Monday Night at the Movies
The Devil of 4 O'clock, 1961
THE DEVIL AT 4 O'CLOCK is a disaster film about inhabitants of a remote Caribbean island struggling to escape from the volcano which has begun to erupt on the island.
DAY 26 - MARY, SINGULAR VESSEL OF DEVOTION, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE FRUIT OF CONTINENCE!
Christopher’s Corner
· How to celebrate Sep 9th
o Start your day by celebrating care and appreciation for emergency services workers. Write thank you notes to local police officers, firefighters, or healthcare workers. Visit a nearby station to drop off the notes or some baked goods as a token of gratitude.
o Embrace the spirit of teamwork on National Boss/Employee Exchange Day. Coordinate with your boss or colleagues to switch roles for the day. Gain insight into each other’s responsibilities and bond over the shared experience.
o Let your imagination take flight on National When Pigs Fly Day. Dedicate time to pursuing a seemingly impossible dream or goal. Create a vision board, list steps to achieve it, and take the first small action towards making it a reality.
o Challenge your mind on International Sudoku Day. Solve puzzles solo or host a friendly sudoku competition with friends and family. Engage in brain-teasing fun while honing your problem-solving skills.
o Spread joy on National Teddy Bear Day. Donate stuffed animals to children in need, volunteer at a local charity, or organize a teddy bear picnic with loved ones. Share the warmth and comfort that teddy bears symbolize.
o Embrace uniqueness on Care Bears Share Your Care Day. Perform random acts of kindness, such as leaving positive notes in public spaces or surprising someone with a small gift. Spread happiness and brighten someone’s day.
§ Just a note here my sister Rachel would stalk the Care bears in malls and stores so badly that they would run and hide from her.
o Stand up against injustice on Falsely Accused Day. Educate yourself on the issue of wrongful accusations, support organizations working on exoneration cases, or advocate for fairer legal systems in your community.
o Celebrate individuality on Wonderful Weirdos Day. Embrace your quirks and encourage others to do the same. Host a costume party where guests dress up as their favorite eccentrics or share stories of inspiring weirdos throughout history.
o Indulge in culinary delights on National Wienerschnitzel Day and Steak Au Poivre Day. Try your hand at cooking these classic dishes at home or scout for local restaurants offering specials. Treat yourself to a savory meal and savor every bite.
· Cranberry Bog Harvest begins
Introduction to Ecclesiastes [1]
The Book of Ecclesiastes is a weird fit. If the books of the Bible were puzzle pieces, you would have a hard time figuring out where to put Ecclesiastes—it's the kind of piece that needs to be jammed into place, or one that you might be tempted to adjust with a pair of scissors. So Ecclesiastes is definitely odd—Plenty of scholars and theologians agree that Ecclesiastes just feels like it's coming from another planet, one different from almost all the other books of the Bible (except maybe for Job). In fact, many of the rabbis who were putting the Hebrew Bible together didn't want to put Ecclesiastes in—but they were out-voted. Ecclesiastes was a definite original. Some people suggest that Ecclesiastes is so different from everybody else because he was influenced by Greek philosophers—like Epicurus, who was also into talking about heavy subjects like death in a big way. But there isn't any Greek influence on Ecclesiastes's language, which remains Hebrew, so this all seems sort of unlikely. Ecclesiastes is just the Greek version of Koheleth, which means "Gatherer" or "Assembler"—either because he gathered all the sayings and observations that make up this book, or he used to gather together people and teach them these sayings and observations, which led to his English nickname of "Teacher" or "Preacher. For a long time, Ecclesiastes was said to be the same as King Solomon, the wisest of Israel's kings. But in reality, he lived about half-a-millennium after Solomon. And speaking of wisdom, Koheleth challenges some of the basic points and assumptions made by nearly all the other books in the Bible. Those other books don't ever question the idea that life has a purpose, and that God is guiding that purpose towards something that's ultimately good (again, with the possible exception of Job). Yeah, human beings keep messing up, provoking God's wrath and giving him the occasional panic attack—but the long arc of the Bible seems to bend towards a final time of peace, when the Israelites and the rest of humanity will be living righteously and without endless war. Not so for Koheleth. Yet, despite how radically different the Book of Ecclesiastes is, it's had a huge impact on world literature. The American writer Thomas Wolfe said that it was "the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound." And the rock band The Byrds used an entire passage from Ecclesiastes as the lyrics to their hippie-anthem, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" But to understand the hype, you really need to dig into this often-disturbing masterpiece.
Why Should I Care?
