Introduction to Deuteronomy[1]
Deuteronomy is narrated, for the most part, by Moses. Yep, that Moses. Some people actually say Moses wrote the book, but most scholars think that the writer(s) were just using Moses the character as a means to get their message across. Attributing the text to a hugely important cultural figure would give it more power, right? Think about if someone today came out with "George Washington's Lost Will." There'd be controversy, but you can bet that book would sell.
Once you sift through
all the nitty-gritty laws and rules, the main message is that the Israelites
should worship one god (6:4) in one place (14:25). That god is God, and—even
though it's never named in the book—that place is Jerusalem. This message comes
along with a retelling of the Exodus story, the tales of
the Israelites in the book of Numbers, and the rules and regulations that will
help the Israelites recapture their culture's essence.
Moses conveys all
this through some pretty rousing and finger-pointing pep talks. Basically, the
previous generation of Israelites failed big time, refusing to fight for the
Promised Land. But after forty years of desert-wandering, a new generation
brings new hope. And if these Israelites obey God, then they'll conquer the
Promised Land. The whole book takes place at the Jordan River, while Moses
motivates and warns them. Obey and win; disobey and lose—big time.
Why Should I Care?
Deuteronomy is the key to the entire Hebrew Bible. It's the bridge between the stories in Exodus and Numbers, the laws in Leviticus, and the narratives in Joshua, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings. All of the Bible before Deuteronomy has been, in a narrative sense, leading up to the Israelites entering the Promised Land. They've fought, been enslaved, seen God's fire, messed up, died, and been given the law. Now, in Deuteronomy, they're on the edge of the Promised Land, so close to their goal. But don't get too excited—Moses, their leader, makes them take a really long pause. He wants them to take a deep breath to reflect on where they've been (and think about what's to come). What better way to do that than by retelling the story? And hey, if nothing else, Deuteronomy gives you a really good cram tool if you somehow missed the first four books of the Bible.
April 15 Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Deuteronomy,
Chapter 1, Verse 17
Deuteronomy is the last of the five books of Moses. The book explains to the Israelites how to make a success of their life. To be a success we must as General Patton said, “Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.” After appointing Elders this was Moses advice to them; fear no one except God. The greatest of our church is that we when we are troubled and don’t know what to do we can always approach Him in prayer and seek the advice of his elders (Mary and the Saints) anywhere we are. If we desire, we may also approach our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and bring any case that is too difficult for Him to hear and He will answer us. Likewise, we may approach a priest in confession or connect with a local parish spiritual director. How great is our God that He does not abandon us? Furthermore, there is a multitude of great Catholic websites and organizations where there are elders of the church who can assist us in our difficult moments.
Saturday in the Octave of Easter[2]
Acts 4:13-21 + Mark 16:9-15
I will give thanks to you, for
you have answered me.
Throughout the Blessed Virgin Mary’s
life, humility marked her approach to her Lord. Humility is not a virtue
that one can ever spiritually outgrow. Whatever graces God gives us, they
are given for the unfolding of His plan, which often remains to us a
mystery. Even as we apply these graces in our lives, we must do so with
humility, as day by day, another aspect of the mystery of our vocation is shown
to us.
Even at the foot of the Cross, Mary
prayed in humility. It was with humility that she rejoiced at the sight
of her Son risen from the dead. Seeing Jesus on that first Easter Sunday,
she would not have known exactly how He was preparing His disciples—through the
power of the Holy Spirit—to form a Church. Nor would she have known
exactly how Jesus’ words to her from the Cross— “Woman, behold your son”—were
about to flower with new meaning, when she became the Mother of the Church on
the day of Pentecost.
If you do not already know it by
heart, take the opportunity to learn the prayer Regina Caeli, the
traditional Marian prayer of Easter:
V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice,
alleluia. / R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen, as he said,
alleluia. / R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O
Virgin Mary, alleluia. / R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to
the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we
beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we
may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena[3]
Ninth Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Have
Become Lukewarm.
Most
Compassionate Jesus, you are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the
abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let
these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be
once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of
Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them
the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded
in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the
bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: let them,
too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen
Hike for the Lukewarm[4]
Beatitudes Hike
During this hike you will be praying the Divine Mercy Prayer, Christ asked that we pray for the lukewarm.
"Today bring to Me the Souls of persons who have become lukewarm and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy."
Most compassionate Jesus, you are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. Eternal Father turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.
During this hike you will meditate on each of the ways you may have been walking away from God; marking each of the points as you hike stopping multiple times to pray. On the return hike, you will meditate using the walking towards God meditations. Remember every journey away from something is a journey toward something—the first meditations are the seven deadly sins with fear added as an eighth; and you will be meditating on the Beatitudes of Christ on the way back in reverse order.
Pray the chaplet first or if you wish after you finish the meditation on the deadly sins. This meditation uses synonyms of fear, pride, envy, anger, avarice, sloth, gluttony and lust. Words are the music of the human heart; different words carry different emotions and meanings. If a certain word strikes your heart-it is the Lord speaking to you.
