Thursday, May 30, 2024
Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
Corpus Christi ~ (19 days after Pentecost Sunday)
Transiturus~This was the very first papally sanctioned universal feast in the history of the Latin Rite
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Corpus Christi emphasizes the joy of the Eucharist being the body and blood of Jesus Christ
Dies Sanctissimi
Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi
JOAN
OF ARC
Leviticus, Chapter 25, Verse 43
Do not lord it over them harshly,
but stand in FEAR of your God.
This
verse in the book of Leviticus is about how to treat the hired help or the
slaves of the rich. It was common for a poor Jew to hire himself out as a slave
for up to seven years, the year of the jubilee to pay for his daily bread.
Although a slave; God commands they will be treated with dignity and respect
for all the Jews were liberated by God from the Egyptians. This verse also from
a modern standpoint sounds a lot like servant leadership. The focus of the
servant leader as discussed by Greenleaf (2002) is primarily in serving. To
serve both the organization and the people in it; this involves the leader
having to focus on how to best serve and having concern for well-rounded work, community,
and power sharing. This is the greatness of our Lord in that He shares with us
His majesty and forgives us for our failings.
As
a leader, do what you can to help your workforce to become as independent as
they can. Help them establish their own businesses if they have the skill and
will. If not, help them to establish their own estates. If you are a working person,
do what you can to become Holy in the eyes of the Lord and work toward
establishing your own wealth.
Corpus Christi-Thursdays
are Special[1]
Traditional Feast
of Corpus Christi
The Feast of Corpus Christi (Ecclesiastical Latin:
Dies Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi, lit. 'Day of the
Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord'), also known as the
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a Roman Catholic,
Anglican, and Western Orthodox liturgical solemnity celebrating the Real
Presence of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the
elements of the Eucharist. Two months earlier, the institution of the Eucharist
at the Last Supper is observed on Maundy Thursday in a sombre atmosphere
leading to Good Friday. The liturgy on that day also commemorates Christ's
washing of the disciples' feet, the institution of the priesthood and the agony
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The feast of Corpus Christi was proposed by Saint
Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, to Pope Urban IV, in order to create a
feast focused solely on the Holy Eucharist, emphasizing the joy of the
Eucharist being the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Having
recognized the authenticity of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena on
input of Aquinas, in 1264, the pontiff, then living in Orvieto, established the
feast of Corpus Christi as a Solemnity and extended it to the whole Roman
Catholic Church.
The feast is liturgically celebrated on the Thursday
after Trinity Sunday or, "where the Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and
Blood of Christ is not a holy day of obligation, it is assigned to the Sunday
after the Most Holy Trinity as its proper day".
At the end of Holy Mass, there is often a procession
of the Blessed Sacrament, generally displayed in a monstrance. The procession
is followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. A notable Eucharistic
procession is that presided over by the Pope each year in Rome, where it begins
at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and passes to the Basilica of Saint
Mary Major, where it concludes with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The celebration of the feast was suppressed in
Protestant churches during the Reformation for theological reasons: outside
Lutheranism, which maintained the confession of the Real Presence, many
Protestants denied the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist other than as a
merely symbolic or spiritual presence. Today, most Protestant denominations do
not recognize the feast day. The Church of England abolished it in 1548 as the
English Reformation progressed, but later reintroduced it. Most Anglican churches
now observe Corpus Christi, sometimes under the name "Thanksgiving for
Holy Communion".
A Eucharistic miracle
inspired the Feast of Corpus Christi[2]
Q: I recently learned that the feast of Corpus
Christi was inspired by a Eucharistic miracle. Can you please give more details
about this? — A reader in Springfield
A: In the year 1263, a German priest, Peter of
Prague, stopped at the town of Bolsena, north of Rome, while he was on a
pilgrimage to Rome. Records indicate that Peter was a good, pious priest who
strived for holiness. He was troubled by the apathy of many of the faithful;
clerical immorality and laxity; and a lack of reverence at Mass. Worse, he was
afflicted with doubt about the holy Eucharist. Like those in the Gospel, he
asked himself,
“How could this be? How can Jesus share with us His
Body and Blood?”
