ICEMANforChrist

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.

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Friday, June 24, 2022

SACRED HEART OF JESUS-MIDSUMMER-TAKE A LAP-54 day Rosary for the Soul of and Phoenix and its Bishop

Malachi, Chapter 1, verse 6

A son honors his father, and a servant FEARS his master; If, then, I am a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am a master, where is the fear due to me?

To honor someone is to live by the principles they have given us. That is, we follow those doctrines whether they are watching us or not, but a servant who fears his master will not live by the values given but will only follow them if they are being watched or if there is a reward. If you love someone you honor them by being true to them, your trust and faith in them and the principles they give are incorruptible.

"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus[1]

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a devotional with long and historic provenance within Christianity, and in modern times has been established as a Solemnity for the universal Church.

Sixteenth century Calvinism and seventeenth century Jansenism preached a distorted Christianity that substituted for God's love and sacrifice of His Son for all men the fearful idea that a whole section of humanity was inexorably damned.

The Church always countered this view with the infinite love of our Savior who died on the cross for all men. The institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart was soon to contribute to the creation among the faithful of a powerful current of devotion which since then has grown steadily stronger. The first Office and Mass of the Sacred Heart were composed by St. John Eudes, but the institution of the feast was a result of the appearances of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. The celebration of the feast was extended to the general calendar of the Church by Pius IX in 1856.

"I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment" (Jesus to St. Margaret Mary).

In the late 19th century, Sr. Mary of the Divine Heart received a message from Christ. This eventually led the 1899 encyclical letter Annum Sacrum in which Leo XIII decreed that the consecration of the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus should take place on June 11, 1899.

On the 100th anniversary of the Feast of the Sacred Heart in a landmark encyclical, Haurietis aquas (Latin: “You will draw waters”; written May 15, 1956), Pope Pius XII began his reflection by drawing from Isaiah 12:3, a verse which alludes to the abundance of the supernatural graces which flow from the heart of Christ. Haurietis aquas called the whole Church to recognize the Sacred Heart as an important dimension of Christian spirituality. Pius XII gave two reasons why the Church gives the highest form of worship to the Heart of Jesus. The first rests on the principle whereby the believers recognize that Jesus’ Heart is hypostatically united to the “Person of the Incarnate Son of God Himself.” The second reason is derived from the fact that the Heart is the natural sign and symbol of Jesus’ boundless love for humans. The encyclical recalls that for human souls the wound in Christ’s side and the marks left by the nails have been “the chief sign and symbol of that love” that ever more incisively shaped their life from within.

Things to Do:

· From the Catholic Culture Library read Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Sacred Scripture by Bishop Raymond Burke.

· Bake a heart shaped cake or cookies in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

· Read The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

· Read more about this feast here

· For Doctrinal Explanations and Historical Ideas about the feast visit New Advent

· Fr. Eugene Lobo, SJ explains the readings for the feast

· Read Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger and Abbot Gueranger on the Sacred Heart of Jesus

· Make a Heart-Shaped Pizza and/or heart Mexican Tin Art (at the bottom of the page), directions at this site

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus[2]

ALTHOUGH many pious souls had been accustomed, in the silence of their secluded lives, to venerate the sacred Heart of Jesus with great devotion, still our divine Savior desired that the boundless love of His Heart might be known by all men, and that a new fire of love should thereby be kindled in the cold hearts of Christians. For this purpose, He made use of a frail and little-known instrument in the person of Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun of the Order of the Visitation, at Parayle-Monial, France. One day, when, according to her custom during the octave of Corpus Christi, she was deeply engaged in devotions before the Blessed Sacrament, the divine Savior appeared to her, showed her His Heart burning with love, and said:

“Behold this Heart, which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this sacrament of love. And what is most painful to Me is that they are hearts consecrated to Me. It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi be appropriated to a special feast to honor My Heart by communicating on that day and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered.”

Margaret obeyed, but met everywhere the greatest opposition, until finally, when she became mistress of novices, she succeeded, by the help of her divine Spouse, in animating her young charges to venerate the sacred Heart of Jesus. But this was not sufficient for her zeal. She persevered until she softened the opposition of the nuns, and kindled in all an equal devotion towards the most sacred Heart. Thence the devotion spread to the adjoining dioceses, where confraternities in honor of the most sacred Heart of Jesus soon sprung up. Pope Clement XIII., after having instituted a most rigorous examination of the whole affair, commanded that the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus should be solemnly celebrated throughout the whole Catholic Church every year, on the first Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.

THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.

I. Object of this Devotion.

In the divine Heart of Our Savior, we must not imagine an inanimate heart, separated from the person of Christ, but the living heart of the God-Man, the center of all His affections, the fountain of all His virtues, the most touching emblem of His in finite love to man. The Church venerates the cross, the blood, and the wounds of the divine Savior, by feasts which have their proper masses and lessons, in order, by meditation upon these objects, to awaken in us a more fervent devotion to the Redeemer. How much more worthy, then, of our devotion is the sacred Heart of Our Savior, since all its thoughts, movements, and affections aim at our salvation, and it is always ready to receive truly penitent sinners, to pardon them, to restore them again to God’s favor, and make them partakers of eternal happiness

II. Excellence of this Devotion.

It is, writes the venerable P. Simon Gourdan:

1. A holy devotion, for therein men venerate in Christ those affections and motions of His Heart by which He sanctified the Church, glorified His Heavenly Father, and showed Himself to men as a perfect example of the most sublime holiness.

2. An ancient devotion of the Catholic Church, which, instructed by St. Paul, the great apostle, has at all times acknowledged the great beneficence of the divine and sacred Heart of Jesus.

3. An approved devotion, for the Holy Scriptures everywhere admonish us to renew the heart, by changing our lives; to penetrate it with true sorrow, to inflame it with divine love, and to adorn it by the practice of all virtues. When, therefore, a new heart is promised us, by which to direct our lives, that can be no other than the Heart of Jesus, which is to us the pattern of all excellence, and which we must follow if we would be saved.

4. A perfect devotion, as being the origin of all other devotions. For the Heart of Jesus is the inexhaustible treasury from which the blessed Mother of God, and all other saints have derived their graces, their virtues, their life, their spiritual goods. Filled first with treasures from this source, different servants of God have instituted and established other devotions.

5. A profitable devotion, for thereby we have brought before our eyes the very fountain of life and grace, and can draw directly from it, increasing in ourselves all virtues, by adoring this divine Heart, meditating on its holy affections, and endeavoring to imitate them.

6. A devotion pleasing to God, for thus we adore God, as Christ requires, in spirit and in truth, serving Him inwardly in our hearts, and endeavoring to please Him. Finally, it is:

7. A useful devotion, since its whole object is to unite us most intimately with Christ as members of Him, her head, to make us live by and according to His spirit, to have one heart and soul with Him, and through grace finally to become one with Him, which is and must be the object of all devotions.

As this devotion is, then, so excellent, we cannot sufficiently recommend it to all who are anxious for their salvation. “While everyone can practice this devotion, and adore the sacred Heart of Jesus, by himself, there is a greater blessing when pious souls unite and form a confraternity for practicing the devotion. Of such confraternities there were in the year 1726 more than three hundred, and they are now established throughout all Catholic countries. Hesitate not, Christian soul, to engage in this devotion, and to join in the adoration of that sacred Heart of Jesus in which all men find propitiation, the pious, confidence; sinners, hope; the afflicted, consolation; the sick, support; the dying, refuge; the elect, joy and delight.

The Introit of the Mass for this feast is: “He will have mercy according to the multitude of His mercies, for He hath not willingly afflicted nor cast off the children of men; the Lord is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul that seeketh Him, alleluia, alleluia” (Lamentations iii. 32-35). “The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever to generation and generation” (Ps.

Ixxxviii. 2).

Prayer. Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who, glorying in the most sacred Heart of Thy Son, commemorate the chief benefits of His charity towards us, may equally rejoice in their acts and fruits.

EPISTLE. Isaias xii. 1-6.

I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, for Thou wast angry with me: Thy wrath is turned away, and Thou hast comforted me. Behold God is my Savior. I will deal confidently, and will not fear; because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and He is become my salvation. You shall draw waters with joy out of the Savior’s fountains. And you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon His name: make His inventions known among the people: remember that His name is high. Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath done great things: show this forth in all the earth. Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is He that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel.

Explanation.

This epistle is a song of gratitude for the deliverance of the Jews from the hands of their enemies, and at the same time a prophecy of the coming redemption of mankind from sin and death, through Jesus Christ. “You shall draw waters with joy out of the Savior’s fountains.” These fountains are the graces which Christ has obtained for us on the cross, but particularly, says St. Augustine, the holy sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. We should rejoice over these graces, particularly that the Holy One of Israel, Jesus, the Son of God, is in the midst of Sion, that is, the Catholic Church, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, remaining therein until the end of time. Oh, let us often approach the ever-flowing fountain of all graces, the Most Holy Eucharist, and with confidence draw consolation, assistance, strength, and power from this fountain of love!

