First Wednesday[1]
Our Heavenly Father desires all three hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to be honored. And so along with devotion to Jesus on First Fridays, and to Mary on First Saturdays, Our Father longs for us to add devotion to St. Joseph on each First Wednesday of the month.
"The Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have been chosen by the Most Holy Trinity to bring peace to the world." It is at God's request that "special love and honor be given to them" to help us "imitate" their love and their lives, as well as "offer reparation" for the sins committed against them and their love.
The St. Joseph First Wednesday devotion is:
1. Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary - remembering St. Joseph's love, his life, his role and his sufferings
2. Receive Holy Communion - in union with the love St. Joseph had for Jesus the first time and each time he held him - his son, his God and Savior - in his arms.
In the approved
apparitions of Our Lady of America, St. Joseph revealed:
·
"I
am the protector of the Church and the home, as I was the protector of Christ
and his Mother while I lived upon earth. Jesus and Mary desire that my pure
heart, so long hidden and unknown, be now honored in a special way.
·
Let my
children honor my most pure heart in a special manner on the First Wednesday of
the month by reciting the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary in memory of my life
with Jesus and Mary and the love I bore them, the sorrow I suffered with them.
·
Let them
receive Holy Communion in union with the love with which I received the Savior
for the first time and each time I held Him in my arms.
·
Those
who honor me in this way will be consoled by my presence at their death, and I
myself will conduct them safely into the presence of Jesus and Mary."
Every Wednesday is
Dedicated to St. Joseph
The Italian culture has
always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make
Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or
spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass.
You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you
could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family
night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.
·
Do the St.
Joseph Universal Man Plan.
·
Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St.
Joseph
[1]https://enteringintothemystery.blogspot.com/2018/12/dont-forget-first-wednesday-devotion-to.html
January 2025
Creeks, rivers, and other forms of moving water, including ice, manifest the flow of life itself. A gurgling stream or rushing river, even in midwinter's rest, is the sign that new life is coming forth, even when it is not yet perceptible in a snow-covered landscape. Our life in Christ begins through the saving water of Baptism; since this is so, we have an obligation to protect and save the water. Water pollution is widespread, denying safe drinking water to millions of people.
Overview of January[1]
The first twelve days of
January fall during the liturgical season known as Christmas which is represented by the
liturgical color white (and gold) — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity
and innocence (absolute or restored).
The remaining days of
January are the beginning of liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum
or Ordinary
Time (formerly
Time After Epiphany), which is represented by the liturgical color
green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and
arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven,
especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during prayer of
Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
Feasts for January 2025
1. MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, OCTAVE DAY OF CHRISTMAS, Solemnity
2. Basil the Great; Gregory Nazianzen, Memorial
3. Most Holy Name of Jesus, Opt. Mem.
4. Elizabeth Ann Seton (USA and CAN), Memorial
5. EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, Solemnity
6. André Bessette (USA) , Opt. Mem.
7. Raymond of Penyafort, Opt. Mem.
12. Baptism of the Lord, Feast
13. Hilary, Opt. Mem.
17. Anthony, Memorial
19. SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, Sunday
20. Fabian; Sebastian, Opt. Mem.
21. Agnes, Memorial
22. Day of Prayer for Unborn (USA), Opt. Mem.
23. Vincent of Saragossa (US), Marianne Cope (US), Opt. Mem.
24. Francis de Sales, Memorial
25. Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Feast
26. THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, (Sunday of the Word of God),
Sunday
27. Angela Merici, Opt. Mem.
28. Thomas Aquinas, Memorial
31. John Bosco, Memorial
The Winter Season
The opening days of January may be cold and nature bleak, but the domestic church still glows warm with the peace and joy of Christmas. We dedicate the New Year to Mary on the January 1st Solemnity honoring her as Mother of God; and on January 7, the Solemnity of Epiphany, we rejoice with her, as her Son is adored by the three Wise Men.
Herald John, who ushered in the Advent season, is present once again to close Christmastide on the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (The First Luminous Mystery), and to open the Season of Ordinary Time. He points to Jesus, the Lamb of God who unites time and eternity in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and even January’s diminishing darkness seems to echo St. John’s prayer: “He must increase, and I must decrease.”
In this liturgical season the Church eagerly follows Our Lord as he gathers his apostles and announces his mission. At Cana’s wedding feast (The Second Luminous Mystery) he performs his first public miracle at the request of his Mother, and his disciples saw his glory and believed in him.
We, his present-day disciples, pray for a like faith as we
contemplate the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb and the unique role of the
Blessed Mother in the plan of salvation. May we wholeheartedly obey her words
of counsel: “Do whatever he tells you.”