He agonized over whether at
the words of consecration the bread and wine became the Body and Blood of Our
Savior and whether Christ actually was present in the consecrated host. He knew
well that the church believed and taught that the bread and wine were
transformed into the Body and Blood of Our Lord at the consecration during the
holy sacrifice of the Mass. Moreover, the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 had
solemnly used the word “transubstantiation.” Yet, he had trouble believing and
prayed that the Lord would increase his faith.
Father Peter placed the host in the corporal and
then wrapped both in another linen. Arriving at Orvieto, Peter told the Holy
Father what had happened. Urban IV then ordered an investigation. After all of
the facts had been ascertained, the Holy Father declared a miracle had
occurred. He ordered the relics to be brought to the Cathedral of Orvieto,
which they were with a procession of great pomp and ceremony. The pope met the
procession, and the relics were placed in the cathedral, where they are still be
venerated today.
One year later, in1264, Pope Urban IV instituted the
feast of Corpus Christi, a special feast day to recognize and to promote the
great gift of the Blessed Sacrament. He commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas to
compose a Mass and an office for the Liturgy of the Hours honoring the holy
Eucharist. St. Thomas Aquinas also composed the beautiful Eucharistic hymns
“Panis Angelicus,” “Pange Lingua,” “O Salutaris Hostia” and “Tantum Ergo.”
Today, at the Church of St. Christina in Bolsena,
one finds the altar where the miracle took place, and the blood-stained stones
of the miracle are preserved. The Cathedral of Orvieto possesses the
blood-stained corporal as well as fragments of the miraculous host.
In 1964, to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the
institution of the feast of Corpus Christi, Pope Paul VI celebrated the holy
sacrifice of the Mass at the altar where the holy corporal is kept in the
Cathedral of Orvieto. Then in 1976, Pope Paul VI visited Bolsena and spoke from
there via television to the 41st International Eucharistic Congress meeting in
Philadelphia, whose theme was “Jesus the Bread of Life.” In his address, the
Holy Father said the holy Eucharist is “a mystery, great and inexhaustible.”
How true, indeed.
Corpus
Christi[3]
WHY is this day called Corpus Christi?
Because on this day the Catholic
Church solemnly celebrates the institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
The name, which is Latin, signifies the body of Christ.
Why is this
feast not celebrated on Maundy Thursday?
Because
on Maundy Thursday, the day of the institution of this sacrament, the Church is
occupied with the passion and death of Christ, and has no thought of joy, but
gives herself up to grief.
By whom was
this feast established?
It
was instituted by Pope Urban IV. Persuaded by a devout nun of Liege, who
believed herself to be divinely encouraged to introduce this feast, Robert,
Bishop of Liege, determined, in the year 1247 to celebrate this feast in his
diocese. This intention he was prevented from carrying out by death. In the year
1264 Pope Urban IV commanded this feast to be solemnly celebrated throughout
the whole Church. Clement V confirms the order, at the Council of Vienne, 1311,
and fixed the feast on the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
For what
purpose was this feast instituted, and why are processions so solemnly held on
this day?
1.
To declare, openly, to the faithful the real and substantial presence of Jesus
in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
2.
In order to manifest, in the sight of heaven and earth, honor and adoration for
Him before Whom every knee shall bow.
3.
To give public thanks for the institution of this holy sacrament, and for all
the graces thereby conferred upon the faithful.
4.
To repair, in some measure, by solemn adoration, the wrongs done to Christ, in
this sacrament.
5.
To bring down God’s blessing upon the land and upon the people.
6.
To show that Jesus, as true God, dwells not only in temples built by hands, but
that He has heaven for His throne, the earth for His foot stool, and the whole
world for His temple.
The Church
sings at the Introit of the Mass: He fed them with the fat of wheat, alleluia;
and filled them with honey out of the rock, alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice to God
our helper, sing aloud to the God of Jacob” (Ps. Ixxx.).
Prayer.
O God, Who in this wonderful sacrament hast left us a
memorial of Thy passion, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred
mysteries of Thy body and blood, that we may ever perceive within us the fruit
of Thy redemption. Amen.
EPISTLE, i. COR. xi. 23-29.
