Saturday, May 18, 2024
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- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
Whitsun Eve
Exodus, Chapter 9, Verse 20
Those of Pharaoh’s servants who FEARED the word of the LORD hurried
their servants and their livestock off to shelter.
Even
Pharaohs servants when they heard the word of God took action. Blessed are we
that hear the word of the Lord!
Today
we are a community living in the fulfillment of faith in Christ and He asks us
to do something unthinkable,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)
Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Mt. 4:19)
Whitsun Eve[1]
Similar to the Easter Vigil, the
Vigil of Pentecost can be celebrated in a way that preserves its rich
traditions.
Fifty
days after the high feast of Easter, the Church comes together to celebrate the
coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is one of the principal feasts of
the year and marks the end of the Easter season. Historically the feast of
Pentecost was given a greater emphasis and its vigil the day before was connected
to the Easter Vigil in many ways.
There
was a service called by the English Whitsun Eve, during which the catechumens
who had not been baptized at Easter received the sacraments on the eve of
Pentecost. Similar to the Easter Vigil, it was celebrated in a “night watch”
liturgy that included the reading of six prophecies and a solemn blessing of
the baptismal font.
After
the celebration of Baptism, the newly baptized would be vested in a white alb,
symbolizing their new birth in the life of grace. Thus Pentecost is also called
Whitsunday by English speakers, a word that simply means “White Sunday,” in
reference to the white albs the newly baptized would wear.
In recognition of this ancient
tradition, the current Roman Missal has revived this extended vigil. Below is a
brief guide to how Pentecost can be celebrated according to the Third Edition
of the Roman Missal.
Evening Prayer
Prior
to the start of Mass, it is an option to begin the celebration with the
recitation of Evening Prayer (Vespers). This includes several Psalms and ends
right before the Liturgy of the Word during Mass.
Liturgy of the Word
Similar
to the Easter Vigil, there are four readings from the Old Testament that are
read. The priest will pray the following prayer before these readings, which
summarizes the overall “spirit” of the Pentecost Vigil.
Dear brethren, we have now begun our
Pentecost Vigil, after the example of the apostles and disciples, who with
Mary, the mother of Jesus, persevered in prayer, awaiting the Spirit promised
by the Lord; like them, let us, too, listen with quiet hearts to the Word of
God.
Let us meditate on how many great deeds God in times past did for his people and let us pray that the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sent as the first fruits for those who believe, may bring to perfection his work in the world.
These
readings reflect various prefigurements of the coming of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost starting in Genesis, and ending in the book of Joel. Each reading has
its own proper prayer, which bring out the truths revealed in this ancient
texts. Here is the one after a reading from the book of Exodus.
O God, who in fire and lightning gave the
ancient law to Moses on Mount Sinai and on this day manifested the new covenant
in the fire of the Spirit, grant, we pray, that we may always be aflame with
that same Spirit whom you wondrously poured out on your apostles, and that the
new Israel, gathered from every people, may receive with rejoicing the eternal
commandment of your love. Through Christ our Lord.
After
the fourth reading and its Psalm is completed, the Gloria is sung with great
jubilation. Then a reading from Romans is recited, which recalls the how the
Holy Spirit helps us in our need. The Gospel is then proclaimed, and Mass
continues as usual.
In
the Ordinariate Missal of Divine Worship, the Litany of Saints is sung, again
echoing the Easter Vigil Mass.
Celebration of Baptism
Though
not a requirement of the Pentecost Vigil, it remains fitting to celebrate
baptisms during this Mass after the homily. This can occur for various pastoral
reasons and reflects the continuity of the liturgy throughout the ages.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The remainder of Mass is the same
as usual, with no special additions. Mass is concluded with the solemn
dismissal, “Go forth, the Mass is ended, Alleluia, Alleluia.” Pentecost marks
the last use of the Easter season double Alleluia.
