NIC’s Corner-Get an indulgence
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
· Fish Friday: Sea trout, new potato and asparagus traybake with dill mustard sauce
o Leftovers are a versatile resource for creating unique dishes. Start your day by crafting a delicious leftover meal, adding your own twist for an unexpected flavor burst. Embrace the spirit of creativity and experimentation in the kitchen!
o After fueling up with your tasty creation, head out to the zoo for a day of animal encounters and outdoor adventures. Make sure to take some cut-out snowflakes with you to enjoy a whimsical touch as you explore the zoo. These unique decorations can add a festive spirit to your day out!
o While at the zoo, why not indulge in some fruitcake? Yes, it may not be everyone’s favorite, but give it a chance! It’s a sweet treat that can surprise you with its rich flavors. Share a slice with a friend or family member and make it a special moment.
o End your day by enjoying a cozy evening at home, reminiscing about the fun experiences of the day. Use the leftover cut-out snowflakes as decorations around your living space for a touch of winter charm. Curl up with a warm blanket and savor the memories made on this delightful day celebrating the weird and wonderful national holidays.
December 27 Friday-Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
Jeremiah, Chapter 5, Verse 22-24
22 Should you not FEAR me—oracle of the LORD—should you not tremble before me? I made the sandy shore the sea’s limit, which by eternal decree it may not overstep. Toss though it may, it is to no avail; though its billows roar, they cannot overstep. 23 But this people’s heart is stubborn and rebellious; they turn and go away, 24 and do not say in their hearts, “Let us fear the LORD, our God, Who gives us rain early and late, in its time; who watches for us over the appointed weeks of harvest.”
This
stubborn and rebellious nature of people is what led to Christ’s death on the
cross. His death was the fulfillment of the proclaiming of God’s name to all
the peoples of the world; for over His head was placed a notice: King of the
Jews.
It
is thought-provoking to contemplate that Pilates notice was printed in three
languages Hebrew, Latin and Greek. These three cultures in a sense represented
the characteristics of God. The Hebrew’s were Gods people and represented the good of man and brought the idea that
the person was created by God and is more valuable than the universe. Latin the
language of the Romans brought the idea that truth is the highest value, and the Greeks culture brought the idea
of beauty being the greatest value.
In Christ’s death is represented all three values. That a good God died for
man; true to the end; and His shame was turned by love to beauty.
The
Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, also represent these three values
Michael the truth that angels and men are willing to fight for; Raphael the
good and Gabriel the beauty. On further reflection I can see these same three
attributes reflected the preamble of the US constitution: Life (good); Liberty
(truth); and pursuit of happiness (beauty).
We
can also recognize that the Name of God which is goodness; truth and beauty is feared by evil men and women when they
are inspired by Satan and the demons to take away our life, liberty or our
pursuit of happiness.
Surely, it is time for Christians to "rise from sleep," and to offer vigorous resistance to the enemies of salvation. The weapons in this conflict are not the arms of civil warfare, but the spiritual weapons of prayer and penance, increased fidelity to the Commandments of God, and frequent reception of the Sacraments. And surely we can choose no better leader in this conflict than the powerful captain who led the faithful Angels to victory. Let us, then, with confident trust, invoke the aid and the protection of this mighty Archangel whose shield bears the inscription: "Michael-Quis ut Deus-Who is like unto God?"[1]
Feast of St. John, the Apostle[2]
DECEMBER 27.
JOHN, the brother of St. James the Greater, was a son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Galilee, and of Salome, a cousin of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Matt. iv. 21). He was the youngest of the apostles, and, with Peter and James, was the most trusted of the disciples of Jesus, by Whom he was most tenderly loved, on which account he is called the Disciple of Love. Of this Jesus gave the most convincing evidence when, at the Last Supper, He allowed that disciple to lean upon His breast, and when, from the cross, He committed to the care of John His own Mother. After the ascension John preached the Gospel in Palestine; afterwards went to Asia Minor, fixed his residence in Ephesus, and established many churches there. He was, with the other apostles, taken prisoner and scourged by the Jews, and in the year 95, under the Emperor Domitian, before the Latin Gate, at Rome, was thrown into a vessel of boiling oil. Having endured this torture without injury, he was then banished to the island of Patmos, where, by command of the Lord, he wrote the Apocalypse, or Revelation, concerning the fortunes of the Church. On returning from his banishment, he again governed the churches of Asia Minor as chief pastor, as he had done before, and, at the age of nearly one hundred years, died at Ephesus a peaceful arid natural death.
The Introit of the Mass reads: “In the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and clothed him with a robe of glory. It is good to give praise to the Lord, and to sing to Thy name, O Most High.”
Prayer.
Mercifully illustrate Thy Church, O Lord, that, enlightened by the doctrines of Thy blessed apostle and evangelist St. John, she may arrive at gifts everlasting.
EPISTLE. Ecclus. xv. 1-6.
He that feareth God will do good: and he that possesseth justice shall lay hold on her, arid she will meet him as an honor able mother and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin. With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved: and she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbors, and in the midst of the Church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory. She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and our Lord God shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
ON PURITY.
“He that loves wisdom,” saith the Holy Ghost, “will obtain it, for it will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins” (Wis. i. 4). St. John was from his childhood an angel of purity, on which account he was particularly be loved by Jesus, and endowed by the Holy Ghost with such wisdom and knowledge that, as St. Augustine has remarked, he begins his gospel in a manner more lofty and sublime than the other three evangelists. For while they walk with the God-man upon earth, speaking comparatively little of His divinity, St. John, as if despising the world, soars beyond the vault of heaven, above the hosts of angels, and comes to Him by Whom all things are made, saying, “In the beginning was the Word.” At the Last Supper he was permitted to lean on the bosom of Jesus, but what he there drank in secretly he imparted openly. Apply thyself, therefore, to purity of heart, and thou shalt be like St. John, a beloved disciple of Jesus, and shalt be filled with heavenly wisdom.
GOSPEL. John xxi. 19-24.
At that time: Jesus said to Peter: Follow Me. Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned on His breast at supper, and said: Lord, who is he that shall betray Thee? Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith to him: So, I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? follow thou Me. This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. And Jesus did riot say to him: He should not die; but so, I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things, and hath written these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
Feast of St John[3]
The Feast of St. John the Apostle commemorates his life. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples. He was one of the three disciples, which included Peter and James, who were involved in some of the most important events in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, including Jesus' crucifixion and transfiguration.
St John Facts
·
John was a fisherman before he began following
Christ. He was the brother of St. James the Greater. Jesus gave the
brothers the name, sons of thunder. (Mark 3:17)
·
When Jesus was dying on the cross, he asked John
to take care of his mother (John 19:25-27).
·
In the Gospel of John, he frequently refers to
the most beloved disciple. Some theologians believe he is referring to himself,
while others believe the reference is used for the reader to insert himself
into the role.
·
Besides Paul, John was the most prolific writer
in the New Testament. His body of work includes 'The Revelation of John'
and three epistles.
· The Feast Day for St. John the Apostle is held in the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations on December 27, the third day of Christmas. In the Orthodox Church, it is called the Feast of the Holy and Glorious Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, which is held September 26. This feast shouldn't be confused with the Feast of St. John the Baptist, which is held in both faith traditions on June 24.
St John Top Events
and Things to Do
· Read the Gospel of John. It is different than the other three Gospels and was thought to be the last written of the four books in the New Testament.
·
Read the Revelation of John, thought to be
written by the apostle. The rich symbolism has been thought to foretell
the end of the world, but many biblical scholars believe it was written to
offer hope to Christians persecuted by Rome.
·
St John is the Patron Saint of Turkey.
Consider visiting this beautiful country - or take a virtual tour with
Google Maps.
·
St. John answered the call to be an apostle of
Jesus. Have you listened for Jesus's call in your life?
·
Pray today to know your own vocation.
· Bless your wine for the new year.
Blessing of the Wine[4]
Traditionally wine is blessed on the Feast of St. John. Wine if used in moderation is a good thing. Yet sometimes it may cause an increase in our fears or make us fool hardy when speaking, giving us a false sense of courage. So, blessing our wine is a good idea to dedicate its use for our good and not our detriment.
St. John's Day[5] (December 27)
Saint John was the only Apostle who did not suffer martyrdom, though several attempts were made on his life. One of these involved giving him a glass of wine that had been poisoned. The saint, however, suffered no harm because he blessed it before he drank. It is in honor of this deliverance that the blessing and drinking of wine on St. John's Day was once a popular custom. People had a bottle of wine blessed after the Saint's Mass and then drank it at the family dinner (notice how easily this can still be done). The special blessing for this occasion from the Roman ritual sums up the meaning of this custom:
% Blessing
for the 1st Cup
Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God! You
willed that Your Son, equal to You in agelessness and substance should descend
from heaven and in the fullness of time be born of the most holy Virgin Mary.
Thus, He could seek the lost and wayward sheep and carry it on His shoulders to
the sheepfold, and could cure the man fallen among robbers of his wounds by
pouring in oil and wine. Deign now to bless and sanctify this wine which You
produced for man's drink. Whoever drinks of it on this holy feast, grant him life
in body and soul. By Your goodness, let it be to him strength to prosper him on
the way, that his journey may come to a blessed end. Through the same Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Eat your First Course of the meal.
% Blessing
for the 2nd Cup
O Lord God deign to bless and consecrate with Thy right hand this cup of wine and of whatever drink: and grant that through the merits of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, all who believe in Thee and who drink from this cup may be blessed and protected. And as blessed John drank from the cup of poison and remained completely unharmed, may, through his merits, all who drink from the cup on this day in honor of blessed John be rescued from every sickness of poison and from every kind of harm; and, offering themselves up body and soul, may they be delivered from all fault. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eat your Second Course Meal
% Blessing of the 3rd Cup
Bless, O Lord, this creature of drink: that it may be a remedy of salvation for all who consume it: and grant through the invocation of Thy holy name that whoever will have tasted of it may, through Thy giving, experience health of the soul as well as of the body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eat your Main Course Meal
% Blessing of the 4th Cup
Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit descend upon this creature of wine and of whatever drink and remain forever. Amen.
Eat your Dessert
Today, on the day honoring the disciple who lay closest to
Christ the High Priest during the first Mass, was the festival for priests.
The wine drunk or blessed
on this day is called "St. John's Love" (Johannesminne) or St.
John's Wine. When the wine has been blessed by a priest, it
becomes a sacramental, and is kept in the house throughout the year as a
good thing for a newlywed couple to drink on their return from church, as an
aid for travelers before a long trip, and as succor for the dying after they
have received the sacraments. In the Catholic Cookbook, William Kaufman
includes a recipe for St. John's Wine:
1-quart
red wine
3
whole cloves
1/16
teaspoon ground cardamom
2
two-inch cinnamon sticks
1/2
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2
cup sugar
Pour the wine into a large
saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients. Boil for 5 minutes (after which point
the alcohol is virtually evaporated). (Serve hot. 8-10 servings).[6]
Three French Hens
Today is traditionally the third day of Christmas and the Three French Hens from the song the 12 days of Christmas represent the three cardinal virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Let us talk to the Lord today and ask Him how we are doing in these three virtues and how we may improve in them.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER TWO-THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
Article 4-THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
Day
198
1440 Sin is
before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the
same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion
entails both God's forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are
expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation.
Only God forgives sin.
1441 Only God
forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself,
"The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" and exercises
this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven." Further, by virtue
of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name.
1442 Christ
has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be
the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired
for us at the price of his blood. But he entrusted the exercise of the power of
absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the "ministry
of reconciliation." The apostle is sent out "on behalf of
Christ" with "God making his appeal" through him and pleading:
"Be reconciled to God."
Reconciliation with the Church
1443 During
his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of
this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the
People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. A remarkable
sign of this is the fact that Jesus receives sinners at his table, a gesture
that expresses in an astonishing way both God's forgiveness and the return to
the bosom of the People of God.
1444 In
imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives
them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. This ecclesial
dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christ's solemn words to
Simon Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven." "The office of binding and
loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of the
apostles united to its head."
1445 The words
bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded
from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God
will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from
reconciliation with God.
Friday Fitness[7]
If you are a person who remains busy in work and other matters and
pays no attention to your health and wellbeing, you must take a break from the
robotic routine and pick healthy habits.
According to a psychologist, eating well and exercising gives your
body and brain instant benefits of managing stress, depression, and anxiety.
True wellbeing comes with balance, constant growth and acceptance.
Here are a few effective and tested ways that can help you improve
your wellbeing:
1. Take Proper Sleep:
It may seem to be the most common advice but trust me most of the
people don’t follow the basic step towards their overall wellbeing. Our body
needs proper sleep and rest to heal and renew the energy to function properly.
This healing is essential for physical and mental activity throughout the day.
Sufficient sleep regulates the hormones that are directly related
to our mood and emotions. Most often when you feel an irritated or emotional
imbalance, chances are high that your body lacks in taking enough sleep. An
adult body needs nearly 6 to 7 hours of sleep per day. So, make sure you get
enough sleep.
2. Eat a Balanced Diet:
Sleep alone is not going to give you the required benefits. You
need to eat a healthy and balanced diet and ensure your body receives enough
amount of nutrition. The food you consume determines how healthy your inner
system is. Moreover, it also helps in determining your emotional health and
mental illnesses such as depression.
When your body lacks essential nutrients, it leads to serious
health problems. Moreover, you end up facing emotional distress and anxiety.
Health and wellness experts suggest that you should eat fruits and vegetables
in sufficient amounts. Moreover, eating nuts and lentil also strengthens your
heart. Try to avoid caffeine, sugar and processed food as much as possible.
3. Expose Your Body to Sunlight:
Vitamin D deficiency leads to several problems such as Seasonal
Affective Disorder or SAD. When you are exposed to sunlight, it causes the
release of endorphins also called ‘happiness hormones’ that is responsible for
the productivity of the brain.
So, take some time out of your routine and spend some time in the
sunlight. But make sure you wear sunblock to prevent sunburn.
4. Deal with Stress:
Although it is difficult to avoid stress nowadays, it is definitely
possible to deal with it. It is very important to learn to deal with stress in
a smart and effective way. For that, try to avoid situations that cause stress.
If your stress is unmanageable, note down the causes of stress as well as what
actions you can take to improve your reaction, mood, and even situation?
5. Exercise Daily:
When you remain physically active and exercise daily, your blood
flow improves in your entire body. With the increased blood flow, the amount of
oxygen increases, and you feel more energetic, fresh and mentally active.
Exercise and physical activities are more important if you are an
office worker. Exercise not only ensures our body remains fit but also keeps
your mind healthy as well. You don’t have to join expensive gyms for that. A
simple walk with your pet or daily morning walk is more than sufficient. The
important thing is to make it a daily habit.
In addition to your mental health, exercise strengthens your bones
and muscles that prevent you from different types of personal injuries during a
workout or running your daily errands.
6. Stay Away from Smoking and Alcohol:
If you keep drinking and smoking, no matter how much you spend on
your health and how hard you try, your efforts are going to be wasted.
Quit smoking and drinking to ensure you lead a healthy life.
7. Be Social, as Much as You Can:
Isolation and lack of communication are the two biggest reasons for
depression, mental and physical illnesses. No matter how busy your family and
work life are, try to dedicate some time to friends and socialize with them.
A man cannot stay healthy without interacting with other people.
Communicating with others lowers the stress level. If you have heard of
laughter therapy, it also has the same purpose to reduce the stress in which
you laugh with other people. Everyone needs acceptance and friendship that is
fulfilled only when you socialize with others.
8. Find and Practice New Hobbies:
Hobbies help us keep busy and engaged. When you have an interest in
some activities and enjoy doing them, you take healthy steps to improve your
emotional wellbeing. It also keeps the work and daily life’s pressure off your
brain. Finding new hobbies is great for strengthening your brain and boosting
your mood.
9. Learn to Live in the Present:
The biggest reason for experiencing mood swings, depression and
anxiety is when a person remains stuck in past events. Negative self-talking
such as ‘why people did this to me’ steal not only the happiness but make the
person miss opportunities that the present moment tires to offer.
Learn to live in the present moment and try not to think too much
about the future.
It’s Simple: Laugh and Enjoy!
Don’t take life too seriously. Those who remain happy, smile more
and try to keep themselves happy experience a better quality of life than those
who remain worried all the time. According to a study, children laugh 200 times
a day while adults laugh 15 times a day.
Staying happy and laughing more is essential for a quality life.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Life from Conception until natural death.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[4]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=46
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