MAY
Flowers in
Mary's month tie us closely to the reawakening earth. The time of Resurrection
and expectant Pentecost is one of buds, blossoms, wildflowers, and greening of
meadows and lawns. Days lengthen and we welcome the warmth of the sun after the
long winter. Jesus is risen and is present in our midst, and so we rise and
ascend with him.
Overview of May[1]
May
is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to
Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving tribute of
faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to the Queen of
Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the
home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving
homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God's
mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul VI:
Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1).
The
entire month of May falls within the liturgical season of Easter, which is represented by the
liturgical color white — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence
(absolute or restored).
·
The world is resplendent with Spring's increased
light and new growth. It is Mary’s month in the Easter season and all of nature
rejoices with the Queen of heaven at the Resurrection of the Son she was worthy
to bear. During the remainder of Easter time, let us endeavor through the
prayers of the Holy Liturgy and the Holy Rosary to deepen our gratitude for the
mystery of our Baptismal rebirth in Christ.
·
"The month of May, with its profusion of
blooms was adopted by the Church in the eighteenth century as a celebration of
the flowering of Mary's maidenly spirituality, with its origins in Isaiah's
prophecy of the Virgin birth of the Messiah under the figure of the Blossoming
Rod or Root of Jesse, the flower symbolism of Mary was extended by the Church
Fathers, and in the liturgy, by applying to her the flower figures of the
Sapiential Books-Canticles, Wisdom, Proverbs and Sirach.
·
"In the medieval period, the rose was
adopted as the flower symbol of the Virgin Birth, as expressed in Dante's
phrase, 'The Rose wherein the Divine Word was made flesh,' and depicted in the
central rose windows of the great gothic cathedrals-from which came the
Christmas carol, 'Lo, How a Rose 'ere Blooming.' Also, in the medieval period,
when monasteries were the centers of horticultural and agricultural knowledge,
and with the spread of the Franciscan love of nature, the actual flowers
themselves, of the fields, waysides and gardens, came to be seen as symbols of
Mary…" – John S. Stokes
·
Pentecost, the birth of the Church, is also
among the celebrations of May. Though sprung from the side of Christ on the
Cross, the Church marks as her birthday the descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary
and the Apostles. At the 'birth' of the world, the Holy Spirit — the Breath of
God — was the "mighty wind [that] swept over the waters" (Gen 1:2);
at the birth of the Church, He is present again "like the rush of a mighty
wind" to recreate the world in the image of Christ through His Church
(Acts 2:2).
We, the members of Christ’s Mystical
Body, are the present-day disciples sent by the Holy Spirit to bring Christ to
the world. May we go forth as did Mary, who set out in haste to assist St.
Elizabeth (feast of the Visitation, May 31). Come upon us, O Holy Spirit, so
that, with Mary, we may proclaim the greatness of the Lord who has done great
things for us — for his mercy endures forever!
It
is a very old tradition to make pilgrimages during the month of May to shrines
dedicated to Mary.
May
is also:[2]
· National
Military Appreciation Month
· National
Barbecue Month
MAY TIMETABLE
May Travel?[3]
·
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Month of May Head to this amphitheater at Carlsbad Caverns
National Park for a grand show: Each May Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from a
large, rocky passage within Carlsbad Cavern in search of a tasty mix of insects
for dinner. In case you’ve happened on this wondrous sight in southeastern New
Mexico with your family (and your kids have questions), a park ranger gives an
informative talk as visitors wait for the bats to come out.
· Whale Watching, Stellwagen
Bank—May thru October-- Did
winter come and go without you getting a chance to see whales? There’s still
time: Between May and September, more than 400 orcas swim in the waters around
Canada’s Vancouver Island. Or head to the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago
about 1,000 miles from Lisbon, where sperm whales gather from May to October.
Closer to home, Stellwagen Bank, a submerged sandbank between Cape Cod and Cape
Ann in Massachusetts, attracts the endangered North Atlantic right whale to its
waters.
