Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Novena for Purification Day 8

Description:

This novena prayer, although short is sufficient. It would be better of course to add, if time permits, three Hail Marys or say five times the Our Father, Haily Mary and Glory be to the Father, or to use some of the many well-loved novena prayers from other sources. Remember that prayers must be said with the lips in order to gain the indulgences. This novena starts on January 24 and ends on February 2.

Prayer:

O Blessed Mother of God, who went up to the Temple according to the law with your offering of little white doves, pray for me that I too may keep the law and be pure in heart like you.

Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.

300 days. Plenary, under usual conditions, if said daily for a month. S. C. Indulg., Sept. 30, 1852.

Prayer Source: All Day With God by Blanche Jennings Thompson

SAINT JOHN BOSCO

Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 17

For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by FAITH will live.”

Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rv. 2:10)

Living by faith is having confidence in the teachings of the church. They that trust in the Divine Mercy of Jesus and take steps to be the best they can be. They know they are sinners, but they just keep trying. They rely on the graces of God to push out the old sinful natures. They believe all that the church teaches and take action to build the Kingdom of Christ. They devote themselves to the work of Christ.

The good news of Christ contains God’s power to save. Faith is central; everything starts and ends with it. The righteous person will live out their lives in accordance with God’s will and destiny and thus by faith they believe without seeing.[1]

Saint John Bosco[2]

St. John Bosco was the founder of the Salesian Society, named in honor of St. Francis de Sales, and of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. His lifework was the welfare of young boys and girls, hence his title, "Apostle of Youth." He had no formal system or theory of education. His methods centered on persuasion, authentic religiosity, and love for young people. He was an enlightened educator and innovator. Don Bosco decided to go ahead fearlessly with his educational mission stating,” “Timid souls refrained from making any kind of fresh start for fear of the coming storm.”

Things to Do

St. John Bosco at a young age learned how to juggle and do other tricks to attract children to him. This provided opportunities for him to give catechesis to these children. Think of different activities that you could do to attract children—perhaps juggling, putting on puppet shows, storybook time—and use that opportunity to teach a virtue, catechism lesson, or just to be a good example. Good clean fun or a wholesome activity is a lesson in itself in a world where there is so much corruption.
If you feel brave, try cooking the stuffed raw peppers suggested for today. Mama Margaret probably cooked Peperoni farciti à la Piemontaise (peppers stuffed with boiled rice), a speciality from Turin, for St. John Bosco's boys.
Read this article from Catholic Culture's library, Don Bosco, Seeker of Souls.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

ARTICLE 4-THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

V. The Authorities in Civil Society

2234 God's fourth commandment also enjoins us to honor all who for our good have received authority in society from God. It clarifies the duties of those who exercise authority as well as those who benefit from it.

Duties of civil authorities

2235 Those who exercise authority should do so as a service. "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant." The exercise of authority is measured morally in terms of its divine origin, its reasonable nature and its specific object. No one can command or establish what is contrary to the dignity of persons and the natural law.

2236 The exercise of authority is meant to give outward expression to a just hierarchy of values in order to facilitate the exercise of freedom and responsibility by all. Those in authority should practice distributive justice wisely, taking account of the needs and contribution of each, with a view to harmony and peace. They should take care that the regulations and measures they adopt are not a source of temptation by setting personal interest against that of the community.

2237 Political authorities are obliged to respect the fundamental rights of the human person. They will dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone, especially of families and the disadvantaged.
The political rights attached to citizenship can and should be granted according to the requirements of the common good. They cannot be suspended by public authorities without legitimate and proportionate reasons. Political rights are meant to be exercised for the common good of the nation and the human community.

The duties of citizens

2238 Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God, who has made them stewards of his gifts: "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution.... Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God." Their loyal collaboration includes the right, and at times the duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community.

2239 It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. the love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

2240 Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country:

Pay to all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

[Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners.... They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses the laws.... So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it.

The Apostle exhorts us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who exercise authority, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way."

2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.

2242 The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." "We must obey God rather than men":

When citizens are under the oppression of a public authority which oversteps its competence, they should still not refuse to give or to do what is objectively demanded of them by the common good; but it is legitimate for them to defend their own rights and those of their fellow citizens against the abuse of this authority within the limits of the natural law and the Law of the Gospel.

2243 Armed resistance to oppression by political authority is not legitimate, unless all the following conditions are met: 1) there is certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights; 2) all other means of redress have been exhausted; 3) such resistance will not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is well-founded hope of success; and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution.

The political community and the Church

2244 Every institution is inspired, at least implicitly, by a vision of man and his destiny, from which it derives the point of reference for its judgment, its hierarchy of values, its line of conduct. Most societies have formed their institutions in the recognition of a certain preeminence of man over things. Only the divinely revealed religion has clearly recognized man's origin and destiny in God, the Creator and Redeemer. the Church invites political authorities to measure their judgments and decisions against this inspired truth about God and man:

Societies not recognizing this vision or rejecting it in the name of their independence from God are brought to seek their criteria and goal in themselves or to borrow them from some ideology. Since they do not admit that one can defend an objective criterion of good and evil, they arrogate to themselves an explicit or implicit totalitarian power over man and his destiny, as history shows.

