Friday, June 7, 2024
Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
June 7
Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus-First Friday
NATIONAL
DONUT DAY
Deuteronomy, Chapter
1, Verse 19
Then we set out from Horeb and
journeyed through that whole vast and FEARFUL
wilderness that you have seen, in the direction of the hill country of the
Amorites, as the LORD, our God, had commanded; and we came to Kadesh-barnea.
|
Chapel of Holy Cross |
In the desert we can search for God; avoid of our distractions and find Him. In the desert we can write out our sins and confess them to God. In the desert we can shed our old lives like the snake sheds its skin and find a new perspective for life. It is during this time alone with He that IS; we make a spiritual change of clothes. In the desert we can make an all-night vigil and with the coming of the new day we can proclaim as in the Negro spiritual: When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me. For it is in the desert that we can quit deluding ourselves and be doers of the word and not hearers only. For it is in the desert with can find the strength to keep ourselves unstained by the world and find that pure and undefiled religion is to care for others in their afflictions.
Chapel of the Holy Cross[2]
The chapel was inspired and commissioned by local rancher
and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, who had been inspired in 1932 by the
newly constructed Empire State Building to build such a church. After an
attempt to do so in Budapest, Hungary (with the help of Lloyd Wright, son of
noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright) was aborted due to the
outbreak of World War II, she decided to build the church in her native region.
The chapel is built on Coconino National Forest land; the late Senator Barry
Goldwater assisted Staude in obtaining a special-use permit. The
construction supervisor was Fred Courkos, who built the chapel in 18 months at
a cost of US$300,000. The chapel was completed in 1956. The American Institute
of Architects gave the Chapel its Award of Honor in 1957. In the sculptor's
words, “Though Catholic in faith, as a work of art the Chapel has a universal
appeal. Its doors will ever be open to one and all, regardless of creed, that
God may come to life in the souls of all men (and women) and be a living
reality.” In 2007, Arizonans voted the Chapel to be one of the Seven Man-Made
Wonders of Arizona, and it is also the site of one of the so-called Sedona
vortices (New Age Pagan stuff).
Today
go on a hike pray for those afflicted with the Spirit of the world and for our
Priests and religious. Below is the link for my hiking meditation: feel free to
use it to go out to a deserted place to pray for those you care about.
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus[3]
The
Sacred Heart of Jesus is a devotional with long and historic provenance within
Christianity, and in modern times has been established as a Solemnity for the
universal Church.
Sixteenth century
Calvinism and seventeenth century Jansenism preached a distorted Christianity
that substituted for God's love and sacrifice of His Son for all men the
fearful idea that a whole section of humanity was inexorably damned.
The Church always
countered this view with the infinite love of our Savior who died on the cross
for all men. The institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart was soon to
contribute to the creation among the faithful of a powerful current of devotion
which since then has grown steadily stronger. The first Office and Mass of the
Sacred Heart were composed by St. John Eudes, but the institution of the feast
was a result of the appearances of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in
1675. The celebration of the feast was extended to the general calendar of the
Church by Pius IX in 1856.
"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"
(Jesus to St. Margaret Mary).
In
the late 19th century, Sr. Mary of the Divine Heart received a message from
Christ. This eventually led the 1899 encyclical letter Annum Sacrum in which Leo XIII decreed that the
consecration of the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus should take
place on June 11, 1899.
On
the 100th anniversary of the Feast of the Sacred Heart in a landmark
encyclical, Haurietis aquas (Latin: “You will draw waters”;
written May 15, 1956), Pope Pius XII began his reflection by drawing from
Isaiah 12:3, a verse which alludes to the abundance of the supernatural graces
which flow from the heart of Christ. Haurietis aquas called the whole Church to
recognize the Sacred Heart as an important dimension of Christian spirituality.
Pius XII gave two reasons why the Church gives the highest form of worship to
the Heart of Jesus. The first rests on the principle whereby the believers
recognize that Jesus’ Heart is hypostatically united to the “Person of the
Incarnate Son of God Himself.” The second reason is derived from the fact that
the Heart is the natural sign and symbol of Jesus’ boundless love for humans.
