Saturday, January 6, 2023
First Saturday
TRADITIONAL EPIPHANY-ST. ANDRE BESSETTE
Psalm 52, Verse 8-9
8
The righteous will see and they will FEAR;
but they will laugh at him: 9
“Behold the man! He did not take God as his refuge, but he trusted in the
abundance of his wealth, and grew powerful through his wickedness.”
This psalm is
about the end of the wicked and the peace of the Godly. This is a short but
interesting psalm. Take this verse:
Why do you glory in what is evil, you who are mighty by the mercy of
God? All day long you are thinking up intrigues; your tongue is like a
sharpened razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good,
lying rather than saying what is right.
Do you
think God is talking to politicians and the fake news hacks that are in power
today?
Our
lord is patient; remember even the wicked are also his and he loves them. Pray
for them and be at peace. Everything is in good hands-although they do have
holes in them.
“Contentment springs not from an absence of problems but rather from having chosen how to respond to them.”
The Paradox of Our Age
We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
We spend more, but have less;
We buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses, but smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
More knowledge, but less judgement;
More experts, but more problems;
More medicine, but less wellness.
We spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too
quickly,
Stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and
pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and lie too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.
We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;
It’s time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stock room.
George Carlin, Comedian
Some
spiritual direction from God's Word[1]
Scripture quotes are from the Douay-Rheims translation of the Bible (a Catholic translation that is not under copyright so it can be quoted freely.)
How to be happy:
Psalm 1:1-3:
"Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence: But his will
is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he shall meditate day and night. And
he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall
bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all
whatsoever he shall do shall prosper."
Trust in God:
Proverbs
3:5-6: "Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not upon
thy own prudence. In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy
steps."
Psalm 36:3-7
"Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be
fed with its riches. Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of
thy heart. Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it. And
he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Envy not the man who prospereth in his
way; the man who doth unjust things."
How to have inner peace:
Philippians
4:4-13 "Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice. Let your
modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in
everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions
be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy,
whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue, if any
praise of discipline: think on these things. The things which you have both
learned and received and heard and seen in me, these do ye: and the God of
peace shall be with you. Now I rejoice in the Lord exceedingly that now at length
your thought for me hath flourished again, as you did also think; but you were
busied. I speak not as it were for want. For I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, to be content therewith. I know both how to be brought low, and I
know how to abound (everywhere and in all things I am instructed): both to be
full and to be hungry: both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things
in him who strengtheneth me."
Seek God first and all your needs
will be taken care of:
Matt:
6:31-34 "Be not solicitous therefore, saying: What shall we eat: or what
shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do
the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these
things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all
these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore solicitous for to
morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is
the evil thereof."
On prayer:
Matt 6:5-15
"And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand
and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by
men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou when thou
shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy
Father in secret, and thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when
you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their
much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them for your
Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus, therefore
shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our
debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For
if you forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also
your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father
forgive you your offences."
Matt 6:21-22
"And Jesus answering, said to them: Amen, I say to you, if you shall have
faith and stagger not, not only this of the fig tree shall you do, but also if
you shall say to this mountain, Take up and cast thyself into the sea, it shall
be done. And all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall
receive."
Luke 6:12
"And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to
pray: and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God."
Matt. 26:39
"And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying and saying: My
Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not as
I will but as thou wilt."
James 5:13
"Is any of you sad? Let him pray: Is he cheerful in mind? Let him
sing."
Luke 11:1-13 "And it came to pass that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him at midnight and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves, Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me and I have not what to set before him. And he from within should answer and say: Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee. Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say to you: Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth: and to him that knocketh it shall be opened: And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? Or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?"
First
Saturday Devotion[2]
The practice of the First
Saturday devotion was requested by Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared to three shepherd
children in Fatima, Portugal, multiple times starting in 1917. She said to
Lucia, the oldest of the three children: “I shall come to ask . . . that on the
First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement
for the sins of the world.” Years later she repeated her request to Sr. Lucia,
the only one still living of the three young Fatima seers, while she was a
postulant sister living in a convent in Spain: “Look, my daughter, at my Heart,
surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at very moment by
their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me, and say that
I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for
salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months,
shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the rosary, and
keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries of the
rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”
Conditions to Fulfill the First
Saturday Devotion
There are five
requirements to obtain this promise from the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On five
consecutive first Saturdays of the month, one should:
1.