·
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival—April
27 thru May 7-- Take in the small-town charm of
Winchester, VA, in this 6-day celebration of spring. First held in 1924, the
annual festival packs a wallop of more than 30 events into its lineup: band
competitions, dances, parades, carnival, a 10K race, the coronation of Queen
Shenandoah and so much more, attracting crowds in excess of 250,000.
· Cinco de Mayo—May 5 thru May 7--Celebrate Cinco de Mayo (meaning
"fifth of May" in Spanish) right here in the United States.
Nationwide, there are more than 120 official US celebrations, spanning 21
states, in cities such as Cleveland, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta. The
holiday stretches back to the first few years of the American Civil War, when
Mexican American communities sought to commemorate the causes of freedom and
democracy. Head to downtown Denver for one such celebration: Here, members of a
Mexican folkloric dance academy perform at the city’s Civic Center Park.
·
Kentucky
Derby-May 6th On your mark, get set … it’s off to Louisville
for the granddaddy of all horse races. In time-honored tradition, the 149th
annual Kentucky Derby -- the first leg of the Triple Crown -- kicks off the
first Saturday in May. Settle into your seat at Churchill Downs racetrack on
Central Avenue, sip a mint julep and enjoy the "Most Exciting 2 Minutes in
Sports."
o
Derby
Day Turf Paradise Arizona
·
Mother’s
Day Tea at The Plaza—May 14th Mom is always fussing over you, now’s your
chance to turn the tables -- in style. Treat Mom to afternoon tea at The
Plaza’s Tea Room. A tradition since the hotel opened in 1907, tea at this NYC
landmark has inspired scenes in popular films and novels, including
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Mom can enjoy a selection of sandwiches and
savories from the Fitzgerald Tea for the Ages and The New Yorker menus.
o Acadia Farms Mother’s Day Tea Arizona
·
Cannes Film Festival—May
16-27-- La lumière, la caméra, l'action! Slip on some shades,
and head to the French Riviera for the largest annual showcase of cinema in the
world. Don’t have a ticket to events inside the Palais des Festivals et des Congres
building where the festival is held? Pas de probleme! Enjoy open-air shows at
the Cinema de la Plage, and for celebrity sightings show up extra-early outside
the Palais. You may just spot Ang Lee, Nicole Kidman or Steven Spielberg on
this year’s red carpet.
·
Indianapolis
500—May 28-- Rev up for the “Greatest Spectacle
in Racing.” Part of the Triple Crown of Motorsports (with the Monaco Grand Prix
and 24 Hours of Le Mans right behind) this annual race is quite possibly the
largest single-day sporting event in the entire world, attracting roughly
400,000 spectators. Head to Indianapolis the last weekend in May, and prepare
for a high-speed show around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval
circuit.
o RED ROCK RUMBLE May
21st-5 Mile Trail Race, Sedona, Arizona
Iceman’s Calendar
·
May 1st St.
Joseph the Worker
· May 3rd Feast Sts Phillip & James Finding of the Cross
·
May 5th MASS
First Friday
·
May 6th MASS
First Saturday
·
May 7th Fifth
Sunday of Easter
·
May 10th Saint Damien
·
May 13th Saturday Our
Lady of Fatima
·
May 14th Sixth
Sunday of Easter
o
Rogation Sunday Feast of St.
Matthias
o
Start Novena to
St. Rita Saint of Impossible causes
o
Mothers Day
·
May 22nd St.
Rita
·
May 15th Rogation
Monday
· May
16th Rogation
Tuesday
·
May 17th Rogation Wednesday
·
May 18th Mass Ascension Thursday
·
May 19h Friday in the Octave of the
Ascension
·
May 21st Seventh
Sunday of Easter
·
May 28th Pentecost
Sunday
·
May 29th Whit
Monday
·
May 30th MASS St. Joan
of Arc
· May 31st
MASS Feast of
the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
MAY 1 Monday of the Fourth Week of
Easter
ST.