Feast of Pentecost, or Whitsunday.[2]
This is the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, giving
them the grace and resolve to teach and convert all nations. The feast is
fitting for a number of reasons. First, it corresponds to the Jewish feast of
Pentecost, the great religious and agricultural festival of First Fruits. The
Christian Pentecost, on the other hand, celebrates the first fruits of the Holy
Spirit and of all our Lord's promises. (The Pentecost Octave is considered an
ideal time to meditate on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.) And just as the
Jewish Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Passover, the Christian
Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Easter ("Pentecost" is the
Greek word for fifty). God also revealed the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai fifty
days after the first Passover, and so it is fitting the New Law was promulgated
by the Apostles fifty days after it was ratified by the Lamb of God's
self-sacrifice. Finally, the week after Pentecost constitutes the concluding
stage of the Easter season, which quietly ends on the following Saturday
afternoon. One distinctive feature of this week that bears special mention are
the Ember Days. It no doubt strikes us as odd that three days of the jubilant
Octave of Pentecost are reserved for fasting. This befuddlement has much to do
with a common misconception about fasting, which tends to see the practice as a
sign of contrition and sorrow. As is clear from the Mosaic Law, however,
fasting can be joyous as well as penitential. In fact, it can express a variety
of moods and serve a number of purposes. In the case of the Whitsundaytide
Ember Days (as Pope St. Leo the Great once explained), the Apostles were
commissioned by the Spirit to embark on a great mission, but before doing so
they readied themselves with a holy fast by which they could more effectively
wage war against the forces of evil. This was not a fast of mourning, but a
fast of gladsome training and preparation. By following the example of the
Apostles, St. Leo tells us, we too are joyfully preparing ourselves for our
mission as witnesses of Christ to an unbelieving world. Having undergone the
purgation of Lent and the sanctification of Paschaltide, we too are poised to
burst out of the closed doors and speak the Good News of salvation.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 1-"THE
SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL"
IN BRIEF
2773 In response to his disciples' request "Lord,
teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1), Jesus entrusts them with the fundamental
Christian prayer, the Our Father.
2774 "The Lord's Prayer is truly the summary of the
whole gospel," The "most perfect of prayers." It is at
the center of the Scriptures.
2775 It is called "the Lord's Prayer" because it
comes to us from the Lord Jesus, the master and model of our prayer.
2776 The Lord's Prayer is the quintessential prayer of the
Church. It is an integral part of the major hours of the Divine Office and of
the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
Integrated into the Eucharist it reveals the eschatological character of its
petitions, hoping for the Lord, "until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26).
Armed Forces Day[3]
Armed Forces Day is a day
to recognize members of the Armed Forces that are currently serving. In 1947,
the Armed Forces of the US were united under one department which was renamed
the Department of Defense. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman supported the
creation of a day for the nation to unite in support and recognition or our
military members and their families. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense
Louis Johnson announced that Armed Forces Day would take the place of other
individual branch celebrations, and all branches of the military would be
honored this single day. Armed Forces Day takes place on the third
Saturday in May.
·
According
to the US Dept of Defense, as of 2017, there are 1,281,900 personnel serving in
active duty in the United States.
·
One
of the best ways to keep peace
is to be prepared for war. - General George Washington
Armed Forces Day Top Events and
Things to Do
·
Attend
a parade or a military air show.
·
Send
a care package to military personnel stationed overseas. Free flat-rate boxes
are available at USPS. Use these to mail to military bases for a low cost.
·
Fly
the American Flag.
·
Visit
a local Veteran's Hospital or Nursing Home to show your gratitude.
·
Honor
Military Working Dogs by donating to the ASPCA or other charitable
organizations that protect and serve these heroic animals.
10 habits of mentally strong people[4]
Despite West Point Military Academy’s rigorous selection process, one in five students drop out by graduation day. A sizeable number leave the summer before freshman year, when cadets go through a rigorous program called “Beast.” Beast consists of extreme physical, mental, and social challenges that are designed to test candidates’ perseverance. University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth conducted a study in which she sought to determine which cadets would make it through the Beast program. The rigorous interviews and testing that cadets went through to get into West Point in the first place told Angela that IQ and talent weren’t the deciding factors. So, Angela developed her own test to determine which cadets had the mental strength to conquer the Beast. She called it the “Grit Scale,” and it was a highly accurate predictor of cadet success. The Grit Scale measures mental strength, which is that unique combination of passion, tenacity, and stamina that enables you to stick with your goals until they become a reality. To increase your mental strength, you simply need to change your outlook. When hard times hit, people with mental strength suffer just as much as everyone else. The difference is that they understand that life’s challenging moments offer valuable lessons. In the end, it’s these tough lessons that build the strength you need to succeed. Developing mental strength is all about habitually doing the things that no one else is willing to do. If you aren’t doing the following things on a regular basis, you should be, for these are the habits that mentally strong people rely on.
