Friday, March 1, 2024
MARCH
The winds of March point to the power of God's Spirit working in us. We need to listen and respond to the gentle breezes of the Spirit; but will we, or will we be too distracted? The rebirth of spring reminds us of the energy of nature so that we ask ourselves whether we waste or wisely use energy –electricity, oil, gas, etc. Can we and should we continue to use nonrenewable fossil fuels, often with accompanying air pollution, at the rate we do? Or will the environmental ills we cause today call us in the future as a society to use wind and solar energy?
Overview of the Month of March[1]
The entire month of March except the very last day falls during the liturgical season of Lent which is represented by the liturgical color violet or purple — a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart. All saint days that are usually Memorials are shifted to Optional Memorials during the season of Lent. The last day of the month is the beginning of the Easter season.
This year the feast of the Annunciation will be celebrated on April 8 since the 25th falls during Holy Week.
A Time of Penance and
Promise
Here
and there in the stark March landscape, a few plants and trees are beginning to
give evidence of the new life that winter’s frost and chill had concealed from
our eyes. The Church’s vibrant new life has been obscured, too, by the
austerity of the penitential season of Lent. But that life is indisputable, and
it will burgeon forth on Easter as Christ coming forth from his tomb!
During
this month we will continue our journey to the cross with our acts of
penitence. We will reflect on our mortality ("Remember man thou art
dust") and the shortness of life ("and to dust thou shall
return"). We will heed the call, "Now is the acceptable time, now is
“the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).” Just like Our Lord's earthly life
every moment of our lives is leading up to the last moment—when for eternity we
will either go to God or suffer the fires of hell. During this month we will go
from the suffering of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Sunday. We will trade
the purple of penance for the white of victory and resurrection.
Let us
not tire of doing our good works and penance but continue with the enthusiasm
of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten
observance be a joyful journey — and not a forced march.
As the
weeks of Lent progress let us not tire of doing our good works and penance but
continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and
Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey — and not a forced
march.
Go to Joseph[2]
“This patronage must be invoked as
ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but
also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to
evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II
in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer).
John Paul II further said, “Because
St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist
and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward
off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the
family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the
Christian family during this time of peril.”
MARCH TIMETABLE
March Travel?[3]
·
Las
Fallas in Valencia, Spain March 1-19 Enjoy a high-spirited fiesta in Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city.
The annual bash, held in commemoration of Saint Joseph, sees neighborhoods
transformed into lively parties over a boisterous five-day period.
·
Daytona, Florida-Bike Week March
1-10 Rev up for a week of diesel and fun at Daytona Bike Week.
The annual motorcycle rally attracts some of the fiercest bikers, clad in
leather (and sometimes little else) to celebrate the freedom of the open road.
·
Spring Break in Panama City Beach March
15-31st.
Slap on your sunscreen and grab your shades for a laid-back
spring break on Panama City Beach. This sunny haven on the coast of the Gulf of
Mexico beckons with its tagline, “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches.” You’ll see
why once you sink your toes into its unique sugar-white sand.
·
Patrick’s Day March 17th
Don your friendliest green for St.
Patrick’s Day. Boston is the place to be, with the city’s official St.
Patrick’s Day Parade drawing anywhere from 600,000 to 1 million people every
year.
·
Spring Equinox: Stonehenge March
19th Mark the beginning of spring with a celebratory gathering
at Stonehenge. Join the crowds who gather at the mysterious stone structures in
Wiltshire, England,
to see the sun rise, ushering in the spring equinox.
· Holi in India March 25th Celebrate spring with a dash of color. The annual Holi festival in India inspires revelers to hit the streets, playfully throwing powdered colors on each other. Once your clothes are doused with all sorts of hues, you’ll understand why this is called a festival of colors.
Iceman’s Calendar
·
Mar. 1st-First
Friday
· Mar. 2nd-First Saturday
·
Mar. 3rd-Third
Sunday of Lent
·
Mar. 6th-First
Wednesday
·
Mar 7th-St.
Perpetua
·
Mar 10th-Fourth
Sunday of Lent
·
Mar 17th-Fifth
Sunday of Lent
·
Mar 19th-Feast of St.