Brethren:
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the
Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and giving
thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is My body, which shall be
delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of Me. In like manner also the
chalice, after He had supped, saying: This chalice is the New Testament in My
blood, this do ye as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of Me. For
as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the
death of the Lord until He come: therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or
drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of
the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so, let him eat of that
bread and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh judgment to himself: not discerning the body of the Lord.
GOSPEL. John vi. 56-59.
At
that time Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews: My flesh is meat indeed and
My blood is drink; indeed, he that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood,
abideth in Me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by
the Father so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me. This is the
bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are
dead. He that eateth this bread shall live forever.
Why did Jesus say, this is the
bread that came down from heaven?
He wished thereby to teach the Jews that the bread
which He would give them, like the manna, came down from heaven, and was,
indeed, the only true bread from heaven. The manna was but a type and could
only prolong the life of the body. The type was now to be fulfilled; the bread
that He was about to give them would impart to them eternal life, and this
bread would be His flesh, Himself, Who truly came from heaven, to redeem
mankind, and to bring them to life everlasting. Jesus calls His flesh bread,
partly on account of its likeness to the manna, partly on account of its
effect; for as bread nourishes the body, and sustains the earthly life, so the
body of Christ, in the Holy Sacrament, nourishes the soul, and imparts to it,
continually, a new, divine, and everlasting life.
What is the Holy Sacrament of the
Altar?
It is that sacrament in which, after the words of its
institution have been spoken by the priest, Jesus Christ is present, whole and
entire, in His Godhead and in His manhood, under the appearance of bread and
wine.
When and how did Jesus institute
this sacrament?
At the Last Supper, In the night, before He was
betrayed, He took bread, and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to His
disciples saying, Take and eat, for this is My body which will be given for
you. In the same manner, He took the chalice and said, Take and drink, for this
chalice is the new covenant in My blood. Do this as often as you drink from it
in commemoration of Me.
What did Jesus affect by these
words?
He changed bread and wine into His most precious body
and blood.
Has He given to others the power to
do the same?
Yes, He gave this power to His apostles and their
successors, the bishops and priests, in these words: Do this in commemoration
of Me.
What takes place at the words of
consecration?
Bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of
Jesus Christ, and only the outward appearances of bread and wine remain.
How is Jesus present in the Most
Holy Sacrament?
He is present, truly, really, and substantially, in
His divinity and humanity, in flesh and blood, in body and soul, under the
appearances of bread and wine.
Why do we believe this?
1. Because
the words of Jesus do not reasonably admit of any other meaning: since by them
we see
(a)
that Jesus gave His disciples a certain nourishment which they were to eat.
(b)
that this nourishment was bread and wine to all appearances, but Jesus called
the bread His body, which was afterwards to be sacrificed for us, and the wine
His blood, which was to be shed for us: this food consequently was not bread
and wine, but, under the appearance of bread and wine, was indeed His body and
blood; since what He gave for our redemption was not bread and wine, but His
true body and His true blood;
(c)
that as the body and blood of Jesus were inseparable from His soul and
divinity, He gave Himself up for our nourishment, whole and undivided, as He
hung, bled, and died upon the cross.
(d)
that He commanded what He had done to be continued until He should come again
(1 Cor. xi. 26), that is, until the end of the world; and that He,
(e)
on account of this being His testament, and the New Law, was not at liberty to
speak figuratively, but plainly and distinctly.
2. Because
the apostles preached this very doctrine.
3. Because
the Catholic Church, the pillar and foundation of truth, has thus constantly
taught, from the apostle’s times down to the present day, as the oldest
Councils and the Holy Fathers unanimously testify
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 3-THE SEVEN PETITIONS
VI. "And Lead Us not into
Temptation"
2846 This
petition goes to the root of the preceding one, for our sins result from our
consenting to temptation; we therefore ask our Father not to "lead"
us into temptation. It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a
single English word: the Greek means both "do not allow us to enter into
temptation" and "do not let us yield to temptation." "God
cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one"; on the
contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take
the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle "between flesh and
spirit"; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength.
2847 The
Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth
of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We
must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally,
discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a
"delight to the eyes" and desirable, when in reality its fruit
is death.
