Friday, June 10, 2022
Introduction
to Jonah
The story of
Jonah has great theological import. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected
his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great
fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. Now he
obeys and goes to Nineveh, the capital of Israel’s ancient enemy. The Ninevites
listen to his message of doom and repent immediately. All, from king to
lowliest subject, humble themselves in sackcloth and ashes. Seeing their
repentance, God does not carry out the punishment planned for them. At this,
Jonah complains, angry because the Lord spares them. This fascinating story
caricatures a narrow mentality which would see God’s interest extending only to
Israel, whereas God is presented as concerned with and merciful to even the
inhabitants of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire which brought the
Northern Kingdom of Israel to an end and devastated Jerusalem in 701 B.C. The
Lord is free to “repent” and change his mind. Jonah seems to realize this possibility
and wants no part in it. But the story also conveys something of the
ineluctable character of the prophetic calling. The book is replete with irony,
wherein much of its humor lies. The name “Jonah” means “dove” in Hebrew, but
Jonah’s character is anything but dove-like. Jonah is commanded to go east to
Nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point, only to be swallowed
by a great fish and dumped back at this starting point. The sailors pray to
their gods, but Jonah is asleep in the hold. The prophet’s preaching is a
minimum message of destruction, while it is the king of Nineveh who calls for
repentance and conversion; the instant conversion of the Ninevites is greeted
by Jonah with anger and sulking. He reproaches the Lord in words that echo
Israel’s traditional praise of his mercy. Jonah is concerned about the loss of
the gourd but not about the possible destruction of 120,000 Ninevites. Unlike
other prophetic books, this is not a collection of oracles but the story of a
disobedient, narrow-minded prophet who is angry at the outcome of the sole
message he delivers. It is difficult to date but almost certainly is postexilic
and may reflect the somewhat narrow, nationalistic reforms of Ezra and
Nehemiah. As to genre, it has been classified in various ways, such as parable
or satire. The “sign” of Jonah is interpreted in two ways in the New Testament:
His experience of three days and nights in the fish is a “type” of the
experience of the Son of Man, and the Ninevites’ reaction to the preaching of
Jonah is contrasted with the failure of Jesus’ generation to obey the preaching
of one who is “greater than Jonah”[1].
JUNE 10 Friday after Pentecost-Ember Day
Jonah,
Chapter 1, Verse 5
5 Then the sailors were AFRAID and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep.
According to bible-study-for-everyone.com[2]:
Christians regard the
prophet Jonah as a type foreshadowing Jesus. Jesus said that he did not come
for the healthy but for the sick. The healthy are well and they know it. So,
they have no need of a doctor. But the sick may be diseased and not know it. They
require someone to diagnose their sickness and prescribe the remedy. They need
a healer. People can be sick physically. And they can be sick mentally,
spiritually, emotionally. For instance, the physical ailment of blindness is
plain because the person cannot see. But there is also the blindness of
selfishness. People can be blind in many ways. A person can be blind to
themselves. They see with their eyes but they do not understand what they see.
Or they can be blind as to their experience. They interact with their world and
with other people but remain isolated and lonely because they cannot see the
depth and love within their relationships. Or they have very deep emotional or
mental feelings but they do not see (understand) from where the feelings came. They
do not know what the feelings indicate. They are in the dark as to any remedy.
Jesus came in order for us to understand, to see and gain a remedy. He came as
the source of knowledge, as light in darkness and as the cure for our illness.
Those in light do not need a lamp but those in darkness need the light. Jesus
was sent as the light that shines in the darkness. From the beginning to the
end of the bible the theme is repeated. Humankind is lost due to deafness,
blindness, ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, selfishness and greed. That is the
first act of the play. The second act is God seeking and searching for lost
humankind, looking for them in the various places of their fear, the haunts of darkness, the hiding places of those who are
afraid of God. The final act is played out in the response of each individual
and society, each nation and epoch of human history.
Will man and God be
enemies or friends? Will God win and regain the trust and fidelity of his
creation? Or will humankind forever remain estranged? Will the people always
wander outside in the desolation or will they be admitted once again into the
intimacy of the Garden of Paradise?
Friday after
Pentecost-Ember Day[3]
EPISTLE.
Joel ii. 23-27.
