Saturday, November 26, 2022
John, Chapter 3, Verse 35
The Father LOVES the Son and has given everything over to him.
The earth is indeed blessed among all the planets in our solar system because of our heaven. As the heavens have made the earth a garden rich with life like so is God’s grace over those who are faithful and love Him. Never forget our Lord asked Peter if he loves Him three times. One time for each of the times Peter denied our Lord on the eve of His crucifixion thus nullifying Peter’s denials and restoring him. Christ asks Peter with each affirmation to 1) feed His lambs 2) tend His sheep and 3) feed His sheep.
First Christ asked Peter if he loves Him more than the others thus establishing Peters leadership on love. Next Christ tells Peter to feed His lambs to give them a core of strength. If we wish to develop strength in ourselves and others it is imperative that we give hope, confidence, a work ethic, confidence, resilience, self-control and courage to the lambs in our charge.
Secondly Christ asks Peter to “tend His sheep” or that is to give a firm purpose to direct their efforts to create the Kingdom of God.
Lastly Christ asks Peter to “Feed His sheep” by having an understanding heart and to be compassionate, faithful, merciful, tolerant, forgiving, and generous.
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday serves to
support and promote small and local businesses. Small businesses are an
important part of the American economy, providing 66% of all new jobs and
accounting for 54% of all US sales.
Small Business Saturday was created by the American Express Corporation.
Small Business Saturday was first held on November 27, 2010 with help
from American Express' advertising campaigns to support the day. The following
year, in 2011, political figures such as President Obama, voiced their support
for Small Business Saturday. Since then, Small Business Saturday has been
observed annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Small Business Saturday Top Events and Things to Do
- Do
your daily or holiday shopping a local or small business to support your
community.
- Watch
a movie about entrepreneurship and general business. Building a business
from an idea, into a small business and perhaps into something larger is
difficult. Our recommendations: The Wolf of Wallstreet, The
Pursuit of Happiness, Jerry Maguire, The Social
Network and You've Got Mail
- Participate
in Small Business Saturday as a business owner or encourage those you know
who own small business to participate. American
Express provides material online to further assist small businesses
with business promotion for the day.
- Take
a look on Groupon for some local deals. Groupon always offers deals to
small local businesses.
- Contribute
to a local cause and donate to a small non-profit organization within your
community. Many of these organizations organize activities for local children or
help those in your community who are most in need.
- Check these small businesses
Advent begins
Sunday-get ready[1]
It
may seem strange that in a calendar with only one annual cycle of readings, two
of the Sundays share virtually the same Gospel; and it may seem stranger still
that these two Sundays occur consecutively. The Gospel for the Last Sunday of Pentecost, taken from
St. Matthew, contains Christ's twofold description of the destruction of
Jerusalem and of the world. That same speech reemerges the following week on
the First Sunday of Advent,
though in the abridged form that appears in the Gospel of Luke. Why this
redundancy?
The
answer to this question teaches us much about the season of Advent. Advent (from the Latin word for
"coming") is generally considered to be the sober yet joyful time of preparation for the Lord's nativity,
and rightfully so. This is the beginning of the Church year that corresponds to
the ages before Christ, when the
world pined away in darkness, waiting for the Messiah. It is also why the
closer we come to the Feast of the Nativity, the more we are called by the
liturgy to reflect on the events that led up to it, e.g., the Annunciation, the
Visitation, and so on. And it is why the season of Advent is marked by an
ever-greater urgency in its prayers, begging the Lord to come and tarry not.
Yet like the closing Sundays after Pentecost, which strike a predominantly
apocalyptic note, the season of Advent also goads us to prepare for the
glorious Second Coming of the Lord at the end of
time. That is why the last and first Sundays of the liturgical year have the
same divine admonition: one is picking up where the other left off. This focus remains throughout Advent,
despite the season's increased attention on the Christ Child: in fact, during
Advent the traditional Roman Rite frequently speaks of both in the same breath.
This double commemoration of the first and second Comings makes sense, since
the prophets themselves never distinguished between the two.
Yet
there is a more profound reason behind the conflation. The Church is teaching
us that in order to be ready for the Lord's triumphant return as Judge of the
living and the dead, we must prepare
as our holy fathers once did for His nativity. The lessons we learn from the
season of Advent are to be applied throughout our lives in preparation for our
soul's Bridegroom. By liturgically preparing for the Nativity of our Lord,
soberly and vigilantly, we prepare ourselves for the Final Judgment.
Thus,
Advent is a season marked by a pious gravitas. Yet it should not be
overlooked that it is also a time of
restrained joy. The more we are prepared for our Lord's coming, the more
we will truly welcome it, moving beyond our well-deserved sense of unworthiness
to an exultation in His arrival. In the collect for the Vigil of the Nativity,
for example, we read: "Grant that we who now joyfully receive Thine
only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also, without fear, behold Him coming as
our Judge."
