NIC’s Day
· How to celebrate Sep 20th
o Start your day by making a batch of delicious fried rice for breakfast, incorporating a variety of colorful vegetables and protein of your choice.
§ For lunch, order or make your favorite pepperoni pizza and enjoy it with friends or family.
§ Take some time in the afternoon to appreciate the hardworking tradesmen in your community by thanking them or supporting their businesses.
o As the day progresses, sample a glass of Grenache wine to celebrate International Grenache Day, pairing it with some tasty cheese or charcuterie.
§ Later on, indulge in a bowl of warm and cheesy queso dip for a flavorful snack. Take a moment to savor some fresh raspberries for dessert, appreciating their sweetness and vibrant color.
o Raise awareness for concussion safety by familiarizing yourself with the signs and symptoms. Wind down the day by finishing work early at 4pm, giving yourself some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Spend quality time with children, emphasizing care and support on National Care For Kids Day.
VIGIL OF ST MATTHEW-103 Korean
Martyrs
1 Samuel, Chapter 14, Verse 24-26
24 Even though the Israelites were
exhausted that day, Saul laid an oath on them, saying, “Cursed be the one who
takes food before evening, before I am able to avenge myself on my enemies.” So,
none of the people tasted food. 25 Now there was a honeycomb lying on
the ground, 26 and when the soldiers came to the
comb the honey was flowing; yet no one raised a hand from it to his mouth,
because the people FEARED the oath.
Saul
was unfaithful and weak and therefore led his warriors by fear rather than by
inspiration. His main concern was keeping and holding power. Hum…some things
don’t change.
There
was no humility in him, only hubris.
“I”
was the first word in his life rather than saying and living the word of God.
Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your
God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and
with all your strength.”
Saul
fell because of his hubris when humility would have saved him. Real leaders are
humble. They realize and appreciate the sacrifices of others and consider it a
privilege to have the honor and trust to lead them.
EMBER FRIDAY Station "With the
Twelve Apostles"[1]
Who is wise, and he shall
understand these things? (Epistle)
The Church leads us today to the
"the twelve apostles," on whom the Lord conferred His power to
forgive and retain sins. Bearers they are of those precious keys that open the
merciful heart of God as well as the contrite heart of man, uniting the latter
to the former by means of the cleansing and sanctifying blood of Jesus Christ.
Formerly the reconciliation of
penitents on Maundy Thursday took place in this stational church of "the
twelve apostles." Here sinners who had undergone their prescribed course
of penance were granted on that day the remission of all their sins and were
admitted once more to full participation in the eucharistic Banquet.
"Ex-communication" was turned into "Communication" by the
keys which the Lord had placed in the hands of His apostles and, through them,
in the hands of His Church.
With the penitential spirit of the
penitents of old, and with the sorrow and humility of Mary Magdalen (gospel),
let us keep this ember Friday. Often do we commit sins, but how often do we
perform penance for them? "Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God; for thou
hast fallen down by thy iniquity" (epistle). No the "Assyria" of
worldly achievements, nor the high "horses" of worldly ambitions, nor
the "gods"--money, position, human applaus--"the works of our hands
shall save us" (epistle), but penance, faith and love. "Many sins are
forgiven her, because she hath loved much. Thy faith hath made thee safe; go in
peace" (gospel).
This is a day of fast and abstinence.
Let us gladly observe both. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the
Lord and be strengthened; seek His face ever more (introit). This ember Friday
is an appropriate occasion for giving our weekly "Friday-abstinence"
a new spirit. So often we observe the day thoughtlessly--perhaps even
reluctantly. On the Great Friday the Good Shepherd gave up His flesh and blood
for His sheep. In gratitude for such love His sheep give up every Friday
flesh-meats for their Good Shepherd. Observing abstinence in that spirit will
gladden both the Good Shepherd and His sheep; will make us "bring
forth fruits worthy of penance"; will widen and deepen the spirit of
repentance to the end that "the gifts of our fasting will be pleasing in
God’s sight, and atoning for our sins will make us worthy of God's grace and
lead us to the eternal happiness promised by Him" (secret).
Give your soul a new direction by a
fruitful "ember confession." The more humility and sorrow we carry
into the confessional, the more peace and joy we shall carry out therefrom. The
sacrament of penance is the sacrament of liberty which frees us from the
disgracing chains of our sins. Nothing approaches innocence more closely than a
courageous, sincere confession of our guilt. True humility and sorrow are oil
from the Holy Spirit which make the "keys of forgiveness" turn with
heavenly smoothness. "Remove from me reproach and contempt, because I have
sought out Thy commandments, O Lord; for They testimonies are my
meditation" (communion).
"Who is wise, and he shall
understand these things?"