GOSPEL. John xix. 31-35.

At that time the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath-day (for that was a great Sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony: and his testimony is true.

Explanation.

According to the Jewish law, a criminal could not be put to death, nor could the body of one who had been executed remain on the place of execution, on the Sabbath-day. The Jews, therefore, asked Pilate that the bodies of Jesus and the two thieves should be buried; but before this could be done, according to the Roman law, the legs of the crucified had to be broken with an iron mace: this the soldiers did to the two thieves, who were still alive; but when they found that Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers, whose name was Longinus, opened His side with a spear as had been predicted by the prophets. Jesus permitted his most sacred Heart to be opened

1. To atone for those sins which come forth from the hearts of men, as Christ Himself says, “For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies” (Matt. xv. 19).

2. To show the infinite love with which He first loved us, and to which the spear should point us.

3. To show that there was nothing so dear to Him that He would not give it to us, since, for our salvation, He shed the last drop of His heart’s blood.

4. To provide, as it were, an abode in His opened side, according to the words of St. Augustine: The Evangelist is very cautious in his language; for he said, not the soldier pierced or wounded His side, but he opened it, that thereby there might be opened to us the door from which flow into the Church those holy sacraments without which we cannot enter into true life.

When temptation assails us, or sorrow depresses us, let us flee to this abode, and dwell therein until the storm has passed away; according to the words of the Prophet, “Enter thou into the rock, and hide thee in the pit” (Isaias ii. 10). For what is the rock but Christ, and the pit, but His wound?

An Offering to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Whoever says the following prayer before the image of the most sacred Heart of Jesus, with sincere sorrow for his sins, gains each time an indulgence of one hundred days; and by saying it daily for a month, he can on any one day gain a plenary indulgence, if he makes his confession, receives communion, and prays according to the intention of the Church:

“My loving Jesus, I (N.N.) give Thee my heart; and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, out of the grateful love I bear Thee, and as a reparation for all my unfaithfulness; and with Thy aid I purpose never to sin again.”

Enthronement to the Sacred Heart[3]

The Sacred Heart is King of individuals, of families and of the human race. The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the family is the recognition of the Sacred Heart as King of the Family. He is King of the family by divine appointment, conquest and excellence, but He desires to be such by our own personal choice. The Enthronement is more than a mere blessing of a Sacred Heart picture or the mere dedication of a family to the Divine Heart; it is a way of life; a covenant of love with our God. It is the recognition of the Royal Power of Jesus Christ over the family which pledges to live in union with the Sacred Heart by love, grace and obedience to His Commandments. In this way the Enthronement brings countless graces and blessings on the family, sanctifies it and through the family, society.

DIRECTIONS

Who Is Its Apostle?

Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC., a South American priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Upon his instantaneous cure at Paray-le-Monial, he was inspired by God to preach everywhere the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart to verify this promise of the Savior: "I will bless every dwelling where an image of My Heart is both exposed and honored."

Where Is the Enthronement to Take Place?

It is intended for homes, schools, convents, institutions, parishes, dioceses, cities, states and nations. We especially invite newlyweds as well as established families to place their homes in the Heart of Christ in this manner, thereby assuring themselves of special graces in their everyday problems and difficulties.

On Whose Approval?

It began with an oral command from Pope Pius X (St. Pius X) in 1907. In 1915, Pope Benedict the XV wrote a letter of approval. All subsequent popes have supported the need for honoring the Heart of Jesus.

Why Is It So Vital?

It stabilizes the family, the foundation of the Church and state; whoever rules the family rules society. It sanctifies the family, creates in the home the Catholic atmosphere and a spirit of piety, fosters vocations to the higher life, brings back wayward members, helps and consoles the members of families in times of trial or mourning. In short, it makes the home thoroughly Christian.

How Is It Carried Out?

The family makes arrangements with a priest, a qualified lay promoter of the Enthronement Apostolate or engages in self-study from instruction materials to get prepared for the Enthronement. If possible, Holy Mass is offered that day in the parish or in the home as an act of love and reparation. The family is encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for Mass and Communion. Preparation may also include the daily Rosary, a Litany of the Sacred Heart and reflection on Scriptures. A statue or picture of the Sacred Heart is procured, and a place of honor or "throne" is prepared in the home representing an altar in the home. There should be room for a Crucifix, candles, flowers and the Bible.