Joseph
·
Mar 20-April 16 National Cherry Blossom
Festival
·
Mar 22nd Friday
after Passion Sunday: Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
·
Mar 24th MASS
Palm Sunday Holy
Week begins
·
Mar 25th-Monday
of Holy Week
·
Mar 27th Spy
Wednesday
o Start Novena
to the Holy Face for First Friday
·
Mar 28th Maundy
Thursday
·
Mar 29th Good
Friday
·
Mar 30th Easter
Vigil
· Mar 31st Easter
First Friday
LA FALLA-Biker Week
Matthew, Chapter 21,
verse 26:
26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we FEAR the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
The chief priests and the elders of the people were master politicians during Christ’s time. Some of them were faithful in thought word and deed, but many were as Christ pointed out like marble sepulchers which are pretty on the outside but inside full of death and rottenness within. Many of them put on the airs of piety but in reality, were agnostic in nature.
Here we see the priest and elders were afraid of the people. I think in our
time a similar thing occurred with Saint John Paul II’s struggle with communism
in Poland. John Paul was a John the Baptist of his time. Poles like the Jews of
the Baptists time identified with John Paul and were hungry for a chance to
cleanse themselves of the compromises they had to make to live under the rule
of the communists. I believe John the Baptist message to have been very similar
to John Paul’s.
“He told them to be good, not to compromise
themselves, to stick by one another, to be fearless, and that God is the only source of goodness, the
only standard of conduct. 'Be not afraid,'
he said. Millions shouted in response, 'We want God! We want God! We want God!'
The regime cowered. Had the Pope chosen to turn his soft power into the hard
variety, the regime might have been drowned in blood. Instead, the Pope simply
led the Polish people to desert their rulers by affirming solidarity with one
another. The Communists managed to hold on as despots a decade longer. But as
political leaders, they were finished. Visiting his native Poland in 1979, Pope
John Paul II struck what turned out to be a mortal blow to its Communist
regime, to the Soviet Empire, [and] ultimately to Communism."[1]
First Friday[2]
Learn
about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the graces that come from
observing First Fridays.
It
is no wonder, therefore, that our predecessors have constantly defended this
most approved form of devotion — the pious devotion of the faithful toward the
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus [and] the custom of receiving Holy Communion on the
first Friday of every month at the desire of Christ Jesus, a custom which now
prevails everywhere.—Pope
Pius XI Miserentissimus
Redemptor
What’s so special about First Fridays?
Our parents grew up going to church every First Friday
of the month and taking part in Sacred Heart devotions, but in recent decades
the pious practice has fallen out of practice and is dismissed by some as an “old-fashioned” anachronism. A main reason for the
decline in interest in this devotion is probably rooted in simple ignorance:
people don’t know
what First Fridays all are about; families and parishes may not have adequately
passed down their importance to the next generation. Here are five things
to know.
How did the First Friday Devotion begin?
While some saints referenced the Heart of Jesus in their writings even centuries
earlier, in 1673, a French Visitandine (Visitation) nun named Margaret
Mary Alacoque had visions of Jesus, wherein he asked the Church to honor His
Most Sacred Heart. In particular, Jesus asked the faithful to “receive Communion on the First
Fridays, for nine consecutive months.”
The request was connected to a specific promise made to all who venerated and
promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart. After Margaret Mary’s death, the First Friday practice
steadily spread in the Church —
endorsed by popes and promoted by
saints — but
it greatly increased in popularity when Margaret Mary was canonized a saint in
1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
Why nine consecutive months?
The number nine is traditionally associated with a
novena and finds its origin in the nine days that the apostles spent in prayer
before Pentecost. A novena provides an extended amount of time for preparation
and interior renewal.
What am I supposed to do on First Fridays?
Go to Mass and receive Holy Communion with the
intention of honoring Christ’s
Sacred Heart. If you are not in a state of grace, and thus unable to receive,
you will also need to go to confession.
What are the “promises” connected to this devotion?
Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary, “In the excess of the mercy of my
heart, I promise you that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who will
receive communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace
of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving
the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.” This means that if a person
faithfully receives communion for nine consecutive months on First Fridays,
Jesus will grant that person extra graces at the time of their death, making it
possible to repent of their sins and receive the last rites (if needed).
This
promise is the last of 12 promises connected to the Devotion to the Sacred
Heart, particularly attached to the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in one’s home:
(1) I will give them all the graces necessary in their
state of life.
(2) I will establish peace in their homes.
(3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
(4) I will be their secure refuge during life, and
above all, in death.
(5) I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their
undertakings.
(6) Sinners will find in my heart the source and
infinite ocean of mercy.
(7) Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
(8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high
perfection.
(9) I will bless every place in which an image of my heart
is exposed and honored.
10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the
most hardened hearts.
(11) Those who shall promote this devotion shall have
their names written in my Heart.
(12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart
that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on
the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance;
they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My
divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
Are the First Fridays a “ticket” to heaven?
It is not as simple as going to Mass for nine months
and then clocking out, never going to Mass again and leading a sinful life! The
entire purpose of this devotion is to draw a person closer to the heart of
Christ. If a person fulfills these obligations with sincere faith, it is
natural for he or she to be closer to God and better prepared for death.
The moment that this devotion is observed in a superstitious manner, neglecting
the need to live a virtuous life, all bets are off and Jesus’ promise is null and void. Jesus
wants us to rest on his heart, like St. John, and the First Friday devotion is
an opportunity for us to encounter him more than just on Sundays and to deepen
our love of him. Coming to know, love and trust that we may take rest in the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, and place our anxieties within, is what the First
Fridays are all about.
Friday in the Second Week of Lent[3]
Prayer.
GRANT,
we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that, purified by the holy fast, we may
celebrate the coming festival with pure hearts.
EPISTLE. Gen. xxxvii. 6-22.
In
those days Joseph said to his brethren: Hear my dream which I dreamed. I
thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my sheaf arose as it were and
stood, and your sheaves standing about, bowed down before my sheaf. His
brethren answered: Shalt thou be our king? or shall we be subject to thy
dominion?
Therefore,
this matter of his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy and
hatred. He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I
saw in a dream, as it were, the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping
me. And when he had told this to his father, and brethren, his father rebuked
him, and said: What meaneth this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy
mother, and thy brethren worship thee upon the earth?
His
brethren therefore envied him: but his father considered the thing with
himself. And when his brethren abode in Sichem, feeding their father’s flocks,
Israel said to him: Thy brethren feed the sheep in Sichem: come, I will send
thee to them. And when he answered: I am ready; he said to him: Go and see if
all things be well with thy brethren, and the cattle: and bring me word again
what is doing. So being sent from the vale of Hebron, he came to Sichem: and a
man found him there wandering in the field and asked what he sought. But he
answered: I seek my brethren, tell me where they feed the flocks. And the man
said to him: They are departed from this place: for I heard them say: Let us go
to Dothain. And Joseph went forward after his brethren and found them in
Dothain. And when they saw him afar off, before he came nigh them, they thought
to kill him. And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh. Come, let us
kill him, and cast him into some old pit, and we will say: Some evil beast hath
devoured him: and then it shall appear what his dreams avail him: and Ruben
hearing this, endeavored to deliver him out of their hands, and said: Do not
take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit, that is in
the wilderness, and keep your hands harmless: now he said this, being desirous
to deliver him out of their hands, and to restore him to his father.
GOSPEL. Matt. xxi. 33-46.
At that time Jesus spoke
this parable to the multitude of the Jews and the chief priests: There was a
man a householder who planted a vineyard, and made a hedge round about it, and
dug in it a press, and built a tower, and let it out to husband men: and went
into a strange country. And when the time of the fruits drew nigh, he sent his
servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits thereof. And the
husband men laying hands on his servants, beat one, and killed another, and
stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the former: and they
did to them in like manner. And last of all he sent to them his son, saying:
They will reverence my son. But the husbandmen seeing the son, said among
themselves: This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and we shall have his
inheritance. And taking him, they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and
killed him. When, therefore, the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he
do to those husbandmen?
