Claire’s Corner
· Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet
·
Light
a candle for a loved one
o National Donair Day calls for a hearty meal that satisfies your cravings. You can try making your own at home or support a local eatery that serves this tasty treat.
o Plant a tree, start a compost bin, or simply take a walk in nature and soak in the greenery around you.
o National Lard Day might seem a bit unconventional, but you can still join in on the fun by trying out a recipe that incorporates this ingredient. Whether it’s frying up some crispy treats or adding a dollop to your baking, embrace the day’s theme in your culinary adventures.
§ Lard or Tallow?
o Up next is National Health Savings Account Day. Take a moment to review your health finances and see if there are ways to save or optimize your healthcare spending. It may not sound glamorous, but a little financial check-up can go a long way in the long run.
o Lastly, embrace the beauty of Immaculate Conception by taking a moment to appreciate the wonders of life and the world around you. Reflect on the day’s journey through time, delicious treats, gratitude for hard work, environmental consciousness, culinary experiments, financial health, and soothing sounds. It’s been a day filled with odd and unexpected celebrations, but isn’t that what makes life interesting?
33 days to Christmas-Start the 33 days to Eucharistic Glory[1]
Want to start a small group? Download our 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Study Guide
Day 11
On this 11th day, find purpose via a
soul filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Copilot:
Finding purpose through a soul filled with the
gifts of the Holy Spirit is a deeply enriching and transformative journey. Here
are some ways to cultivate and embrace these gifts to discover your purpose:
Understanding the Gifts of the Holy
Spirit
The traditional seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as
described in Christian theology, are:
1.
Wisdom: Enables us to see things from God’s perspective and
make decisions based on divine truth.
2.
Understanding: Helps us grasp the deeper meanings of the
faith and the divine mysteries.
3.
Counsel (Right Judgment): Guides us to make correct decisions
in accordance with God’s will.
4.
Fortitude (Courage): Provides us with the strength to stand
up for our beliefs and endure challenges.
5.
Knowledge: Helps us to understand God’s plan and the path to
follow.
6.
Piety (Reverence): Instills in us a deep respect and love for
God and all His creations.
7.
Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe): Fosters a profound respect
and awe for the majesty of God.
Ways to Cultivate These Gifts
1.
Prayer and Reflection: Regularly pray for the Holy Spirit to
fill you with these gifts. Spend time in reflection to understand how they
manifest in your life.
2.
Scripture Study: Read and meditate on passages that speak
about the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Passages like Isaiah 11:2-3 and 1
Corinthians 12:7-11 can be particularly enlightening.
3.
Sacraments: Participate in the sacraments, especially
Confirmation, which is traditionally associated with the bestowal of the Holy
Spirit’s gifts.
Live Out the Gifts
1.
Wisdom and Understanding: Seek to apply these gifts in your
daily decisions and interactions. Use your insights to guide others and
yourself towards a more faithful life.
2.
Counsel and Fortitude: Use these gifts to make just decisions
and to stand firm in your beliefs, even in the face of adversity.
3.
Knowledge and Piety: Deepen your knowledge of the faith and
let your reverence for God influence your actions and attitudes.
4. Fear of the Lord:
Let your awe and respect for God’s greatness inspire you to live a life that
honors Him.
1
When the Israelites who lived in Judea heard of all
that Holofernes, the ranking general of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians,
had done to the nations, and how he had looted all their shrines and utterly
destroyed them, 2
they were in very great FEAR of him, and greatly alarmed for Jerusalem and the temple of
the Lord, their God.
Join the resistance! No not the fake news one but the resistance to all that is evil. Godly resistance is much different than the guttural takes no prisoners of modern time’s resistance with our pink devil horned hats.
Holy
Resistance[1]
·
The
Israelites’ reaction to invasion differs from their neighbors in two respects:
The nature of their fear and their response.
·
Their
fear is not only for themselves but primarily for Jerusalem and the temple of
the Lord.