God does not want to impose the good, but wants free beings.... There is a
certain usefulness to temptation. No one but God knows what our soul has
received from him, not even we ourselves. But temptation reveals it in order to
teach us to know ourselves, and in this way we discover our evil inclinations
and are obliged to give thanks for the goods that temptation has revealed to
us.
2848
"Lead us not into temptation" implies a decision of the heart:
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.... No one can
serve two masters." "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk
by the Spirit." In this assent to the Holy Spirit the Father gives us strength.
"No testing has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful,
and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the
temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to
endure it."
2849 Such a
battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. It is by his
prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public
mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony. In this petition to our
heavenly Father, Christ unites us to his battle and his agony. He urges us to
vigilance of the heart in communion with his own. Vigilance is "custody of
the heart," and Jesus prayed for us to the Father: "Keep them in your
name." The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to keep watch. Finally,
this petition takes on all its dramatic meaning in relation to the last
temptation of our earthly battle; it asks for final perseverance. "Lo, I
am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake."
VII
"BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL"
2850 The
last petition to our Father is also included in Jesus' prayer: "I am not
asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from
the evil one." It touches each of us personally, but it is always
"we" who pray, in communion with the whole Church, for the
deliverance of the whole human family. the Lord's Prayer continually opens us
to the range of God's economy of salvation. Our interdependence in the drama of
sin and death is turned into solidarity in the Body of Christ, the
"communion of saints."
2851 In this
petition, evil is not an abstraction, but refers to a person, Satan, the Evil
One, the angel who opposes God. the devil (dia-bolos) is the one who
"throws himself across" God's plan and his work of salvation
accomplished in Christ.
2852 "A
murderer from the beginning, . . . a liar and the father of lies," Satan
is "the deceiver of the whole world." Through him sin and death
entered the world and by his definitive defeat all creation will be "freed
from the corruption of sin and death." Now "we know that anyone
born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil
one does not touch him.
We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil
one."
The Lord who has taken away your sin and pardoned your
faults also protects you and keeps you from the wiles of your adversary the
devil, so that the enemy, who is accustomed to leading into sin, may not
surprise you. One who entrusts himself to God does not dread the devil.
"If God is for us, who is against us?"
2853 Victory
over the "prince of this world" was won once for all at the Hour
when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. This is the
judgment of this world, and the prince of this world is "cast out." "He
pursued the woman" but had no hold on her: the new Eve, "full of
grace" of the Holy Spirit, is preserved from sin and the corruption of
death (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of
God, Mary, ever virgin). "Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and
went off to make war on the rest of her offspring." Therefore the
Spirit and the Church pray: "Come, Lord Jesus," since his coming will
deliver us from the Evil One.
2854 When we
ask to be delivered from the Evil One, we pray as well to be freed from all
evils, present, past, and future, of which he is the author or instigator. In
this final petition, the Church brings before the Father all the distress of
the world. Along with deliverance from the evils that overwhelm humanity, she
implores the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance in
expectation of Christ's return By praying in this way, she anticipates in
humility of faith the gathering together of everyone and everything in him who
has "the keys of Death and Hades," who "is and who was and who
is to come, the Almighty."
Deliver us, Lord, we beseech you, from every evil and grant
us peace in our day, so that aided by your mercy we might be ever free from sin
and protected from all anxiety, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of
our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Apostolic Exhortation[4]
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 II
III. Worthy Reception of Holy
Communion – Conforming our life with Christ.
55. The beautiful and rich
Liturgy of the Church, which has been passed down to us from the first century,
contains many expressions of devotion and faith in the real presence of Christ
in the Eucharist. For example, we call to mind that the main reason our
churches are decorated with beautiful and precious art is because here in the
Church building, Jesus is present in the tabernacle, always accompanying us and
interceding for us. We also celebrate our Masses with beautiful music and
vestments, incense, candles, and many other details that allow us to express
our faith and gratitude to Christ who has loved us so much that He has decided
to stay with us, really present in the Eucharist, until the end of time. Many
churches hold special hours of prayer and adoration of the Eucharist, to honor
and thank our Lord, and to bring all our needs before Him. We dress
respectfully for Mass knowing that we come to worship and receive our Lord who
comes to us at the altar and especially in our hearts. All these expressions of
devotion flow from a lively faith in Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist.