Have the intention of consoling the Immaculate Heart in a spirit of reparation.
2.
Go to confession (within eight days before or after the first Saturday).
3.
Receive Holy Communion.
4.
Say five decades of the Holy Rosary.
5.
Meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary
with the goal of
keeping Our Lady company (for example, while in church or before an image or
statue of Our Lady).
Read How to Make Your First Saturday
Rosary Meditation According to Sr. Lucia
Why Five Saturdays?
Our Lord appeared to Sr.
Lucia on May 29, 1930, and gave her the reason behind the five Saturdays
devotion. It is because there are five types of offenses and blasphemies
committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1.
Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception
2.
Blasphemies against Our Lady’s perpetual virginity
3.
Blasphemies against her divine maternity, in refusing at the same time to
recognize her as the Mother of men
4.
Blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children,
indifference or scorn or even hatred of their Immaculate Mother
5.
Offenses of those who outrage Our Lady directly in her holy images
Never think that Jesus is
indifferent to whether or not His mother is honored!
Catholic Calendar[3]
Read: The Epiphany marks the arrival of
visitors, identified in Scripture as magi, to the place where Jesus was born.
Although we know virtually nothing about them, we do know they brought three
gifts:
·
Gold,
a symbol of wealth and power, identifies the recipient as a king.
·
Frankincense,
the crystalized resinous sap of a tree used as incense and as an offering, is
symbolic of prayer.
·
Myrrh,
another resinous tree sap, was used in healing liniments and as an embalming
ointment. Myrrh is an odd gift for a child—so, even at the beginning of
Jesus' life on earth, this gift foreshadows his death.
Reflect: Practice the ancient art of Lectio Divina today and reflect on the readings
on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
Pray: Say a blessing on your home on the Epiphany.
Act: Did you wish someone a Merry
Christmas today?
The
Christmas season continues until Sunday, which is the Feast of the Baptism of
the Lord. An easy way to evangelize is to wish someone a Merry Christmas during
the Christmas season after December 25 and explain why. The liturgical season
of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Epiphany: The Holy Light of the
Manifestations (January 6)[4]
Traditionally
today is the Feast of the Epiphany or the day the three kings presented gifts
to Christ. They are an example of men who overcame great obstacles and their
own fears to come and present gifts
to our Lord. They also being wise men knew that they could not trust Herod when
he asked them to return to him and tell him where Christ was. It is not always
possible to get to a win-win situation and we must also use our wisdom as the
three Kings did and know when we must fight, run, do nothing, compromise or
prepare for growth. Christ reveals Himself not just to the Jews, but to the
Gentiles, as the visitation of the Magi makes clear that the Light of Christ
did not come to illuminate one nation but all, and so on the Feast of the Epiphany we celebrate His first
manifestation (epiphaneia) to the Gentiles, the three Magi who followed
His star from the East. This manifestation also leads us to consider other
"firsts" -- the first manifestation of His mission at His Baptism and
the first manifestation of His power at the wedding of Cana. Hence both are
also remembered on the Feast of the Epiphany.
Epiphany
is one of the greatest feasts of the liturgical year.
The
twelfth day after Christmas, it concludes Christmastide proper by celebrating
the "manifestation," or epiphaneia, of Christ to the Gentiles.
To this day the Eastern churches consider Epiphany more important than
Christmas. The Holy Spirit's guidance of these wise men to the Holy Land
through the aid of a star signifies the calling of all nations, not just the
Jews, to the New Covenant. But this "manifestation" to non-Jews also
calls to mind other manifestations of our Lord's divinity. The Nativity
continues to be remembered as the first crucial manifestation, but so too does
the Baptism of our Lord in the Jordan, since it affirms both His
divinity as well as His humanity. And the wedding of Cana comes to mind
because it was Christ's first public manifestation of His power with the
transubstantiation of water into wine. (It also comes to mind because the
Gospel uses the word "manifest" (ephanerosen) to describe this
event (Jn. 2.11).)