The encyclical recalls that for human souls the wound in Christ’s side and the
marks left by the nails have been “the chief sign and symbol of that love” that
ever more incisively shaped their life from within.
Things
to Do:
·
From
the Catholic Culture Library read Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus: Sacred Scripture
by Bishop Raymond Burke.
·
Bake
a heart shaped cake or cookies in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
·
Read
The 12
Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
·
Read
more about this feast here
·
For
Doctrinal Explanations and Historical Ideas about the feast visit New Advent
·
Fr.
Eugene Lobo, SJ explains the readings for
the feast
·
Read
Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger and Abbot Gueranger on the Sacred Heart of Jesus
·
Make
a Heart-Shaped Pizza and/or heart Mexican Tin Art (at the bottom of the page),
directions at this site
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus[4]
ALTHOUGH many pious
souls had been accustomed, in the silence of their secluded lives, to venerate
the sacred Heart of Jesus with great devotion, still our divine Savior desired
that the boundless love of His Heart might be known by all men, and that a new
fire of love should thereby be kindled in the cold hearts of Christians. For
this purpose, He made use of a frail and little-known instrument in the person
of Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun of the Order of the Visitation, at
Parayle-Monial, France. One day, when, according to her custom during the
octave of Corpus Christi, she was deeply engaged in devotions before the
Blessed Sacrament, the divine Savior appeared to her, showed her His Heart
burning with love, and said:
“Behold this Heart, which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this sacrament of love. And what is most painful to Me is that they are hearts consecrated to Me. It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi be appropriated to a special feast to honor My Heart by communicating on that day and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered.”
Margaret obeyed, but met everywhere the greatest opposition, until finally, when she became mistress of novices, she succeeded, by the help of her divine Spouse, in animating her young charges to venerate the sacred Heart of Jesus. But this was not sufficient for her zeal. She persevered until she softened the opposition of the nuns, and kindled in all an equal devotion towards the most sacred Heart. Thence the devotion spread to the adjoining dioceses, where confraternities in honor of the most sacred Heart of Jesus soon sprung up. Pope Clement XIII., after having instituted a most rigorous examination of the whole affair, commanded that the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus should be solemnly celebrated throughout the whole Catholic Church every year, on the first Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.
THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.
I.
Object
of this Devotion.
In the divine Heart of Our Savior, we must not imagine an inanimate heart, separated from the person of Christ, but the living heart of the God-Man, the center of all His affections, the fountain of all His virtues, the most touching emblem of His in finite love to man. The Church venerates the cross, the blood, and the wounds of the divine Savior, by feasts which have their proper masses and lessons, in order, by meditation upon these objects, to awaken in us a more fervent devotion to the Redeemer. How much more worthy, then, of our devotion is the sacred Heart of Our Savior, since all its thoughts, movements, and affections aim at our salvation, and it is always ready to receive truly penitent sinners, to pardon them, to restore them again to God’s favor, and make them partakers of eternal happiness
II. Excellence of this Devotion.
It is, writes the
venerable P. Simon Gourdan:
1. A holy devotion, for therein men venerate
in Christ those affections and motions of His Heart by which He sanctified the
Church, glorified His Heavenly Father, and showed Himself to men as a perfect
example of the most sublime holiness.
2. An ancient devotion of the Catholic
Church, which, instructed by St. Paul, the great apostle, has at all times
acknowledged the great beneficence of the divine and sacred Heart of Jesus.
3. An approved devotion, for the Holy
Scriptures everywhere admonish us to renew the heart, by changing our lives; to
penetrate it with true sorrow, to inflame it with divine love, and to adorn it
by the practice of all virtues. When, therefore, a new heart is promised us, by
which to direct our lives, that can be no other than the Heart of Jesus, which
is to us the pattern of all excellence, and which we must follow if we
would be saved.