56. As the Eucharistic faith of
the Church expresses itself in so many beautiful ways, so also, our faith in
the Real Presence should move us to desire and strive with all our efforts to
prepare and receive Jesus worthily in Holy Communion.
57. At the moment of Holy
Communion, the priest holds up the consecrated Host and says, “the Body of
Christ”. When we reply “Amen” and then receive the Body of Christ, we are
expressing not only our faith in Jesus Christ but also our desire and effort to
live in friendship with Him. By receiving the Body of Christ in Holy Communion
we manifest our union with the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. Therefore,
if with our “Amen,” we refuse to accept and live by the whole teaching of
Christ and His Church, we are not in communion with Him but living a ‘fake’
union, one that overlooks truth and justice. In the same way, when we commit a
mortal sin and deliberately fail in a serious matter of “rejection of communion
with God… then we are seriously obliged to refrain from receiving Holy
Communion until we are reconciled with God and the Church” through the
Sacrament of Penance (USCCB “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On
Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist).
To be continued…
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2.
Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longsuffering.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11.
Continency.
12.
Chastity.
These fruits
should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy
Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.
Notice I have placed the Fruits of the
Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may reflect on them seeing that by
concentrating on each step of our growth in the spirit we may progress closer
and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will be focusing on the eleventh
step which is Joy.
Joan
of Arc-her defeat was her Victory[5]
Joan
of Arc acquitted herself with courage, answering all that was asked, displaying
a remarkable memory. It is said that Joan of Arc’s heart did not catch fire as
her body burned at the stake.[6]
John
McCain notes in his study of leadership that Saint Joan of Arc (feast day: May
30) was an example of leadership that was characterized by authenticity.
At the command of voices that only she could hear, she rode to battle and saved
her country. SHE COULD NOT READ OR WRITE, BUT SAINTS AND ANGELS SPOKE TO HER.
Michael the Archangel, and Catherine and Margaret, the patron saints of France,
commanded the thirteen-year-old peasant girl to pray vigilantly and attend Mass
regularly. She is remembered as very beautiful, a slight seventeen-year-old
girl with black hair who could ride for long hours in heavy armor without any
sign of discomfort. She kept silent for long periods but could be roused to
great anger at men swearing or behaving in some other sinful manner.
She prayed and
fasted often and seemed most comfortable in the company of poor priests. Before
they embarked, she had dictated to a priest a letter for the English commanders
in Orléans, warning them to “go away back to England . . . or I will drive you
out of France.” This is the first the English had ever heard of Joan of Arc. To
the French, and their dauphin, who now placed their trust in her, she was
becoming a saint. As they marched to Orléans, she saw to the spiritual needs of
her soldiers, ordering them to abandon their vices, to refrain from looting and
harming civilians, to confess their sins and attend Mass regularly, which they
did. Men who had refused to serve Charles in what they believed was a losing
cause now rushed to her standard and prepared for battle. A few days later, the
rest of her army began to arrive with much needed supplies, just as word was
received that another English army was marching to the aid of her enemies. She
went to sleep that night happy in the knowledge that the moment was at hand
when she would accomplish what her saints had commanded her to do. She awoke in
the middle of the night and stirred her generals with the news that they must
attack immediately. In fact, a battle had already begun at the nearest English
fortification. Joan commanded her page to bring her horse, as she dressed in
her armor, and then raced to join the fight carrying her banner. When she
reached her soldiers, she saw that they were losing the battle, but her
presence inspired them, and they rallied to take the fort. After the battle
Joan wept for the fallen, French and English alike. On the next day they took
another English fort, and the day after one more. But the fighting during the
third battle had been ferocious. Joan was wounded by an arrow through her
shoulder as she attempted to scale one of the fort’s walls and was carried to
safety. Seeing her hurt and carried from the field, her troops lost courage,
and the assault was suspended. Some witnesses say she removed the arrow
herself. Others remembered her soldiers treating the wound. Whatever the case,
legend has it that she responded to her soldiers’ fears by telling them to
rally to her when they saw her banner strike the fort’s wall. And when they did
see it, they recovered their courage and took the fort. The next day the
English abandoned the siege. Orléans was saved. Both English and French
generals gave the credit to Joan. She gave it to God. Then she rode to meet
Charles. When they met, she bowed to him, and urged him to hasten to Reims, where
his crown awaited him. But Charles hesitated. His will was weak, for he was not
a man of great courage, and his advisors at court, some of whom resented Joan’s
interference, cautioned him to proceed slowly, for there were still many
powerful English armies in France that had to be destroyed. Joan, as always,
rode in the front, carrying her banner, urging her soldiers to victory.