1.
You have to fight when you already feel
defeated.
A reporter once asked Muhammad Ali how many sit-ups he
does every day. He responded, “I don’t count my sit-ups, I only start counting
when it starts hurting, when I feel pain, cause that’s when it really matters.”
The same applies to success in the workplace. You always have two choices when
things begin to get tough: you can either overcome an obstacle and grow in the
process or let it beat you. Humans are creatures of habit. If you quit when
things get tough, it gets that much easier to quit the next time. On the other
hand, if you force yourself to push through a challenge, the strength begins to
grow in you.
2.
You have to delay gratification.
There was a famous Stanford experiment in which an
administrator left a child in a room with a marshmallow for 15 minutes. Before
leaving, the experimenter told the child that she was welcome to eat it, but if
she waited until he returned without eating it, she would get a second
marshmallow. The children that were able to wait until the experimenter
returned experienced better outcomes in life, including higher SAT scores,
greater career success, and even lower body mass indexes. The point is that
delay of gratification and patience are essential to success. People with
mental strength know that results only materialize when you put in the time and
forego instant gratification.
3.
You have to make mistakes, look like an
idiot, and try again — without even flinching.
In a recent study at the College of William and Mary,
researchers interviewed over 800 entrepreneurs and found that the most
successful among them tend to have two critical things in common: they’re
terrible at imagining failure and they tend not to care what other people think
of them. In other words, the most successful entrepreneurs put no time or
energy into stressing about their failures as they see failure as a small and
necessary step in the process of reaching their goals.
4.
You have to keep your emotions in check.
Negative emotions challenge your mental strength every
step of the way. While it’s impossible not to feel your emotions, it’s
completely under your power to manage them effectively and to keep yourself in
control of them. When you let your emotions overtake your ability to think
clearly, it’s easy to lose your resolve. A bad mood can make you lash out or
stray from your chosen direction just as easily as a good mood can make you
overconfident and impulsive.
5. You
have to make the calls you’re afraid to make.
Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do
because we know they’re for the best in the long-run: fire someone, cold-call a
stranger, pull an all-nighter to get the company server back up, or scrap a
project and start over. It’s easy to let the looming challenge paralyze you,
but the most successful people know that in these moments, the best thing they
can do is to get started right away. Every moment spent dreading the task
subtracts time and energy from actually getting it done. People that learn to
habitually make the tough calls stand out like flamingos in a flock of
seagulls.
6.
You have to trust your gut.
There’s a fine line between trusting your gut and
being impulsive. Trusting your gut is a matter of looking at decisions from
every possible angle, and when the facts don’t present a clear alternative, you
believe in your ability to make the right decision; you go with what looks and
feels right.
7.
You have to lead when no one else follows.
It’s easy to set a direction and to believe in
yourself when you have support, but the true test of strength is how well you
maintain your resolve when nobody else believes in what you’re doing. People
with mental strength believe in themselves no matter what, and they stay the
course until they win people over to their ways of thinking.
8.
You have to focus on the details even when it
makes your mind numb.
Nothing tests your mental strength like mind-numbing
details, especially when you’re tired. The more people with mental strength are
challenged, the more they dig in and welcome that challenge, and numbers and
details are no exception to this.
9.
You have to be kind to people who are rude to
you.
When people treat you poorly, it’s tempting to stoop
to their level and return the favor. People with mental strength don’t allow
others to walk all over them, but that doesn’t mean they’re rude to them,
either. Instead, they treat rude and cruel people with the same kindness they
extend to everyone else, because they don’t allow another person’s negativity
to bring them down.
10.
You have to be accountable for your actions,
no matter what.
People are far
more likely to remember how you dealt with a problem than they are to recall
how you created it in the first place. By holding yourself accountable, even
when making excuses is an option, you show that you care about results more
than your image or ego.
World Whiskey Day[5]buy
a soldier a drink today.