THUS,
saith the Lord God: O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful, in the Lord
your God: because He hath given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the
early and the latter rain to come down for you as in the beginning. And the
floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and
oil. And I will restore to you the years which the locust, and the bruchus
(beetle), and the mildew, and the palmerworm have eaten: My great host which I
sent upon you. And you shall eat in plenty, and shall be filled: and you shall
praise the name of the Lord your God, Who hath done wonders with you, and My
people shall not be confounded forever. And you shall know that I am in the
midst of Israel: and I am the Lord your God, and there is none besides: and My
people shall not be confounded forever, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL.
Luke v. 17-26.
At that time: It came to
pass on a certain day, as Jesus sat teaching, that there were Pharisees and
doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and
Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was to heal them. And behold
men brought in a bed a man who had the palsy: and they sought means to bring
him in, and to lay him before Him. And when they could not find by what way
they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof,
and let him down through the tiles with his bed, into the midst before Jesus.
Whose faith when He saw, He said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the
scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this Who speaketh blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?
And when Jesus knew their
thoughts, answering He said to them: What is it you think in your hearts? Which
is easier to say, thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
But that you may know that
the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (He saith to the sick of the
palsy): I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house. And
immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he
went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished; and they
glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful
things to-day.
Ember Friday-Meditation
on the Crucifixion[4]
Another Form of Prayers for
The Stations
(For
Private Use.)
PREPARATORY PRAYER.
RECEIVE, O holy Trinity, this my dutiful service, which I offer unto Thee
in union with the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and
all the saints, to the glory of Thy divine majesty, in satisfaction for my
sins, in remembrance of our redemption, and to obtain for the departed rest,
for the living grace, and for all everlasting glory. To Thee be praise, and
honor, and glory, O blessed Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.
FIRST STATION.
CHRIST IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. He willingly submitted to that unjust
judgment, that He might deliver thee from the sentence of everlasting
damnation.
· The
wicked have said, reasoning with themselves, but not right: Let us lie in wait
for the just, for He is contrary to our doing: He boasteth that He hath the
knowledge of God, and calleth God His Father. Let us see if His words be true.
If He be indeed the Son of God, He will deliver Him out of our hands. Let us
condemn Him to a most shameful death.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God spared not His own Son. But delivered Him up for us all. He was
offered up, because He Himself desired it. And He opened not His mouth.
O Lord, hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who out
of the bosom of the Father didst descend from heaven to earth, and didst shed
Thy most precious blood for the remission of our sins, we humbly beseech Thee
that in the day of judgment we may be found worthy to stand at Thy right hand,
and to hear Thee say unto us, “Come, ye blessed” Amen.
SECOND STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON CHRIST. “The wicked have wrought upon my back”
(Ps. cxxviii.). Hail, our King! Thou only hadst pity on our sins, and wast led,
in obedience to Thy Father, to be crucified, and as a gentle lamb to the
slaughter. To Thee be glory, hosanna; to Thee be triumph and victory; to Thee
the crown of highest praise and honor.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And by His bruises we are
healed. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. For the wickedness of
His people hath He struck Him.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRD STATION.
CHRIST FALLS THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE CROSS. How great must be the weight
of our sins, under which He fell, Who bears all things by the word of His
power!
· Our Lord
Jesus Christ humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the cross; for which
cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above all
names.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Surely, He hath borne our infirmities. And carried our sorrows. He was
branded for our iniquities. He was bruised for our sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FOURTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET ON HIS WAY BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER AND ST. JOHN. Oh, how
sharp a sword of grief must have pierced the heart of His Mother and of His
loving disciple when they met Jesus thus! Dost thou, too, share with them their
sorrow and grief?
· Oh, all
ye that pass by, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow:
therefore, do I weep, and my eyes run down with water, because the Comforter,
the relief of my soul, is far from me. My eyes have failed for weeping, my
bowels are troubled, my heart is turned within me, for the desolation of my
Son, because the enemy hath prevailed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Great as the sea is thy grief. Who shall heal thee? A sword of grief hath
pierced thine own soul. That out of many hearts’ thoughts may be revealed.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FIFTH STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON SIMON OF CYRENE. This man was compelled to carry
the cross after Jesus. How great an honor to have carried it willingly! Art
thou ready to bear the cross of Christ?
