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.

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

I must have been napping

Napping Day[1]

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap. Barbara Jordan`

You got up early and got a great start to the day, you’ve been trucking along being a productive adult, getting your work completed and attending the meetings you have to attend. Throughout it all you’ve been a trooper, you even made it through lunch without much trouble. But now it’s creeping into the late afternoon, and you’re just out of go. What do you do? You take a nap! Napping Day encourages you to remember these benefits of youth and take a little time out of the day for you! Napping Day’s history is simply the history of napping, and it used to be something we all did in the middle of the afternoon. In fact, the siesta is still a time-honored tradition in Spain that happens right after the afternoon meal and has been a practice since time out of mind. In fact, if you’re in the Mediterranean, it’s pretty much standard everywhere you go. In Italy they call it the riposo, pisolini, and even old Charlamagne (yes that Charlamagne) has been recorded as having taken 2-3-hour naps in the middle of the afternoon. So, is it just laziness? Well, no. You see in part it’s because the hottest hours of the day occur in the middle of the afternoon, and it makes sense to take a brief break at that point. It also has to do with the circadian rhythms and the change-over point between the wake cycle and sleep cycle, there’s a time that’s essentially perfect for a nap. There are even notable benefits to taking a nap in the afternoon, including evidence pointing to a 37% reduction in occurrences of coronary mortality in those who take an afternoon nap regularly.

How to Celebrate Napping Day zzzzzzzzzzzz

· Well, the way to celebrate Napping Day is pretty simple isn’t it? You just take a little time in the afternoon (whenever your afternoon is, some of us are day sleepers) to rest. After the afternoon meal is perfect, and in the long run it can help you actually feel better and more energized for the day ahead. It may be tricky if you have a regular work schedule, but whenever you can… Take a nap!

[1]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/napping-day/

Daniel, Chapter 3, Verse 40-42

⁴⁰So let our sacrifice be in your presence today and find favor before you; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. ⁴¹ And now we follow you with our whole heart, we FEAR you and we seek your face. Do not put us to shame, ⁴² but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.

Has your Lenten sacrifice been less than you wanted? Well? Welcome to the human condition. Emotions are what being human is about. Imagine the emotions of Peter after the resurrection. If your emotions or sinfulness which for some reason you have committed despite your best efforts have left, you flat. You are human. Remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus; they were left utterly defeated at the loss of Christ. Like Peter they felt they could have done more. Today walk with our Lord tell Him all.

Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent[2]

Prayer.

GRACIOUSLY hear us, O almighty and merciful God, and~ favorably grant to us the gifts of wholesome self-denial. Amen.

EPISTLE, iv. Kings iv. 1-7.

In those days a certain woman of the wives of the prophets cried to Eliseus, saying: Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant was one that feared the Lord, and behold the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him. And Eliseus said to her: What wilt thou have me do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thy house? And she answered: I thy handmaid have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me. And he said to her: Go, borrow of all thy neighbor’s empty vessels not a few. And go in, and shut thy door, when thou art within, with thy sons: and pour out thereof into all those vessels, and when they are full take them away. So, the woman went, and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons: they brought her the vessels, and she poured in. And when the vessels were full, she said to her son: Bring me yet a vessel. And he answered: I have no more. And the oil stood. And she came and told the man of God. And he said: Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor: and thou and thy sons live on the rest.

GOSPEL. Matt, xviii. 15-22.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: If thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the Church. And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. Again, I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by My Father Who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter unto Him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.

Lenten Calendar[3]

Read: The Seven Penitential Psalms, Day One:

(During times when we wish to express repentance, and especially during Lent, it is customary to pray the seven penitential psalms. The penitential designation of these psalms’ dates back to the seventh century. Prayerfully reciting these psalms will help us to recognize our sinfulness, express our sorrow and ask for God’s forgiveness.)

Today we will focus on Psalm 6.

Reflect: Read this reflection on Psalm 6—Prayer in Distress.

Pray: “Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; heal me, LORD, for my bones are shuddering.” (Ps 6:3, NABRE)

Act: In this psalm, the psalmist proclaims his weakness before God, with tears and sighing. Yet he lifts his prayers to the Lord, confident in the Lord, who is merciful.

Listen to a recording of Psalm 6 as you read along with your Bible.

Preparing for Battle

[4]

Know Your Enemy

Be sober, be watchful! For your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. (1 Peter 5: 8– 9)

Like it or not, you are at war. No matter who you are— whether or not you know it— you have a mortal enemy who wants to destroy you, not just in this life, but in the next. No matter where you live on this planet— whether or not you can see it— you live on a hotly contested battlefield, and you can’t escape the conflict. It’s a spiritual war with crucial consequences in your everyday life. And the outcome of that war will determine your eternal destiny. The first rule of any type of warfare is to know your enemy.