The word "wise" is often thrown around like so many foam peanuts. For instance, "wise guy" isn't usually a term for someone who's wise, at all—we apply it to a cocky kid or a Goodfellas-style mobster much more regularly. People even say "wise man" more sarcastically than seriously. But wisdom literature was a popular style of writing in the ancient Middle East. You needed wisdom because life was hard. Assyria could invade you. Babylon could invade you. They could murder you, murder your family, pillage, and plunder. But even now, in the present day, when you're a lot less likely to get stampeded to death by a horde of Babylonian charioteers, you still stand the risk of dying at some point. In fact, recent studies show that 100% of all human beings will, eventually… die. It's science. So, death is inevitable—sorry. So, we're all going to die. (Prepare your frown-face emoticons.) But this is also why Ecclesiastes still has a lot to say. The author has done some hard livin'—he implies he's been through it all. And after these experiences—from living an intense life—Ecclesiastes has something to say. He has wisdom to impart; he wants to give you the news. But is it good news? A fair amount of Ecclesiastes focuses on death and the meaninglessness of life. It begins with the famous refrain, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!" and repeats it throughout the book. Now, "vanity" here doesn't mean staring at your reflection and hoping everyone thinks you're winsome and attractive. He's not saying the whole world is just one giant Barbie Vanity Dream Playset by Mattel. Here, the word translated as "vanity" is closely related to the Hebrew word for "fog" or "mist"—the great Hebrew Bible scholar, Robert Alter, translates it as "mere breath." It means the world is a place where everything is always disappearing, dissolving, changing from one day to the next. Things vanish just like the cold breath you breathe out on a winter day. There's a sense of futility, absurdity, confusion, and meaninglessness all mixed up in it too. Basically, he's saying that life is pretty insubstantial. So is Ecclesiastes just a Debbie Downer? Is that all he has to say? Thankfully, the answer is "Not really." Some people think Ecclesiastes is totally pessimistic, but a good number also think he's got a lot more going on. He's not just looking at life and saying, "This is total lame-sauce." He's admitting that life seems meaningless—or, at least, that the plot of life isn't immediately clear. Books like the Bible or the Teachings of the Buddha or Plato's Dialogues try to show people what the plot is or might be—and if you're looking at life without a guidebook, it might easily seem like "vanity." Ecclesiastes is trying to give you the antidote to all this vanity.
SEPTEMBER 9 Monday-Saint Peter Claver, Priest
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5, Verse 6
Despite many dreams, futilities, and a multitude of words, FEAR God!
Remember fear of God means reverence and love. Our dreams if not connected to our Godly purpose are unrewarding. Our vainness is a result of excluding God from our plans; and many words do not make a song of praise. It is not the multitude of words but one’s sincerity that counts in the acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty, especially through obedience and reverence. God does not fear to make men great; but for those who are made great they must be responsible, humble and fair for those in command are thoroughly judged by God. We must be of the mindset as spoken by Charles Mayes: “Make sure the thing your living for is worth dying for.” And as leaders we must make sure that when we send others into harm’s way that it would be only if we ourselves would be willing to die to get it done. As confirmed members of the body of Christ it is our duty; no, our sacred honor to give meaning to the words of the psalmist:
“Defend the lowly and fatherless, render justice to the afflicted and needy. Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Ps. 82:3-4)
Memorial of St. Peter Claver
(1581-1654) [2]who was born of a distinguished
family in Catalonia, Spain. He became a Jesuit in 1604, and left for Colombia
in 1610, dedicating himself to the service of black slaves. For thirty-three
years he ministered to slaves, caring for the sick and dying, and instructing
the slaves through catechists. Through his efforts three hundred thousand souls
entered the Church. He is the Patron of the African Missions, proclaimed in
1896 by Pope Leo XIII.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Day 87
III. CHRIST OFFERED HIMSELF TO
HIS FATHER FOR OUR SINS
Christ's whole life is an
offering to the Father
606 The Son of God, who came
down "from heaven, not to do (his) own will, but the will of him who sent
(him)", said on coming into the world, "Lo, I have come to do
your will, O God." "and by that will we have been sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." From the
first moment of his Incarnation the Son embraces the Father's plan of divine
salvation in his redemptive mission: "My food is to do the will of him who
sent me, and to accomplish his work." The sacrifice of Jesus "for
the sins of the whole world" expresses his loving communion with the
Father. "The Father loves me, because I lay down my life", said the
Lord, "(for) I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may
know that I love the Father."
607 The desire to embrace his
Father's plan of redeeming love inspired Jesus' whole life, for his
redemptive passion was the very reason for his Incarnation. and so he asked,
"and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this
purpose I have come to this hour." and again, "Shall I not drink
the cup which the Father has given me?" From the cross, just before
"It is finished", he said, "I thirst."
"The Lamb who takes away
the sin of the world"
608 After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's redemption at the first Passover. Christ's whole life expresses his mission: "to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus freely embraced the
Father's redeeming love
609 By embracing in his human
heart the Father's love for men, Jesus "loved them to the end", for
"greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends." In suffering and death his humanity became the free and
perfect instrument of his divine love which desires the salvation of
men. Indeed, out of love for his Father and for men, whom the Father wants
to save, Jesus freely accepted his Passion and death: "No one takes [my
life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." Hence the
sovereign freedom of God's Son as he went out to his death.
At the Last Supper Jesus
anticipated the free offering of his life
610 Jesus gave the supreme
expression of his free offering of himself at the meal shared with the twelve
Apostles "on the night he was betrayed". On the eve of his
Passion, while still free, Jesus transformed this Last Supper with the apostles
into the memorial of his voluntary offering to the Father for the salvation of
men: "This is my body which is given for you." "This is my blood
of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of
sins."
611 The Eucharist that Christ
institutes at that moment will be the memorial of his sacrifice. Jesus
includes the apostles in his own offering and bids them perpetuate it. By
doing so, the Lord institutes his apostles as priests of the New Covenant:
"For their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in
truth."
The agony at Gethsemani
612 The cup of the New Covenant, which Jesus anticipated when he offered himself at the Last Supper, is afterwards accepted by him from his Father's hands in his agony in the garden at Gethsemani, making himself "obedient unto death". Jesus prays: "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. . ." Thus he expresses the horror that death represented for his human nature. Like ours, his human nature is destined for eternal life; but unlike ours, it is perfectly exempt from sin, the cause of death. Above all, his human nature has been assumed by the divine person of the "Author of life", the "Living One". By accepting in his human will that the Father's will be done, he accepts his death as redemptive, for "he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree."
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Purity
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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