Walking Away from GOD
(Have I been/Shown?)
1.
FEAR: Terror, Dread, Horror, Fright;
Panic, Alarm, Trepidation, Apprehension.
2.
PRIDE/HUBRIS: Arrogant, Conceit,
Smugness, Self-importance, Satisfaction, Pleasure, Delight.
3.
ENVY: Jealousy, Desire, Resentment,
Spite, Malice, Meanness.
4.
WRATH: Anger, Annoyance, Rage, Fury,
Aggravation, Frustration.
5.
AVARICE: Greed, Materialism,
Covetousness, Acquisitiveness.
6.
SLOTH: Laziness, Idleness, Sluggishness,
Inactivity, Indolence (condition that is slow to develop or be healed and
causes no pain-i.e. fail to resist evil) Apathy.
7.
GLUTTONY: Excess, Exclusivity,
Overindulgence, Intemperance.
8.
LUST: Yearn, Desire, long for, hanker
for, Hunger for, Ache for, Crave.
Walking toward GOD
(Have I failed to be, do or show?)
8. CHASTITY (PURITY OF HEART): Cleanliness, Wholesomeness, Spotlessness, Clarity; Transparency, Knowledge, Honesty, Wisdom. Opposing Deadly Sin: LUST
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. The clean of heart are those who preserve with care the innocence with which they are invested at holy Baptism, or seek to regain it, when lost, by penance; those who keep their hearts and consciences unspotted from all sinful thoughts, particularly from all unchaste thoughts, desires, words, and acts, and who endeavor in all things to have a pure intention directed to God alone. They shall see God, that is, they shall know Him even here upon earth, for as the eye that is to see must be clean, so only souls that are pure and unstained can behold God. But further, our knowledge is like our hearts; the purer the heart the clearer and greater is the knowledge of God. But in the world above they shall see, know, and possess Him as He is. What blessedness! Strive, therefore, to keep your heart clean. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
7. TEMPERANCE (POOR
IN SPIRIT): Sacrifice, Give Up, Forgo,
Let Go, Surrender, Tithe, Self-Control, Abstention. Opposing Deadly Sin:
GLUTTONY
The poor in spirit are:
·
Those who, like the apostles, readily forsake all earthly things, and
for Christ’s sake become poor.
·
Those who, happening to lose their property by misfortune or injustice,
suffer the loss patiently, in resignation to the will of God.
·
Those who, like Jesus, are content with their poor and humble position,
seek no higher or happier one, and would rather suffer want than enrich
themselves by unlawful acts, by fraud or theft.
·
The rich and noble who set not their hearts upon the riches and
greatness of the world who use their riches and influence to relieve the misery
of the needy and oppressed.
· Finally, the truly humble, who, convinced of their weakness, their helplessness and misery, think lowly of themselves, and regard themselves but as beggars, who are always in need of the grace of God. To all these, therefore, in whose hearts the world has no place, there is assured, as their inheritance, the kingdom of heaven; here the kingdom of grace there the kingdom of glory. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
6. DILIGENCE (HUNGER
& THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS):
Fairness, Impartiality; Righteousness, Evenhandedness, Fair Dealing,
Persistence, Effort, Ethics, Rectitude. Opposing Deadly Sin: SLOTH
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall have their fill. Hunger and thirst denote the most ardent longing after those virtues which constitute Christian perfection, such as humility, meekness, the love of God and of our neighbor, penance. Whoever longs for these virtues as the hungry man does for food and drink and prays to God for them with perseverance and earnestness, shall have his fill; that is, he shall be enriched with them, and one day shall be satisfied with eternal Happiness. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
5. CHARITY
(MERCIFUL): Compassion; Kindness, Pity,
Bigheartedness, Clemency, Openhandedness, Forgiveness, Liberality,
Understanding, Leniency, Will, Benevolence, Generosity. Opposing Deadly Sin:
AVARICE
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The merciful here spoken of are:
·
Those who willingly forgive the injuries done to them.