· Your adversary is the Devil, with his army of demons. Your battle with him rages not only all around you, but also within you, a fierce conflict for control of your mind, your heart, and your ultimate destiny.

· Those who deny the devils existence are easy prey.

Pi Day[5]

Pi Day celebrates the mathematical constant π (pi) or 3.141592653... . Pi is the ratio between the circumference (the distance around the circle) and diameter (the distance through the center of the circle). Pi is a constant, therefore it will be the same for circles of all sizes. Pi is a special number due to its infinite and patternless nature, meaning that the digits after the decimal point never repeat themselves in a specific order. Pi Day celebrations originated in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium when Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium, organized the first Pi Day. It was held on March 14th (3/14), given that the first digits of Pi are 3.14. Celebrations at the Exploratorium included taking young museum visitors on a parade to the Pi Shrine, which is a round brass plaque fixed on the floor of the museum and serving fruit pies to visitors. Since then, Pi Day celebrations have spread both nationally and globally. On March 12, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives recognized March 14, 2009 as National Pi Day.

Pi Day Facts & Quotes

· In 2015 at 9:26:53 (AM and PM), all of the first ten digits of Pi (3.141592653) were present in the date and time.

· Pi is an irrational number, meaning it cannot be expressed properly as a fraction.

· Albert Einstein, widely referred to as the father of modern physics, was born on March 14, 1879. Therefore, Pi Day also recognizes Einstein's birthday.

· According to the Guinness World Records, Rajveer Meena from India holds the record for memorizing the most decimal places of Pi. On March 21, 2015, Meena wore a blindfold and recalled 70,000 decimal places of Pi over a period of 10 hours.

· Pi is not just a collection of random digits, pi is a journey; an experience; unless you try to see the natural poetry that exists in pi, you will find it very difficult to learn. – Dr. Antranig Basman, Mathematician and Software Developer

Pi Day Top Events and Things to Do

· Memorize as many digits of Pi as you can (remember, the World Record Holder was able to memorize 70,000 decimal places of pi).

· Eat a pie to celebrate Pi day and earn bonus points if you can calculate Pi for your pie's circumference! Here are some twists on traditional pies that you can try:
1) Avocado and cream cheese pie
2) Cheeseburger and pickle pie made from ground beef, cheese, and chopped dill pickles
3) Mac and Cheese Pie topped with bacon
4) Hot dog pie covered with a layer of cheese
5) Twinkie pie topped with whipped cream

· Practice your geometry and algebra equations that contain the constant Pi. Here are some useful formulas to help you:
Circumference of a circle = 2 πr
Area of a Circle = π r^2
Volume of a Cylinder = π r^2h
where r=radius and h=height

· Go for a 3.14km walk to celebrate Pi Day.

· Watch movies about mathematics:
1) Good Will Hunting (1997)
2) A Beautiful Mind (2001)
3) The Number 23 (2007)
4) Rain Man (1988)
5) The Theory of Everything (2014)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Chapter 2 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Article 10-THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

II. The Desires of the Spirit

2541 The economy of law and grace turns men's hearts away from avarice and envy. It initiates them into desire for the Sovereign Good; it instructs them in the desires of the Holy Spirit who satisfies man's heart.

The God of the promises always warned man against seduction by what from the beginning has seemed "good for food . . . a delight to the eyes . . . to be desired to make one wise."

2542 The Law entrusted to Israel never sufficed to justify those subject to it; it even became the instrument of "lust." The gap between wanting and doing points to the conflict between God's Law which is the "law of my mind," and another law "making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members."

2543 "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." Henceforth, Christ's faithful "have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires"; they are led by the Spirit and follow the desires of the Spirit.

Tuesday Personal Adoration

Prayer.

"What a happiness is mine, O my Savior, to hold communion with Thee, to thank Thee for the immense love of Thy heart for mankind, to offer Thee some reparation for the outrages unceasingly committed against Thee. But sinner as I am, how can I worthily acquit myself of so holy a duty? O Jesus, unite my prayers to Thine, offer to Thy heavenly Father the holy dispositions of Thy divine heart in order to supply for my deficiencies, Holy Virgin, lead me to the heart of thy divine Son, that sanctuary of grace and virtue. I unite myself to the homage rendered Him by thy immaculate heart. Ye blessed spirits, ever humbly prostrate before that adorable heart, I unite myself to your profound adorations; communicate to me your love and recollection, present to Him my prayers; and ye saints of heaven and just ones of the earth, come and let us adore together the heart of our Redeemer. Place yourself in the presence of God, make an act of faith? and-say with the prodigal son: My Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Thy sight. 1 am no longer worthy to be called Thy child. Make me as one of Thy hired servants. I desire nothing more. Place yourself in spirit near the heart of Jesus, at the foot of the throne of mercy; approach with confidence, listen to the loving words Our Lord addresses to you, and pray to Him with earnestness and devotion.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Catholic Politian’s and Leaders.