ALL
HOLLOWS EVE
Acts, Chapter 24,
Verse 2-3
2
When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying,
“Since we have attained much PEACE
through you, and reforms have been accomplished in this nation through your
provident care, 3 we
acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all
gratitude.
The scene in this verse is set with Paul being on trial for sedition with
the Roman governor of Palestine Felix. The peace that Tertullus alludes to is
worldly peace which is not Christ’s peace.
it is the peace that is giving to an enslaved people
to be happy with the scraps given them for their meager existence.
They have their lives if they follow the rules but little liberty or power to pursue their personal dreams.
Paul
on Trial[1]
A. The Accusers (vv. 1-4)
1. Their identification (v.
1)"And after five days Ananias, the high priest, descended with the
elders, and with a certain orator, named Tertullus, who informed the governor
against Paul."
a) Ananias--Ananias was a corrupt high priest. He saw Paul as
a threat, so he wanted to get rid of him. That's why he was part of the
entourage that went to accuse Paul.
b) The elders--They were key leaders out of the Sanhedrin,
the supreme court of Israel.
c) Tertullus--Ananias and the elders didn't want to accuse
Paul themselves, so they hired a professional case reader by the name of
Tertullus. He was probably well versed in the legal procedure of Rome and spoke
eloquent Latin. Verse 1 says that he "informed the governor." The
high priest and the elders stood silently while Tertullus did the talking.
2. Their flattery (vv. 2-4) It was very common for orators in
those days to do what Tertullus did. In verses 2-4 he laid the flattery on
thick. The Latin description of what he did is Captatio Benevolentiae. That
could freely be translated as a "soft-soap job." Tertullus buttered
up Felix with flattery. There wasn't much good that could be said about Felix,
so Tertullus spoke in generalities. But that was a common approach to obtain a
favorable hearing. Felix knew what Tertullus said wasn't true, but he liked to
hear it anyway. That was true of Herod in Acts 12:21-22.
As he sat on his throne and gave a speech, the people said that he wasn't a
man, but a god. Herod loved receiving such praise even though he had to know it
wasn't true. So Tertullus flattered Felix, even though the governor was
intelligent enough to know that the Jewish people hated him.
a) The hearing begins (v. 2a) "And when he was called
forth, Tertullus began to accuse him [Paul]" We can't be sure if the
hearing was formal or informal, but there is a clue it was informal because
Felix decided to defer the case to a later date according to verse 22. So Felix
calls Tertullus, who begins his accusation.
b) The flattery begins (vv. 2b-4) Great peace (v. 2b)
"Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness" Tertullus begins by
telling Felix that he had brought peace. Yet Felix had made no contribution to
Roman peace at all. The only occasion when Felix brought any peace was when he
stopped a riot that shouldn't have started in the first place. He did such a
bad job of it that he alienated everyone. He hadn't done anything that
contributed to peace; Tertullus was just flattering him. Many of the Jewish
people didn't see the Pax Romanus as peace at all. Calgacus, a chieftain who
fought the Romans, said that where the Romans "make a desolation; they
call it `peace'" (Tacitus, Life of Agricola, 29-30). It may have been
peace for Rome, but it was oppression for everyone else.
Halloween or All Hallows' Eve is not a liturgical feast on the Catholic calendar, but the celebration has deep ties to the Liturgical Year. The three consecutive days — Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day — illustrate the Communion of Saints. We, the Church Militant (those on earth, striving to get to heaven) pray for the Church Suffering (those souls in Purgatory) especially on All Souls Day and the month of November. We rejoice and honor the Church Triumphant (the saints, canonized and uncanonized) in heaven. We also ask the Saints' intercession for us. In England, saints or holy people are called "hallowed," hence the name "All Hallow's Day." The evening, or "e'en" before the feast became popularly known as "All Hallows' Eve" or even shorter, "Hallowe'en." Since it was the night before All Saints Day, "All Hallows Eve" (now known as Hallowe'en), was the vigil and required fasting, many recipes and traditions have come down for this evening, such as pancakes, boxty bread and boxty pancakes, barmbrack (Irish fruit bread with hidden charms), colcannon (combination of cabbage and boiled potatoes). This was also known as "Nutcrack Night" in England, where the family gathered around the hearth to enjoy cider and nuts and apples. Halloween is the preparation and combination of the two upcoming feasts. Although the demonic and witchcraft have no place in a Catholic celebration, some macabre can be incorporated into Halloween. It is good to dwell on our certain death, the Poor Souls in Purgatory, and the Sacrament of the Sick. And tied in with this theme is the saints, canonized and non-canonized. What did they do in their lives that they were able to reach heaven? How can we imitate them? How can we, like these saints, prepare our souls for death at any moment?
For more information see
Catholic Culture's Halloween page.
