apply to the violent lies of the Occupation. The tools for fighting evil
included speaking truth to power.” [1]
Satan
has in the past assailed us by evil governments; is it any wonder that having
been unsuccessful; that now the attack comes from within. Let us remember it is
Christ who holds the keys to
death and the netherworld.
Second Sunday after Easter[2]
Called Dominica in Albis, or Low Sunday.
WHY is this Sunday called Dominica in Albis, (White Sunday)? Because,
in the earlier times, those who had been baptized on Holy Saturday on this day
laid aside the white garments which they had then received, and put on their
necks an, “Agnus Dei” made of white wax, and blessed by the Pope, to remind
them continually that they were bound to preserve that innocence unstained. The
Church therefore sings, at the Introit of the Mass, as new-born babes,
alleluia, desire the rational milk without guile, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
(1 Pet. ii. 2). Rejoice to God our helper; sing aloud to the God of Jacob. Ps.
Ixxx. 1).
Prayer. Grant,
we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have performed the paschal
solemnities, may, by Thy grace, preserve them in our life and conduct.
EPISTLE,
i. John v. 4-10.
Dearly Beloved: Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who
is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God?
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus
Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which
testifieth, that Christ is the truth. And there are three Who give testimony in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And
there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and
the blood, and these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the
testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is
greater, because He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth in the Son of
God, hath the testimony of God in himself.
Explanation.
By loving faith in Jesus as the Son of God, we can surely overcome the
world, because that faith shows us in God, our Father; in the world to come,
our true country; in Jesus, our example; teaching us to love God above all
things, to disregard the world, and worldly goods, and to strive for the
eternal. That Jesus is the Son of God, St. John shows:
1. By the threefold testimony on earth, of the water
at the baptism in Jordan, of the blood at the death on the cross, of the spirit
in the miraculous effects wrought in those that believed.
2. By the threefold testimony from heaven of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Aspiration.
O Jesus, I believe in Thee, as the Son of the living God! Grant that
through this faith I may victoriously combat the flesh, the world, the devil,
and every inclination to evil, and obtain everlasting life.
GOSPEL.
John xx. 19-31.
At
that time: When it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors
were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when
He had said this, He showed them His hands, and His side. The disciples
therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again:
Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you. When He had said
this, He breathed on them; and He said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called
Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said
to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in His
hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails,
and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again
His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. Then He saith to
Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands; and bring hither thy hand,
and put it into My side: and be not faithless but believing. Thomas answered,
and said to Him: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen
Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and have
believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of His disciples, which
are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in
His name.
Why does
Jesus so often say, Peace be to you?
To signify that He had
restored peace between God and man; to show how men might know His disciples;
and how necessary to salvation the preservation of peace is.
Why did
God permit Thomas to disbelieve the appearance of Christ to the other
disciples?
That we might thereby be
strengthened in faith, for as Christ took away all doubt from Thomas, by
appearing again, the resurrection of Christ by that means becomes, as St.
Gregory says, so much the more credible and certain.
What is
it to believe in God?
To receive as immovably
certain what God has revealed to us, although we cannot understand it.
What must
we, therefore, believe?
All that God has revealed.
Why must
we believe all this?
Because God, the infallible
truth, has revealed it. This belief is as necessary to salvation as it is
reasonable in itself.
How can
we certainly know what God has or has not revealed, and which this one true
faith is?
Through His Church, which is
guided by the Holy Ghost to all truth, and in which Jesus Christ dwells till
the end of time.
How can
we know the Church of Christ?
By this, that, like the
truth, she is one, holy, apostolic, and catholic.
Which is
this true Church of Christ?
The Roman Catholic, since
she alone possesses the abovementioned marks of the true Church. She alone has
preserved unity in faith and in the holy sacraments, and is subordinate to one
visible head, the Pope. She alone can trace her derivation from the apostles to
the present day, and can demonstrate this origin as well by her doctrine, as by
the succession of her popes and bishops. She alone has all the means of
salvation, and she alone has produced saints. Finally, she alone embraces all
ages, and shines, as St. Augustine says, from one end of the world to the
other, in the splendor of one and the same faith, inviting all to her bosom, to
bring them to Jesus.