If you’re friends with Jack and Jim
and spend your weekends with Jameson and Johnnie, then World Whisky Day is
going to hold a special significance for you. Whisky is one of the iconic
drinks of true lovers of alcohol and is the foundation of some of the most
wonderful drinks known to man. But honestly, who needs an excuse to imbibe in
these wonderful libations? If you need one, World Whisky Day is it!
History of World Whisky Day
One of the most common forms of whisky that is sought after is Irish Whisky,
and perhaps appropriately so. The origins of the word Whisky can be found in
the Gaelic Language. Uisce Beatha was the original name of whiskey in classical
Gaelic, which ultimately became Uisce Beatha in Ireland and Uisge Beatha in
Scotland. Both of these names mean “Water of Life” and tells us just how
important and vital this particular distillation was to the Gaels. It was later
shortened to just Uisce/Uisge, and then anglicized to Whisky. So now you know,
when someone is concerned about your whisky consumption, you can just tell them
you’re drinking the water of life!
So what, exactly, is whisky? Whisky is
what happens when you create take rich flavorful grains and ferment them into a
mash, and then take that mash and distil it down into a pure delicious spirit.
Distillation takes place in a still, a device whose whole purpose is the
purification of the alcohol from the fermented mash. One of the most important
secrets of distillation is that it must take place in a copper (Or copper
lined) still, as the copper removes the sulfur from the drink that would make
this otherwise divine beverage decidedly unpleasant to drink.
How to Celebrate World Whisky Day?
World Whisky Day reminds us that there
is an incredibly broad range of whisky out there to try, and it’s unlikely that
we’ve managed to try all of it. Whisky can be made from barley, corn, rye, and
wheat, just to name a few, and those grains are often mixed in different
proportions before fermenting and distilling. The results are then aged in
casks, with both the cask and the time inside changing the flavor. Needless to
say, you may need more than one day to sample every kind available to you!
World Whisky Day is a great opportunity for you to expand your palette and
share your experiences with your friends.
Vinny’s Day-San
Ysidro Festival
May 18, 2024, Time: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Friends of Tucson's Birthplace: Mission Garden 946 West Mission Lane
Tucson, AZ 85745
520-955-5200 x2
kendall@missiongarden.org
Presented By: Friends of Tucson's Birthplace: Mission
Garden
Price: Free admission. Make a gift of any amount
at the garden entrance gate.
Since wheat was adopted as a valued
crop here in the 18th Century, it has been harvested on Saint Isidore's Day.
This day was an opportunity to remember San Ysidro—the patron of laborers and
farmers—and to harvest the wheat.
The day will begin with a traditional
procession featuring San Ysidro, starting at the garden’s front gate. Arriving
at the threshing ground there will be blessings.
Mission Garden personnel will explain
why we celebrate the San Ysidro Festival every year. Mission Garden’s Curator
of Collections Dena Cowan and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Education
Specialist Jesús García will describe the wheat tradition of our region as the
harvest gets started.
Our White Sonora Wheat field (the
traditional wheat of our region) will be harvested, and the wheat
threshed, winnowed and milled into flour. Our volunteers will do this all with
sickles, baskets, our tahona (mill), and other traditional tools. And there
will be a horse helping with the threshing! This is all consistent with our
mission, to recreate, and teach about, traditional agriculture of many eras of
our 4,100-year agricultural and culinary history.
Costumed volunteers from the Presidio
San Agustín del Tucson Museum will participate in the harvest and you’ll be
able to learn more about the presidio at their information table.
·
May
18 BEST. EXPERIENCE. EVER. Phoenix Raceway
o Welcome to NASCAR Racing
Experience. DRIVE a NASCAR race car by yourself on the Phoenix Raceway- A
1 mile, low-banked tri-oval racetrack with 8 to 9 degrees of banking in the
turns. Following drivers meeting with training and instruction, you’ll drive a
NASCAR race car for timed racing sessions. There’s no lead car to follow and no
instructor rides with you. Get one-on-one instruction from a spotter over
in-car radio. In between every 8 minutes of Track Time get to a brief pit stop
and head back on the track to work on driving faster speeds. Pass the
slower cars as you catch them... YES, passing is allowed!
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Conversion
of Sinners
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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