Also read from Catholic
Culture's library:
·
Halloween:
Celebrate Like a Catholic
by Jennifer Gregory Miller
·
Halloween and
All Saints Day by
Father William Saunders
·
Holyween:
Reclaim The Celebration Of All Saints by
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
·
Catholics Give
the Best Parties
by Jeffrey Tucker
The Black Mass: A Parody of the Eucharistic
Celebration[3]
The black mass is a
ceremony during which the consecration to Satan occurs. The black mass is a
parody of [the Catholic] Mass, in which one adores and exalts Satan. Usually it
is officiated at night, because the darkness permits greater secrecy and
usually the night before a great feast of the Holy Catholic Church. The most
important is Halloween, which falls on the night between October 31 and
November 1 of each year: it is considered the magic New Year. Therefore, it is
necessary to understand the extreme danger for our children and youth who
participate in the feast of Halloween on that date.
Black Magic: A Grave Sin against
the Faith
On this topic the
Catechism of the Catholic Church furnishes the best definition: “All practices
of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to
place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others — even if
this were for the sake of restoring their health — are gravely contrary to the
virtue of religion” (no. 2117). The definition of magic tells us two things.
Above all, it has ambition — through the utilization of evil spells, the evil
eye, charms, magic filters, rituals, invocations, cursed foods and drinks
ingested by the victims, crystal balls, et cetera — to modify and foretell the
course of human events, and to utilize the preternatural (demoniac) powers to
make a person fall in love, be cured of an illness, be dismissed from a job,
kill someone, provoke atmospheric events, et cetera. In other words, magic is a
practice used to do evil things and to influence people and the reality created
by the devil. This is also valid for the rites that are commonly called “white
magic” and that are done for the “good” —please do not be charmed. It is not
magically delicious.
Terror of Demons[4]
The Lord has countless secrets to reveal to us about Joseph. God wants to instruct us in the ways of Joseph's faith, perseverance, purity and loyalty. The "Litany of Saint Joseph" is an excellent place to begin. The vivid titles convey so much meaning and truth. One of my favorite appellations from the Litany is "Terror of Demons." Satan and his cohort of fallen angels had no success in seducing Joseph. He checked his temper, he refrained from idle speech and he was righteous in his dealings with his neighbors. Because Joseph was close to the compassionate Almighty, he was enabled to overcome the vicious onslaught of Lucifer and his vindictive companions. Those who turn to Saint Joseph for his powerful intercession and good example do much to keep Satan and the other wholly corrupt devils at bay. In this sense, Joseph is the Terror of Demons because when the friends of Jesus avail themselves of his salutary influence, Saint Joseph is for them a sure protection against the oppressive wiles of the Prince of Darkness. There are numerous prayers to Saint Joseph. What follows is the "Consecration to Saint Joseph."
O
Blessed Saint Joseph!
I consecrate
myself to thy honor, and give myself to thee, that thou mayest be always my
father, my protector, and my guide to the way of salvation.
Obtain for me a
great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life.
After thy example,
may I perform all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the
Divine Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
And do thou, O
Blessed Joseph, pray for me, that I may experience the peace and joy of thy
holy death. Amen.
Sweet heart of
Mary be my salvation!
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, I love you: save souls!
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you. Amen.
With Saint Joseph
as our help, we may confidently approach the Risen Lord Jesus Christ through
Blessed Mary and realize that our humble efforts--poor as they are--will please
our merciful God.
Saint Joseph,
Terror of Demons, pray for us!
Purgatory[5]
THE word Purgatory is sometimes taken to mean a place, sometimes as an intermediate state between Hell and Heaven. It is, properly speaking, the condition of souls which, at the moment of death, are in the state of grace, but which have not completely expiated their faults, nor attained the degree of purity necessary to enjoy the vision of God. Purgatory is, then, a transitory state which terminates in a life of everlasting happiness. It is not a trial by which merit may be gained or lost, but a state of atonement and expiation. The soul has arrived at the term of its earthly career; that life was a time of trial, a time of merit for the soul, a time of mercy on the part of God. This time once expired, nothing but justice is to be expected from God, whilst the soul can neither gain nor lose merit. She remains in the state in which death found her; and since it found her in the state of sanctifying grace, she is certain of never forfeiting that happy state, and of arriving at the eternal possession of God. Nevertheless, since she is burdened with certain debts of temporal punishment, she must satisfy Divine Justice by enduring this punishment in its entire rigor. Such is the significance of the word Purgatory, and the condition of the souls which are there. On this subject the Church proposes two truths clearly defined as dogmas of faith: first, that there is a Purgatory; second that the souls which are in Purgatory may be assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE
SPIRIT
CHAPTER ONE THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN
PERSON
Article 8-SIN
I. Mercy and Sin
1846 The
Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. The
angel announced to Joseph: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins." The same is true of the Eucharist,
the sacrament of redemption: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
1847
"God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without
us." To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. "If we say
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
1848 As
St. Paul affirms, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." But
to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on
us "righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ ourLord." Like
a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by
his Spirit, casts a living light on sin:
Conversion requires convincing of
sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof
of the action of the Spirit of truth in man's inmost being, becomes at the same
time the start of a new grant of grace and love: "Receive the Holy
Spirit." Thus, in this "convincing concerning sin" we discover a
double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty
of redemption. the Spirit of truth is the Consoler.
Daily Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
to Addictions.