Inspired by her courage, and by the obvious favor of God that protected her,
they carried the day, routing the English and opening the road to Reims. The
English and all the French, those loyal to the dauphin and those who fought for
Henry, recognized that this strange young girl, now known as the Maid of
Orléans, must be in the service of a sovereign more powerful than any earthly
king. Joan in the end like the eternal King she served was abandoned by her
earthly King and was captured by the Burundians. John of Luxembourg took her to
his castle, where, she twice tried to escape, once by jumping from a castle
tower into the moat below. Attempts to ransom her were refused, as were French
attempts to liberate her by force. After several months, Luxembourg handed Joan
over to the English, and she was taken to the city of Rouen, where a corrupt
bishop, Pierre Cauchon, was instructed to put her on trial for heresy. The
rules of war did not permit the English to condemn Joan for opposing them in
battle. So, they sought her death by falsely accusing her of witchcraft.
Cauchon tried for weeks to compel her to confess, but despite threats of
torture and execution, she steadfastly refused to divulge her conversations
with Charles or to concede that the saints who spoke to her were demons or
merely inventions of her own blasphemy.
She was denied permission to attend Mass and receive
the sacraments.
She was often
kept in chains and became very ill. Yet she stayed true to herself, and to her
saints. She wore a dress when they brought her to a church cemetery to hear her
sentence read, condemning her to be burned at the stake. She asked that her
conviction be appealed to the pope. Her persecutors refused her. And then, Joan
of Arc, for the first and only time in her brief life, tried to be someone she
was not. Fearing the flames, she confessed to being a heretic and recanted her
claim to have heard and obeyed her saints, and begged her enemies for mercy.
Mercy they had little of but having taken from her what their armies could not,
they no longer thought her life such a great thing that it could not be spared.
She was now nothing more than a confessed imposter. They had wanted to destroy
her truth, that she was God’s messenger. Having done so, it mattered little
whether she died or suffered long imprisonment. Their work done, they left her
in her cell, to the taunts and abuses of the guards, and commanded her to dress
only in women’s clothes. When they next saw her, a few days later, she was
attired in the clothes of a boy. She had recovered her courage and her truth.
Her saints had reproached her for denying them, and she had begged their
forgiveness. She had become her true self again. She was the Maid of Orléans, a
pretty, pious nineteen-year-old girl who had left her father’s house and taken
up arms for more than a year, as heaven had commanded her. And with heaven’s
encouragement she had defeated France’s enemies in battle after battle, frightened
and awed the bravest English heart, rallied a nation to her banner, and made a
weak, defeated man a king. God’s messenger went bravely to her death, forgiving
her accusers and asking only that a priest hold high a crucifix for her to see
it above the flames. She raised her voice to heaven, calling out to her saints
and her Savior. Even her enemies wept at the sight. Her executioner was shaken
with remorse, and an anguished English soldier who witnessed the crime feared
for his soul. “God forgive us,” he cried, “we have burned a saint.”
Thursday Feast
Thursday
is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday
commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is
the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by
making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the
grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank
our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
·
According to Mary Agreda[7]
in her visions it was on a Thursday at six o'clock in the evening and at the
approach of night that the Angel Gabriel approached and announced her as Mother
of God and she gave her fiat.
Best Places to Visit in may
Las Vegas
and Grand Canyon
Often
referred to as the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’, Las Vegas is the
ultimate playground of adventures, cuisines, and nightlife scenes, and when you
visit, you’ll see why!
While Sin
City sees an influx of visitors during winters and scorching summers, I
honestly think the best time to visit the city is from March to this month and
from September to November.