What
answer should a Catholic make to objections against the Mass, purgatory, and
such like?
He should say, I believe
these and the like matters of faith, because God, Who is Truth, has revealed
them: I believe that He has thus revealed them, because the Roman Catholic
Church, which teaches them to me, has all the marks of the true Church of
Christ, guided by God, and cannot therefore deceive me.
Is it sufficient for salvation to have the true faith, and to belong to
the true Church?
No; we
must live according to that faith, that is, we must observe what it commands,
avoid what it forbids, and often, particularly in temptation, make an act of
faith.
Divine
Mercy Sunday[3]
Reflect what it took to
make Christ the gentle shepherd of our souls: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
Come to the Feast of Divine Mercy! Calling all Catholics, come to the
Feast of Mercy on the Sunday after Easter. Did you know that the Lord said that
this feast would one day be the “last hope of salvation”? Have you considered
what would happen to you if you suddenly died in the state of mortal sin? Did
you know that in the 1930’s Our Lord Jesus, Himself requested through St.
Faustina that a very special Feast of Divine Mercy be established in His Church
and solemnly celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter every year?
In
the Jubilee Year 2000, after many years of study, Saint Pope John Paul II
fulfilled the will of Christ by establishing this special Feast of Divine Mercy
in the Catholic Church and gave it the name of Divine Mercy Sunday! By God’s
Providence, Saint John Paul II died on this feast in 2005. What is so special
about this new Feast of Divine Mercy you might be asking yourself?
It
is the promise of the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment for any soul
that would go to Confession and then receive Jesus in Holy Communion on that
very special Feast of Divine Mercy! Why would Jesus offer us something so great
at this time?
Jesus
told St. Faustina that she was to prepare the world for His Second Coming and
that He would be pouring out His Mercy in very great abundance before He comes
again as the Just Judge and as the very last hope of salvation. If you have
been away from the practice of your Catholic faith, and if you would like to
come back into the, one, true Catholic Church, then this is the most perfect
opportunity for you, if you are prepared to repent and turn from sin. Many
former fallen-away Catholics have taken advantage of this great Feast of Mercy
to get a brand-new start in life and to be totally prepared to stand before the
Lord.
If you have been away from the
Catholic faith and
if you have any questions about coming back home, then come in and talk to a
priest at any Catholic Church. The beauty of the Catholic Church is that its
teachings and practices are the same at all the parishes. You may have
concerns, such as: marriage outside of the Church; un-confessed abortions; or
other issues that could be preventing you from receiving Holy Communion or you
may have questions about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Don’t remain in
doubt. Call your local parish office to find out the necessary steps to come back
to the Catholic faith. Don’t consider yourself as without hope. Our Lord Jesus
wants to pardon completely even the worst sinners possible. Remember, Jesus has
come for sinners, not the righteous. Jesus said that even if our sins were as
numerous as the grains of sand, they would be lost in His Ocean of Mercy. If
you are truly repentant of your sins and are well prepared to confess your sins
in the Sacrament of Confession, you’ll experience a tremendous peace. You’ll
experience a great weight lifted from you and get a brand-new start in life!
Once you have confessed your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, then you
must continue to practice your faith as a good Catholic. This involves
attending Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation, supporting your
local parish, and confessing your serious sins at least once a year. In
Confession, you must be truly sorry for your sins and you must intend to
continue to practice your faith.