The steps in the ceremony are:

The Blessing of the home (optional)
The Blessing of the Sacred Heart image (this could be done ahead of time if no priest can be present)
The placement of the image of the Sacred Heart and the Bible in the place of honor
The recitation of the Apostles Creed
An explanation of the Enthronement
The Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart, a prayer of Thanksgiving and an Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the family,
The signing of the covenant certificate by the family.

When Should the Enthronement Take Place?

Immediately, because family life needs the help of the Sacred Heart during these times of assault upon Christian values and Catholic doctrine. Zealous efforts to establish the Social Reign of the King of Love will merit superabundant blessings on the undertakings of all involved, will make priests' ministry most fruitful in the salvation of souls and all promoters will have their names inscribed indelibly and forever in the Heart of Jesus.

Where Can We Order Materials?

The National Enthronement Center, Box 111, Fairhaven, MA 02719. Tel. (508) 999-2680. Ask for an Enthronement kit.

Twelve Promises[4]

In the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus gives these twelve promises for those who are devoted to His Sacred Heart.

The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary for those devoted to His Sacred Heart:

I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
I will establish peace in their families.
I will console them in all their troubles.
They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
Tepid souls shall become fervent.
Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.

"Look at this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth."

Octave of the Sacred Heart[5]

A Mass of the Sacred Heart won papal approval for use in Poland and Portugal in 1765, and another was approved for Venice, Austria and Spain in 1788. Finally, in 1856, Pope Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart as obligatory for the whole Church, to be celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi. In June 1889, Leo XIII raised the feast to the dignity of the first class. In 1928, Pope Pius XI raised the feast to the highest rank, Double of the First Class, and added an octave; the 1955 reforms of the general Roman calendar suppressed this octave and removed most other octaves.

Pray for Our Priests[6]

Join a world at prayer 24 June 2022.

The Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests will again take place on 24 June 2022, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This will be its thirteenth year, involving more prayer locations than ever, having grown from 24 single prayer locations in June 2003 its first year to 2,600 in 2020.

Each of the participating prayer location countries prays a particular mystery of the Rosary at a specific allocated time on the day in thanksgiving to God for our priests and to implore the protection and loving care of Our Lady, Mother of all priests, for all her priestly sons. With the coming of midnight on 24 June 2022, the entire world will by then have been encircled yet again in prayer on this The Worldpriest Annual Rosary Relay Day.

It was the great Irish priest Fr. Patrick Peyton who never tired of saying that: ‘The Family that prays together stays together.’ As part of the family of the Church, you are invited to join your prayers to the prayers of millions throughout the world. It is an opportunity for us to raise our hearts to God for all priests in the exercise of their ministry; that they will be blessed, through our prayers, with God’s grace for their priesthood; that in this worldwide community of prayer for them, they may experience our gratitude and support; and finally that they will persevere in unity with Christ and his Church and shepherd the Lord’s flock to the safe pastures of his Kingdom.

‘I am happy to support and highly recommend the current initiative of The Annual Global Rosary Relay. I believe it has great potential and will bring many spiritual benefits to all involved’.

Rev. Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam, Ireland (Episcopal Adviser to Worldpriest)

You are invited to join a world at prayer

Pray the Rosary unite with your country and help encircle the world in prayer.

Midsummer[7] is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, and more specifically the northern European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice or take place on a day between June 19 and June 25 and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different cultures. The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St John the Baptist, and the observance of St John's Day begins the evening before, known as St John's Eve.

Midsummer celebrations held throughout the United States are largely derived from the cultures of immigrants who arrived from various European nations since the 19th century. With the rise of earth-centered spirituality, many, including Unitarian Universalists, celebrate the summer solstice as a religious holiday.

· Alaska-As the state of Alaska, northernmost state in the nation, straddles the Arctic Circle, midsummer is a time when most of the state is in daylight or civil twilight the entire day. The Midnight Sun Game is an annual tradition in the city of Fairbanks, in which a regulation game of baseball is played at 10:30 p.m. local time, through the midnight hour, with no artificial lighting.

· Arizona-Tucson has announced its inaugural Earthwalk Solstice celebration, with sister events in San Francisco, Jerusalem, and other communities around the world. The event features a walk through a giant labyrinth, musicians, healers, ceremony, etc.