Finally,
the manifestations of Jesus Christ during His earthly existence ineluctably
lead us to consider His final manifestation in glory, a manifestation for which we have
longed throughout Advent and Christmastide. Hence St. John Chrysostom says in
his sermon on Epiphany:
There are two
manifestations of Christ, not one. The first is the one which has already
happened, His epiphany in the present. The second is the one of the future
which will come at the end of time with great splendor and glory. You have
heard read today what St. Paul writes to Titus about both of these epiphanies.
Concerning the first he says, "The grace of God our Savior has appeared to
all men..." About the second he writes, "We look for the blessed hope
and glorious coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus
2.11-13) (On the Baptism of Christ).
It is for these reasons
that St. Gregory Nazianzus refers to Epiphany as the "the Holy light of
the manifestations."
The Three Kings
The Gospel of Matthew
mentions only that several Magi -- respected priestly scholars from Persia and
other neighboring countries -- came to worship the Christ Child from the East.
Tradition, however, has added a few details: that there were three of them,
that they were kings, and that their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Baltasar.
Devotion to the three kings is a marked feature of Epiphany and was
traditionally encouraged in a number of ways. From Christmas onward, for
example, the figurines of the Magi, which had been kept a distance from the
crèche, were brought closer and closer until it reached the crèche on Twelfth
night. Another traditional observance was the solemn blessing of a home on the
Feast of the Epiphany, after which the initials of the Magi would be written on
the frame of the door, together with the year and several crosses that
connected all of the letters and numbers. There is even a special blessing for
the chalk in the Roman ritual.
Blessing of Water
The commemoration of our
Lord's Baptism in the Jordan led to a number of impressive blessings concerning
water. In Palestine, the river Jordan itself was blessed, with throngs of the
faithful immersing in it three times to obtain the blessing, while in Egypt,
the whole Christian population and its livestock would show up for the blessing
of the Nile and do the same thing. In Byzantium, Epiphany water was blessed in
church and then distributed. Rome followed this custom, instituting it on the
Vigil of the feast. The formula for the blessing may be found in the Roman
ritual.
Magi Plays
Like Christmas, Epiphany
was a favorite time for caroling; and like all great solemnities from the
Middle Ages, Epiphany encouraged mystery plays. These were called Magi plays
and featured the story of the Nativity, the slaughter of the Innocents, and the
visit of the Magi. They were also quite boisterous: the character of Herod was
portrayed as a raving lunatic, wreaking havoc with his wooden spear: hence
Shakespeare's line about overacting-- "it out-herods Herod!" (Hamlet
III.ii). Variations of these mystery plays have survived into the present day.
Feasting
And also like all great
solemnities, Epiphany was a day for great feasting. Though the dishes varied,
one consistently popular custom was Kings' or Twelfth-night cake, which
included a small object that identified its finder as the "king" for
the day. Many countries also use this occasion for the exchange of gifts.
The Feast of the Holy Family
Held on the Sunday after
Epiphany, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph holds up the
domestic life of Jesus, his mother, and foster father as the perfect model for
all Catholic households. As Pope Leo XIII explains, there is a lesson in this
family for everyone: for fathers, for mothers, for children; for nobility (the
Holy Family was from the royal house of David), for the poor (they gave up
their possessions in fleeing to Egypt), and so on. There are no prescribed or
uniform customs for the feast, but that does not mean no observances were made.
The following is an account from Father Weiser of Holy Family Sundays at our
own parish, Holy Trinity German Church, in the 1940s. The annual Holy Childhood
procession, on the feast of the Holy Family, is one of the most attractive
ceremonies. In former years this procession was called the "Shepherds'
Procession" as the children marched through the church dressed as
shepherds and shepherdesses -- a lovely relic of popular medieval piety (Holy
Trinity Parish, 1844-1944, p. 37). This feast is also an ideal time to pray any
of the devotions to the Holy Family that are given in the Raccolta, the
Church's old official list of indulgences. The fact that many of these prayers
are no longer indulgenced does not make them any less meaningful or worthy of
use.
Epiphany
Facts & Quotes[5]
·
Epiphany
Day is celebrated as a public holiday in Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Denmark
and Norway do not have the day off but do hold special mass and church
services. The day is also a holiday throughout much of Eastern Europe.