·
Tonight, would be a good night to renew your
baptismal vows
· Eat waffles
and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: October
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
· Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Monday: Litany of
Humility
·
Rosary
November
Travel and Events[1]
Deer Hunting Season
Notorious to some,
delectably yummy to others, deer-hunting season begins with a bang -- sorry,
Bambi -- come November. That’s because the month is prime deer-mating season:
Male bucks are often so distracted by the urge to mate they may not detect the
sound of Grandpa Earl’s carbine locking and loading off in the distance. Head
to states like Kentucky, New Hampshire and Minnesota for the HUNT.
Grand Canyon (Arizona)
Take advantage of
off-season travel to popular landmarks such as the Grand Canyon. the 1.2-million-acre park sees half
its summer crowds. Enjoy cooler temperatures (in the 70s), as well as the
deepening colors of aspen, oak and birch trees that adorn this national
treasure.
October
29-November 2, The Day
of the Dead
Families decorate the graves of loved ONES THROUGHOUT Mexico as part of this annual national holiday. A blend of pre-Columbian and Catholic traditions, Day of the Dead may sound notoriously spooky to outsiders. But to those who celebrate it, the day offers a way to reflect and share in treasured memories of loved ones through acts of commemoration, including making altars.
The Marigold Mural Project
Sat Oct 29th 11:00am - Wed Nov 2nd
5:00pm
336 AZ-179, Sedona, AZ 86336,
USA
A Celebration of Life and Remembrance
Our celebration starts on Wednesday, October 29, 2022, at 11am with the
inauguration of the Marigold Mural Project, led again this year by the artist
Lovejoy. Visitors are encouraged to paint their tributes on our 26-foot-long
community remembrance wall. This is an opportunity to remember your loved ones
and create something lasting in collaboration with others. Paints and brushes
will be provided on site with the murals from the previous years on display for
your viewing and inspiration. Mural painting will continue daily on the Calle
Independence from 11am to 5pm until Wednesday November 2nd, 2022.
November 4th & 5th Breeders' Cup
Wondering where to travel in November? Start by taking in two days of action-packed thoroughbred horse races. The annual Breeders’ Cup World Championship kicks off this month at Keeneland racetrack, Lexington, Kentucky. Better grab your tickets fast, though; attendance is usually much higher than other stake races in North America.
Turf Paradise will offer live local racing on Friday to
coincide with the Breeders’ Cup Simulcast. On Saturday, in addition to live
racing, Turf is also offering all day buffets allowing fans to watch the
Breeders’ Cup races in style while taking in a day of live and local
horseracing.
November 6 NYC
Marathon
Lace up your sneakers for
the New York City Marathon. More than 50,000 people compete in the world’s
largest marathon. Cheer on the participants as they race through the city’s
five boroughs and head to the finish line if you’re not competing in the
26-mile run.
November 9-13 San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival
Notoriously
passionate wine and food lovers descend on Southern California each November
for the region’s largest festival of its kind. How notorious are we talking?
Well, let’s just say any festival that lures some of the best national chefs,
local culinary stars, and celebrated winemakers and brewmasters means serious
gastronomic pleasure is in order
November 18-30 The
Rockettes Christmas
Let’s go girls! Those sky-high kicks, those naughty smiles -- oh, it certainly wouldn’t be a notoriously fun November without the Rockettes. During the holiday season, the legendary dance company kicks it into high gear with five shows a day, seven days a week. See the grand show unfold in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, presented at Radio City Music Hall..
November 24-Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade
Head to the Big Apple for
Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The three-hour event starts at 9 a.m.
Thanksgiving Day, but better come early (and wear warm clothes); crowds start
arriving hours earlier to stake out a spot. If a 5 a.m. wakeup call’s not your
thing, these NYC Hotels offer great views of the parade’s
lineup of floats, clowns and more.
November 25-Black Friday
America at its finest, folks. Yes, you too can trample over terrified cashiers in pursuit of a bargain HD TV. If you prefer something a little more orderly this Black Friday, head to some of America’s best shopping malls. Our top pick: Mall of America, home to more than 180 retailers. Bring your ID and some good walking shoes. PLUS, better remember where you parked!
Iceman’s Calendar
·
November 1st MASS Feast of All
Saints
o
Start 54-day Rosary
US Grace Force (11/1-12/24)
·
November 2nd MASS Feast
of All Souls
·
November 3rd MASS Saint
Hubert
·
November 4th MASS
First Friday
·
November 5th MASS First
Saturday
·
November 6th Twenty
second Sunday after Pentecost
·
November 8th Election
Day
o
Start 33-day Rededication
to St. Joseph (11/8-12/10)
·
November 11th St.
Martin
· November 13th Twenty third Sunday after Pentecost
·
October 18th Feast
of St. Luke
· November
20th Twenty-fourth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
November 21st Feast
of the Presentation of Virgin Mary
·
November 24th Thanksgiving
Day
·
November 25th Feast
of Saint Catherine
·
November
30th Feast
of Saint Andrew the Apostle
·
November 27th First
Sunday of Advent
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