· California-Since 1974, Santa Barbara has hosted an annual Summer Solstice celebration, typically on the weekend of or the weekend after the actual solstice. It includes a festival and parade. In Santa Clara County, the Swedish American Patriotic League has held a Midsummer celebration at Sveadal for more than 120 years. It includes a parade, decorating and raising a Maypole, dancing and other activities.

· Illinois-Geneva hosts a Swedish Day (Swedish: Svenskarnas Dag) festival on the third Sunday of June. The event, featuring maypole-raising, dancing, and presentation of an authentic Viking ship, dates back to 1911.

· Michigan-In Kaleva, Juhannus is celebrated annually on or near the Summer Solstice by Gathering at the Village Roadside Park. Traditionally Pannukakku (Finnish Oven Baked Pancake) and strawberry shortcake is enjoyed followed by a bonfire or kokko. Kaleva was founded in 1900 by Finnish immigrants.

· Oregon-The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival has been a tradition on the North Coast of Oregon for over forty years. The Festival takes place typically on the 3rd full weekend of June. The festival embodies the rich cultural heritage that was transplanted to the Astoria, Oregon region by emigrating Scandinavians. In the Pacific Northwest they found the same bounteous seas and forests as in their native lands and the demand for their skills at managing them.

· New York-The NYC Swedish Midsummer celebrations in Battery Park, New York City, attracts some 3,000–5,000 people annually, which makes it one of the largest celebrations after the ones held in Leksand and at the Skansen Park in Stockholm. Sweden Day, a Midsummer celebration which also honors Swedish heritage and history, has been held annually on the sound in Throgs Neck in New York City since 1941. Swedish Midsummer is also celebrated in other places with large Swedish and Scandinavian populations, such as Rockford, Illinois, Chicago, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Lindsborg, Kansas. The Swedish "language village" (summer camp) Sjölunden, run by Concordia College in Minnesota, also celebrates Midsummer.

· Washington-The Seattle neighborhood of Fremont puts on a large Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant, which for many years has controversially included painted naked cyclists. In St. Edwards Park in Kenmore, the Skandia Folkdance Society hosts Midsommarfest, which includes a Scandinavian solstice pole.

· Wyoming-A solstitial celebration is held on Casper Mountain at Crimson Dawn park. Crimson Dawn is known in the area for the great stories of mythical creatures and people that live on Casper Mountain. The celebration is attended by many people from the community, and from around the country. A large bonfire is held, and all are invited to throw a handful of red soil into the fire in hopes that they get their wish granted.

Take a Lap Day[8]

Take a lap! Around the pool that is, swim a Lap Day is a day to get in the swimming pool. Swimming is a great way of getting exercise, especially for those who have health problems that make traditional exercise difficult due to weakness or difficulty moving. Swimming has been an activity human have indulged in at least as far back as 7,000 years ago, a time from which depictions of this activity can be seen in stone age paintings. People have been engaging in swimming for all these years for many reasons, with recreation being by far the most common among them. Swimming is, in fact, ranked among the most popular forms of physical activity, even among otherwise sedentary individuals. The buoyant nature of water makes it much easier on those with physical limitations to get out and have a good time, and the act of coursing through the water is often described as feeling a bit like flying! Swimming has also been shown to be excellent for your health Those engaged in swimming tend to engage in the activity for longer than other forms of exercise, and the act of swimming often engages the entire body while moving through the water This also results in the body drawing on large supplies of oxygen during almost all stages of the activity. Other benefits seen from this activity include a reduction in stress related illnesses by reduction of the same, and it can even improve posture! Military applications of swimming go back quite a long way, particularly in those engagements requiring infiltration. Especially at night, it’s difficult to see someone who is swimming underwater, and many cities and forts had vulnerabilities at the areas where waste was washed out of the location. Everyone loves pirates, and a common practice to taking a ship was to slip through the water from a distance, so as not to reveal the presence of their vessel. They’d then stealthily slip up the side of the target and take the ship by surprise!

There are many health benefits to swimming, and it’s an activity especially encouraged for those suffering from degenerative diseases, and ones that impede mobility such as arthritis. Its low impact nature allows those whose movement would otherwise be restricted to engage in a full body workout without causing further damage. Even those who are of advanced age can find an ability to remain active in this sport! Due to its full body nature, this sport is also excellent for building cardiovascular and respiratory health, increasing how much oxygen the body can take advantage, as well as how much blood the heart is able to move with each stroke.

Daily Devotions

· Simplicity of life can drive out demons. Honesty is a weapon to defeat Satan, the Liar. When we lie, we put a foot in his camp, and he will try to seduce us all the more.