4. A perfect devotion, as being the origin of
all other devotions. For the Heart of Jesus is the inexhaustible treasury from
which the blessed Mother of God, and all other saints have derived their
graces, their virtues, their life, their spiritual goods. Filled first with
treasures from this source, different servants of God have instituted and
established other devotions.
5. A profitable devotion, for thereby we have
brought before our eyes the very fountain of life and grace, and can draw
directly from it, increasing in ourselves all virtues, by adoring this divine
Heart, meditating on its holy affections, and endeavoring to imitate them.
6. A devotion pleasing to God, for thus we
adore God, as Christ requires, in spirit and in truth, serving Him inwardly in
our hearts, and endeavoring to please Him. Finally, it is:
7. A useful devotion, since its whole object is to unite us most intimately with Christ as members of Him, her head, to make us live by and according to His spirit, to have one heart and soul with Him, and through grace finally to become one with Him, which is and must be the object of all devotions.
As this devotion is, then, so excellent, we cannot sufficiently recommend it to all who are anxious for their salvation. “While everyone can practice this devotion, and adore the sacred Heart of Jesus, by himself, there is a greater blessing when pious souls unite and form a confraternity for practicing the devotion. Of such confraternities there were in the year 1726 more than three hundred, and they are now established throughout all Catholic countries. Hesitate not, Christian soul, to engage in this devotion, and to join in the adoration of that sacred Heart of Jesus in which all men find propitiation, the pious, confidence; sinners, hope; the afflicted, consolation; the sick, support; the dying, refuge; the elect, joy and delight.
The Introit of the Mass for this feast is: “He will have mercy according to the multitude of His mercies, for He hath not willingly afflicted nor cast off the children of men; the Lord is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul that seeketh Him, alleluia, alleluia” (Lamentations iii. 32-35). “The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever to generation and generation” (Ps.Ixxxviii. 2).
Prayer.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who, glorying in the most sacred Heart of Thy Son, commemorate the chief benefits of His charity towards us, may equally rejoice in their acts and fruits.
EPISTLE. Isaias xii. 1-6.
I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, for Thou wast angry with me: Thy wrath is turned away, and Thou hast comforted me. Behold God is my Savior. I will deal confidently, and will not fear; because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and He is become my salvation. You shall draw waters with joy out of the Savior’s fountains. And you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon His name: make His inventions known among the people: remember that His name is high. Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath done great things: show this forth in all the earth. Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is He that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel.
Explanation.
This epistle is a song of gratitude for the deliverance of the Jews from the hands of their enemies, and at the same time a prophecy of the coming redemption of mankind from sin and death, through Jesus Christ. “You shall draw waters with joy out of the Savior’s fountains.” These fountains are the graces which Christ has obtained for us on the cross, but particularly, says St. Augustine, the holy sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. We should rejoice over these graces, particularly that the Holy One of Israel, Jesus, the Son of God, is in the midst of Sion, that is, the Catholic Church, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, remaining therein until the end of time. Oh, let us often approach the ever-flowing fountain of all graces, the Most Holy Eucharist, and with confidence draw consolation, assistance, strength, and power from this fountain of love!
GOSPEL. John xix. 31-35.
At that time the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath-day (for that was a great Sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony: and his testimony is true.
Explanation.
According to the Jewish law, a criminal could not be put to death, nor could the body of one who had been executed remain on the place of execution, on the Sabbath-day. The Jews, therefore, asked Pilate that the bodies of Jesus and the two thieves should be buried; but before this could be done, according to the Roman law, the legs of the crucified had to be broken with an iron mace: this the soldiers did to the two thieves, who were still alive; but when they found that Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers, whose name was Longinus, opened His side with a spear as had been predicted by the prophets. Jesus permitted his most sacred Heart to be opened
1. To atone for those sins which come forth
from the hearts of men, as Christ Himself says, “For from the heart come forth
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies,
blasphemies” (Matt. xv. 19).
2. To show the infinite love with which He
first loved us, and to which the spear should point us.