· It
behooveth us to glory in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom is our
salvation, who is our life and resurrection, and through Whom we are saved and
delivered.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus
Christ. By Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. O
faithful cross, thou peerless tree! No forest yields the like of thee, leaf,
flower, or bud.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SIXTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET BY VERONICA. How excellent a mirror did Veronica obtain in
the image of the face of Christ! Do thou ever contemplate thyself in that
mirror?
· Behold,
we have seen Him without beauty or comeliness, despised and the most abject of
men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity, and His look was as it
were hidden and despised; whereupon we esteemed Him not. His appearance is
without honor among the living, and His beauty among the sons of men; yet He is
beautiful above all the children of men, by Whose bruises we are healed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
O Lord God of hosts correct us. Show us Thy face, and we shall be saved.
Turn not away Thy face from us. Neither leave Thy servants in displeasure.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS DOWN AT THE GATE OF JUDGMENT. How wilt thou be able to stand
before Him in the day of judgment?
· They
delivered Me into the hands of the ungodly, and thrust Me among the wicked, and
did not spare My soul. The strong men gathered themselves against Me. and stood
over Me like giants, gazing upon Me with fierce looks; and, beating Me with
cruel stripes, they mocked Me.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
But I am a worm, and no man. The scorn of men and the outcast of the
people. All they that see Me laugh at Me. They spoke against Me with their
lips, and wagged their heads.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
EIGHTH STATION.
WOMEN LAMENT OVER CHRIST. Where are the tears with which thou dost bewail
thy sins rather than the loss of any earthly good?
· Daughters
of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For, behold, the days shall come in which they say, blessed are the barren, and
the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then
shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover
us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the
dry?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The breath of our nostrils, Christ the Lord. Is taken in our sins. The
crown of our head hath fallen. Woe unto us, for we have sinned.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
NINTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS FOR THE LAST TIME AT MOUNT CALVARY. Oh, how often is Christ
pressed down by the weight of our sins!
· My
people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee? Answer thou
Me. I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and thou hast prepared for Me a
cross; I led thee through the wilderness forty years, and fed thee with manna,
and thou hast beaten Me with buffets and scourges; I gave thee a royal sceptre,
and thou hast given My head a crown of thorns. What could I have done more for thee
that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
He is led like a sheep to the slaughter. And, as a lamb before His
shearers, He is dumb. He delivered His soul unto death. That He might give life
unto His people.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS, AND IS GIVEN VINEGAR AND GALL TO
DRINK. Art thou unkind and inconsiderate to the poor? What thou dost to them
thou dost to Christ.
· My
people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee? Answer thou
Me. I brought thee out from the house of bondage to the promised land; and when
I came to thee from the bosom of My Father, thou didst lead Me to the death of
the cross. I planted thee My choicest vine, and thou wast made unto Me
exceeding bitter; I gave thee to drink out of the rock the water of salvation,
and thou madest Me to drink vinegar and gall. What could I have done more for
thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My strength hath dried up like a potsherd. And my tongue hath cleaved to
My jaws. They gave Me gall to eat. And when I was thirsty, they gave Me vinegar
to drink.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
ELEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS FASTENED TO THE CROSS WITH DREADFUL NAILS. How strong are the
bands of love with which Jesus hath bound Himself unto thee! How dost thou bind
thyself in return unto Him?
·
My people, what have I done unto thee? I exalted
thee with great power, and thou didst hang Me on the gibbet of the cross; I
made thee higher than all nations, and thou hast loaded Me with reproaches and
curses; I opened before thee the Red Sea, and thou hast opened My side with a
spear. What could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
What are these wounds in the middle of Thy hands? With them was I wounded
in the house of those that loved Me. They have pierced My hands and My feet.
And have numbered all My bones.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TWELFTH STATION.
CHRIST DIES UPON THE CROSS. Consider what Jesus said and did when He was
dying. Oh, that thou too mayst die like Him!