Vigil of St Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist
INTROIT. AS for me I am like a green olive tree in the house off the Lord; by trust hath been in the tender mercy of my God: and I will hope in thy Name for thy Saints like it well.
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that we who on this day prevent the feast of thy holy Apostle Saint Matthew, may by the devout observance of the same increase in godliness to the attainment of everlasting salvation. Amen.
Epistle. Ecclesiasticus 44:22-45:5, 7
22 THE blessing of the Lord was upon the head of the righteous. Therefore, the Lord gave him a heritage; and divided his portion among the twelve tribes.
1 And he found favor in the sight of all fleshy. And the Lord magnified him so that his enemies stood in fear of him. By his words he caused the wonders to cease: 2 he made him glorious in the sight of kings, and gave him a commandment for his people, and shewed him his glory.
4 He sanctified him in his faithfulness and meekness, and chose him out of all men.5 He gave him commandments before his face, even the law of life and knowledge, and exalted him.
7 An everlasting covenant he made with him: the Lord beautified him with ornaments of righteousness: and clothed him with a robe of glory.
The Gospel. St John 15:12-16
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
OFFERTORY. Ps. 8. Thou hast crowned him with glory and worship: and hast made him to have dominion of the works of thy hands, O Lord.
O LORD, who didst exalt thy blessed Saint Matthew to be numbered among thine Apostles: grant that we thy people, who on this day, preventing his heavenly birth, do offer unto thee these holy mysteries, may be assisted by his intercession both in the making of our supplications before thee, and in the obtaining of all that we desire.
Korean Catholics[2]
During the 17th century the Christian faith was brought to Korea through the zeal of lay persons. From the very beginning these Christians suffered terrible persecutions and many suffered martyrdoms during the 19th century. Today's feast honors a group of 103 martyrs. Notable of these were Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, and the lay apostle, Paul Chong Hasang. Also, among the Korean martyrs were three bishops and seven priests, but for the most part they were heroic laity, men and women, married and single of all ages. They were canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1984.
St. Andrew Kim Taegon and St. Paul Chong
Hasang and their companions
This first
native Korean priest was the son of Korean converts. His father, Ignatius Kim,
was martyred during the persecution of 1839 and was beatified in 1925. After
baptism at the age of fifteen, Andrew traveled thirteen hundred miles to the
seminary in Macao, China. After six years he managed to return to his country
through Manchuria. That same year he crossed the Yellow Sea to Shanghai and was
ordained a priest. Back home again, he was assigned to arrange for more
missionaries to enter by a water route that would elude the border patrol. He
was arrested, tortured and finally beheaded at the Han River near Seoul, the
capital. Paul Chong Hasang was a lay apostle and a married man, aged
forty-five. Christianity came to Korea during the Japanese invasion in 1592
when some Koreans were baptized, probably by Christian Japanese soldiers.
Evangelization was difficult because Korea refused all contact with the outside
world except for an annual journey to Beijing to pay taxes. On one of these
occasions, around 1777, Christian literature obtained from Jesuits in China led
educated Korean Christians to study. A home church began. When a Chinese priest
managed to enter secretly a dozen years later, he found four thousand
Catholics, none of whom had ever seen a priest. Seven years later there were
ten thousand Catholics. Religious freedom came in 1883.
When Pope John Paul II visited Korea
in 1984, he canonized Andrew, Paul, ninety-eight Koreans and three French
missionaries who had been martyred between 1839 and 1867. Among them were
bishops and priests, but for the most part they were laypersons: forty-seven
women, forty-five men. Among the martyrs in 1839 was Columba Kim, an unmarried
woman of twenty-six. She was put in prison, pierced with hot awls and seared
with burning coals. She and her sister Agnes were disrobed and kept for two
days in a cell with condemned criminals but were not molested. After Columba
complained about the indignity, no more women were subjected to it. The two
were beheaded. A boy of thirteen, Peter Ryou, had his flesh so badly torn that
he could pull off pieces and throw them at the judges. He was killed by
strangulation. Protase Chong, a forty-one-year-old noble, apostatized under
torture and was freed. Later he came back, confessed his faith and was tortured
to death.
Today there are approximately four
million Catholics in Korea.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Day 99
Symbols of
the Holy Spirit
694 Water.
the symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since
after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the efficacious sacramental
sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first birth took place in
water, so the water of Baptism truly signifies that our birth into the divine
life is given to us in the Holy Spirit. As "by one Spirit we were all
baptized," so we are also "made to drink of one
Spirit." Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling
up from Christ crucified as its source and welling up in us to eternal
life.