·
Most
secularists surrender to evil with joy; but the holy prepare to defend its most
precious possession: faith and trust in He who is.
·
We
must prepare to defend the mountain passes by defending our faith.
·
However,
the most important preparation for siege is spiritual through prayer and
fasting.
·
Note
Mary the Mother of Christ via Fatima apparitions tell us that we like the
Israelites must continue in prayer,
making reparation and consecration to God.
·
The
key is cry unto the Lord.
The Book of Judith symbolic of the Virgin Mary[2]
Judith was a holy widow. She wore haircloth and fasted almost every day. She spent most of her time in a chamber of her home, praying. The land of Israel was in distress, being under siege by Holofernes. It is when Israel is in it's greatest need that she comes forth from the chamber to save them by her intercession. This is symbolic of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her victory over Satan in the very last days to come. What is most interesting and noteworthy is the talk she gave to the leaders of the people. Her words apply to us in the latter days of this great apostasy from the Catholic faith. We should pay heed and learn from her as they are words Our Lady would no doubt address to each of us: Have patience, be humble, pray to God for mercy, it was our fathers that drew down this chastisement upon us: Our part is to suffer these tribulations as penance for our sins. It is for our sanctification.
Judith was symbolic of the Virgin Mary
And they came to her, and she said to them:
What is this word, by which Ozias hath consented to give up the city to the Assyrians, if within five days there come no aid to us?
And who are you that tempt the Lord?
This is not a word that may draw down mercy,
but rather that may stir up wrath, and enkindle indignation. You have set a
time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed him a day, according to
your pleasure. But forasmuch as the Lord is patient, let us be penitent
for this same thing, and with many tears let us beg his pardon: For God will
not threaten like man, nor be inflamed to anger like the son of man. And
therefore, let us humble our souls before him, and continuing in an humble
spirit, in his service: Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to his
will so he would shew his mercy to us: that as our heart is troubled by
their pride, so also we may glorify in our humility. For we have not
followed the sins of our fathers, who forsook their God, and worshiped strange
gods. For which crime they were given up to their enemies, to the sword, and to
pillage, and to confusion: but we know no other God but him. Let us
humbly wait for his consolation, and the Lord our God will require our blood of
the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that shall
rise up against us and bring them to disgrace. And now, brethren, as you are
the ancients among the people of God, and their very soul resteth upon you:
comfort their hearts by your speech, that they may be mindful how our fathers
were tempted that they might be proved, whether they worshiped their God
truly. They must remember how our father Abraham was tempted, and being
proved by many tribulations, was made the friend of God. So Isaac, so
Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many
tribulations, remaining faithful. But they that did not receive
the trials with the fear of the Lord, but uttered their impatience and the
reproach of their murmuring against the Lord, Were destroyed by the destroyer,
and perished by serpents. As for us therefore let us not revenge ourselves for
these things which we suffer. But esteeming these very punishments to be
less than our sins deserve, let us believe that these scourges of the Lord,
with which like servants we are chastised, have happened for our amendment, and
not for our destruction. And Ozias and the ancients said to her: All
things which thou hast spoken are true, and there is nothing to be reprehended
in thy words. Now therefore pray for us, for thou art a holy woman, and
one fearing God. JUDITH
8, 10-34
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[3]
CHAPTER
I
DIES
DOMINI
The
Celebration of the Creator's Work
"God
blessed the seventh day and made it holy" (Gn 2:3)
15.
All human life, and therefore all human time, must become praise of the Creator
and thanksgiving to him. But man's relationship with God also demands times
of explicit prayer, in which the relationship becomes an intense dialogue,
involving every dimension of the person. "The Lord's Day" is the day
of this relationship par excellence when men and women raise their song
to God and become the voice of all creation.