The
goal that the Church holds up for us during this important season is to have our hearts so ready for Christ that
they will do nothing but leap for joy when we appear before Him. Let us
therefore prepare for our Redeemer and our beloved Judge by heeding St. Paul's
advice through Advent, casting off the works of darkness, putting on the armor
of light, and draping ourselves in the virtues and graces poured forth upon us
by almighty God.
Advent wreath and calendar[2]
Many Catholics may be surprised to learn
that the Advent wreath actually came from Lutherans living in east Germany. Yet
though this custom is relatively recent as far as tradition goes, it has
rightly earned a place of prominence among our Advent customs. A simple wreath
made of evergreen (yew or fir or laurel) is adorned with four candles
equidistant from each other. These candles may be of any color: in some
European countries they are all white, though in the U.S. they generally
correspond to the liturgical colors of the four Sundays of Advent (three purple
and one pink or rose).
In a dark room, a purple candle is lit on
the First Sunday of Advent, another on the Second, the rose candle on the Third
Sunday (in commemoration of Gaudete Sunday), and the last purple candle on the
Fourth Sunday. Thus, all four candles will be lit for the week before
Christmas.
There is no formal ceremony for the lighting
of the wreath or for the prayers that are said around it; there is not even an
official Roman formula for blessing the wreath. Catholic families simply pray
together for a holy preparation and a holy Christmas, concluding with a
traditional Advent hymn. The symbolism of the Advent wreath is simple but
effective. The wreath, with its crown-like character, reminds us of the King,
while its circular shape betokens the "fulfillment of time" that both
Comings bring about. The candles, on the other hand, represent the prophets
whose inspired words pierced the darkness under which mankind groaned while waiting
for the Messiah; they also represent the elects' hearts burning for Christ.
Advent
Calendar
Another
popular Advent custom, also from Germany, creates a similar build-up of
anticipation. Advent calendars are colorful pieces of cardboard on which is
depicted a many-windowed house. Behind the shutters of each house is a picture
or symbol that points to the coming of Christmas. Beginning December 1, the
children are allowed to open the shutters of one window per day. Finally, on
December 24, the front door of the house is opened, showing the nativity.
Jesse Tree[3]
The Jesse Tree dates back to the Middle Ages and came from
Europe. Even some ancient cathedrals have Jesse Tree designs in their
stained-glass windows. The "tree" is usually a branch or sapling and
is decorated with various symbols that remind us of the purpose and promises of
God from Creation to the Birth of Jesus Christ. Jesse was the father of King
David and God promised David that his Kingdom would last forever. Two centuries
after the death of King David, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said:
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall
grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the
spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the
spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2) Each
Jesse Tree ornament usually consists of a handmade symbol or drawing that
represents one of the major stories of the Old Testament along with a brief
verse of Scripture from that story.
Jesse
Tree Ornaments
If you decide to use one
symbol each day during December, there are 24 symbolic ornaments to make for
your Jesse Tree, so each family member will need to make several. Making the
ornaments is a good project for Sunday afternoons during Advent. To make an
ornament, first read the Scripture verses for the day. Then pick out one or two
short verses that give the main idea. Copy these verses on the back of the
ornament. By this time, you will probably be thinking of various ways to
illustrate your Scripture verses. Use lots of creativity in making your
ornament! You can use pictures from magazines or old greeting cards. Or draw
pictures or symbols yourself. Color them with crayons, pencils, markers or
paint. Look around the house for bits and pieces that will make your design
beautiful! If you prefer to have a pattern already made, Caryn Talty, at Organic
Living for a Healthy Family, has created 26 excellent
ornaments which
she graciously offers free – both full color and black and white.
Jesse
Tree Scriptures (The Symbols Are Only Suggestions)
December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31;
2:1-4 Symbols: sun, moon, stars, animals, earth
December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9,
18-24 Symbols: tree, man, woman
December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and
23-24 Symbols: tree, serpent, apple with bite
December 4 Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22;
7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols: ark, animals, dove, rainbow
December 5 Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols:
torch, sword, mountain
December 6 Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols:
bundle of wood, altar, ram in bush
December 7 Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34;
28:10-15 Symbols: kettle, ladder
December 8 Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28;
45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well, silver coins, tunic
December 9 Moses: Ex. 2:1-10 Symbols:
baby in basket, river and rushes
December 10 Samuel: 1 Sam. 3:1-18 Symbols:
lamp, temple
December 11 Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13 Symbols:
crimson robe, shepherd's staff
December
12 David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51 Symbols:
slingshot, 6-pointed star
December 13 Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-14,
16-28 Symbols: scales of justice, temple, two babies and sword
December 14 Joseph:
Matt. 1:18-25 Symbols: hammer, saw, chisel, angle
December 15 Mary: Matt. 1:18-25; Luke
1:26-38 Symbols: lily, crown of stars, pierced heart
December 16 John the Baptist: Mark
1:1-8 Symbols: shell with water, river
On December 17, the Church
begins to intensify the preparation for Christmas with the use of the
"O" Antiphons during the Liturgy of the Hours. The symbols for the
Jesse Tree from December 17 to 23 are based on the "O" Antiphons.