January
Travel[2]
January 1-Coney
Island Plunge NY
January 1-20 See the Trains in
the Garden NY
January 1-30 Jasper in January CANADA
January 1-30 Stay
at an Ice Hotel Sweden
January 7-10 Consumer
Electronics Show NV
January 8-11-Elvis Birthday Celebration
TN
January 12-15 Winterskol Aspen CO
Iceman’s Calendar
·
January 1st Wed. Solemnity of
Mary, Holy Mother of God
·
January 3rd MASS
First Friday
·
January 4th First
Saturday
·
January 5th Epiphany
Sunday MASS
·
January 6th Mon. Feast
of the Epiphany
·
January 7th Tue. Orthodox
Christmas
o Distaff
Day
·
January 12th First Sunday
after Epiphany
·
January 13th Plough
Monday
·
January 19th Second
Sunday after Epiphany
·
January 20th Mon. Martin
Luther King Day
·
January 25th Sat. Conversion
of St. Paul
·
January 26th Third
Sunday after Epiphany
·
January 29th Wed. Chinese
New Year
Wednesday,
JANUARY 1-Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
The Octave Day of Christmas- Nineveh 90-New Years Day
Jeremiah,
Chapter 23, Verse 4
I will raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer FEAR or be terrified; none shall be missing—oracle of the LORD.
During
the season of Lent we offer our suffering up to Christ to unite with His
suffering and as our shepherd, He guides us through this time to bring us into
his glory.
The
Presence of God[3]
For
Jews, there was only one Temple. It was the one place on earth that could truly
be called holy. It was the place where God’s Spirit dwelt. The Temple was a place
where they could withdraw from the pollutions of the world and know God’s
presence in purity. As Christians by the action of Christ we, our bodies, are
the temple of God, and He is always with us. No longer was God’s presence and
his purifying ritual confined to a single geographic location. No longer were
they the exclusive privilege of a single ethnic group. Now the temple has no
walls. It is universal—that is, it’s catholic. We are the temple of God’s
presence.
Do you not know that you are God’s
temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are. (I
Cor. 3:16-17)
When
I was a youth of 20 I had the great honor of serving in the Navy Seabee’s and
went to build the South Pole Station in Antarctica and breathing was difficult
in the frozen thin air, here is an excerpt from my book, “The Ice is Nice and
Chee-Chee is Peachy.
Most of the Steelworkers and I were
assigned to shoveling snow that had accumulated from the winter. As you worked,
it was so ice-cold that frost formed on your beard, face and hair from the
vapor of your very breath. Living there, I could really reflect on the
statement: “God is closer to you than the very air you breathe”. Being there
gave new meaning to that. Your breath was always with you; you could not escape
it; even if you tried. Your breath almost caressed you as you went about your
day. I thought, “Are we really loved that much?” and then I reflected on John
3:16 from the bible and it seemed to make more sense to me.
Solemnity of Mary
For Catholics, today is a holy day of obligation to honor Mary the Mother of God the second Eve: who is the first example of courage. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. (Luke 1:30-31)
On my 2006 visit to Israel my wife and I
visited and had Mass on the Mount of the Beatitudes. I remember our
Priests were a little miffed with the little sister who worked there. She
was upset with us because it was a warm day and some in our group had taken off
their sweaters and their arms were exposed. She was focused on the rules, as
Christ pointed out to the Pharisees who were focused on the outside of the cup
being clean rather than the inside being clean. Similarly, the beatitudes
of our Lord seek to not do away with the rules (10 commandments) but points at
our inner dispositions. I think Church of the Beatitudes which an octagon
(eight sided) is best represents how me should seek to best conform our hearts
and our dispositions to be more like that of Christ. On the floor of the
Church of the Beatitudes are eight mosaics with words in Latin. They
reflect the dispositions of our Lord which we are to emulate.
1. Charitas (a heart that burns with love of God and
benevolence toward others)
2. Prvdentia (forethought or prudence. Those who are
Prudent are far from indecisive, for their bold decisions bear no streaks of
doubt. Prudence disposes us to have a true care and concern for the health and
wellbeing of others)
3. Lavs
Tibi Christi (Praise God in
all that we do)
4. Temperantia (Temperance is a spirit of moderation and
personal restraint; to keep ourselves in balance physically, mentally,
spiritually and emotionally)
5. Fides (Faith in God; to trust Him; to give
yourself as He gave Himself)
6. Fortitvdo (fortitude and courage. We must have
the courage to allow Christ to increase in us)
7. Spes (Hope. We must hope in the good news
of Christ and trust ourselves in the church as we would a ship upon the waters)
8.