· Behold
how the just man dieth, and no man layeth it to heart; and the righteous are
taken away, and no one considereth. The just man is taken away from before the
face of evil, and the memory of him shall be in peace.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Christ became obedient unto death for us. Even the death of the cross. We
adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast
redeemed the world.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF CHRIST IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND LAID UPON THE KNEES
OF HIS MOTHER. Consider the vehement anguish of Mary’s soul when she received
in her arms the dead body of her Son taken down from the cross, and laid Him on
her knees. Love caused her so great grief, and made her truly a martyr. What
love and sympathy dost thou feel for thy Savior?
· To what
shall I compare thee, or to whom shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem?
To what shall I equal thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? Great as the sea is thy
desolation. O mother of mercy make me to share with thee the death of Christ;
make me a partaker of His passion.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Through thee, O Virgin Mary, may we obtain salvation. From the wounds of
Christ. O holy Jesus, grant me to obtain, through Thy Mother, The crown of
victory.
FOURTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF JESUS IS BURIED. Consider, O my soul, how the body of Jesus
was wrapped in spices, and laid in a new tomb. With what honor dost thou
receive Jesus thy Redeemer daily, either sacramentally or spiritually? Art thou
always endeavoring to be, as it were, a new tomb for the reception of Jesus,
bright with the beautiful ornaments of virtue?
· I am
counted among them that go down to the pit; I am become as a man without help,
free among the dead. O good Jesus, I come here with the women to Thy tomb,
sorrowing and lamenting that hitherto I have shown myself so unworthy: confirm
and establish the kingdom of Thy grace in my heart.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My flesh shall rest in hope. Thou wilt not give Thy holy one to see
corruption. Arise, O Lord, and help me. And deliver me from my sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer. O Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
COMMENDATION.
Look down, O Lord, we beseech Thee, upon this Thy family, for which Our
Lord Jesus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men,
and to endure the torment of the cross. Amen.
PRAYER ON THE HOLY WINDING-SHEET OF CHRIST’S BODY.
O Lord Jesus Christ, “Who didst leave the marks of
Thy passion on the holy winding-sheet in which Thy most sacred body was wrapped
by Joseph when taken down from the cross, mercifully grant that through Thy
death and burial we may be brought to the glory of the resurrection. Amen.
MEDITATIONS ON THE
LITURGY FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM FOR EACH OF THE EMBER DAYS AFTER PENTECOST.
Written by Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel, originally
published in the journal Orate Fratres Vol. XVIII, May 14, 1944, No. 7, pp.
299-305, later reprinted in Vine and Branches, Pio Decimo Press, 1948.
These
meditations are attached to the 1962 Extraordinary Form liturgy. The current
lectionary has different readings and prayers not specific to the Ember Days.
Prayer:
EMBER FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Station "With the Twelve Apostles"
They
found them clean vessels and one in love (response).
We
are resting upon the blessed Apostles, the twelve pillars of the Church of God.
May we never depart from them. The Church prays today for that grace: "We
who by the Holy Ghost have been gathered within the (apostolic) fold,
may we in no wise be disturbed by any attack of the foe."
Yesterday's
response to the first lesson is a beautiful tribute to the apostolic protectors
on this ember Friday. "The fire of God," so reads the response,
"came not to destroy, but to enlighten; not to consume, but to shine, and
found the hearts of the disciples’ clean vessels. And the Holy Ghost gave them
the gifts of His grace. He found them one in love, and the overflowing grace of
the Godhead shone through them, alleluia."
He
found their hearts clean vessels full of charity and love. No wonder the Holy
Spirit replenished such hearts with the gifts of His grace. Where purity is,
there is the vision of God; where charity and love are, there is God Himself.
Purity and charity, these are the jewels that adorn the twelve apostolic
pillars upon whom we rest. Purity and charity, these are the two channels
through which flows freely the transforming life of the Godhead.
"O
children of Sion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because He hath
given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the early and the latter rain
to come down to you, as in the beginning" (epistle).
The
holy apostles with whom we celebrate this day are indeed our "teachers of
justice." If we adhere to them, if we absorb their purity and charity, the
dew of the Holy Ghost will descend upon us, as it did in the beginning--on the
day when "He found their hearts clean vessels and one in love."
In
many ways we resemble the sick man in today's gospel; the palsy of human
affections and uncharitableness is responsible for our lameness in the things
of God. May these twelve strong apostolic men take hold of us this morning and
"let us down into the midst before Jesus" that we may obtain from Him
health of mind and heart and a new infusion of His Spirit of purity and
charity.
