Monday, January 15, 2024

- January 09, 2024

1. ANGELIC TRISAGION.

In order that the faithful might have a constant inducement to make renewed acts of adoration, praise, and blessing to God, by means of the following Trisagion; Pope Clement XIV., by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences dated June 26, 1770, confirmed afresh for ever this grant of his predecessor, Pope Clement XIII., viz.-

i. An indulgence of 100 days, once a day, to all thus faithful who, with contrite hearts adoring the Most Holy Trinity, shall devoutly recite this Trisagion, Sanctus, &c.
ii. The same indulgence three times on every Sunday, as well as on the Festival and during the Octave of this Most holy Trinity;
iii. A plenary indulgence for ever, once in a month, to all these who throughout the same month shall have said daily this Angelic Trisagion as above; to be gained on any one day when, after Confession and Communion, they shall visit some church, and pray according to the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus exercituum: Plena est terra gloria tua: Gloria Patri, Gloria Filio, Gloria Spiritui Sancto.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, earth is full of Thy Glory. Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son, Glory be to the Holy Ghost.

Monday Night at the Movies

2. Cecil B. DeMille, King of Kings, 1927.

Franco Zefferelli, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, 1972.

MLK

Psalm 72, Verse 5

May they FEAR you with the sun, and before the moon, through all generations.

This psalm is all about the glory of Christ’s Holy Catholic Church for the church defends the oppressed among the people and seeks to save the children of the poor and crush the oppressor; for it is our church who rescues the poor when they cry out, and the oppressed who have no one to help. It is our church that shows pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the poor from extortion and violence for precious is their blood in His sight. Yes, the apostates of the world mock us for our faith in a man that rose from the dead and in His representative Peter; nevertheless, they shutter with fear before this church in the miracle of the Sun in Fatima. Life is delightful to God and the Church.

Respect for Life[1]

To understand more fully how to defend and protect human life, we must first consider who we are, at the deepest level. God creates us in his image and likeness, which means we are made to be in loving relationship with him. The essence of our identity and worth, the source of our dignity, is that we are loved by God: "We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son." We are called to divine intimacy, true communion with God, and we can grow in this closeness with him through daily prayer, reading the Scriptures, and frequent participation in the sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist.

Our Mission as Christians

The knowledge and realization of how deeply we are loved by God elicits a response of love that simultaneously draws us closer to God and, at the same time, impels us to share his love with others and embracing a relationship with God means following in his footsteps, wherever he may call. Just as Jesus invited St. Peter and St. Andrew to become his disciples, he invites us to do the same: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Being a disciple of Jesus naturally includes sharing the Gospel with others and inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. As Christians, our identity and our mission are two sides of the same coin; like the apostles, we are called to be missionary disciples.

Missionary Discipleship

This doesn't necessarily mean quitting our jobs or moving to foreign countries. For most of us, our mission field is daily life: "Christ teaches us how to evangelize, how to invite people into communion with him, and how to create a culture of witness: namely, through love. A Christian life lived with charity and faith is the most effective form of evangelization." The first step towards living this life is allowing Jesus to meet and transform us daily. If we respond to his grace, our lives will show we have something beyond what the world offers: we follow a person whose love changes our lives, so we want others to also experience his transforming love. When we live in union with God, open to his prompting, we're more able to see the opportunities for witness and his guidance in responding to these opportunities. We may fear doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing, but we do not need to be afraid. Jesus promised his disciples, "I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Identity Crisis

As a society and as individuals, we often measure ourselves by false standards: by what and how much we do, our successes or failures, how others treat us, the degree of our pleasure or independence, etc. And when these changeable substitutes prove to be insufficient, or when we are faced with challenges and suffering, we may feel helpless, alone, or abandoned; we may be tempted to feel as though our lives have decreased value or worth. But God's love—individual, real, unchanging—is the true source of our worth, identity, and dignity. It really is not a question of who we are, but rather whose we are. Because his love will never change, nothing can reduce our God-given dignity, and nothing can diminish the immeasurable worth of our lives.

Our Response

When someone is facing great trials, we need to meet them where they are, walk with them on their journey, intercede for them, and be open to sharing Christ's love however he directs. When a woman becomes pregnant, and her boyfriend threatens to leave if she continues the pregnancy, we need to lovingly walk with her. When family members or friends become seriously ill, we need to assure them that God still offers them something in this life, and they still have purpose. We need to consistently be with them every step of the way. Sometimes our actions speak for themselves; other times, words are needed. Whatever the situation, Jesus knows how to speak to each person's heart; we simply need to follow where he leads.

A Culture of Life

This is how we answer our missionary call. This is how we build a culture of life, a culture that joyfully proclaims the truth of God's love, purpose, and plan for each person. Changing the culture is a process of conversion that begins in our own hearts and includes a willingness to be instructed and a desire to be close to Jesus—the source of joy and love. When we encounter Christ, experience his love, and deepen our relationship with him, we become more aware of our own worth and that of others. His love for each person is cause for great joy, and growing understanding of this priceless treasure motivates us to share his love with others. Our lives are often changed by the witness of others; so too, others' lives may be changed by our witness and authentic friendship with them. Let us go, therefore, and not be afraid. God is always with us.