3. To show that there was nothing so dear to
Him that He would not give it to us, since, for our salvation, He shed the last
drop of His heart’s blood.
4. To provide, as it were, an abode in His opened side, according to the words of St. Augustine: The Evangelist is very cautious in his language; for he said, not the soldier pierced or wounded His side, but he opened it, that thereby there might be opened to us the door from which flow into the Church those holy sacraments without which we cannot enter into true life.
When temptation assails us, or sorrow depresses us, let us flee to this abode, and dwell therein until the storm has passed away; according to the words of the Prophet, “Enter thou into the rock, and hide thee in the pit” (Isaias ii. 10). For what is the rock but Christ, and the pit, but His wound?
An Offering to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Whoever says the following prayer before the image of the most sacred Heart of Jesus, with sincere sorrow for his sins, gains each time an indulgence of one hundred days; and by saying it daily for a month, he can on any one day gain a plenary indulgence, if he makes his confession, receives communion, and prays according to the intention of the Church:
“My loving
Jesus, I (N.N.) give Thee my heart; and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, out
of the grateful love I bear Thee, and as a reparation for all my
unfaithfulness; and with Thy aid I purpose never to sin again.”
Enthronement to the
Sacred Heart[5]
The
Sacred Heart is King of individuals, of families and of the human race. The
Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the family is the recognition of the Sacred
Heart as King of the Family. He is King of the family by divine appointment,
conquest and excellence, but He desires to be such by our own personal choice.
The Enthronement is more than a mere blessing of a Sacred Heart picture or the
mere dedication of a family to the Divine Heart; it is a way of life; a
covenant of love with our God. It is the recognition of the Royal Power of
Jesus Christ over the family which pledges to live in union with the Sacred
Heart by love, grace and obedience to His Commandments. In this way the
Enthronement brings countless graces and blessings on the family, sanctifies it
and through the family, society.
DIRECTIONS
Who
Is Its Apostle?
Father Mateo
Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC., a South American priest of the Congregation of the
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Upon his instantaneous cure at
Paray-le-Monial, he was inspired by God to preach everywhere the Enthronement
of the Sacred Heart to verify this promise of the Savior: "I will bless
every dwelling where an image of My Heart is both exposed and honored."
Where
Is the Enthronement to Take Place?
It is intended for homes,
schools, convents, institutions, parishes, dioceses, cities, states and
nations. We especially invite newlyweds as well as established families to
place their homes in the Heart of Christ in this manner, thereby assuring
themselves of special graces in their everyday problems and difficulties.
On
Whose Approval?
It began with an oral
command from Pope Pius X (St. Pius X) in 1907. In 1915, Pope Benedict the XV
wrote a letter of approval. All subsequent popes have supported the need for
honoring the Heart of Jesus.
Why
Is It So Vital?
How
Is It Carried Out?
The family makes
arrangements with a priest, a qualified lay promoter of the Enthronement
Apostolate or engages in self-study from instruction materials to get prepared
for the Enthronement. If possible, Holy Mass is offered that day in the parish
or in the home as an act of love and reparation. The family is encouraged to
receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for Mass and Communion.
Preparation may also include the daily Rosary, a Litany of the Sacred Heart and
reflection on Scriptures. A statue or picture of the Sacred Heart is procured,
and a place of honor or "throne" is prepared in the home representing
an altar in the home. There should be room for a Crucifix, candles, flowers and
the Bible.
The steps in the ceremony
are:
- The
Blessing of the home (optional)
- The
Blessing of the Sacred Heart image (this could be done ahead of time if no
priest can be present)
- The
placement of the image of the Sacred Heart and the Bible in the place of
honor
- The
recitation of the Apostles Creed
- An
explanation of the Enthronement
- The
Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart, a prayer of Thanksgiving and an
Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the family,
- The
signing of the covenant certificate by the family.
When
Should the Enthronement Take Place?