·
Frankincense,
a perfume, and myrrh, anointing oil, were traditional gifts for kings during
the time of Christ. Bodies were also prepared for burial with these
items. These were the gifts that the wise men brought to the baby Jesus.
·
In
Latin American culture, Epiphany, which means 'manifestation', is celebrated
with plays and special songs that celebrate the coming of the three kings, or
magi. Children
place boxes of hay under their beds for the magi' camels, and in return
they receive gifts.
·
In
some Eastern Orthodox Christian communities, Epiphany is celebrated by a
procession to the nearest river, lake, or pond. The priest blesses the
water and he throws a cross in the waves. People dive into the water to
retrieve the cross, and the one who finds it is thought to be particularly
blessed in the New Year.
·
It’s
a time to focus on the guiding star and the three men who out of curiosity
followed the star to Jesus, - Martin Modeús of the Church of Sweden
Epiphany Top Events and Things to Do
·
Take
down any decorations, you should have taken these down on Knut’s Day, the day
before Epiphany, but if you’ve been too busy eating, today is the day to get
them down.
·
Sing
We Three Kings, a traditional Epiphany hymn telling the story of the
magi.
·
Go
to an Orthodox service and witness a Epiphany procession. This often
includes pageantry of colorful robes and a large bowl of water centered in the
middle of the church. Churches are often decorated with flowers and
greenery.
·
In
some Western churches, church members share king cake, similar to the pastry
served on Mardi Gras in New Orleans. A coin or bean is cooked into the
cake, and whoever receives them gets to wear a crown for a day.
·
Watch
a Christmas themed movie. Our favorites include
1) Fanny and Alexander (1982), this film depicts a family in Uppsala,
Sweden during the 1900s and is a national favorite.
2) Santa Claus (1990)
3) Elf (2003), Will Ferrell’s modern Christmas classic
Home
Blessing for the Feast of Epiphany[6]
Today
would also be a good time to honor your Father in heaven by marking your home
in chalk; publicly stating who’s you are.
Every year the Carmelite
Pre-novitiate Community at Carith House in Chicago on the Feast of the Epiphany
blesses their home. We invite you to adopt this custom in your family. The
family gathers to ask God’s blessing on their home and on those who live in or
visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home,
our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and
sorrows.
A traditional way of doing
this is to use chalk to write above the home’s entrance, 20 + C + M + B + 24.
The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional
names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate
the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless the
house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and 2023 is the year.
Blessing the Chalk
V. Our help is the
name of the Lord:
R. The maker of heaven
and earth.
V. The Lord shall
watch over your going out and your coming in:
R. From this time
forth for evermore.
Let us pray.
Loving God, bless this
chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant
that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith
to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar,
Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for
all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Instructions for
Blessing the Home
Using the blessed chalk
mark the lintel of your front door (or front porch step) as follows:
20 + C + M + B + 24 while
saying:
The
three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son
who became human two thousand and twenty-two years ago. May Christ bless our
home and remain with us throughout the New Year. Amen.
Then
offer the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the
gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of
your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all
whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of
you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and
forever. Amen
“Chalking
the door” is a way to celebrate and literally mark the occasion of the Epiphany
and God’s blessing of our lives and home. With time the chalk will fade. As it
does, we let the meaning of the symbols written sink into the depths of our
heart and be manifest in our words and actions the Latin words, Christus
mansionem benedictat, “May
Christ bless the house.”
Whoever
acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We
have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and
whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this is love brought
to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the Day of Judgment because
as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect
love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who
fears is not yet perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 Jn
4:15-19)
Bl.
Andre Bessette - Day Thirteen[7]
Brother
André spent most of his days in a narrow lodge, with only a table, some chairs
and a bench as furnishings. He was attentive to the needs of all, smiling,
obliging. In the evening he would engage in the difficult work of maintaining
the parlor and hallway floors. He was on his knees until late at night,
washing, polishing, and waxing by the dim light of a candle. — Abbey of
Saint-Joseph de Clairval
The
use of candles is one of the loveliest Christmas customs that we can keep on
using throughout the year. Now, more than ever, Christmas is a festival of
light in a dark world, a time to hold our candles high, and to teach our
children all the little ceremonies which make life gracious and full of
meaning. No matter how long we live, nor how learned we become, we may travel
the world over, and find nothing more beautiful than candlelight on the face of
a child. "Now the Lord be thanked because we have light." — Dorothy Albaugh
Stickell
·
Day
Thirteen Activity (Candles for the Domestic Church)
·
Recipe
(Yule Spice Cake)
St. André Bessette
Brother André expressed a saint's faith by a lifelong devotion to Saint
Joseph.