Why should I fear evil days when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?

Martin Luther King^{^[2]}

Today we celebrate the legacy of a man who died and lived to create a culture of justice that ensures the dignity of all men, women, and children in America. Our church also recognizes the need for dignity not only for mankind but also in marriage and it is only when we recognize the grandeur of His works that we begin to realize that every man, woman, and child is a wonder wroth by His hands.

The reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) championed a movement that was based on love and his ideal was to obtain justice by nonviolent means as expressed in this speech.

Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love. Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding. “The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Character is Destiny[3]

According to John McCain a person or nation’s character determines its destiny. McCain points out in his book Character is Destiny the person who most exemplifies the characteristic of fairness is that of Martin Luther King, Jr.

John said of King:

From a jail cell he wrote a letter that is one of the most celebrated documents in American history and summoned his country to the cause of justice. “My Dear Fellow Clergymen,” it began. Recognizing that his correspondents were “men of genuine good will and your criticisms sincerely set forth,” he promised to respond in patient and reasonable terms. They were reasonable terms, and undeniably fair, but patient they were not.

We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights. . . . Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging dark of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking: “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”; when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading “white” and “colored”; when your first name becomes “nigger,” your middle name becomes “boy” (however old you are) and your last name becomes “John,” and your wife and mother are never given the respected title “Mrs.”; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair.

America still struggles internally and externally to arrive at the place Dr. King had summoned us to, that exalted place that had been the highest ambition of our Founding Fathers and the highest value we recommend to the rest of the world; the place where all people are recognized as equal and endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights. African Americans recognize the debt they owe Dr. King’s courage, wisdom, and unshakable sense of fairness. But Americans of European descent owe him a greater one. At the cost of his life, he helped save us from a terrible disgrace, the betrayal of our country, and the principles that have ennobled our history. And that is a debt we must happily bear forever.

Martin Luther King Facts & Quotes[4]

· Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was 35 years old, which made him the youngest Peace Prize winner at that time.

· I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

· Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?

· Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

· Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Martin Luther King Top Events and Things to Do

· Visit thekingcenter.org to find out about local events and ways you can help promote unity, justice, and fight racism.

· Become a mentor to an underprivileged person in your community through Big Brothers, or another similar organization.

· Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. For more info see the Official memorial website.

· Donate to the United Negro College Fund or other charities that promote college degree attainment by minorities.

· Watch a movie about MLK. Some popular films include: Our Friend Martin (1999), Selma (2014) and The Witness (2008)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

CHAPTER TWO-THE HUMAN COMMUNION

Article 2-PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

II. The Common Good

1905 In keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is necessarily related to the common good, which in turn can be defined only in reference to the human person:

Do not live entirely isolated, having retreated into yourselves, as if you were already justified, but gather instead to seek the common good together.

1906 By common good is to be understood "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily." The common good concerns the life of all. It calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercise the office of authority. It consists of three essential elements:

1907 First, the common good presupposes respect for the person as such. In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person. Society should permit each of its members to fulfill his vocation. In particular, the common good resides in the conditions for the exercise of the natural freedoms indispensable for the development of the human vocation, such as "the right to act according to a sound norm of conscience and to safeguard . . . privacy, and rightful freedom also in matters of religion."

1908 Second, the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group itself. Development is the epitome of all social duties. Certainly, it is the proper function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the common good, between various particular interests; but it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on.

1909 Finally, the common good requires peace, that is, the stability and security of a just order. It presupposes that authority should ensure by morally acceptable means the security of society and its members. It is the basis of the right to legitimate personal and collective defense.

1910 Each human community possesses a common good which permits it to be recognized as such; it is in the political community that its most complete realization is found. It is the role of the state to defend and promote the common good of civil society, its citizens, and intermediate bodies.

1911 Human interdependence is increasing and gradually spreading throughout the world. The unity of the human family, embracing people who enjoy equal natural dignity, implies a universal common good. This good calls for an organization of the community of nations able to "provide for the different needs of men; this will involve the sphere of social life to which belong questions of food, hygiene, education, . . . and certain situations arising here and there, as for example . . . alleviating the miseries of refugees dispersed throughout the world, and assisting migrants and their families."

1912 The common good is always oriented towards the progress of persons: "The order of things must be subordinate to the order of persons, and not the other way around." This order is founded on truth, built up in justice, and animated by love.

National Bagel Day-Munch on this doughy, holey bread at every meal, bake your own or host a bagel party to sample a variety of delicious fillings and toppings.[5]

National Hat Day-National Hat Day seeks to celebrate the different styles and types of hats. This day encourages everyone to wear their favorite hat whether that be one that is comfortable, stylistic, or that stands out. People have worn hats for thousands of years whether to protect themselves from the elements or to show status. Today, people still wear hats for similar reasons. No matter the reason, on National Hat Day all hats are celebrated today.[6]