It’s
still one of the warmest states to visit this month, but temperatures are much
more manageable and hover around 89.6 degrees during the day.
You’ll
find various events, hot (but not unbearable) daily temperatures, and fewer
crowds. Nearby the city is the Grand Canyon, and I highly suggest a visit
here—it’s a one-in-a-lifetime experience!
Spring
and fall make for an ideal trip to the canyon for hiking, skywalking, and
discovering the wildflower blooms, but I would also highly recommend just
enjoying the scenic vistas.
Visitors Center Address: 495 S. Main St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Average temperatures –89.6 degrees
My highlights…
Capturing an unbelievable Instagrammable
shot overlooking the Grand Canyon after hiking around the area.
Checking out a fun show at MGM Grand.
In honor
of Joan of Arc
·
Go to Mass at Joan of Arc Church
Dinner
Menu[8] French
of course
- Joan
of Arc Cocktail
- Bacon, Cheddar, and Onion Quiche
- Hot Niçoise Salad
- Braised Baby Artichokes with Tomato Coulis
- Crème Brûlée
Rachel’s
Corner-See Dinosaurs
An Immersive Experience
At Dino
Safari you can dig up fossils, learn about cutting-edge research, take a
turn on the Sauropod Slide, see many varieties of animatronic dinosaurs, and
enjoy thrilling virtual reality and other exciting activities to immerse the
whole family in the age of dinosaurs.
Also
Do
something for Corpus Christi
How to Celebrate Corpus
Christi
Celebrating
Corpus Christi can be a delightful mix of tradition and modern creativity. Here
are some playful suggestions on how you can make this feast day uniquely
special:
· Join a Colorful Procession
Why not
step into a bit of history and pageantry? Many parishes host Eucharistic
processions, where the faithful parade through the streets, often with music
and singing.
It’s a
majestic way to pay tribute to the real presence of Christ in the
Eucharist—like a spiritual parade with a divine guest of honor!
·
Bake
and Break Bread
Gather
your loved ones and bake some bread together. While it bakes, dive into the
Bread of Life discourse from the Gospel of John. Sharing homemade bread can be
a heartwarming way to connect over the significance of Jesus as the Bread of
Life.
·
Adoration
and Artistry
Take a
quiet moment for adoration at your local parish. Bring along a sketchbook or
some coloring materials.
Drawing
or coloring while in adoration can be a meditative way to engage with the peace
and presence of the Holy Eucharist, especially for the little ones.
·
Floral
Offerings
Who says
you can’t mix flowers and faith? Collect some wild or garden flowers and place
them at the altar or along the procession route. It’s a beautiful, natural way
to honor the feast and make the surroundings as beautiful as the celebration.
·
Learn
a Sacred Song
Music
lifts the soul! Learn a traditional Eucharistic hymn with your family. Singing
together fills your home with music and a deeper connection to the feast’s
meaning. Plus, it’s a fun way to keep everyone’s spirits high and engaged.
Each of
these suggestions blends a bit of the traditional essence of Corpus Christi
with a dash of personal touch, making your celebration both meaningful and
memorable.
St. Hubert's feast was originally
November 3, but the 2004 Roman Martyrology transferred it to May 30,
which was the anniversary of the translation of his relics. Why not
celebrate twice?
Have a toast of Jägermeister
in honor of St. Hubert.
·
Cough syrup not
to your liking have a Mint Julep
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: The
lonely and destitute
·
do
a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Corpus_Christi#:~:text=The%20celebration%20of%20the%20feast%20was%20suppressed%20in,than%20as%20a%20merely%20symbolic%20or%20spiritual%20presence.
[2]https://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-eucharistic-miracle-inspired-the-feast-of-corpus-christi/
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[5] McCain, John and Salter, Mark. (2005) Character is destiny. Random
House, New York.
[6]https://www.popmatters.com/188252-joan-of-arca-life-transfigured-by-kathryn-harrison-2495583854.html#:~:text=Joan%20acquitted%20herself%20with%20courage%2C%20answering%20all%20that,fire%20as%20her%20body%20burned%20at%20the%20stake.
[7] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God: Complete Edition Containing all Four Volumes with
Illustrations (p. 770). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition
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