They say to Him: He will
bring those evil men to an evil end: and will let out his vineyard to other
husbandmen, that shall render him the fruit in due season. Jesus saith to them:
Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected,
the same is become the head of the corner? By the Lord this hath been done, and
it is wonderful in our eyes. Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God
shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits
thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. And when the chief
priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they knew that He spoke of them.
And seeking to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes: because they held
Him as a prophet.
Confidence and Union with God in
Temptation[4]
Nothing is more efficacious against temptation than the remembrance of the Cross of Jesus. What did Christ come to do here below if not to "destroy the works of the devil"? And how has He destroyed them, how has He "cast out" the devil, as He Himself says, if not by His death upon the Cross?
Let us then lean by faith upon the
cross of Christ Jesus, as our baptism gives us the right to do. The virtue of
the cross is not exhausted. In baptism we were marked with the seal of the
cross, we became members of Christ, enlightened by His light, and partakers of
His life and of the salvation He brings to us. Hence, united to Him, whom shall
we fear? Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea; quern timebo? Let us say
to ourselves: "He hath given His angels charge over thee to keep thee in
all thy ways."
"Because he hoped in Me (says the
Lord) I will deliver him; I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and
I will glorify him. I will fill him with length of days, and I will show him My
salvation."
Bible
Study[5]
The
Bible is a weapon and in the hands of the untrained, “You could shoot your eye
out kid”. Therefore, the Bible should be handled with care. Using an approved
translation of the Bible; we should approach scripture
reading in light of the liturgy and church Dogmas. “Dogma is by definition
nothing other than an interpretation of Scripture.” (Pope Benedict XVI) Dogmas
are the Church’s infallible interpretation of Scripture. In the 1970’s the
Catholic Church revised its lectionary—the order of scriptural readings for the
Mass. The readings now unfold in a three-year cycle and include almost all the
books of both testaments of the Bible. The great thing about lectionary is that
it presents the scriptures and also teaches us a method of understanding the
Scriptures: Showing us a consistent pattern of promise and fulfillment. The New
Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed the New. Perhaps a
good practice would be for us to read the daily scripture in the lectionary,
maybe even before Mass.
Lectio
Divina[6]
"Lectio Divina", a Latin term, means "divine reading" and describes a way of reading the Scriptures whereby we gradually let go of our own agenda and open ourselves to what God wants to say to us. In the 12th century, a Carthusian monk called Guigo, described the stages which he saw as essential to the practice of Lectio Divina. There are various ways of practicing Lectio Divina either individually or in groups but Guigo's description remains fundamental.
1.
He said that the first stage is lectio (reading) where we read the Word of God,
slowly and reflectively so that it sinks into us. Any passage of Scripture can
be used for this way of prayer, but the passage should not be too long.
2.
The second stage is meditatio (reflection) where we think about the text we have chosen and
ruminate upon it so that we take from it what God wants to give us.
3.
The third stage is oratio (response) where we leave our thinking aside and simply let our
hearts speak to God. This response is inspired by our reflection on the Word of
God.
4. The final stage of Lectio Divina is contemplatio (rest) where we let go not only of our own ideas, plans and meditations but also of our holy words and thoughts. We simply rest in the Word of God. We listen at the deepest level of our being to God who speaks within us with a still small voice. As we listen, we are gradually transformed from within. Obviously, this transformation will have a profound effect on the way we actually live and the way we live is the test of the authenticity of our prayer. We must take what we read in the Word of God into our daily lives.
These stages of Lectio Divina are not fixed rules of procedure but simply guidelines as to how the prayer normally develops. Its natural movement is towards greater simplicity, with less and less talking and more listening. Gradually the words of Scripture begin to dissolve, and the Word is revealed before the eyes of our heart. How much time should be given to each stage depends very much on whether it is used individually or in a group.
The practice of Lectio Divina as a way of praying the Scriptures has been a fruitful source of growing in relationship with Christ for many centuries and in our own day is being rediscovered by many individuals and groups. The Word of God is alive and active and will transform each of us if we open ourselves to receive what God wants to give us.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
CHAPTER
TWO-YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
ARTICLE 4-THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
III. The Duties of Family Members
The duties of children
2214 The divine fatherhood is
the source of human fatherhood; this is the foundation of the honor owed
to parents. The respect of children, whether minors or adults, for their father
and mother is nourished by the natural affection born of the bond uniting
them. It is required by God's commandment.