December 17 Jesus is Wisdom: Sirach (or
Ecclesiasticus in old Bibles) 24:2; Wisdom 8:1 Symbols: oil lamp, open
book
December 18 Jesus is Lord: Ex. 3:2;
20:1 Symbols: burning bush, stone tablets
December
19 Jesus is Flower of Jesse:
Isaiah 11:1-3 Symbols: flower, plant with flower
December 20 Jesus is Key of David:
Isaiah 22:22 Symbols: key, broken chains
December 21 Jesus is the Radiant Dawn:
Psalm 19:6-7 (in older Bibles this will be Psalm 18) Symbols: sun rising
or high in sky
December 22 Jesus is King of the Gentiles:
Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20 Symbols: crown, scepter
December 23 Jesus is Emmanuel: Isaiah
7:14; 33:22 Symbols: tablets of stone, chalice and host
December 24 Jesus is
Light of the World: John 1:1-14 Symbols: candle, flame, sun
Activity
Source: Jesse Tree Kit, A by Betsy Walter, Pauline
Books and Media, Boston, MA, 1983
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE
SPIRIT
CHAPTER THREE-GOD'S SALVATION: LAW AND
GRACE
Article 1-THE MORAL LAW
I. The Natural Moral Law
1954 Man
participates in the wisdom and goodness of the Creator who gives him mastery
over his acts and the ability to govern himself with a view to the true and the
good.
The natural law expresses the original moral
sense which enables man to discern by reason the good and the evil, the truth
and the lie:
The natural law is written and
engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason
ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin . . . But this command of
human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and
interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit and our freedom must be
submitted.
1955 The
"divine and natural" law shows man the way to follow so as to
practice the good and attain his end. the natural law states the first and
essential precepts which govern the moral life. It hinges upon the desire for
God and submission to him, who is the source and judge of all that is good, as
well as upon the sense that the other is one's equal. Its principal precepts
are expressed in the Decalogue. This law is called "natural," not in
reference to the nature of irrational beings, but because reason which decrees
it properly belongs to human nature:
Where then are these rules written,
if not in the book of that light we call the truth? In it is written every just
law; from it the law passes into the heart of the man who does justice, not
that it migrates into it, but that it places its imprint on it, like a seal on
a ring that passes onto wax, without leaving the ring.
The natural law is nothing other
than the light of understanding placed in us by God; through it we know what we
must do and what we must avoid. God has given this light or law at the
creation.
1956 The
natural law, present in the heart of each man and established by reason, is
universal in its precepts and its authority extends to all men. It expresses
the dignity of the person and determines the basis for his fundamental rights
and duties:
For there is a true law: right
reason. It is in conformity with nature, is diffused among all men, and is
immutable and eternal; its orders summon to duty; its prohibitions turn away
from offense .... To replace it with a contrary law is a sacrilege; failure to
apply even one of its provisions is forbidden; no one can abrogate it entirely.
1957
Application of the natural law varies greatly; it can demand reflection that
takes account of various conditions of life according to places, times, and
circumstances. Nevertheless, in the diversity of cultures, the natural law
remains as a rule that binds men among themselves and imposes on them, beyond
the inevitable differences, common principles.
1958 The
natural law is immutable and permanent throughout the variations of history; it
subsists under the flux of ideas and customs and supports their progress. the
rules that express it remain substantially valid. Even when it is rejected in
its very principles, it cannot be destroyed or removed from the heart of man.
It always rises again in the life of individuals and societies:
Theft is surely punished by your
law, O Lord, and by the law that is written in the human heart, the law that
iniquity itself does not efface.
1959 The
natural law, the Creator's very good work, provides the solid foundation on
which man can build the structure of moral rules to guide his choices. It also
provides the indispensable moral foundation for building the human community.
Finally, it provides the necessary basis for the civil law with which it is
connected, whether by a reflection that draws conclusions from its principles,
or by additions of a positive and juridical nature.
1960 The
precepts of natural law are not perceived by everyone clearly and immediately.
In the present situation sinful man needs grace and revelation so moral and
religious truths may be known "by everyone with facility, with firm
certainty and with no admixture of error." The natural law provides
revealed law and grace with a foundation prepared by God and in accordance with
the work of the Spirit.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Growth of
Catholic Families and Households.
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