This
is precisely why it is also the day of rest. Speaking vividly as it does
of "renewal" and "detachment", the interruption of the
often-oppressive rhythm of work expresses the dependence of man and the cosmos
upon God. Everything belongs to God! The Lord's Day returns again and
again to declare this principle within the weekly reckoning of time. The
"Sabbath" has therefore been interpreted evocatively as a determining
element in the kind of "sacred architecture" of time which marks
biblical revelation. It recalls that the universe and history belong to God;
and without a constant awareness of that truth, man cannot serve in the world
as co-worker of the Creator.
Second Sunday of Advent
The voices of Isaiah and John the
Baptist tell us to prepare.
“As the journey of Advent continues, as we prepare to celebrate the nativity of Christ, John the Baptist's calls us to conversion and sounds out in our communities. It is a pressing invitation to open our hearts and to welcome the Son of God Who comes among us to make divine judgement manifest. The Father, writes St. John the Evangelist, does not judge anyone, but has entrusted the power of judgement to the Son, because He is the Son of man. “And it is today, in the present, that we decide our future destiny. It is with our concrete everyday behavior in this life that we determine our eternal fate. At the end of our days on earth, at the moment of death, we will be evaluated on the basis of our likeness or otherwise to the Baby Who is about to be born in the poor grotto of Bethlehem, because He is the measure God has given humanity. “Through the Gospel John the Baptist continues to speak down the centuries to each generation. His hard-clear words bring health to us, the men and women of this day in which even the experience and perception of Christmas often, unfortunately, reflects materialist attitudes. The 'voice' of the great prophet asks us to prepare the way for the coming Lord in the deserts of today, internal and external deserts, thirsting for the water of life which is Christ.” — Benedict XVI[4]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
HAVING taught us on the first
Sunday of Advent to sigh with the prophets for the redemption through Christ,
the Church on this day reminds us, in the holy sacrifice of the Mass, of the
joyful promises of God for the salvation of the gentiles, and of Jesus Christ s
actual coming, in order to quicken our desire for it, and to produce in us an
alacrity in making ready our hearts by penance and love.
For this reason, she says in the
Introit of the Mass: “People of Sion, behold the Lord shall come to save the
nations, and the Lord shall make the glory of His voice to be heard in the joy
of your heart.” “Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: Thou that leadest Joseph
like a sheep.”
Prayer.
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make
ready the ways of Thine only begotten Son, that by His coming we may be worthy
to serve Thee with purified minds.
EPISTLE. Rom. xv. 4-13.
Brethren: What things so ever were
written, were written for our learning: that through patience and the comfort
of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort
grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ:
that with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of
Our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath
received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of
the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers. But that the gentiles are to glorify God for His mercy, as it is
written: Therefore, will I confess to Thee, O Lord, among the gentiles, and
will sing to Thy name. And again, He saith: Rejoice, ye gentiles, with His
people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles; and magnify Him, all ye
peoples. And again, Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and He that
shall rise up to rule the gentiles, in Him the gentiles shall hope. Now the God
of hope fill you all with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in
hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.
What are we to learn by this
epistle?
To be grateful to God for having
called us, by His grace, to the true faith, and for having received us into the
bosom of His holy Church. Again, we are taught that by envy, discord, pride,
and hatred we lose our salvation. Finally, St. Paul refers us to the Scriptures
for instruction.
Why do the Holy Scriptures profit
us?
1. They teach, correct, and
instruct us in justice, that we may serve God faithfully, and be ever ready for
good works.
2. They sustain our patience in
suffering, and our hope of eternal life, by many promises, and by the example
of Jesus Christ and His saints.
Why is God called the God of
patience, comfort, and hope?
1. Because He looks with patience
and long-suffering upon our sinful lives.
2. Because He gives us grace to
carry our cross with patience and joy and removes our despair by spiritual
consolation.
3. Because He gives us hope that
after this life, we shall possess Him, the object of our desire.
Aspiration.
O
God of patience, comfort, and hope fill our hearts with joy and peace, and
grant that we may become perfect in all good works by faith, hope, and charity,
and that we may attain the promised salvation.
GOSPEL.
Matt. xi. 2-10.