Sickness and weakness dogged André from birth. He
was the eighth of twelve children born to a French-Canadian couple near
Montreal. Adopted at twelve, when both parents had died, he became a farmhand.
Various trades followed: shoemaker,
baker, blacksmith-all failures. He was a factory worker in the United States
during the boom times of the Civil War.
At twenty-five, he applied for entrance into the
Congregation of the Holy Cross. After a year's novitiate, he was not admitted
because of his weak health. But with an extension and the urging of Bishop
Bourget, he was finally received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at
Notre Dame College in Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry
worker and messenger. "When I joined this community, the superiors showed
me the door, and I remained forty years."
In his little room near the door, he spent much of
the night on his knees. On his windowsill, facing Mount Royal, was a small
statue of Saint Joseph, to whom he had been devoted since childhood. When asked
about it he said, "Someday, Saint Joseph is going to be honored in a very
special way on Mount Royal!"
When he heard someone was ill, he visited to bring
cheer and to pray with the sick person. He would rub the sick person lightly
with oil taken from a lamp burning in the college chapel. Word of healing
powers began to spread.
When an epidemic broke out at a nearby college,
André volunteered to nurse. Not one person died. The trickle of sick people to
his door became a flood. His superiors were uneasy; diocesan authorities were
suspicious; doctors called him a quack. "I do not cure," he said
again and again. "Saint Joseph cures." In the end he needed four
secretaries to handle the eighty thousand letters he received each year.
For many years the Holy Cross authorities had tried
to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother André and others climbed the steep hill and
planted medals of Saint Joseph. Suddenly, the owners yielded. André collected
two hundred dollars to build a small chapel and began receiving visitors there
smiling through long hours of listening, applying Saint Joseph's oil. Some were
cured, some not. The pile of crutches, canes and braces grew.
The chapel also grew. By 1931 there were gleaming
walls, but money ran out. "Put a statue of Saint Joseph in the middle. If
he wants a roof over his head, he'll get it." The magnificent Oratory on
Mount Royal took fifty years to build. The sickly boy who could not hold a job
died at ninety.
He is buried at the Oratory and was beatified in
1982. On December 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated a decree recognizing
a second miracle at Blessed André’s intercession and on October 17, 2010, Pope
Benedict XVI formally declared sainthood for Blessed André. — Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.
Things to Do:
·
Read more about the life of St. André.
·
Learn more about the Holy
Cross Brothers, the order of which Bl. André was a member. Pray
for an increase in vocations and for those who are already living the religious
life.
·
If you live close to St. Joseph's Oratory of
Mount Royal, make a pilgrimage. If that's not possible make a
virtual pilgrimage.
·
Say a prayer for the sick who were so dear to the
heart of Brother André.
·
Try the recipes offered to sample authentic French-Canadian
food.
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 8-SIN
III. The Different Kinds of Sins
1852 There are a great many kinds
of sins. Scripture provides several lists of them. the Letter to the Galatians
contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: "Now the
works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."
1853 Sins can be distinguished
according to their objects, as can every human act; or according to the virtues
they oppose, by excess or defect; or according to the commandments they
violate. They can also be classed according to whether they concern God,
neighbor, or oneself; they can be divided into spiritual and carnal sins, or
again as sins in thought, word, deed, or omission. the root of sin is in the
heart of man, in his free will, according to the teaching of the Lord:
"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication,
theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man." But in
the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works, which
sin wounds.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Constitution
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Carnival
Time begins in Catholic Countries.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
·
Plan
winter fun:
o
Soak in hot
springs
o
Hit the snow slopes
o
Ride a
snowmobile
o
Go for a
dog sled ride
o Ride a hot air
balloon
[7]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2021-01-06
Classic Christmas
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