Jesus is in the
Confessional
One
of the most reassuring things Our Lord Jesus revealed to us through Saint
Faustina includes the several times when He indicated to her that He is really
there in the Confessional when we are making our individual Confessions to the
priests. Jesus said that every time we enter the Confessional, that He Himself
is there waiting for us, and that He is only hidden by the priest. Jesus said
never to analyze what sort of a priest that He is making use of, but for us to
reveal our souls to Him and that He will fill us with His peace and light. Some
have wondered why Jesus would want us to confess our sins to a priest, but the
answer is in the very first instruction that Jesus gave to His Apostles
directly after His Resurrection from the dead. On the evening of the
Resurrection, Jesus walked through the door of the Upper Room where the
Apostles were hiding and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit, what sins you
forgive are forgiven them, what sins you retain are retained”. This was the
start of Confessions. For sure, that command was not only for the Apostles to
be able to forgive sins, and then to be forgotten, but for that power to be
passed on to all the ordained priests of today in the Catholic Church. Jesus
said that the greater the sinner, the greater the right they have to His mercy!
Don’t continue to carry your sins, Jesus forgives!
To properly celebrate the Feast of
Divine Mercy and
to receive the forgiveness of all sins and punishment, you must go to
Confession to a Catholic priest within 20 days before or after Divine Mercy
Sunday. Or if you are in the state of very serious or mortal sin, you must
always confess them before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, or you will also
commit a sacrilege, which is also a very serious sin. If you haven’t been going
to Sunday Mass without any good reason, you may be in a state of serious sin
and you must confess before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. For more
information about the Feast of Divine Mercy and a Confession Guide, go to: http://www.DivineMercySunday.com or call 772-873-4581.
Jesus to Sr. Faustina[4]
On
one occasion, I heard these words: "My daughter, tell the whole world
about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and
shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very
depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon
those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to
Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins
and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow
are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as
scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be
able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come
forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation
to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of
Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be
solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have
peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.
"From all My wounds,
like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the
fountain of unfathomable mercy. From this fountain spring all graces for souls.
The flames of compassion burn Me. I desire greatly to pour them out upon souls.
Speak to the whole world about My mercy."
Excerpted
from Diary of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska.
Things to
Do:
- Read
the Apostolic
Penitentiary Decree on the Indulgences attached to devotions in honor of
Divine Mercy
- Read
Dives
in misericordia, the encyclical Letter of John Paul II on Mercy.
STOP
and PRAY[5]
At 3:00 o'clock we can pray:
In His Revelations to
Blessed Faustina, Jesus asked for special, daily remembrance at three o'clock,
the very hour He died for us on the cross:
DIRECTIONS
"At three o'clock,
implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and if only for a brief moment,
immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of
agony: This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to
enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul
that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion." (Diary, 1320).
At 3:00 o'clock we can
pray:
You
expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy
opened up for the whole world. O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy,
envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary, 1319).
O
Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of
mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary, 84
Saint
Fidelis[6]
Saint Fidelis became a martyr and was murdered for his faith in 1622, while traveling back to his home church after preaching in Seewis, Switzerland to former Catholics who had converted to Calvinism. Saint Fidelis on the day of his martyrdom preached with great energy, he exhorted the Catholics to constancy in the faith.
After a Calvinist had discharged his musket at him in the Church, the Catholics entreated him to leave the place. He answered that death was his gain and his joy, and that he was ready to lay down his life in God's cause. On his road back to Grüsch, he met twenty Calvinist soldiers with a minister at their head. They called him a false prophet, and urged him to embrace their sect. He answered: "I am sent to you to confute, not to embrace your heresy. The Catholic religion is the faith of all ages, I fear not death." One of them beat him down to the ground by a stroke on the head with his backsword. Fidelis rose again on his knees and stretching forth his arms in the form of a cross, said with a feeble voice "Pardon my enemies, O Lord: blinded by passion they know not what they do. Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. Mary, Mother of God, succor me!"
Another sword stroke
clove his skull, and he fell to the ground and lay in a pool of his own blood.
The soldiers, not content with this, added many stab
wounds to his body with their long knives, and hacked-off his left leg, as they
said, to punish him for his many journeys into those parts to preach to them.