Immediately, because
family life needs the help of the Sacred Heart during these times of assault
upon Christian values and Catholic doctrine. Zealous efforts to establish the
Social Reign of the King of Love will merit superabundant blessings on the undertakings
of all involved, will make priests' ministry most fruitful in the salvation of
souls and all promoters will have their names inscribed indelibly and forever
in the Heart of Jesus.
Where
Can We Order Materials?
The
National Enthronement Center, Box 111, Fairhaven, MA 02719. Tel. (508)
999-2680. Ask for an Enthronement kit.
Twelve
Promises[6]
In the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus gives these twelve promises for those who are devoted to His Sacred Heart.
The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint
Margaret Mary for those devoted to His Sacred Heart:
- I
will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
- I
will establish peace in their families.
- I
will console them in all their troubles.
- They
shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the
hour of their death.
- I
will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
- Sinners
shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
- Tepid
souls shall become fervent.
- Fervent
souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
- I
will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and
honored.
- I
will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
- Those
who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart,
never to be effaced.
- The
all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive
Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of
final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without
receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that
last hour.
"Look at this Heart which has
loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My
divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth."
Octave
of the Sacred Heart[7]
A Mass of
the Sacred Heart won papal approval for use in Poland and Portugal in 1765, and
another was approved for Venice, Austria and Spain in 1788. Finally, in 1856, Pope Pius IX
established the Feast of the Sacred Heart as obligatory for the whole Church,
to be celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi. In June 1889, Leo XIII raised
the feast to the dignity of the first class. In 1928, Pope Pius XI
raised the feast to the highest rank, Double of the First Class, and added an
octave; the 1955 reforms of the general Roman calendar suppressed this octave
and removed most other octaves.
MEDITATIONS FOR THE FIRST FRIDAY OF
THE MONTH.
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
At
the hour of our death, when life, like a false friend, is about to forsake us,
we must, in a special manner, increase our confidence in the Heart of Jesus. It
is said that Our Lord appeared one day to a holy soul who had conjured Him to
grant to a pious person a happy passage from this life, and addressed to her
these consoling words:
(My
daughter, where is the pilot who, having brought into port a vessel laden with
precious stones, sinks it in the sea at the moment of his arrival? Can you
suppose that, after having granted so many graces to this soul in the course of
her life, I shall abandon her at the end thereof?
Let
us lean on the heart of Jesus; and driven on the stormy sea of this world, under the
protection which He grants to those who love Him, we shall one day triumphantly
enter the desired port, and enjoy the eternal blessings of that holy guidance.
Death was always precious
in the sight of God, for Jesus was to pass through its portal; it is precious
to Him still, for Jesus has died. No one who is devout to the heart of Jesus
will fail to find at the moment of his death more excellent and abundant
treasures than he had ever expected to receive.
Death,
precious to Himself, will not Our Lord render it also inexpressibly so to us?
Faith
cannot mistake the proofs of His tenderness. If we may venture to say so, the
exile of the being He created is a sorrow to Him as much as to the soul itself;
for, like a tender father, God desires that His children should be with Him in
His kingdom. Of all the hours of life this is the one which is the most
precious in the sight of God, exerts the greatest power over His love, and for
this very reason has such a mighty influence over His mercy and justice. In
order to receive the fulness of the new life to be merited by repentance
through the divine reparation every man must undergo the terrible suffering of
death; but is not this suffering, caused by sin, like all other trials, a token
of love on the part of God?
Without
death life could not attain to its end; without death how could the soul ever
reach eternal life?
The
rebel angel escaped the sentence of death, but for him there was no
resurrection. It is decreed that man should die, or, rather, the soul, cleansed
by the blood of Our Lord, and vivified by His love, passes into eternity before
the body which it shall one day glorify; united together they are called by
Jesus to reign in heaven in a state so exalted that it could not have been won
by primeval innocence.
