Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Candace’s Corner-Make Recipes with ginger, turmeric, cloves, and cinnamon
· Since today is the Feast of St. John Paul II and one of the greatest Popes in the last century I am going to use this corner to make a study of his “Fides et Ratio — Faith and Reason” encyclical.
o Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves
§ INTRODUCTION
· “KNOW YOURSELF”
1. In both East and West, we may trace a journey which has led humanity down the centuries to meet and engage truth more and more deeply. It is a journey which has unfolded—as it must—within the horizon of personal self-consciousness: the more human beings know reality and the world, the more they know themselves in their uniqueness, with the question of the meaning of things and of their very existence becoming ever more pressing. This is why all that is the object of our knowledge becomes a part of our life. The admonition Know yourself was carved on the temple portal at Delphi, as testimony to a basic truth to be adopted as a minimal norm by those who seek to set themselves apart from the rest of creation as “human beings”, that is as those who “know themselves”.
Moreover, a cursory glance at ancient history shows clearly how in different parts of the world, with their different cultures, there arise at the same time the fundamental questions which pervade human life:
Who am I?
Where have I come from and where am I going?
Why is there evil?
What is there after this life?
These are the questions which we find in the sacred writings of Israel, as also in the Veda and the Avesta; we find them in the writings of Confucius and Lao-Tze, and in the preaching of Tirthankara and Buddha; they appear in the poetry of Homer and in the tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles, as they do in the philosophical writings of Plato and Aristotle. They are questions which have their common source in the quest for meaning which has always compelled the human heart. In fact, the answer given to these questions decides the direction which people seek to give to their lives. (to be continued)
· Today is National Nut Day. Walnuts are considered one of the healthiest nuts. Walnuts contain the most omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts also contain antioxidants that promote immune system health.
· How to celebrate Oct 22nd
o Want to ramp up an ordinary day? Start by pampering your furry friend on Make a Dog’s Day. Treat them to a homemade meal or unique toy.
o After pleasing your pup, shift gears and leave a review for your favorite local spot. Spread some love as you support small businesses.
o Feeling whimsical? Dive into the world of wombats. Learn about these fascinating creatures through documentaries or online articles.
o Next up, indulge in the nutty goodness of National Nut Day. Stock up on your favorite nuts and enjoy them throughout the day.
o Embrace your inner nerd on Smart is Cool Day. Challenge yourself with brain teasers or educational podcasts.
o On International Stuttering Awareness Day, take time to educate yourself about stuttering and show support to those affected.
o Ready to make a statement? Celebrate International Caps Lock Day by creating bold and humorous messages online.
OCTOBER 22 Tuesday
ST
JOHN PAUL II
1 Chronicles, Chapter 22, Verse 11-13
11
“Now, my son, the LORD be with you,
and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said
you shall. 12 But may the LORD give you prudence
and discernment when he gives you command over Israel, so that you keep the law
of the LORD, your God. 13 Only then shall you succeed, if you
are careful to observe the statutes and ordinances which the LORD commanded
Moses for Israel. Be strong and steadfast; do not FEAR or be dismayed.
This
is David’s farewell blessing to his son, soon to be King Solomon. It is the
wish of David that Solomon finishes the Temple of the Lord. Yet, what David may
not understand is that eventually the physical temple of God, where the Holy
Spirit of God actually dwells moves from the physical temple to a new eve and
recreates man in His own image-in spirit and truth. Mary becomes the Ark of the
Covenant and gives birth to Christ. Christ gives us His flesh and we are in
fact the new temples of God.
The
Temple of God[1]
·
David
starts making plans together for a Temple.
·
He
finds builders and workers. He set aside stones, iron, bronze, and cedar for
the building.
·
Of
course, David knows he won't be the one to actually oversee the building of the
Temple. His son, Solomon, is. But Solomon is "young and
inexperienced" so he'll need some help in order to make this the greatest
temple the world has ever seen. God deserves nothing less.
·
David
goes to his son and lays out his plans for the Temple. He tells Solomon that he
would really like to be the one to do the work, but that God told him not to
chance it. It seems that David has killed too many people (what with all those
wars he was always fighting in). God can't have his house tainted by all that
blood.
·
But
Solomon will be a peaceful king, and Israel will be a peaceful place while he's
in charge. That's a better time to build a temple.
·
David
finishes by telling Solomon that he'll be successful if he always listens to
God and stays faithful.
Yes,
we are the receivers of the mercies of God. Let us honor and reflect on the
Mother of Christ by creating a peaceful garden in our home (temple) in which to
reflect on this.
Mary
Garden[2]
The joy over the appearance of new plants and flowers in
spring prompted man to attribute to them a special power of protection and
healing. People planted special spring flower gardens; they brought branches of
early-blossoming plants, like pussy willows, into their homes; they decorated
themselves and their living rooms with wreaths of flowers and clusters of
blossoms. A striking Christian variation of these nature rites was the medieval
custom of planting "Mary gardens," which were made up of all the flowers
and herbs that are ascribed by love and legend as a special tribute to the
Blessed Virgin. This charming and inspiring tradition has been revived in many
places in Europe and more recently in this country.