Men Seek Heroes[7]
God has created men by nature and vocation with a natural desire for Himself and men can only find happiness in God. But men become lost as they seek God due to ignorance and sin. Realizing real dangers in the world and the God-implanted understanding of the need for salvation, men aspire to heroic deeds and seek courageous heroes to protect and lead them through the challenges of life. The desire and need for true heroes is perennial in the hearts of men across time and cultures. From an early age, boys naturally seek heroes. They look up to their fathers, older boys and other men as role models and as defenders/protectors. Boys are intrigued by the heroic deeds of fictional characters (e.g. Superheroes in movies, TV and books, videogame heroes, sports heroes, etc.). Boys admire and seek those with heroic virtues. When grown, men continue to seek heroes. Some continue on with the fictional heroes of youth, trading comic books for the action/superheroes and celebrities in the media. Most men also look up to heroes in real life. Many follow and celebrate sports teams and athletes. Others admire and follow politicians, social activists or business leaders. Still others look up to and follow real life heroes in the military (Medal of Honor winners), religion (saints) and people who perform extraordinary deeds in the face of tough challenges (911 responders, those who battle life-challenging illnesses). All men, in some way, desire to be heroes and to associate themselves with heroic leaders.
27 The
desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and
for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find
the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:
The dignity of man rests above all on the
fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with
God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is
because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold
him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely
acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.
44 Man is by nature
and vocation a religious being. Coming from God, going toward God, man lives a
fully human life only if he freely lives by his bond with God.
397 Man, tempted by
the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his
freedom, disobeyed God's command. This is what man's first sin consisted of.
All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in his
goodness.
Men
fall for false heroes
Many men are confused
about the definition and true nature of heroism. Heroism is confused with
celebrity. Heroism is confused with self-serving athleticism, political
opportunists, charlatans who deceive, “anti-heroes” or outright
scoundrels. The meaning of the word “hero” has been dumbed down to
the point of being almost meaningless. Doing an Internet search for
websites, news articles or images provides ample evidence of the misuse of the
word “hero”. Heroism is associated with movie stardom, video games
(Guitar Hero), relatively routine athletic accomplishments and even a
sandwich. Sadly, many of the real-life men who masquerade as heroes,
fail, and fail spectacularly.
The
Definition of “Hero”
The word “hero” comes from
the Latin, hero, meaning,
“defender, protector” and “to save, deliver, preserve, protect.”
Closely related is the word, “Savior” which comes from the Latin, salvatorem, meaning “one who delivers or rescues from peril”
or “heals.” Modern
definitions of the word “hero” provide other characteristics of a hero. A
hero: faces danger or
adversity with courage; sacrifices
self for the greater good of humanity; displays moral excellence”; “is placed high above his fellows.”
Jesus –
The True Hero
·
Jesus
is infinitely higher above all other heroes – He is the Son of God; there can be no hero
that compares. Heroes come and go, but only Jesus is the long-awaited
Messiah. No hero, except Jesus, was anticipated for thousands of years
before His birth and remains a hero two millennia after His death (and
Resurrection).
·
He
physically protects people on earth –
He saves the Disciples who are in fear of drowning. He stands up to the
bloodthirsty mob that is going to stone the adulterous woman. He protects the
disciples from the violent legion when He is taken in the Garden. He is
the ultimate protector.
·
Jesus
is the perfect demonstration of virtue – He demonstrates prudence, temperance, justice
and fortitude and charity with perfection that no man has met, or can ever,
match.
·
He
heals people from sickness, madness and death – Jesus healed the multitudes
of every illness and raises them from the dead.
·
He
stands for Truth against falsehood –
Repeatedly, He confronts the Pharisees and the Sadducees and corrects their
falsehoods, despite their collusion to kill Him. He refuses to yield to
Pilate, even as Pilate threatens Him with death. Jesus is Truth itself.