Even
in this world, without awaiting the eternal glorifying of humanity, the most
beloved amongst the friends of God experience through their whole being a
marvelous transformation which robs death of its terrors, and wholly disengages
them from this transitory world. The interior light by which they are led is no
longer human, but divine, through Jesus; and a supernatural love is substituted
for that natural love which they made their law; and not only are their
criminal affections destroyed, but the love of God above all things gives them,
even in this life, a foretaste of heaven. They feel no longer an engrossing
care for the preservation of the body, but sigh after death, crying incessantly
to God, with St. Paul, " I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.
They exult when they hear the clock strike, at the thought that one hour less
remains for them to pass in this exile; death is no longer a passage of sorrow,
but the desired way by which they shall go to the Lord; they sigh after it,
they desire it, and would fain hasten the moment of its approach by the ardor
of their desire for the enjoyment of a never-ending eternity. One single thing
restrains them: it is when the perfection of love imposes on them a law of
charity yet stronger, which would detain them in this world for the glory of
God and the good of their brethren; "for," says St. Teresa,
"thus do souls arrive at a strict union with Jesus."
Thus
ardently they have desired to die in order to enjoy the presence of Our Lord;
this is their martyrdom that their exile is prolonged; yet they are so inflamed
with the desire of knowing Him, of making His name hallowed, of being useful to
the souls of others, that far from sighing after death they would wish to live
for many years, even amidst the greatest sufferings, too happy in being able to
add to the glory of their divine Master.
Perfect
submission in death is an act of entire adoration, a magnificent profession of
faith and praise; its beauty consists in the cheerful and ready sacrifice which
the creature makes to the Creator of the life which He had given, shadowing
forth God’s power in all its grandeur. Death beholds the soul already in
adoration annihilated at the thought of the near approach of eternity; this, we
may well imagine, is the kind of death the angels love to contemplate. The soul
takes to itself no merit, places no trust on the way in which it has served
God, and de sires to possess even the smallest consolation the Church can be
stow. It is specially attracted by the sanctity of God, which makes it aspire
to become pure, pure almost beyond conception, in order to appear before the
inviolable majesty of God; relying only on His mercy; never losing its
confidence in the greatness of the divine compassion, but fearing lest its
offences may be beyond the reach of pardon; dying the death of a child, with
its eyes fixed on the countenance of its tender Father.
Why,
then, when in a state of grace, should we entertain a fear of death?
"Whosoever
dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God abides in him." He who loves
God is then sure of His grace, and dying in this state is certain of enjoying
forever the sovereign good in the habitations of the elect.
And
can such a one fear death?
David
has, however, said that no living man is entirely pure in the sight of God.
Thus no one should have the presumption to hope for salvation through his own
merits; for, except Jesus and Mary, no one was ever exempt from sin. But we
need not fear death when we have a true sorrow for our faults, and place our
confidence in the merits of Jesus, Who came on this earth in order to redeem
and save sinners, for whom He shed His blood, for whom He died. The blood of
Jesus Christ," says the Apostle, cries more loudly in favor of sinners
than the blood of Abel for vengeance against Cain."
Grace
transforms into a brilliant light that which by its nature was plunged in
darkness and obscurity, and the plaintive cry of our misery is changed into a
song of triumph; for the fetters which yet separate the soul of the dying from
the heavenly Jerusalem are so near being severed asunder that the triumphant
alleluias of heaven mingle with the lamentations of earth, and the last gaze of
repentant love is tenderly fixed on the crucifix till earth fades from view.
The transit of the creature from time to eternity is dear to the Creator; for
precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
"Let
us throw aside, then, those vain fears of death, and regard it as a tribute
which all must pay to nature. Let us be ready cheerfully to leave this world
when Our Lord shall call us to the land where the saints await us, and where we
shall meet those who have instructed us in the faith, and whose victory will in
some measure supply for the negligence with which we have performed our own
duties toward our heavenly Father. Let us unite ourselves to those glorious
troops of blessed spirits who are seated in the kingdom of God with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob; into which the good thief entered in triumph after a life of
sin, and now enjoys, in the company of the elect, the ineffable delights of
paradise; where there is no darkness nor storms, no intense heat, excessive
cold, sickness, or sorrow; and where there is no need of the light of the sun,
because the Sun of justice alone enlightens the heavenly Jerusalem.