2215 Respect for parents
(filial piety) derives from gratitude toward those who, by the gift of life,
their love and their work, have brought their children into the world and
enabled them to grow in stature, wisdom, and grace. "With all your heart honor
your father, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother. Remember that
through your parents you were born; what can you give back to them that equals
their gift to you?"
2216 Filial respect is shown by
true docility and obedience. "My son, keep your father's commandment, and
forsake not your mother's teaching.... When you walk, they will lead you; when
you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with
you." "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer
does not listen to rebuke."
2217 As long as a child lives
at home with his parents, the child should obey his parents in all that they
ask of him when it is for his good or that of the family. "Children, obey
your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Children
should also obey the reasonable directions of their teachers and all to whom
their parents have entrusted them. But if a child is convinced in conscience
that it would be morally wrong to obey a particular order, he must not do so.
As they grow up, children should continue to respect their parents. They should
anticipate their wishes, willingly seek their advice, and accept their just
admonitions. Obedience toward parents ceases with the emancipation of the
children; not so respect, which is always owed to them. This respect has its
roots in the fear of God, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
2218 The fourth commandment
reminds grown children of their responsibilities toward their parents. As much
as they can, they must give them material and moral support in old age and in
times of illness, loneliness, or distress. Jesus recalls this duty of
gratitude.
For the Lord
honored the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother
over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and whoever glorifies
his mother is like one who lays up treasure. Whoever honors his father will be
gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard. Whoever
glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will
refresh his mother.
O son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he
lives; even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your
strength do not despise him.... Whoever forsakes his father is like a
blasphemer, and whoever angers his mother is cursed by the Lord.
2219 Filial respect promotes
harmony in all of family life; it also concerns relationships between brothers
and sisters. Respect toward parents fills the home with light and warmth.
"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged." "With all
humility and meekness, with patience, [support] one another in charity."
2220 For Christians a special
gratitude is due to those from whom they have received the gift of faith, the
grace of Baptism, and life in the Church. These may include parents,
grandparents, other members of the family, pastors, catechists, and other teachers
or friends. "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first
in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in
you."
The duties of parents
2221 The fecundity of conjugal
love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend
to their moral education and their spiritual formation. "The role of
parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to
provide an adequate substitute." The right and the duty of parents to
educate their children are primordial and inalienable.
2222 Parents must regard their
children as children of God and respect them as human persons. Showing
themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their
children to fulfill God's law.
2223 Parents have the first
responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this
responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect,
fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for
education in the virtues. This requires an apprenticeship in self-denial, sound
judgment, and self-mastery - the preconditions of all true freedom. Parents
should teach their children to subordinate the "material and instinctual
dimensions to interior and spiritual ones." Parents have a grave
responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to
acknowledge their own failings to their children, parents will be better able
to guide and correct them:
He who loves
his son will not spare the rod.... He who disciplines his son will profit by
him.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord.
2224 The home is the natural
environment for initiating a human being into solidarity and communal
responsibilities. Parents should teach children to avoid the compromising and
degrading influences which threaten human societies.
2225 Through the grace of the
sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of
evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an early
age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first
heralds" for their children. They should associate them from their
tenderest years with the life of the Church. A wholesome family life can
foster interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith
and remain a support for it throughout one's life.
2226 Education in the faith by
the parents should begin in the child's earliest years. This already happens
when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a
Christian life in keeping with the Gospel. Family catechesis precedes, accompanies,
and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission
of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children
of God. The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the
liturgical life of Christian families; it is a privileged place for the
catechesis of children and parents.
2227 Children in turn
contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents. Each and everyone
should be generous and tireless in forgiving one another for offenses,
quarrels, injustices, and neglect. Mutual affection suggests this. The charity
of Christ demands it.