At that time: When John
had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said
to Him: Art Thou He that art to come, or look we for another? And Jesus making
answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise
again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them: And blessed is he that shall
not be scandalized in Me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to
the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a
reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft
garments? Behold, they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of
kings. But what went you out to see? a prophet? Yea, I tell you, and more than
a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send My angel before
Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.
Why was St. John cast into prison?
Because he rebuked King Herod, who
was living in adultery with the wife of his stepbrother. This teaches us that
we should not be deterred from our duty, though great suffering and misfortune
should thereby befall us. Is it not nobler and more profitable to our salvation
to be a martyr for truth, as St. John was, rather than to gain favor with the
world by timidly looking on, or by deceitful flattery?
Why did St. John send his disciples to Jesus?
St. John sent his disciples to
Christ so that they, too, might be convinced that He was the Messiah.
Superiors and parents should learn
from this to see that their dependents and children are well instructed in the
faith.
Why did Christ merely say to the disciples of St.
John: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the
lame walk?
Because they ought to have been
convinced from the miracles He wrought, which were the fulfilment of the
prophecies, that He was the promised messiah.
What was the object of the question, “What went you
out to see?” which Our Savior asked?
1. To praise the constancy of St.
John, who was not to be deterred from exercising his sacred functions either by
the commands of Herod or through fear of imprisonment and death.
2. To approve the austere life of
St. John, that we should thereby be encouraged to crucify the flesh and to do
penance.
Why did Our Savior say that St. John was more than a
prophet?
Because he was destined to see the
messiah, to preach to men, and declare Him to be the Savior of the world. And
as he was a messenger of God, to announce the coming of Christ and prepare His
way, he was called an angel (Malachi. iii. T).
Why did Jesus add, “Blessed is he that shall not be
scandalized in Me”?
On account of those who would be
scandalized, at His humility,
His poverty, His ignominious suffering and death upon the cross, and who would,
accordingly, despise and reject Him; although the more He humbled Himself for
them the more they ought rather to love and honor Him.
Why does the Church set before us this gospel?
In order that we, like the
disciples of St. John, may, by His works, recognize Jesus as our Lord and
Savior, and that we may make ourselves worthy of the grace of redemption by
doing penance earnestly and firmly, thus preparing the way of the Lord in our
hearts.
Consolation
in Adversities and Afflictions
What can and should
console us in adversity?
1. A firm belief that everything is
ordered by God’s wise providence, and that no evil can befall us except by His
permission, who never allows us to suffer more than is for our good.
2. That if we call upon Him in
adversity God will help us, whenever it is expedient for our salvation. Thus,
to encourage us He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver
thee” (Ps. xlix. 15); and, “If God be for us, who is against us?” (Rom. viii.
31); and “Can a woman forget her infant so as not to have pity on the son of
her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee: behold, I have
graven thee in My hands” (Isaias xlix. 15, 16).
3. That it is useless to resist
Divine Providence, for all who have done so have been filled with shame and
ignominy, “Who hath resisted Him and hath had peace?” (Job ix. 4.)
4. That our sufferings when borne
with patience and submission lose their sharpness and bring us merit and
reward. “For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation,
worketh for us, above measure exceedingly, an eternal weight of glory” (n. Cor.
iv.17).
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE-THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION
IN BRIEF
Day
179
1315
"Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for
them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any
of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then
they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts
8:14-17).
1316
Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy
Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us
more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more
closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in
words accompanied by deeds.
1317
Confirmation, like Baptism, imprints a spiritual mark or indelible character on
the Christian's soul; for this reason one can receive this sacrament only once
in one's life.
1318 In
the East this sacrament is administered immediately after Baptism and is
followed by participation in the Eucharist; this tradition highlights the unity
of the three sacraments of Christian initiation. In the Latin Church this
sacrament is administered when the age of reason has been reached, and its
celebration is ordinarily reserved to the bishop, thus signifying that this
sacrament strengthens the ecclesial bond.
