Monday, December 11, 2023
Monday Night at the Movies
Klaus Haro, Letters to Father Jaakob, 2009
Monday of the Second Week of
Advent
SPIRITUAL crib-MOUNTAIN DAY
Isaiah, chapter 35,
verse 3-4
3
Strengthen hands that are feeble, make firm knees that are weak, 4 Say to the fearful
of heart: Be strong, do not FEAR! Here is your God, he comes with
vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you.
Remember to prepare. Isaiah in this chapter is proclaiming the deliverance of Israel specifically but upon examining the wording in this verse it is referring to the day of our death. On that day our hands will be feeble, but our hearts must remain strong. Will you be vindicated and what recompense will be due to you. Honestly few will be due recompense, but our Lords love is such that he wishes to save us at this final hour with the sacrament which was formerly called the “Last Rites”.
1524 In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum. Communion in the body and blood of Christ, received at this moment of "passing over" to the Father, has a particular significance and importance. It is the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection, according to the words of the Lord: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The sacrament of Christ once dead and now risen, the Eucharist is here the sacrament of passing over from death to life, from this world to the Father.
1525 Thus, just as the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist form a unity called "the sacraments of Christian initiation," so too it can be said that Penance, the Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist as viaticum constitute at the end of Christian life "the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland" or the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage.
Such is the Love of our Lord that we should be delivered. His love is such that by receiving our Lord in the viaticum he delivers us to the Father saying here is blood of my blood and He transfers His recompense; His vindication to us. There is no greater love then this!
The Last Blessing
Let us pray. Most gracious God, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, Thou wish none to perish that believes and hopes in Thee, according to Thy many mercies look down favourably upon Thy servant (handmaid) N.____ whom true faith and Christian hope commend to Thee. Visit him (her) in Thy saving mercy, and by the passion and death of Thy only-begotten Son, graciously grant to him (her) forgiveness and pardon of all his (her) sins that his (her) soul in the hour of its leaving the earth may find Thee as a Judge appeased, and being washed from all stain in the Blood of Thy same Son may deserve to pass to everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you
as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost…to labor and not to ask for
reward, except to know that I am doing your will. (Saint Ignatius, Prayer for Generosity)
Lord, let
me not fear death with an empty fear, but with a wise and holy fear. An empty fear does not make men any better, but a wise and holy fear urges them to improve their lives.
I will prepare for death by trying today to please you more and more in my
thoughts, desires, words and actions. If I live this day as You desire, I shall
be ready at any moment, and death will be nothing worse than Your loving call.
Amen[1]
Spiritual Crib[2]
A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life.
·
1st day, December 11th: THE STONES—Pure Intention By pure intention today, we will
bring together the materials for the stable. The Wagon to carry the stones
shall be the pure intention, the Horses the great fervor in the service of God,
and the stones we collect by making 100
aspirations to the most Sacred Heart of our dear Redeemer.
International Mountain Day[3]
In certain areas of the world, they are also a source of
unique agriculture, providing ample space for the production of those products
that grow best on their slopes. Coffee, Cocoa, Herbs, Spices, and the form of
handicrafts that spring from the minds of those who live in the unchanging
protection of these towering edifices to geology. International Mountain Day is
your opportunity to head out and appreciate these unique landforms, and all
they have to offer. Established in December of 2003, the United Nations General
Assembly created this day to help bring awareness to all of the things we rely
on mountains for. Whether it’s all of the glories mentioned above, or how
necessary they are for the health and well-being of the flora and fauna that
call them their home, International Mountain Day promotes them all.
How to Celebrate International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day can be
celebrated in a cavalcade of fun and educational ways. Head out to your local
mountain to discover all the things it has to offer. Whether it’s a day in the
numerous parks and hidden places that can be found in their craggy terrain, or
amazing tourist towns like Leavenworth, WA, get on out there and explore.
Hiking enthusiasts will find the many trails and secret places a joy, as well
as being able to enjoy the far-flung places that so few ever visit. Due to the
challenges of developing them, there is almost always an opportunity to enjoy
nature in all its glory. Even better, once you’ve hiked your way into the far
reaches of untouched wilderness, you can settle down to camp away from the
light pollution and noise of city life. Or maybe you prefer to drive, the
twisting winding roads that navigate the mountainsides have some of the most
beautiful country that can be found, near or far. Snugged down between the
rising cliff-face and the sheer drop into the valley, the view is simply
unmatched, and such a thing can be refreshing to the human soul. International
Mountain Day is a call to get out into the wild and see what it has to offer!