Ivstitia (Justice. Christ compels us to
not ignore others, to understand others, not to rationalize and/or justify our
questionable acts, do right even at risk of ourselves, and to pray for others.
Solemnity
of Mary, Mother of God - Day Eight of Christmas[4]
Although
New Year's Day is not celebrated by the Church, this day has been observed as a
holy day of obligation since early times due to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother
of God. Each family and country have different traditional foods to eat on New
Year's Day, with lentils being the main superstition: ill luck befalling those
who do not eat lentils at the beginning of the year.
New
Year's is a day of traditional hospitality, visiting and good cheer, mostly
with a secular view, but there is no reason that this day, too, could not be
sanctified in Christ.
·
Day Eight activity (New Year's Day Party)
·
Day Eight recipe (New Year's Pretzel)
8th day of Christmas The Eight Maids a milking is a sign for the eight beatitudes.
Today would be a good day to reflect on them.
- Blessed
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed
are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
- Blessed
are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed
are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their
fill.
- Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed
are the clean of heart: they shall see God.
- Blessed
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
- Blessed
are they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Feast of the Circumcision[5]
The Feast of the
Circumcision combines and celebrates many things. On the one hand, the feast
celebrates the Octave of the Nativity and the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin
Mary (partially because the pope celebrated Mass in St. Mary Major on this
day). On the other hand, it commemorates the Circumcision of our Lord which,
though a cause of joy, is the cause of a more subdued kind of joy because it
involves the shedding of our Lord's blood. There is also a tradition in the
Roman church of penitence as a counterpoint to the pagan reveling of the day (a
counterpoint which is necessary as much today as it was then). The Church delicately
balances all of these elements in a single feast to God.
· As mentioned above, it is traditional in France for adults to exchange gifts on this day. This custom is known as les étrennes.
·
Today, on the day in which St. Joseph circumcised
our Lord (thereby consecrating him for God's holy service), was the festival
for subdeacons.
New Year’s Day and
the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord.[6]
WHY do we call this New Year’s Day?
Because the civil year begins on this day, as the ecclesiastical does on the first Sunday in Advent.
What ought we to do on this day?
We must dedicate the New Year to the service of God, in order that, assisted by His grace, we may both begin and end it to His honor, and our own sanctification.
Why do we wish each other a happy New Year?
To renew love and harmony, and to fulfil an obligation of charity by wishes for each other’s happiness and prosperity.
What feast does the Church celebrate on this
day?
The circumcision of Christ, at which He received the name of Jesus. “But when the fulness of time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that He might redeem them that were under the law (Gal. iv. 4, 5).
Aspiration.
O my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I thank Thee for having to-day shed Thy blood for the first time for me. Grant me, I beseech Thee, the grace of mortifying, circumcising for Thy love, my eyes, ears, lips, hands, feet, and all my sensual appetites, that I may not see, hear, speak, touch, wish, or do any evil. Amen.
Prayer.
O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of the blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, through whom we have received the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
GOSPEL. Luke ii. 21.
At that time: After eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised: His name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Why
was Christ circumcised the eighth day of His birth?
1. So that by fulfilling the Jewish law, He might
teach us patience and obedience to the law of God, and to His holy Church.
2. To show His infinite love to us in the very first days of His life. Who gave Him the name of Jesus? God Himself gave it to Him, Who came to save the world and sanctify us, for Jesus means Savior. It is, therefore, that holy and powerful name, whereby alone we can be saved (Acts iv. 12).
What
power has this name?
A divine power: for in this name the apostles cast out devils and cured the sick (Mark xvi. 17, 18), as, for instance, the lame man who lay at the gate of the temple (Acts iii. 2-6). Through this name we receive from God whatever is helpful towards our salvation (John xiv. 13). It is well, therefore, to call on this holy name in adversities, in doubts, and in great temptations, particularly such as are hostile to purity. Even when we are so unhappy as to fall into sin, the remembrance of this holy name may bring us back to virtue, for it is as oil which en lightens, nourishes, and heals (Canticles i. 2, 3).
How must we speak this holy name, that its virtue may be felt?
With the greatest
devotion and veneration, and with unbounded confidence; for, as St. Paul says,
“in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, on
earth, and under the earth” (Phil. ii. 10). How sinful, therefore, is it in
some to speak this name almost at every word, frivolously and disrespectfully;
a habit which, in this country particularly, is so widely and fatally
prevalent.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day
203
In the Communion of Saints
1474 The Christian who seeks to
purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God's grace is
not alone. "The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and
through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian
brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a
single mystical person."