1319 A
candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the
faith, be in the state of grace, have the intention of receiving the sacrament,
and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both
within the ecclesial community and in temporal affairs.
1320 The
essential rite of Confirmation is anointing the forehead of the baptized with
sacred chrism (in the East other sense-organs as well), together with the
laying on of the minister's hand and the words: "Accipe signaculum doni
Spiritus Sancti" (Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.) in the
Roman Rite, or "The seal of the gift that is the Holy Spirit" in the
Byzantine rite.
1321 When
Confirmation is celebrated separately from Baptism, its connection with Baptism
is expressed, among other ways, by the renewal of baptismal promises. the
celebration of Confirmation during the Eucharist helps underline the unity of
the sacraments of Christian initiation.
Worldwide
Candle lighting Day[1]
For hundreds of years, lighting a candle has been a way to show respect for those that have died. This beautiful gesture shows that although someone may be gone from this world, their memory will endure, and the light of their flame will continue to inspire and guide others. Worldwide Candle Lighting Day is a celebration of solidarity and memory. It’s a day on which people around the world gather to light candles for children who have died and to show that they will always be loved and never forgotten. The candles are lit at the same time in every time zone, meaning that a consistent warm glow passes around the planet for a full 24-hour day.
The History of Worldwide Candle Lighting Day
Worldwide Candle Lighting Day was a
gift to the bereavement community from The Compassionate Friend. The
Compassionate Friend’s Worldwide Candle Lighting Day started in the United
States in 1997 as a small internet observance in honor of children who lived
tragically short lives for any number of reasons, from sickness, to accidents,
to war, but has since spread throughout the world. Nowadays, hundreds of formal
candle lighting events are held in many different countries and thousands of
informal candle lightings are conducted in homes as families gather in quiet
remembrance of children who have died, but will never be forgotten. many
organizations join in to observe this holiday, some f which are local
bereavement groups, churches, funeral homes, hospitals, hospices, children’s
gardens, schools, cemeteries, and community centers, and remembrance services
have ranged in size from just a few people to nearly a thousand over the years
since the creation of this special day. All of this just goes to show how necessary
it was to set this day aside for this purpose.
How to Celebrate World Candle Lighting Day
As mentioned before, this day is
celebrated with a quiet elegance: at 7 p.m. local time, people light candles
for one hour to remember their loved ones. It is a moving occasion that
bypasses geographical and cultural divides. As everyone lights their candles at
seven pm local time, far-flung parts of the world get illuminated in turn, so
that eventually the light has moved all around the globe. If you have
experienced the loss of a child in your lifetime, this is a good moment to
honor his or her memory by taking part in the candle lighting. You could also
invite some close family members to spend this time with you and light their
own candles for the late child.
This doesn’t only have to be a sad
occasion, however. Children’s lives are mostly filled with fun and laughter, so
reminiscing about all of the things the child you are honoring managed to enjoy
before he or she passed may should serve to lighten the atmosphere up a little
bit. Of course, nothing will ever make up for the loss of a child, but there is
some solace to be taken in the fact that the child’s life was a good one,
however short. No matter whether you’ll be lighting a candle at home or joining
a gathering Worldwide Candle Lighting Day it is a way to show love and
community.
[1]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/worldwide-candle-lighting-day/
Jesse Tree[5]
Jesse
Tree Scriptures (The Symbols Are Only Suggestions)
December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun,
moon, stars, animals, earth
December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols:
tree, man, woman
December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols:
tree, serpent, apple with bite
December 4 Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols:
ark, animals, dove, rainbow
December 5 Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols: torch, sword,
mountain
December 6 Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols: bundle of wood,
altar, ram in bush
December 7 Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15 Symbols:
kettle, ladder
December 8 Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well, silver coins, tunic
Daily
Devotions
·
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Traditional Marriages.
·
Today is Lost and found day
pray for the lost that they may be found.
·
Religion
in the home: Preschool for December
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
[1]The Collegeville Bible Commentary,
1986.
Comments
Post a Comment