JOSEPH THE WORKER-MAY DAY
Deuteronomy, Chapter 5, Verse 4-6
4 Face
to face, the LORD spoke with you on the mountain from the midst of the fire,
5
while I was standing between the
LORD and you at that time, to announce to you these words of the LORD, since
you were AFRAID of the fire and would
not go up the mountain: 6 I
am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out
of the house of slavery.
Today
reflect on how our labor can be slavery or it can be a joy. In the end you are
responsible for your own happiness. The fire on the mountain was not an
impediment to the Israel people coming to God; it was their excuse. The secret
of success is finding out our vocation from God and following it. When we
follow God’s guidance to the do the work he has intended for us, we are like
the tree that Moses saw that brought him into the service of the Lord. We will
burn but not be consumed! Then, when others see our work and wonder at our joy
in slavery to the Lord they too will come to know that “His burden is light.” (Mt.
11-30)
Many
years ago, I also, like the people of Israel was afraid of the fire; and
refused to go up on the mountain. Yes, I was called to the priesthood. I was
afraid of the fire. I made all the excuses: I am not worthy, I want a wife; I
want children. I turned away and the life I thought would be a joy was
unsatisfying. Yet, the Lord did not abandon me; He has never chided me; no only
I have chided myself. He has made good out of all I have shattered with my
selfishness. This is the challenge of the cross that when we fall, and we will
fall; that we pick the cross up again and drink the cup the Lord has given us
to the dregs. How committed are you to discovering and following Jesus?
My
sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (Jn:
10:27)
St. Joseph the Worker[4]
"May Day" has long been dedicated to labor and the working man. It falls on the first day of the month that is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Pius XII expressed the hope that this feast would accentuate the dignity of labor and would bring a spiritual dimension to labor unions. It is eminently fitting that St. Joseph, a working man who became the foster-father of Christ and patron of the universal Church, should be honored on this day. The feast of St. Joseph the Worker was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in order to Christianize the concept of labor and give to all workmen a model and a protector. By the daily labor in his shop, offered to God with patience and joy, St. Joseph provided for the necessities of his holy spouse and of the Incarnate Son of God, and thus became an example to all laborers. "Workmen and all those laboring in conditions of poverty will have reasons to rejoice rather than grieve, since they have in common with the Holy Family daily preoccupations and cares"(Leo XIII).
Highlights and Things to Do:
·
Read more about St.
Joseph the Worker:
o
Vatican
·
May 1 is celebrated in
Communist countries as the Day of the International Solidarity of Workers.
Today would be a good day to pray for atheistic Communism's influence to cease
and a proper application of the principles explained by Leo XIII in Rerum novarum and John Paul II in Centesimus annus to be the guide used by
nations.
·
Read this comparison, May Day the Socialist Worker vs.
St. Joseph the Worker.
·
Read St. Joseph the
Worker on May 1 and Every Day in the National Catholic Register.
·
Louisiana in 2021 made
May 1 an Annual ‘St. Joseph the Worker
Day’ Statewide.
·
Consider purchasing and
reading Consecration
to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Fr. Donald Calloway.
·
The Josephites are a
religious order of brothers and priests with the mission of serving African
Americans. Visit their site for more information and also some prayers for the feast of St. Joseph the
Worker. They are named Josephites because St. Joseph was the first
missionary.
·
Find some cooking
inspiration for this feast day at Catholic Cuisine.
·
Become a temple of the
Holy Spirit via the St.
Joseph Universal Man Plan.