695
Anointing. The symbolism of anointing with oil also signifies the Holy
Spirit, to the point of becoming a synonym for the Holy Spirit. In
Christian initiation, anointing is the sacramental sign of Confirmation, called
"chrismation" in the Churches of the East. Its full force can be
grasped only in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy
Spirit, that of Jesus. Christ (in Hebrew "messiah") means the one
"anointed" by God's Spirit. There were several anointed ones of the
Lord in the Old Covenant, pre-eminently King David. But Jesus is God's
Anointed in a unique way: the humanity the Son assumed was entirely anointed by
the Holy Spirit. the Holy Spirit established him as
"Christ." The Virgin Mary conceived Christ by the Holy Spirit
who, through the angel, proclaimed him the Christ at his birth, and prompted
Simeon to come to the temple to see the Christ of the Lord. The Spirit
filled Christ and the power of the Spirit went out from him in his acts of
healing and of saving. Finally, it was the Spirit who raised Jesus from
the dead. Now, fully established as "Christ" in his humanity
victorious over death, Jesus pours out the Holy Spirit abundantly until
"the saints" constitute - in their union with the humanity of the Son
of God - that perfect man "to the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ": "the whole Christ," in St. Augustine's
expression.
696 Fire.
While water signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy
Spirit, fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions.
the prayer of the prophet Elijah, who "arose like fire" and whose
"word burned like a torch," brought down fire from heaven on the
sacrifice on Mount Carmel. This event was a "figure" of the fire
of the Holy Spirit, who transforms what he touches. John the Baptist, who goes
"before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah," proclaims
Christ as the one who "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with
fire." Jesus will say of the Spirit: "I came to cast fire upon
the earth; and would that it were already kindled!" In the form of
tongues "as of fire," the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the
morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself The spiritual tradition
has retained this symbolism of fire as one of the most expressive images of the
Holy Spirit's actions. "Do not quench the Spirit."
697 Cloud
and light. These two images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy
Spirit. In the theophanies of the Old Testament, the cloud, now obscure, now
luminous, reveals the living and saving God, while veiling the transcendence of
his glory - with Moses on Mount Sinai, at the tent of meeting, and
during the wandering in the desert, and with Solomon at the dedication of
the Temple. In the Holy Spirit, Christ fulfills these figures. the Spirit
comes upon the Virgin Mary and "overshadows" her, so that she might
conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the mountain of Transfiguration, the
Spirit in the "cloud came and overshadowed" Jesus, Moses and Elijah,
Peter, James and John, and "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This
is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!'" Finally, the cloud took Jesus
out of the sight of the disciples on the day of his ascension and will reveal
him as Son of man in glory on the day of his final coming.
698 The seal
is a symbol close to that of anointing. "The Father has set his seal"
on Christ and also seals us in him. Because this seal indicates the
indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of
Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, the image of the seal (sphragis) has
been used in some theological traditions to express the indelible
"character" imprinted by these three unrepeatable sacraments.
699 The
hand. Jesus heals the sick and blesses little children by laying hands on
them. In his name the apostles will do the same. Even more pointedly,
it is by the Apostles' imposition of hands that the Holy Spirit is
given. The Letter to the Hebrews lists the imposition of hands among the
"fundamental elements" of its teaching. The Church has kept this
sign of the all-powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in its sacramental
epicleses.
700 The
finger. "It is by the finger of God that [Jesus] cast out
demons." If God's law was written on tablets of stone "by the
finger of God," then the "letter from Christ" entrusted to the
care of the apostles, is written "with the Spirit of the living God, not
on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." The hymn Veni
Creator Spiritus invokes the Holy Spirit as the "finger of the Father's
right hand."
701 The
dove. At the end of the flood, whose symbolism refers to Baptism, a dove
released by Noah returns with a fresh olive-tree branch in its beak as a sign
that the earth was again habitable. When Christ comes up from the water of
his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes down upon him and
remains with him. The Spirit comes down and remains in the purified hearts
of the baptized. In certain churches, the Eucharist is reserved in a metal
receptacle in the form of a dove (columbarium) suspended above the altar.
Christian iconography traditionally uses a dove to suggest the Spirit.
Fitness
Friday[3]
Top 10
Things You Can Do TODAY to Improve Your Health
I love a good “Top Ten”
list. It’s probably because I’m an impatient reader (ok, probably an impatient
human in general but I’m working on it) and have been known to skip to the last
chapter of a novel to see what happens. Who has time for plot development?
We’re all rushed and over-busy. We leave little to no time for ourselves to do
the things we should be doing: exercising, planning and eating healthy meals,
taking time to do things we enjoy – it all gets pushed to the backburner during
our crazy busy days. But I embolden you to take a few minutes to read this
article… I’ll keep it short and sweet. This is my “Top Ten” list of the things
that I feel make the biggest difference in the lives of my patients. True
wellness happens when we pay attention to what matters most. To me, these are
the things that truly matter.
1.