May
the eucharistic fire of God make our hearts clean vessels, and fill them with
such a degree of love that the Holy Ghost will also give to us His gifts and
the overflowing grace of His Godhead.
Prayer Source: Orate
Fratres/Worship: A Review Devoted to the Liturgical Apostolate , The
Liturgical Press
Apostolic
Exhortation[5]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My
beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Part III
Loving and Adoring the
Eucharistic Lord
II. Go to daily Mass, if
possible.
76. The beauty of the Lord’s Day is
meant to spill over into the rest of the week. Saint Augustine wrote of his
mother, Saint Monica: “She did not let a day pass without being present at the
Divine Sacrifice before Your altar, O Lord”. Regarding the harsh deprivations
during his nine-month imprisonment, Saint John of the Cross said that the worst
suffering was not being able to celebrate Mass nor receive Holy Communion. Of
course, daily duties can make daily Mass impossible for some. But for many of
us, it is simply a question of appreciating the immeasurable value of the Mass
and organizing our time accordingly.
77. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught
us to ask Our Father to “give us this day our daily bread.” Like God raining
down Manna in the wilderness with the morning dew, Christ nourishes his Church
daily in the Mass. When we realize that the Lord desires to renew for us the
gift of the Sunday Eucharist every day of the week, how can we not be
overwhelmed with gratitude and a deeper spiritual hunger for more of the Bread
of Life?
78. In this busy world, is it really
possible to go to daily Mass? Or perhaps we are tempted to think that this is a
luxury only for clergy or those persons who have extra time on their hands? Not
at all. The Eucharist, as we have seen, fuels the mission of the members of
Christ’s Body in the world. Christians who are active in the world have a great
need for spiritual strength to bring Christ into the arena of their work.
Perhaps we could even say that those who have the greatest demand in their
secular pursuits are most in need of the great strength which comes from the
daily Eucharist. Not long ago, the great Italian Saint Joseph Cottolengo
encouraged daily Mass for the busiest of workers: doctors, nurses, manual
laborers, teachers, parents, and so on. When they told him they didn’t have the
time, he would tell them starkly that they had plenty of time – they just were
not managing it properly. With so many distractions and demands competing for
our attention, Mass can become a daily source of peace and strength. It turns
us from “Marthas” into recollected “Marys”, who learn to choose the “better
part” each day (cf. Lk 10:42). I challenge you to commit to at least one
weekday Mass. I guarantee that you will notice within the next six months what
a significant difference it will make in your life.
To be continued…
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2.
Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longsuffering.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11.
Continency.
12.
Chastity.
These fruits
should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy
Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.
Notice I have
placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may
reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of our growth in the
spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will
be focusing on the fifth step which is mildness.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART
ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION
TWO I. THE CREEDS
CHAPTER
THREE-I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
Article 11 "I BELIEVE
IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY"
988 The Christian Creed - the
profession of our faith in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and
in God's creative, saving, and sanctifying action - culminates in the
proclamation of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and in life everlasting.
989 We firmly believe, and
hence we hope that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives for
ever, so after death the righteous will live for ever with the risen Christ and
he will raise them up on the last day. Our resurrection, like his own,
will be the work of the Most Holy Trinity:
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies
also through his Spirit who dwells in you.
990 The term
"flesh" refers to man in his state of weakness and mortality. The
"resurrection of the flesh" (the literal formulation of the Apostles'
Creed) means not only that the immortal soul will live on after death, but that
even our "mortal body" will come to life again.
991 Belief in the
resurrection of the dead has been an essential element of the Christian faith
from its beginnings. "The confidence of Christians is the resurrection of
the dead; believing this we live."
How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there
is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has
not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain....
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who
have fallen asleep.
Fitness Friday
Knee Exercises[6]
Is It Safe for Me to Exercise?
Are you worried that
working out could cause more knee damage or pain? As long as your doctor says
it’s OK, the best thing you can do is to strengthen the muscles that support
your knee and keep them flexible. Start slowly, and build up over time. Talk to
your doctor about which specific exercises are good for you.