May Day[5]
The
earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the Floralia,
festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held on April 27 during the
Roman Republic era, and with the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic
countries. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian
European pagan cultures.As Europe became Christianized, the pagan holidays lost their
religious character and May Day changed into a popular secular celebration. A
significant celebration of May Day occurs in Germany where it is one of several
days on which St. Walburga, credited with bringing
Christianity to Germany. The secular versions of May Day, observed in Europe
and America, may be best known for their traditions of dancing around the maypole
and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the
late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of
sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors’ doorsteps. Since the
18th century, many Roman Catholics have observed May – and May Day – with various
May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In works of art, school skits, and so
forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May crowning.
May
Day Facts & Quotes[6]
·
Roman
Catholics celebrate May as Mary's month, and May Day is celebration of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
·
May
Day is also recognized as International Worker's Day, or Labor Day. This
day commemorates workers’ rights and the labor movement. One popular
cause that this day commemorates is the eight-hour workday.
·
During
the Haymarket Affair of 1886, more than a dozen people were killed after a
3-day strike and rally. US Labor Unions had agreed upon a general nationwide
strike on May 1, 1886 in support of an eight-hour workday. One such rally, held
outside the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, Illinois, became
violent when police fired into the crowd of striking workers. Outraged, the
worker's organized another rally the next day at Haymarket Square. The
rally became violent when a bomb was thrown into a crowd of police. Seven
officers were killed. A very public trial ensued which ended in the
public hanging of four anarchists.
·
In
France, it is customary to give a sweet-smelling flower called the spring of
lily of the valley (a symbol of springtime) on May 1st. The tradition started
in 1561 when King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky
charm.
·
All
labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken
with painstaking excellence. – Martin Luther King Jr.
May
Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Dance
around a Maypole. Decorate a tall pole with garlands of flowers and ribbons.
Have a group of friends each take a ribbon and dance around the pole,
interweaving the ribbons to form a braided affect. The braid can be undone by
retracing one's steps.
·
Have
a picnic outdoors in the sunshine.
·
Attend
a May Day Festival.
·
Visit
a local fresh air market.
·
Watch
a film relating to worker’s rights. Our favorite films on the topic:
1) The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
2) Office Space (1999)
3) Caesar Chavez (2014)
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART
FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 3-THE SEVEN PETITIONS
2803
After we have placed ourselves in the presence of God our Father to adore and
to love and to bless him, the Spirit of adoption stirs up in our hearts seven
petitions, seven blessings. the first three, more theological, draw us toward
the glory of the Father; the last four, as ways toward him, commend our
wretchedness to his grace. "Deep calls to deep."
2804 The
first series of petitions carries us toward him, for his own sake: thy name,
thy kingdom, thy will! It is characteristic of love to think first of the one
whom we love. In none of the three petitions do we mention ourselves; the
burning desire, even anguish, of the beloved Son for his Father's glory seizes
us: "hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be
done...." These three supplications were already answered in the saving
sacrifice of Christ, but they are henceforth directed in hope toward their
final fulfillment, for God is not yet all in all.
2805 The
second series of petitions unfolds with the same movement as certain
Eucharistic epicleses: as an offering up of our expectations, that draws down
upon itself the eyes of the Father of mercies. They go up from us and concern
us from this very moment, in our present world: "give us . . . forgive us
. . . lead us not ... deliver us...." the fourth and fifth petitions
concern our life as such - to be fed and to be healed of sin; the last two
concern our battle for the victory of life - that battle of prayer.
2806 By
the three first petitions, we are strengthened in faith, filled with hope, and
set aflame by charity. Being creatures and still sinners, we have to petition
for us, for that "us" bound by the world and history, which we offer
to the boundless love of God. For through the name of his Christ and the reign
of his Holy Spirit, our Father accomplishes his plan of salvation, for us and
for the whole world.
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Closing
Invocation for Night Prayers
Holy Mother of Jesus, my guardian angel, St. Joseph and my holy patron
saint, protect me during this night and during my whole life, especially at the
hour of my death. Amen.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
to abortion
· Eat waffles
and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
· Monday: Litany of
Humility
[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12548
[2]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/may/
[4]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-05-01
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