1475 In the communion of saints,
"a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already
reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory
and those who are still pilgrims on earth. between them there is, too, an
abundant exchange of all good things." In this wonderful exchange,
the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one
could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite
sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.
1476 We also call these spiritual
goods of the communion of saints the Church's treasury, which is "not the
sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the
centuries. On the contrary the 'treasury of the Church' is the infinite value,
which can never be exhausted, which Christ's merits have before God. They were
offered so that the whole of mankind could be set free from sin and attain
communion with the Father. In Christ, the Redeemer himself, the satisfactions
and merits of his Redemption exist and find their effficacy."
1477 "This treasury includes
as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly
immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the
treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who
have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made
their lives holy and carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them. In
this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in
saving their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body."
Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church
1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by
virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus,
intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of
the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the
remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does
not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them
to works of devotion, penance, and charity.
1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified are
also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to
obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their
sins may be remitted.
XI. The Celebration of
the Sacrament of Penance
1480 Like all the sacraments,
Penance is a liturgical action. the elements of the celebration are ordinarily
these: a greeting and blessing from the priest, reading the word of God to
illuminate the conscience and elicit contrition, and an exhortation to
repentance; the confession, which acknowledges sins and makes them known to the
priest; the imposition and acceptance of a penance; the priest's absolution; a
prayer of thanksgiving and praise and dismissal with the blessing of the
priest.
1481 The Byzantine Liturgy
recognizes several formulas of absolution, in the form of invocation, which
admirably express the mystery of forgiveness: "May the same God, who
through the Prophet Nathan forgave David when he confessed his sins, who forgave
Peter when he wept bitterly, the prostitute when she washed his feet with her
tears, the Pharisee, and the prodigal son, through me, a sinner, forgive you
both in this life and in the next and enable you to appear before his
awe-inspiring tribunal without condemnation, he who is blessed for ever and
ever. Amen."
1482 The sacrament of Penance
can also take place in the framework of a communal celebration in which we
prepare ourselves together for confession and give thanks together for the
forgiveness received. Here, the personal confession of sins and individual
absolution are inserted into a liturgy of the word of God with readings and a
homily, an examination of conscience conducted in common, a communal request
for forgiveness, the Our Father and a thanksgiving in common. This communal
celebration expresses more clearly the ecclesial character of penance. However,
regardless of its manner of celebration the sacrament of Penance is always, by
its very nature, a liturgical action, and therefore an ecclesial and public
action.
1483 In case of grave necessity
recourse may be had to a communal celebration of reconciliation with general
confession and general absolution. Grave necessity of this sort can arise when
there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time for the priest or
priests to hear each penitent's confession. Grave necessity can also exist
when, given the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors to hear
individual confessions properly in a reasonable time, so that the penitents
through no fault of their own would be deprived of sacramental grace or Holy
Communion for a long time. In this case, for the absolution to be valid the
faithful must have the intention of individually confessing their sins in the
time required. The diocesan bishop is the judge of whether or not the
conditions required for general absolution exist. A large gathering of the
faithful on the occasion of major feasts or pilgrimages does not constitute a
case of grave necessity.
1484 "Individual, integral
confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to
reconcile themselves with God and the Church, unless physical or moral
impossibility excuses from this kind of confession." There are profound
reasons for this. Christ is at work in each of the sacraments. He personally
addresses every sinner: "My son, your sins are forgiven." He is
the physician tending each one of the sick who need him to cure them. He
raises them up and reintegrates them into fraternal communion. Personal
confession is thus the form most expressive of reconciliation with God and with
the Church.
Whether it’s a Navy SEAL or a Saint, we admire those who put it all on the line — go “all in!” — Those who are totally dedicated to the mission … and God admires them too. Throughout salvation history, we have seen how God responds to this resolute and determined kind of prayer, just as Jesus taught His disciples. It was in Nineveh that the entire city turned back to God and did all that they could, through prayer and penance, to “demonstrate to” God that they were absolutely resolute in this “turning.” God saw how “serious” they were about this, and He was moved (Jonah 3:3-10). This is yet another story that demonstrates how God – a perfect Father – compels His children to be truly resolute and quite serious when calling out to Him.
St. Bernard of
Clairvaux wrote,
“Timid prayer does not pierce heaven, because immoderate fear binds the soul so that prayer, far from flying upward, cannot even come out. Being lukewarm, it grows weak in its flight and falls because it has no strength. Prayer that is faithful, humble, and fervent will undoubtedly pierce heaven and it will certainly not return fruitless.”