Warm Up First
You can ride a stationary bike for about 5 minutes, take a brisk 2-minute
walk while pumping your arms, or do 15-20 wall push-ups followed by the same
number of calf raises. Doing this will help you get more out of your workout,
prepare you to stretch, and lower your risk of an injury.
1. Straight Leg Raises
If your knee’s not at its
best, start with a simple strengthening exercise for your quadriceps, the
muscles in the front of the thigh. This move puts little to no strain on the
knee. Lie on your back on the floor or another flat surface. Bend one knee and
place your foot flat on the floor. Keeping the other leg straight, raise it to
the height of the opposite knee. Repeat 10-15 times for three sets.
2. Hamstring Curls
These are the muscles
along the back of your thigh. Lie flat on your stomach. Slowly bring your heels
as close to your butt as you can, and hold that position. Do three sets of 15.
You can also do this exercise standing while you hold onto a chair and lift one
leg at a time. If this becomes easy, you can add ankle weights, slowly
increasing the weight from 1 to 3 to 5 pounds.
3. Prone Straight Leg
Raises
Lie on your stomach with your legs straight. Tighten the muscles in your
bottom and the hamstring of one leg, and lift toward the ceiling. Hold 3-5
seconds, lower, and repeat. Do 10-15 lifts and switch sides. You can add ankle
weights as you gain strength. You shouldn’t
feel back pain. If you do, limit how high you lift up. If it still hurts, stop
and talk to your doctor.
4. Wall Squats
This is a more advanced
move. You’ll keep your feet on the floor. Stand with your back against a wall,
your feet about shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your knees, and keep your
back and pelvis against the wall. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Don’t bend too deeply.
If you feel pressure or discomfort in your knees, change your position. Repeat
the exercise, and try to hold the sit position a few seconds longer each time.
5. Calf Raises
Stand facing the back of a
sturdy chair, other support such as the back of a couch, or a wall bar at the
gym. You can also do this on the stairs, holding on to the banister with your
heels hanging off the edge of the step. Slowly raise the heels as high as you can,
then lower. Do three sets of 10-15. When it becomes easy, lift one foot
slightly off the floor, with all your weight on the other foot.
6. Step-Ups
Place one foot on a step
bench, platform, or the lowest step on a staircase. Keeping your pelvis
level, bend your knee and slowly lower the opposite foot to the floor. Lightly
touch your toe to the floor, then rise back up. Repeat 10-15 times, then switch
legs. Too easy? Use a higher step, or touch your heel instead of your toe.
7. Side Leg Raises
Lie on one side with your
legs stacked. Bend the bottom leg for support. Straighten the top leg and raise
it to 45 degrees. Hold for 5 seconds, lower and relax briefly, then repeat
10-15 times. Switch sides and start over. Want to try a bit of a different spin
on the move? Point the toe of your upper leg slightly toward the floor as you
raise it.
8. Leg Presses
Sit on a leg-press machine
with your back and head against the support and your feet flat on the foot
plate. Adjust the seat back so it’s comfortable. Slowly push the plate away
from you until your legs are extended. Bend your knees and return to your
starting position. Do three sets of 10-15 reps. (Ask a gym staff member for
help the first time you do this.)
No-No's for Your Knee
Exercise should never
cause pain or make it worse. Remember: Muscle soreness after a hard workout is
normal. But sharp, shooting, or sudden pain in the muscles or joints means you
should stop and check with your doctor.
Knee-Friendly Cardio
Gentle is good. So skip
high-impact activities such as running or intense aerobics. Notice what feels
right for you. For example, some people love elliptical machines, but others
don’t. Swimming, jogging in water, or water aerobics are often great! Double-check
with your doctor about your exercise plan.
Events
·
Chicago Blues
Festival-June
9-12-Chicago is
the place to visit in June, especially if you’re a fan of the blues. The Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues music
festival in the world. Over three days, more than 500,000 people converge on
Grant Park to hear well-renown performers perform on the festival’s five
stages.
The
Week Ahead
· June
11th Ember
Saturday
·
June 12th Trinity
Sunday
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting:
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2] http://www.bible-study-for-everyone.com/Jonah.html
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[6]https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/injury-knee-pain-16/slideshow-knee-exercises
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