Directions
In a typical Mary Garden, the statue of the Madonna
occupies a place of honor, either in the center or in a grotto against the
wall, with, usually, a birdbath or bubbling fountain built in front of it. Some
of the more familiar plants of the many that belong in a typical Mary Garden
are:
·
Columbine and Trefoil are said to
have sprung forth at the touch of Mary's foot, and consequently bear the
popular names Our Lady's shoes or Our Lady's slippers.
·
Marigold (Mary's bud) has bell-shaped
blossoms of vivid yellow. An old legend says, "Her dresses were adorned
with Marigold." This flower was used to decorate her shrines for the Feast
of the Annunciation (March 25) and during the month of May.
·
Lily-of-the-valley (Our Lady's tears).
This delicate flower is still widely used in Germany, there it is called Maiglockchen
(May bells), to decorate the Mary shrines in churches and homes during the
Virgin's month (May).
·
Foxgloves thrive in moist and shaded
places; they blossom in many colors and present a most attractive sight with
their clusters of little bells, which were called Our Lady's thimbles in
medieval times.
·
Snowdrop. This charming flower is the
first herald of spring in Europe. It often blossoms as early as Candlemas
(February 2) between batches of melting snow; hence the name. In Germany it is
called "Snow bell" (Schneeglocklein). Little bouquets of
snowdrops are the first floral tribute of the year at the shrines of the
Madonna on Candlemas. It is a popular emblem of Mary's radiant purity and of
her freedom from any stain of sin.
·
Lily. This stately and dignified flower
has been associated from ancient times with Jesus and Mary, and is called
Madonna lily in many parts of Europe. At Easter its brilliant and fragrant
blossoms symbolize the radiance of the Lord's risen life. Later in the year it
is used to decorate the shrines of Mary, especially on July 2, the Feast of the
Visitation. It also is an old and traditional symbol of innocence, purity, and
virginity.
·
Rosemary produces delicate and fragrant
blossoms of pale blue color in early spring. according to legend, the plant
originally bloomed in white; however, it turned blue (Mary's color) in reward
for the service it offered when Our Lady looked for some bush on which to
spread her Child's tiny garments after having washed them on the way to Egypt.
The bushes do not grow very tall but as they grow older, they spread out and
thicken, forming a dense bush. There is an old superstition that "the
rosemary passeth not commonly the height of Christ when he was on earth."
·
Violets are dedicated to Mary as symbols
of her humility. They are said to have blossomed forth outside her window when
she spoke the words, "Behold, I am a handmaid of the Lord." Leaving
her, the angel of God blessed the little flowers in passing, thus endowing them
with the tenderest and most beautiful fragrance of all plants.
·
Roses were associated with Mary from early
times. Saint Dominic (1221) is credited with the spreading of the familiar
devotion called the "Rosary (rosarium) of the Blessed Virgin
Mary." The word "rosary" originally meant a rose garden but was
later used in the sense of "rose garland." Three colors are
especially consecrated to Mary: white roses as symbols of her joys, red roses
as emblems of her sufferings, and yellow (golden) roses as heralds of her
glories.
St. John Paul II
(1920-2005).[3]
Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. After his ordination
to the priesthood and theological studies in Rome, he returned to his homeland
and resumed various pastoral and academic tasks. He became first auxiliary
bishop and, in 1964, Archbishop of Krakow and took part in the Second Vatican
Council. On October 16, 1978, he was elected pope and took the name John Paul
II. His exceptional apostolic zeal, particularly for families, young people and
the sick, led him to numerous pastoral visits throughout the world. Among the
many fruits which he has left as a heritage to the Church are above all his
rich Magisterium and the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
as well as the Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church and for the Eastern
Churches. In Rome on April 2, 2005, the eve of the Second Sunday of Easter (or
of Divine Mercy), he departed peacefully in the Lord.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Day 131
II. THE
COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
954 The
three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his
angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him.
But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others
have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory,
contemplating 'in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he
is"':
All of us,
however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity
towards God and our neighbours, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our
God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and
in Christ cleave together.
955 "So
it is that the union of the wayfarers with the brethren who sleep in the peace
of Christ is in no way interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the
constant faith of the Church, this union is reinforced by an exchange of
spiritual goods."
956 The
intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those
who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... They do
not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which
they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ
Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."
Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my
death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.
I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.
957
Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that
we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this
devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in
the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow
pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us
to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the
life of the People of God itself":
We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the
Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless
devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and
fellow disciples!
958
Communion with the dead. "In full consciousness of this communion of the
whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from
the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great
respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome
thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' she
offers her suffrages for them." Our prayer for them is capable not
only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.
959 In the
one family of God. "For if we continue to love one another and to join in
praising the Most Holy Trinity - all of us who are sons of God and form one
family in Christ - we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the
Church."
IN BRIEF
960 The
Church is a "communion of saints": this expression refers first to
the "holy things" (sancta), above all the Eucharist, by which
"the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented
and brought about" (LG 3).
961 The
term "communion of saints" refers also to the communion of "holy
persons" (sancti) in Christ who "died for all," so that what
each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all.
962
"We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are
pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven,
all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the
merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers"
(Paul VI, CPG # 30).
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Increase
of Vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: October
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
Comments
Post a Comment