We
read the following touching account in the life of St. Gertrude: The saint once
heard a preacher insist strongly on the strict obligation of a dying person to
love God above all things, and to entertain for his sins a contrition founded
on love. She believed this to be an exaggerated doctrine, and that if pure love
was necessary very few persons would die in the proper dispositions. She became
interiorly disturbed, and a cloud obscured her mind; but Our Lord Himself
vouchsafed to dispel her fears, telling her " that in the last struggle,
if the dying person had during life sought to please Him, and to lead a
Christian life, He would so mercifully reveal Himself that His love would
penetrate into the inmost folding’s of the heart, causing it by His presence to
make acts of the most perfect contrition"; and, added Our Lord, " I
would have My elect to know with what a great desire I wish them to be united
to Me at that important moment. Let this be made known, so that men may rely no
less on this last merciful grace than on all the others which My love has
lavished upon them." Let us propagate this consoling truth, so well
calculated to inflame our hearts with the most lively love for so merciful a
God.
Practice.
Let
us pray to the agonizing heart of Jesus for the one hundred fifty thousand
persons who, it is computed, die daily in this world.
EJACULATORY PRAYER.
O
sweet Jesus! grant that I may die the death of those devoted to Thy divine
heart.
[His
Holiness Pius IX., by a brief dated 29th September, 1859, granted an indulgence
of three hundred days, extended afterwards by a new re script to three years,
and a plenary indulgence once a month, on the usual conditions, to the recital
of the following prayers. They are applicable to the faithful departed.
Intentions to be made during Mass, either at the offertory, immediately after
the consecration, or at the communion of the priest.]
Eternal
Father, I offer to Thee the sacrifice which Thy divine Son made of Himself on
the cross, which sacrifice He now renews on our altars. I offer it in the name
of all mankind, with the Masses which are now being celebrated, and which will
be celebrated throughout the world, in order to adore Thee and render Thee all
possible honor and glory; to thank Thee for Thy innumerable benefits; to
appease Thy justice, provoked by our sins; to give Thee the satisfaction Thou
dost expect, also to obtain grace for myself, for Thy Church, and for the whole
world, as also for the souls in purgatory. O Lord, I offer Thee the Masses
which are being said throughout the world, in the name of all mankind, for Thy
glory and the salvation and benefit of Thy creatures. O Lord, I desire to offer
up myself to Thee for all the intentions for which Thou now offerest Thyself to
God Thy Father.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART ONE:
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION ONE
"I BELIEVE" - "WE
BELIEVE"
26 We begin our profession of faith by saying: "I
believe" or "We believe". Before expounding the Church's faith,
as confessed in the Creed, celebrated in the liturgy and lived in observance of
God's commandments and in prayer, we must first ask what "to believe"
means. Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to
man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the
ultimate meaning of his life. Thus we shall consider first that search (Chapter
One), then the divine Revelation by which God comes to meet man (Chapter Two),
and finally the response of faith (Chapter Three).
Apostolic Exhortation[8]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My beloved Brothers and
Sisters in Christ,
Part III
Loving and Adoring the
Eucharistic Lord
82. The expression “waste time
in front of the Lord” should be understood only through the lens of love, of
which the saints are constant reminders. Blessed Charles de Foucauld wrote in
the presence of the Eucharist: “What a tremendous delight, my God! To spend
over fifteen hours without having anything else to do but look at you and tell
you, ‘Lord, I love you.’ Oh, what sweet delight.” True, this impressive
duration of time may have been an extraordinary gift to this holy man and
hermit. But the faith and love he bore in his heart for the Eucharist is a
supernatural gift available to every one of us, poured into our hearts by the
Holy Spirit to those who ask.