Be a nighttime creature of habit. Getting a good
night’s sleep is paramount to improved health and wellbeing. We all know that
we don’t feel very good when we don’t sleep well, but more importantly, chronic
sleep deprivation can contribute serious health problems such as high blood
pressure, increased stress hormones, and irregular heartbeat. To get a better
night’s sleep, create nighttime habits that prepare your body and mind for
sleep such as drinking herbal tea, taking a warm bath, meditation, and unplugging
from all electronics an hour before bed.
2.
Drink more water. Think about how your house plants
look after you forget to water them and imagine your body organs the same way
when you’re dehydrated. The health benefits of water are numerous and include
improved kidney function, weight management, and improved bowel function. So
how much should you drink? Here’s an easy calculation: body weight x 2/3 = oz
of water to consume daily. Increase and adjust for exercise.
3.
Practice daily meditation. In a recent article,
published in the medical journal JAMA , researchers from John Hopkins
University showed that mindfulness meditation can help ease anxiety, depression
and pain. The practice of mindfulness meditation is simply sitting quietly and
comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your mind’s attention to
the present. Even 5 minutes of meditation per day (optimal is 30 minutes twice
per day) can help balance both mind and body.
4.
Move your body every day. Yes, EVERY DAY. If I had
to choose the single most important thing on this list to improve all aspects
of health, exercise would win hands down. The goal should be to exercise 45-60
minutes 4-5 days per week, but it all counts! Park in the furthest parking spot
(better yet, just walk!), take the stairs, do some squats while brushing your
teeth – it all counts. Our bodies are meant to move and the more sedentary we
are, the faster our bodies will break down. Make a commitment to break a sweat
once a day.
5.
Eat more… (plants that is). With all the fad diets
out there, it’s no wonder people are confused. This year has everyone back in
hunter gatherer mode eating wild wildebeest cooked on a spit. I say, keep it
simple – whole foods, no processed, mostly plants. A plant based diet is where
it’s at. I love the quote from Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s
Dilemma, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. If you fill your plate with
mostly plants and eat sensible portion sizes of food that your great great
grandmother would recognize as such, you’re probably doing ok.
6.
Take a good multivitamin and an extra D. You never
know which vitamin or mineral you might be missing and depletion of only one
essential nutrient can set off imbalances in a wide range of metabolic
pathways. Poor diet, poor soil quality, and lack of variation in food intake
are some of the reasons we find deficiencies. Eating a wide array of local, in
season, organic fruits and veggies, taking a good multivitamin and a little
extra vitamin D are all good things to do to ensure your body is functioning at
its best.
7.
Connect with nature. “Go get your mind right” is
something my husband tells me when he sees me stressing out or worrying, and
this is my cue to go outdoors and clear my head. Nature puts things into
perspective, and I can’t help but feel less stressed when I stand next to the
ocean or go for a hike. Seeing the vastness and beauty of nature has a way of
making problems seem less huge and horrifying. Managing and decreasing stress
are vital to good health, so get YOUR mind right and get outdoors.
8.
Connect to the people you love. Did you know that
loneliness is a risk factor for early death? I almost fell out of my seat when
I recently read this in the medical journal, Science. To quote the authors,
“Social relationships, or the relative lack thereof, constitute a major risk
factor for health – rivaling the effect of well-established health risk factors
such as cigarette smoking, blood pressure, blood lipids, obesity and physical
activity.” I find it so fascinating and incredibly sad that being lonely can
affect our physiology so much that it can increase our risk of early death. So
connect with those you love, mend broken relationships, seek social connection,
join a club or church group. Better yet, notice those around you who might be
facing isolation and loneliness and reach out to them. Invite a neighbor to
dinner. Not only will you improve your own health, but you just might increase
the lifespan of someone around you. How amazing is that?
9. Boost your health with a daily dose of gratitude. Research studies in mental health show that grateful people tend to be healthier than their not so grateful counterparts. They tend to engage in healthier lifestyle traits such as regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. Those who practice daily gratitude also tend to have better immune function, antioxidant function, and handle stress better which has all sorts of awesome health benefits such as decreasing the risk of heart disease and cancer. So here’s your prescription: Start your day either thinking about or writing down five things that you are grateful for. Dose it daily and you’ll be healthier and happier this year and years to come.
10. Get a
checkup. According to a recent study, nearly 50% of Americans have either high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a combination of the three. All
three are major risk factors for heart disease which is the leading cause of
death in this country. What’s more, close to 10% of patients with high blood
pressure and high cholesterol don’t know they have it; 3% for diabetes. Take
care of your ticker – go get a physical and some blood work. Knowledge is
power!
Be well.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Reparations
for offenses and blasphemies against God and the Blessed Virgin Mary
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[3]https://cimedicalcenter.org/top-10-things-you-can-do-today-to-improve-your-health/
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