2245 The Church, because of her commission and competence, is not to be confused in any way with the political community. She is both the sign and the safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person. "The Church respects and encourages the political freedom and responsibility of the citizen."

2246 It is a part of the Church's mission "to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it. the means, the only means, she may use are those which are in accord with the Gospel and the welfare of all men according to the diversity of times and circumstances."

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: An End to Addictions

Day 17

Saint Joseph will help you have a chaste heart.

· Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion

· Pray Day 9 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

· Carnival: Part Two, the Final Countdown

· Enjoy a hot chocolate today

· Plan your vacation today

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary

This is from John Paul II

FEBRUARY

Soil under our feet goes unnoticed, though this first foot of soil is where most living organisms’ dwell. The health of the fragile skin of our earth is of utmost importance. Humility comes from the Latin word for soil, "humus." From and unto dust is the humbling message to each of us. Soil is rich and fertile but also prone to erosion and pollution.

Overview of February[3]

This year the first 3/12 weeks of February falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Epiphany), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during prayer of Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time. The remaining days of February are the beginning of Lent. The liturgical color changes to violet or purple — a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart.

Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity. It contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter)! In addition, the faithful may receive in February two of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats.

The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.

The Feast of the Presentation (February 2) or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. February 21, Shrove Tuesday, will find us preparing for Ash Wednesday. The middle of the month will find us on Ash Wednesday accepting the ashes that remind us of our mortality and our need for penance.

February Travel?[4]

· Take a Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride (All Month)

Enjoy a gorgeous winter wonderland in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. National Elk Refuge is closed to vehicle traffic but not to horse-drawn sleighs. The open-air rides offer a unique and amazing way to see elk, bison, eagles, foxes and other wildlife species. Yellowstone and the Jackson Hole area offer a variety of other family activities including snow tubing, skiing, snowmobiles and a year-round roller coaster.

· Party in Quebec City Through February 11

For fabulous winter fun, head to the annual Winter Festival in Quebec City. Snow rafting, ice canoe racing, a bartending competition, snow baths (clothing optional), a snow sculpture competition and a masquerade ball are among the many activities.

· March in a Mardi Gras Parade Through February 13

Fat Tuesday — the day before Ash Wednesday — is the biggest party of the year in cities like New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. If you can’t make it to one of those places, try Mobile, Alabama; Nice, France; Venice Italy or Binche, Belgium.

· See Punxsutawney Phil's Prediction

o February 2

Bundle up, grab some hot coffee and bring your lawn chair to Gobbler’s Knob before dawn on Groundhog Day. Then watch as Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, the Prognosticator of Prognosticators reveals his end-of-winter prediction.

· Chill Out at Saranac Lake Winter Carnival

o February 2-13

Party Adirondack style. Since its start back in 1897, the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has grown into one of the oldest winter carnivals in America. The 10-day event showcases plenty of winter magic, from an ice palace made from blocks of ice to the coronation of a winter carnival king and queen.

· Watch the Big Game

o February 4

Head to Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium to see the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots go head to head for the NFL championship title. If you’re not lucky enough to score tickets, head to the Philly or Boston, you’re bound to find plenty of bowl-watching parties.

· Walk the Runway at Fashion Week

o February 8-16

Fabulous fashionistas stay ahead of the fashion curve here. Officially known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, this biannual bash is New York City’s single-largest media event, attracting more than 100,000 fashion-industry insiders from around the world.

· Watch the Winter Olympics

o February 8-25

If you can make it to PyeongChang, South Korea, tickets are still available for the 2018 games. Six new events are being introduced this year including snowboard big air (men’s and women’s), speed skating mass start (men’s and women’s) and curling mixed doubles. This means that the total number of gold medal events will be 102, the most ever contested at an Olympic Winter Games.

· Smell the Flowers at Tulipmania

o February 10-18

Head to San Francisco’s iconic Pier 39 for Tulipmania. You’ll see over 39,000 blooming tulips and other garden favorites. Guided tours and gardening tips are provided by Pier 39’s landscaping experts. The tours start at 10 a.m. daily at the Crab Statue in the Entrance Plaza and end with a special treat from Trish’s Mini Donuts. The tulips typically begin blooming in early February and last through mid-March.

· See the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

o February 12-13

Celebrate man’s best friend at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The two-day event at New York City's Madison Square Garden features more than 2,700 pooches going tail to tail to win the coveted Best in Breed title.

· Celebrate Valentine’s Day International Style

o February 14

Many cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they do it in a variety of ways. In Germany, not only do people exchange chocolate and flowers, they also give pigs (toy ones mostly) because they symbolize luck and lust. In Denmark, people send one another poems and rhymes on stationery cut into the shapes of flowers and snowdrops.

· Attend a Horse Show

o February 15-25

Visit the 63rd annual Arabian Horse Show in Scottsdale, Arizona to watch over 2,400 horses compete for a chance at winning the coveted gold title. In between the competitions, there are plenty of kids’ activities like an ice cream social, pony painting (ceramic ponies, not real ones), and art contests. And the best part, kids 17 and under are free.