83. To all fathers and mothers,
let your children see that devotion to the Eucharist in adoration is an
essential, life-giving part of your schedule! As every parent knows, children
learn from consistent actions more than words. When I was a boy, I was deeply
impressed by the sight of my father genuflecting before the tabernacle. His
humble and straight-forward witness communicated more to me about the truth of
the Eucharist than even the best of catechists. When it comes to the Eucharist,
every child’s heart secretly asks:
does Dad believe it? Does Mom
believe it?
Tell them you do! But
above all, show them you do. Eucharistic adoration does this in a powerful way.
It is never too late to start this practice, no matter the age of your
children.
84. There are a host of ways to
increase the time we spend in Eucharistic adoration. I’ll suggest just a few
for your consideration.
·
Make a ten-minute visit to the tabernacle in a
church or chapel on the way back from work, on the way to a family gathering,
or even on the way to a simple daily errand. It’s not about the length of time
spent; it is about the faith, hope, and love with which you spend those moments
in the Lord’s presence.
·
Find out when your parish has Eucharistic
adoration and schedule a weekly or monthly time (perhaps 30 to 60 minutes) and
stick to it. Consider inviting your spouse, family, or a friend to accompany
you.
·
During your time of adoration, consider praying
the liturgy of the hours, the rosary, prayerfully reading the Scriptures,
reading a good spiritual book, or using a collection of prayers for use in the
adoration, or gazing on the Sacred Host in silence.
To be continued…
National
Doughnut Day[9]
National
Doughnut Day is a day of appreciation of Salvation Army volunteers who
distributed doughnuts to servicemen during World War I. Doughnuts are
fried circular pieces of dough that are usually topped with sugar syrups,
chocolate, nuts and other flavorings. National Doughnut Day began in 1938 as a
fundraiser for Chicago's Salvation Army. The fundraiser aimed to support
the needy and honor the Salvation Army volunteers who donated their time during
World War I to hand out doughnuts to the soldiers. When the US entered
the war in 1917, Salvation Army huts were formed where many female volunteers
were deployed to mother the soldiers. During this time, women began to
make doughnuts for the servicemen who began to refer to the women as, Doughnut
Dollies. This national holiday is celebrated each year on the first Friday in
June.
National Doughnut Day Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Visit
your local doughnut store for specials and promotions to celebrate National
Doughnut Day. Many doughnut stores offer free doughnuts or specials.
·
Try
to make your own doughnuts with your favorite toppings, or try new blends of
sweet and savory toppings. Some interesting twists include maple bacon
doughnut, smoked salmon doughnut and grilled cheese doughnuts!
·
Become
a volunteer with The Salvation Army. According to The Salvation Army, more than 30
million Americans received assistance from the Salvation Army's officers,
employees and 3.4 million volunteers in 2014.
·
Pick
up a large box of doughnuts on your way to work or school to share with
friends, family, colleagues or fellow students
Fitness
Friday
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NIC’s
Corner-Exercise that
requires strength, beauty, courage and a little stupidity. Kind of like going out
into the desert where there are snakes and pointy things.
All forms of aerial arts can be incredibly dangerous since your
whole body will be suspended in the air and your entire weight will be held up
by what is essentially a piece of fabric.
Aerial
silks (also known as aerial contortion, aerial
ribbons, aerial tissues, fabric, ribbon,
or tissu) is a type of performance in which one or more
artists perform aerial acrobatics while
hanging from a specialist fabric. The fabric may be hung as two pieces, or a
single piece, folded to make a loop, classified as hammock silks. Performers
climb the suspended fabric without the use of safety lines and rely only on
their training and skill to ensure safety. They use the fabric to wrap,
suspend, drop, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various
positions. The fabric may also be used to fly through the air, striking poses
and figures. Some performers use rosin (dried
or mixed with rubbing alcohol) on
their hands and feet to increase the friction and
grip on the fabric. Aerial silks is a demanding art and requires a high degree
of strength, power, flexibility, courage, stamina, and grace to practice.[10]
·
Today
is the World Day of
Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests
takes place every year on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Protection
of Traditional Marriage
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[4] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[5]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1097
[6]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=875
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Sacred_Heart
[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_silk
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