2228 Parents' respect and
affection are expressed by the care and attention they devote to bringing up
their young children and providing for their physical and spiritual needs. As
the children grow up, the same respect and devotion lead parents to educate
them in the right use of their reason and freedom.
2229 As those first responsible
for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school
for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental.
As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing schools that will best
help them in their task as Christian educators. Public authorities have
the duty of guaranteeing this parental right and of ensuring the concrete
conditions for its exercise.
2230 When they become adults,
children have the right and duty to choose their profession and state of life.
They should assume their new responsibilities within a trusting relationship
with their parents, willingly asking and receiving their advice and counsel.
Parents should be careful not to exert pressure on their children either in the
choice of a profession or in that of a spouse. This necessary restraint does
not prevent them - quite the contrary from giving their children judicious
advice, particularly when they are planning to start a family.
2231 Some forgo marriage in
order to care for their parents or brothers and sisters, to give themselves
more completely to a profession, or to serve other honorable ends. They can
contribute greatly to the good of the human family.
Fitness Friday the Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast, in Christianity, is a partial fast that, in which meat, lacticinia, wine, and other rich foods are avoided in favor of vegetables and water in order to be more sensitive to God. The fast is based on the lifelong kosher diet of the Jewish hero Daniel in the biblical Book of Daniel and the three-week mourning fast in which Daniel abstained from all meat and wine.
Among Catholic and Mainline
Protestant Christians,
the Daniel Fast has been practiced by some during the 40-day season of Lent, though
the Daniel Fast can variously be set at three weeks, or even ten days. As
such, evangelical
Christian churches
such as those of the Baptist tradition, have partaken in the
fast at various times of the year. The passage in Chapter 1 refers to a
10-day test wherein Daniel and others with him were permitted to eat vegetables
and water to avoid the Babylonian king's food and wine. After remaining healthy
at the end of the 10-day period, they continued the vegetable diet for the
three years of their education. The passage in Chapter 10 refers to a
three-week fast of no meat, wine, or rich food. In addition to the
practices of fasting and abstinence undertaken during the Daniel Fast,
Christians may also add spiritual
disciplines such
as daily church
attendance,
increased prayer, as well as the reading of Sacred
Scripture and a daily devotional.
Friday Stations[7]
Most Churches have Stations of the Cross and Soup suppers following.
Pray the Stations of the Cross today with your family. An excellent version with beautiful meditations composed by our Holy Father is his Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum. Some other recommended versions are: Eucharistic Stations of the Cross, and the more traditional Stations of the Cross written by Saint Alphonsus Liguori can be found in most Catholic bookstores. Here are some guidelines for praying the Stations of the Cross in your home. You may also try the newer 14 Stations of the Eucharist on the Thursdays during the Easter Season as you did the stations during lent with soup with your parish.
Events
·
Las
Fallas in Valencia, Spain March 1-19 Enjoy a high-spirited fiesta in Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city.
The annual bash, held in commemoration of Saint Joseph, sees neighborhoods
transformed into lively parties over a boisterous five-day period.
·
Daytona, Florida-Bike Week March
1-10 Rev up for a week of diesel and fun at Daytona Bike Week.
The annual motorcycle rally attracts some of the fiercest bikers, clad in
leather (and sometimes little else) to celebrate the freedom of the open road.
Coffee with Christ
Christ sips his coffee and looks at me and says, “Today is First Friday and I promise those who come to receive my body worthily they will always find rest for themselves and their families. At the Mass I intercede with the Father on your behalf, giving you the strength not to yield to the temptations of the world, the flesh and the Devil. At your reception of my body, you renew your vows as a soldier in the Army of God. To be strong for the battle devote yourself to a life of prayer and patience. Keep your mind and body pure which is the key to true joy.”
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
to abortion
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 15
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
[1]
Angelo
M. Codevilla, "Political Warfare: A Set of Means for Achieving Political
Ends", in Waller, ed., Strategic Influence: Public Diplomacy,
Counterpropaganda and Political Warfare (IWP Press, 2008.)
[2]https://aleteia.org/2016/04/29/5-things-catholics-should-know-about-first-fridays/
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[5] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 16. Bible Study.
[7]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2023-02-24
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