Thursday, February 23, 2023

Thursday After Ash Wednesday

Genesis, Chapter 31, verse 31

Jacob answered Laban, 'I was AFRAID, thinking you were going to snatch your daughters from me.

According to Kabalistic sources^{^[1]} Laban was a powerful man. Laban was a magi and the whole world feared him. Jacob feared him too, and that was why he fled from Laban in the middle of the night with his wives Rachel and Leah. Laban had cheated Jacob many times but in spite of Laban’s sly tricks God had ensured that Jacob prospered. Jacob feared Laban but when the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, I will be with you”, he did so, but in secret. It is natural to fear powerful men or women who can do us grave harm. What does a person do who finds themselves afraid of powerful, selfish and perhaps evil people? Naturally your choices are you can either fight, run, do nothing, come to a compromise or grow by developing a third alternative as described by the late Dr. Steven Covey^{^[2]}. That is to come to a solution that is better than Jacob or Laban in this example, could have come up on their own. In this case God intervened for Jacob by coming to Laban in a dream warning him not to harm Jacob and as a result both Laban and Jacob came up with a solution that was better than they separately had in mind; and parted as friends. Next time you are faced with fear; resist the temptation to react in the classic fight or flight method and try to discover a way for everyone to win. That is not always possible but that should be your goal.

Thursday After Ash Wednesday[3]

EPISTLE. Isaias xxxviii. 1-6

IN those days Ezechias was sick even to death, and the prophet Isaias, the son of Amos, came unto him, and said to him: Thus, saith the Lord: Take order with thy house, for thou shalt die and not live. And Ezechias turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said I beseech Thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight. And Ezechias wept with great weeping. And the word of the Lord came to Isaias, saying: Go and say to Ezechias: Thus, saith the Lord the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, and I have seen thy tears: behold I will add to thy days fifteen years: and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians, and I will protect it, saith the Lord Almighty.

GOSPEL. Matt. viii. 5-13.

At that time: When Jesus had entered into Capharnaum, there came to Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying: Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him. And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it. And Jesus, hearing this, marveled, and said to them that followed Him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from the East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.

Prayer.

O God, Who by sin art offended, and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people, making supplications to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thy anger, which we deserve for our sins.

Prayer for Help against Spiritual Enemies^{^[4]}

Glorious Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who stands always ready to give assistance to the people of God, who fought with the dragon, the old serpent, and cast him out of heaven, and now valiantly defends the Church of God that the gates of hell may never prevail against her, I earnestly entreat you to assist me also, in the painful and dangerous conflict which I sustain against the same formidable foe. Be with me, O mighty Prince! That I may courageously fight and vanquish that proud spirit, whom you, by the Divine Power, gloriously overthrew, and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ, has, in our nature, completely overcome; so having triumphed over the enemy of my salvation, I may with you and the holy angels, praise the clemency of God who, having refused mercy to the rebellious angels after their fall, has granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man. Amen.

Thursdays are Sacred.

Thursdays are next to Sundays the holiest day of the week. Pope John Paul knew this when he created the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. It was also on Thursday that our Lord instituted the Mass and last celebrated with the apostles. In a week also our Lord Ascended into heaven to intercede for us with the Father. It would be a pious practice to make Thursdays a little special by being in the Lord’s presence and celebrate Mass.

Feast of the day: soup Mushroom a la Mary-Louise main dish Tuna Melt Stuffed Bell Peppers salad Rainbow Bean Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing desert Crepes Saint-Gwenole Drink sweet white wine

· Stations of the Cross: Thursday before First Friday Devotion

Daily Devotions

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

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 8

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan