Claire’s Corner
· Jesse Tree ornament: Jesus is King of the Gentiles: Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20 Symbols: crown, scepter.
· How to celebrate Dec 22nd
o Get ready for a day of celebrating without limits! Start by embracing your inner mathematician with some brain-teasing puzzles or games. Challenge yourself or gather some friends to join in on the fun. Next, pay tribute to the forefathers by exploring your family history or learning more about your heritage. Share stories with loved ones or create a family tree to preserve your legacy.
o Feeling hungry after all that mental activity? It’s time to whip up some delicious date nut bread or cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth. Try out a new recipe or host a cookie exchange with friends for a tasty treat. Finally, embrace the spirit of National Short Person Day by celebrating the unique qualities that make you stand out. Embrace your height (or lack thereof) and take pride in your individuality.
o So there you have it – a day filled with math, history, baking, and self-acceptance. Get creative, have fun, and make the most of these quirky national holidays!
33 days to Christmas-Start the 33 days to Eucharistic Glory[5]
Want to start a small group? Download our 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Study Guide
Day 31
On this 31st day the reception of the Eucharist gives strength and resilience in the battle against the world, the flesh and the devil
Copilot
The Eucharist provides Catholics with profound spiritual strength and resilience to face the challenges posed by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Here's how:
1. Divine Grace: The Eucharist imparts divine grace that fortifies the soul, providing the necessary spiritual strength to resist temptations and overcome evil.
2. Union with Christ: By receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, believers are united with Jesus, who is the ultimate source of strength and protection against spiritual battles.
3. Forgiveness of Sins: The Eucharist helps in the forgiveness of venial sins, purifying the soul and renewing the resolve to live a holy life, free from the grip of sin.
4. Spiritual Nourishment: The Eucharist nourishes the soul, providing spiritual sustenance that enhances resilience and fortitude in the face of trials and temptations.
5. Peace and Calm: The inner peace that comes from receiving the Eucharist helps to stabilize emotions and provides clarity, which is essential for resisting the lures of the world and the flesh.
6. Moral Clarity: Through the Eucharist, believers gain a deeper understanding of Christ’s teachings, which serve as a moral compass, guiding them to make righteous decisions.
7. Strengthening Virtues: The grace received strengthens virtues such as faith, hope, and charity, which are crucial in battling spiritual adversities.
8. Community Support: Sharing in the Eucharist with the faith community provides mutual support and encouragement, which bolsters individual resilience against spiritual struggles.
9. Reflection on Christ’s Sacrifice: The Eucharist is a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice and victory over sin and death. This reflection inspires believers to draw strength from His triumph in their own battles.
10. Holy Spirit’s Guidance: The Eucharist invites the Holy Spirit to work more fully in believers' lives, offering guidance and wisdom in spiritual warfare.
11. Focus on Eternal Values: By participating in the Eucharist, believers are reminded of eternal values, helping them to prioritize spiritual over worldly desires.
12. Renewed Commitment: Each reception of the Eucharist renews the believer's commitment to living a life aligned with God’s will, strengthening their resolve to resist the devil’s temptations.
13. Protection and Defense: The Eucharist acts as spiritual armor, providing protection and defense against the assaults of the devil and the allurements of the world.
Through these ways, the Eucharist empowers believers with the strength and resilience needed to face and overcome the spiritual challenges posed by the world, the flesh, and the devil, guiding them to live a virtuous and holy life.
DECEMBER 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent
2 Chronicles, Chapter 32, Verse 7
“Be strong and steadfast; do not be
AFRAID or dismayed because of the
king of Assyria and all the horde coming with him, for there is more with us
than with him.
Of
course, the more of us is the power of the angels of God.
Kings come and Kings go[1]
·
After
taking over Israel, King Sennacherib of Assyria comes gunning for Hezekiah in
Judah.
·
King Hezekiah immediately got to work building
up defenses in all the most important cities in Judah. He's a good strategic
thinker, but he also has one thing that the Assyrians don't—God is on his side.
·
He tells the people of Judah not to worry
because God will help them out. Sure, he didn't help Israel or any of the other
countless nations the Assyrians have smashed to bits, but he's totally going to
help Judah.
· King Sennacherib sends his people to Jerusalem to give the city a message—you're going down.
·
He throws some shade at Hezekiah, too. Their
king is lying to them about God being able to protect them. Seriously, Hezekiah
is so bad at ruling that he actually took down all the altars in Judah and just
left this one in Jerusalem.
·
Look, King Sennacherib tells them, we've
conquered a lot of nations. No god has ever been able to hold us back. What
makes you think your God is different?
·
So, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah start
to pray and God listens.
·
He sends an angel to kill a lot of people in the
Assyrian camp. With his army depleted, King Sennacherib is forced to head back
home. Later, his own sons kill him.
·
Hezekiah gets deathly sick and successfully
prays to God for healing. He gets into some minor trouble with God, but repents
and goes on to do all kinds of successful things as king.
·
God blesses him with immense wealth. Gold, gems,
spices, weapons, food, wine, oil, and livestock—you name it, the guy has a
whole warehouse full of it.
· Finally, after a lifetime of righteousness, King Hezekiah dies. Everyone mourns him.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
CHAPTER I
DIES DOMINI
The Celebration of the Creator's
Work
To "keep holy" by
"remembering"
17. The connection between Sabbath
rest and the theme of "remembering" God's wonders is found also in
the Book of Deuteronomy (5:12-15), where the precept is grounded less in the
work of creation than in the work of liberation accomplished by God in the
Exodus: "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt,
and the Lord your God brought you out from there with mighty hand and
outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath
day" (Dt 5:15).
This formulation complements the one
we have already seen; and taken together, the two reveal the meaning of
"the Lord's Day" within a single theological vision which fuses
creation and salvation. Therefore, the main point of the precept is not just
any kind of interruption of work, but the celebration of the
marvels which God has wrought.
Insofar as this
"remembrance" is alive, full of thanksgiving and of the praise of
God, human rest on the Lord's Day takes on its full meaning. It is then
that man enters the depths of God's "rest" and can experience a
tremor of the Creator's joy when, after the creation, he saw that all he had
made "was very good" (Gn 1:31).
Fourth Sunday of Advent
THE nearer we approach to the coming of Christ the more the Church sighs in her prayers for the Savior of mankind. She sings, therefore, at the Introit, drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just (Is. xlv. 8); “The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of His hands” (Ps. xviii. 2).
Prayer.
Stir up Thy might, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and come and succor us with great power, that, by the help of Thy grace, the indulgence of Thy mercy may accelerate what our sins impede.
EPISTLE, i. Cor. iv. 1-5.
Brethren: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man s day, but neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything: yet I am not hereby justified: but lie that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore, judge not before the time, until the Lord come: Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.
How should priests be regarded by the faithful?
The Church wishes to inspire us with respect and veneration towards priests, who are ministers of Christ, dispensers of the mysteries of God, and advocates of religion. The Scripture says, “Let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine” (i. Tim. v. 17). “He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me”; (St. Luke x. 16).
Why is this epistle read today?
The Church wishes, by pointing to the second advent of Christ, to remind the faithful to avoid judging their neighbors, but to judge themselves, and to cleanse their hearts for the reception of Jesus as our Savior, that they may not have to shrink from Him when He comes as Judge.
Can priests administer the holy sacraments as they please?
No, for, as the stewards of Jesus Christ, they must observe His will, which is that they should administer the sacraments for the glory of God and the salvation of the faithful. They are not permitted to “give that which is holy unto dogs” (Matt. viii. 6), and cannot, therefore, give absolution, or any sacrament, to those who are unfit, lest they thereby condemn themselves.
Why should they esteem it a small matter to be judged by men?
Because men generally judge by appearances, and not by reality. St. Paul says: “If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Gal. i. 10). But not only priests, the faithful also, must seek to please God more than men. Foolish are they who follow all silly and scandalous fashions in dress, gesture, and manners; who neglect the holy exercises of religion, and ask constantly, “What will the world say?” but never, “What will my God and Savior say?” if I do this or that”.
Why does St. Paul say, “But neither do I judge my own self”?
Because he could not know how God would judge him, “For man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred (Eccles. ix. 1); therefore, he adds, “I am not conscious to myself of anything, yet am I not hereby justified, but He that judgeth me is the Lord.” We should, therefore, examine ourselves thoroughly whether we are in sin; but if we find nothing in us which displeases God we are not on that account at liberty to think ourselves better than others, for before the mirror of our self-esteem we look quite different to what we are in truth before God, Who cannot be bribed. Oh, how many, who now think themselves innocent and holy, shall appear at the day of judgment stripped of their disguises, and the most secret workings of their hearts revealed by God to their eternal disgrace! This should determine us not to judge before the time, either ourselves or anyone else, of whose hearts we must know even less than of our own. “Let us therefore work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. ii. 12).
Aspiration.
O Lord enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight no man living shall be justified (Ps. cxlii. 2).
GOSPEL. Luke iii. 1-6.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight His paths. Every valley shall be filled: and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Why is the time at which St. John began to preach so minutely described?