10 Sacred Mountains Around the World[4]
Since ancient
times various mountains around the world have been held sacred. Here are 10
places worth visiting for a spiritual high.
According to the
final chapter of Deuteronomy, Mount Nebo is where the Hebrew prophet Moses
beheld the promised land that God would give to the Jewish people. On a clear
day you can see the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the River Jordan, Jericho
and the Mount of Olives. The remains of a 4th century monastery was discovered
on this windy peak in western Jordan in 1933, and the church features an
impressive collection of ancient mosaics.
As many as one million pilgrims trek this peak annually to
pray at the stations of the cross, participate in Mass, or just enjoy the
spectacular view over Ireland’s western coast. Pre-Christian Celts believed the
deity Crom Dubh lived on the mountain and later St. Patrick who introduced
Christianity to Ireland “is believed to have spent 40 days and nights fasting
and praying atop the mountain.
The legendary home
of the Greek Gods and throne of Zeus is the highest mountain in Greece at 9,577
feet. The 2-3-day hike to the summit features a close-up look at the roughly
1,700 different species of flora that grow on the mountain.
The Balinese
consider the volcanic Mount Agung to be the center of the universe. It rises
10,308 feet high in eastern Bali. The Mother Temple of Besakih, the largest and
holiest temple in Bali, sits roughly 3,000 feet up its slopes.
This snowcapped
mountain west of Tokyo is sacred in both Buddhism and Shintoism. During the
July and August climbing season more than 200,000 people hike to the top of
this 12,388 ft. peak. Also, an active volcano, Mount Fuji has been venerated as
the home of a fire god, a Shinto goddess and Dainichi Nyorai, the Great Sun
Buddha.
More than a dozen Native American tribes consider this volcanic chain in the Coconino National Forest to be sacred, including the Hopi, who believe the peaks are the mythological home of the Kachina People. In order to protect the area as much as possible, there are no paved roads to the summit. The 9-mile Humphreys Peak Trail is a strenuous round-trip journey that leads to the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet.
Legends of a giant
cross hidden deep in the Rocky Mountains proved true when photographer William
Henry Jackson returned from an expedition in 1873 with a picture of this
mythical peak, the northernmost 14,000 ft mountain in the Sawatch Range. Mount
of the Holy Cross is named for the distinctive cross-shaped snowfield that
adorns its northeastern face and is a popular Christian pilgrimage site.
This volcanic peak located roughly 45 miles southeast of
Mexico City figures largely in both Aztec and Nahua legends and among local
Nahua today El Popo, as its called for short, is a living, breathing entity.
Spanish missionaries built 14 monasteries on El Popoâs slopes during the 16th
century, and they’ve been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
9. Mount Kailash, China/Tibet (21,778 ft)
Thousands of Buddhists,
Hindu, Jain and Bonpo pilgrims’ journey to the remote Himalayan town of Darchen
each year to make koras, ritual circuits, around the base of Mount Kailash.
Setting foot on the mountain is considered to be a sacrilege, but one 32-mile
kora around the base is believed to erase a lifetime of sins.
10. Mount Everest, Nepal/China border
Tibetans call Mount Everest the Goddess Mother of the Universe, the Nepalese call Everest Goddess of the Sky. At 29,029 feet, it is the highest mountain on the planet. Everest is part of the Himalayan Mountain range and it is a day hike from the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet to Base Camp.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE
SPIRIT
CHAPTER
ONE-THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Article 3-MAN'S FREEDOM
1730 God created man a rational
being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control
his own actions. "God willed that man should be 'left in the hand of his
own counsel,' so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely
attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him." Man is
rational and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master
over his acts.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
Sex Trafficking Slavery
·
Jesse
Tree ornament: Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13 Symbols: crimson robe,
shepherd's staff
·
Eat
waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
·
Religion
in the home: Preschool for December
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Light
a candle for a loved one
·
Monday: Litany of Humility
·
Rosary
[1] Paone, Anthony J., S.J. My Daily
Bread, Confraternity of the Precious Blood.
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