·
Jesus
defeats man’s greatest foe, Satan –
There is no greater enemy of man than Satan. Jesus defeats Satan when
tempted in the Wilderness, by casting out demons, and by using the
Satan-inspired evil of Judas for the Glory of the Cross and Resurrection (CCC
2853). He defeats Satan on his home turf (Hell) when Jesus descends to
offer His “redemptive works to all men of all times and all places…” (CCC
634). Only Jesus delivers us from evil.
2853 Victory over the
"prince of this world" was won once for all at the Hour when Jesus
freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. This is the judgment of
this world, and the prince of this world is "cast out." "He
pursued the woman" but had no hold on her: the new Eve, "full of
grace" of the Holy Spirit, is preserved from sin and the corruption of
death (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of
God, Mary, ever virgin). "Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and
went off to make war on the rest of her offspring." Therefore, the Spirit
and the Church pray: "Come, Lord Jesus," since his coming will
deliver us from the Evil One.
634 "The gospel
was preached even to the dead." The descent into hell brings the Gospel
message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus'
messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance:
the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places,
for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.
·
He
defeats man’s greatest scourge, Sin –
He saves people from sin (CCC 2854). For example, He tells the sinful
woman at Simon the Pharisee’s house, “Your faith has saved you; go in
peace”.
2854 When
we ask to be delivered from the Evil One, we pray as well to be freed from all
evils, present, past, and future, of which he is the author or instigator. In this
final petition, the Church brings before the Father all the distress of the
world. Along with deliverance from the evils that overwhelm humanity, she
implores the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance in
expectation of Christ's return By praying in this way, she anticipates in
humility of faith the gathering together of everyone and everything in him who
has "the keys of Death and Hades," who "is and who was and who
is to come, the Almighty."
·
Deliver us, Lord, we beseech you, from every
evil and grant us peace in our day, so that aided by your mercy we might be
ever free from sin and protected from all anxiety, as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
·
He
sacrifices Himself for others – Jesus makes an infinite sacrifice,
for His life is of infinite value and he gives it for the sins of all
mankind. He chooses a horrible death freely, saying, “Greater love has no
man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
·
He
offers salvation for all mankind – His Name means “God saves” (CCC 430) and it is only
the name of Jesus that can actually save. “Christ’s whole life is a
mystery of redemption. Redemption comes to us above all through the
blood of His cross…” (CCC 517). “He who believes and is baptized will
be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned”. “For the
Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life.”
430 Jesus means in
Hebrew: "God saves." At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him
the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his
mission. Since God alone can forgive sins, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal
Son made man, "will save his people from their sins". In Jesus, God
recapitulates all of his history of salvation on behalf of men.
517 Christ's
whole life is a mystery of redemption. Redemption comes to us above all
through the blood of his cross, but this mystery is at work throughout Christ's
entire life:
- Already in his Incarnation through
which by becoming poor he enriches us with his poverty.
- In his hidden life which by his
submission atones for our disobedience.
- In his word which purifies its hearers.
- In his healings and exorcisms by
which "he took our infirmities and bore our diseases";
- And in his Resurrection by which he
justifies us.
·
He
is recognized as a Savior during His life on earth – The Samaritans profess, “It
is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for
ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION TWO I. THE CREEDS
CHAPTER
ONE-I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER
198 Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the
First and the Last, The beginning and the end of everything. the Credo
begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the
Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for
creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God's works.
The
Week Ahead
·
April 25th Monday Feast
of St. Mark-Mass
o
Venice or Vegas?
· April
26th Tuesday Our
Lady of Good Counsel
· April
27th Wednesday-King’s
Day in Amsterdam
o Honor St. Joseph-father of our King-Mass
· April
28th Thursday
o Feast
of St. Louis De Montfort
·
April 29th Friday-New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
·
April 30th -Saturday Mass
o
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
§ The summer magic is the third satanic “solemnity” and occurs on the night between April 30 and May 1. During the year [Satanists] often choose nights when the new moon is inaugurated, because it is particularly dark.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Life from Conception until natural death.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 10 day 1
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
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