Because in that happy year the prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled, and the scepter being taken from Juda, the long-expected Messiahs showed Himself to the world, was baptized by John, and declared by His heavenly Father to be His beloved Son, Whom men should hear. Accordingly, that this time should never be forgotten, the evangelist, contrary to his usual custom, describes it particularly, mentioning the names both of the spiritual and temporal rulers.
Aspiration.
Oh, that Thy way, Jesus, may be well prepared in my heart! Alas! assist me, O my Savior, to do what I cannot do by myself. Fill up the valley of my heart with Thy grace, and straighten my crooked and perverted will, till it shall conform to Thine own. Soften my rough and unruly mind; bring low, destroy, and remove whatever in me impedes Thy way, that Thou mayest come to me without hindrance, and possess and govern me forever. Amen
God’s Handiwork[3]
Every Christmas although the same in many ways is always new for each Christmas expresses a hope learned from a lifetime of praising God. For every Christmas if we open our eyes to truth, we will see the handiwork of God, the rock of our salvation. Perhaps in these final days of anticipation it would do us well to reflect on the virtues of Mary Christ’s very own mother and in these final days in some way reflect them in our own lives.
Mary carried Jesus in her womb with great patience. As a child I remember Christmas was always a great strain on my patience. Can you imagine the strain on this poor young girl from Nazareth? She of course could not have done this without first having the virtues of humility, generosity, chase, patience and temperance.
Temperance
Copilot
Holy
Mary's temperance is often highlighted in Catholic teachings as a model of
self-control, moderation, and virtue. Her life exemplifies the balance between
living a holy life and dealing with everyday challenges with grace and
composure. Here are some key aspects of her temperance:
1.
Moderation: Mary
is a model of living a balanced life. She showed moderation in her actions and
choices, avoiding excesses and living a simple, humble life.
2.
Self-Control:
Despite the extraordinary events in her life, Mary remained calm and
controlled. She trusted in God’s plan and handled situations with a steady,
composed demeanor.
3.
Patience: Mary's
life was marked by patience, from the Annunciation to the Crucifixion. Her
ability to wait on God’s timing and endure hardships without complaint is a
testament to her temperance.
4.
Obedience to God:
She showed perfect obedience to God's will, demonstrating self-restraint and
commitment to her faith.
5.
Compassion: Mary's
temperance is also reflected in her compassion and mercy towards others. She
acted with kindness and empathy, maintaining a gentle and forgiving nature.
6.
Courage and Strength:
Even in the face of great suffering, Mary remained strong and steadfast,
showing inner fortitude and resilience.
7.
Humility: Her
humility allowed her to accept her role in God's plan with grace, never seeking
personal glory or recognition.
8.
Prayer and Reflection:
Mary spent much time in prayer and contemplation, drawing strength from her
relationship with God and maintaining spiritual balance.
Mary’s example encourages believers to strive for temperance in their own lives, seeking balance, self-control, and moderation in all things.
Spiritual Crib[4]
A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life.
·
12th day, December 22nd: ST.
JOSEPH—Obedience Today
you must try to please the Divine Infant by cheerful, and very prompt
obedience. Be obedient for the love of Jesus in great and little things or in
easy ones. Do nothing without permission.
Evening Antiphon
O
King of the Gentiles and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both
one; Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE-THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION
Article 3-THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
VII. The Eucharist - "Pledge of the
Glory To Come"
Day 193
1402 In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery
of the Eucharist: "O sacred banquet in which Christ is received as food,
the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a
pledge of the life to come is given to us." If the Eucharist is the
memorial of the Passover of the Lord Jesus, if by our communion at the altar we
are filled "with every heavenly blessing and grace," then the
Eucharist is also an anticipation of the heavenly glory.
1403 At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his
disciples' attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of
God: "I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until
that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's
kingdom." Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist she remembers
this promise and turns her gaze "to him who is to come." In her
prayer she calls for his coming: "Marana tha!" "Come, Lord
Jesus!" "May your grace come and this world pass away!"
1404 The Church knows that the Lord comes even now in his
Eucharist come,and that he is there in our midst. However, his presence is
veiled. Therefore, we celebrate the Eucharist "awaiting the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ," asking "to share in
your glory when every tear will be wiped away. On that day we shall see you,
our God, as you are. We shall become like you and praise you forever through
Christ our Lord."
1405 There is no surer pledge or dearer sign of this great
hope in the new heavens and new earth "in which righteousness
dwells," than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated,
"the work of our redemption is carried on" and we "break the one
bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and
the food that makes us live forever in Jesus Christ."
Daily Devotions
·
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Increase in Religious and consecrated life.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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