· Those who have compassion on their poor neighbors, and, according to their ability, sustain them by alms. These shall obtain mercy; that is, God will forgive them their sins and endow them abundantly with the goods of this world and of the world to come. Thus, God deals with us as we deal with others. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
4. PATIENCE
(PEACEMAKERS): Relations, Mediation,
Negotiation—Prevents Destruction, I.E. Stem Cell/Abortion, Sufferance. Opposing
Deadly Sin: WRATH
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. By peacemakers we are to understand those who have peace with themselves, that is, a quiet conscience, and who endeavor to maintain peace among others, or to restore it when broken. Such are called the children of God, because they follow God, Who is a God of peace, and Who even gave His only Son to reconcile the world with Him, and to bring down upon earth that peace which the world itself could not give. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
3. KINDNESS
(MOURNING): Grief, Sorrow; Remembrance,
Respect, Loyalty, Integrity. Opposing Deadly Sin: ENVY
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. By them that mourn we are not to understand such as grieve and lament over a death, a misfortune, a loss of worldly goods, or the like; but those who are grieved that God should be in so many ways offended by themselves and by others that His Church should be so heavily oppressed, and thereby so many souls lost that have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. The only evil really to be grieved for is sin, and the tears shed on account of sin are the only tears that are profitable, for they shall be recompensed with everlasting joy. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
2. HUMILITY
(MEEK): Modesty, Not Assuming,
Reverence, Altruism. Opposing Deadly Sin: PRIDE/HUBRIS
Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. That man is meek who does not murmur against God for sending afflictions upon him, who is not angry at men who do him injury, but who rather suppresses impatience, anger, envy, and revenge, nay, who seeks to recompense the evil done him by his neighbor with good. Such a one is greater than he who takes by storm fortified cities (Prov. xvi. 32); he possesses an unfailing fountain of peace, quiet, and cheerfulness; by his meekness prevails over the most hostile minds, is by such means truly a ruler upon earth, and will one day, for his portion, obtain heaven, the land of the living, there to enjoy eternal peace. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896)
1. LOVE &
COURAGE (FAITH-BE NOT AFRAID):
Affection, Adoration, Friendship, Confidence, Courageous, Trust,
Valiant, Reliance, Heroic, Assurance, Bold, Conviction, Daring, Belief,
Fearless, Devotion, Plucky, Loyalty. Opposing Deadly Sin: FEAR
Love Brothers and sisters do not be afraid
to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to
serve Christ and with Christ’s power to serve the human person and the whole of
mankind. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power
open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields
of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows “what
is in man”. He alone knows it. So often today man does not know what is within
him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is uncertain about the
meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns
into despair. We ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let
Christ speak to man. He alone has words of life, yes, of eternal life.
Divine Mercy Sunday[5]-Tomorrow-Go to
Confession Today
Divine Mercy Sunday is a very special Sunday when
the Divine Floodgates from Heaven are wide-opened and Jesus offers us the total
forgiveness of all sins and punishment to any soul, who goes to Confession and
receives Him in Holy Communion, on that day
Our Lord's Divine Mercy Sunday grants forgiveness of
all sins and punishment on the Feast of Divine Mercy, Mercy Sunday, mercy for
even the most hardened sinners! It is the Sunday of Divine Mercy, the Feast of
Mercy!
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION ONE-PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER THREE-THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Article 2-THE BATTLE OF PRAYER
II. Humble
Vigilance of Heart
Facing
difficulties in prayer
2729 The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. It can
affect words and their meaning in vocal prayer; it can concern, more
profoundly, him to whom we are praying, in vocal prayer (liturgical or
personal), meditation, and contemplative prayer. To set about hunting down
distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to
turn back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached
to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love
for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein
lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve.
2730 In positive terms, the battle against the possessive and
dominating self requires vigilance, sobriety of heart. When Jesus insists on
vigilance, he always relates it to himself, to his coming on the last day and
every day: today. the bridegroom comes in the middle of the night; the light
that must not be extinguished is that of faith: "'Come,' my heart says,
'seek his face!'"
2731 Another difficulty, especially for those who sincerely
want to pray, is dryness. Dryness belongs to contemplative prayer when the
heart is separated from God, with no taste for thoughts, memories, and
feelings, even spiritual ones. This is the moment of sheer faith clinging
faithfully to Jesus in his agony and in his tomb. "Unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if dies, it bears much
fruit." If dryness is due to the lack of roots, because the word has
fallen on rocky soil, the battle requires conversion.
Facing
temptations in prayer
2732 The most common yet most hidden temptation is our lack of
faith. It expresses itself less by declared incredulity than by our actual
preferences. When we begin to pray, a thousand labors or cares thought to be
urgent vie for priority; once again, it is the moment of truth for the heart:
what is its real love? Sometimes we turn to the Lord as a last resort, but do
we really believe he is? Sometimes we enlist the Lord as an ally, but our heart
remains presumptuous. In each case, our lack of faith reveals that we do not
yet share in the disposition of a humble heart:
"Apart from me, you can do nothing."
2733 Another temptation, to which presumption opens the gate,
is acedia. the spiritual writers understand by this a form of depression due to
lax ascetical practice, decreasing vigilance, carelessness of heart. "The
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The greater the
height, the harder the fall. Painful as discouragement is, it is the reverse of
presumption. the humble are not surprised by their distress; it leads them to
trust more, to hold fast in constancy.
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Morning
Offering[6]
O Jesus, through the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart in union with the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation
of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of
the Holy Father this month. Amen.
· Coachella--April
15-23--Get your music fill at the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The annual
2-weekend, 3-day fest kicks off in Indio, CA, with more than 150 performances.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: The Families of St. Joseph
Porters
·
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 28
·
Feast
of St. Teresa of Jesus
[3]https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/holy-week/prayers-for-easter-sunday/nine-day-divine-mercy-novena
[4]http://www.lulu.com/shop/http://www.lulu.com/shop/richard-havermale/divine-mercy-hikes/paperback/product-23710456.htm
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