The time is now for us to marshal everything we’ve got to see this through. Prayer Warriors (those who join) will be challenged to enter into a period of prayer and mortification. “Mortification,” at its essence, means to “die to yourself.” This will be our time to let go of bad and sinful habits and to embrace better and healthier and Godly habits.
The research in the behavioral sciences says that 90 days is about the time needed to change bad habits. We will also be using some of the tried and true very powerful supernatural elements. Namely, the Brown Scapular, 54 Day Rosary Novena, and the 33 Day Preparation for Marian Consecration.
We believe supernatural strength increases to the degree we are detached from worldliness. “He must increase, but I must decrease” was the call of St. John the Baptist. This is our time to “make straight a path for the Lord.” To put aside everything that stands in the way of Christ to fill us up completely with His Divine Life. THIS is the way we become “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power!” God will surely hear and answer this throng of tens of thousands detached from the world and resolute in our plea to end the culture of death. I am certain of it!
Nineveh 90 – Ten Elements
For these 90
days, resolve to let go of repetitive sin you struggle with (e.g., acts of
impurity, over-eating, alcohol, etc.)
1. Wear Brown
Scapular (Scapular
Medal allowed) – Akin to Sackcloth
2. Daily Mass
(If you are able)
3. Confession
(at least once a month … immediately following grave sin)
4. Support System: Create
or join a “Nineveh 90 Squad” of 3+ people. Maybe create a Facebook group. Also,
try to join together with an “Accountability Buddy.”
5. Daily Prayer
(Developing a quality Catholic Prayer Life)
7. Angelus (6, Noon,6)
8. Rosary
9. Holy Hour (or at
least 20 minutes of quiet prayerful reflection time. Does not need to be before
the Blessed Sacrament. This is normally done at home or your favorite prayer
space … maybe create a “God Cave” in your home)
10. Bedtime Prayers
For 90
Days, Commit to …
·
Regular
and challenging exercise
·
Seven
hours of sleep is essential
·
No alcohol
·
No desserts & sweets
· No soda or sweetened drinks
·
Limit television or movies (news allowed)
·
Only music that lifts the soul to God
·
Limit televised sports (maybe one per week)
·
Limit recreational computer time (only use for personal needs and
fulfillment. May be needed for Nineveh 90 too)
·
54 Day
Rosary Novena (Basic
Training in Holiness)
o Prayer
Intentions for 54 Day Rosary Novena:
§
End to abortion
§
Personal holiness
§
For the conversion of loved ones.
· 33 Day Preparation for Consecration to Mary
Sundays and Solemnities: May
be a day of relaxed discipline, but not abandoned. (Sleep in an extra hour,
cream in your coffee, a dessert, a beer, etc.)
New
Year's Day[8]
New Year's Day marks the start of a new year on the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was first introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 and began to be used in Britain and its colonies in 1751. It is a solar calendar which maintains synchrony with the tropical year. This holiday is celebrated every year on January 1st.
New Year's Day Facts
· Baby New Year is the most common symbol associated with this holiday. He is a toddler dressed in a diaper, hat, and sash bearing the numbers of the New Year. The myth states that he matures into an old man during the course of the year. On December 31st, he hands his hat and sash to the new Baby New Year.
·
In
early Roman calendar New Year was celebrated on March 1st. The new celebration
of New Year on January 1st started in Rome in 153 BC. The New Year was moved to
January because it was a month when two newly elected Roman consuls began their
tenure, which reflected the beginning of civil year.
·
In
medieval Europe celebrations of New Year on January 1st were not always
observed. Sometimes it was celebrated on Dec. 25th, March 1st and March 25th
(The Feast of the Annunciation).
· Gregorian calendar came into force in 1582, which replaced the Julian calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. After adoption of Gregorian calendar, January 1st was restored as New Year’s Day.
New Year's Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Visit
Times Square and watch the ball drop in New York City to celebrate the New
Year.
·
Sing Auld Lang Sine and kiss a loved one at the stroke of midnight.
·
Make
new resolutions for the upcoming year and let go of what happened in the
previous one.
·
Take
advantage of New Year's Eve skiing at a local ski hill near you. Usually, the
hills are less crowded and offer discounts on this holiday.
· New Year – means new trails to hike. Go hiking on a New Year’s Day to make a good start from day one and get motivated.
Polar Bear Swim Day[9]
Strip down to your bathing suit,
take a few steps over the snow and ice covering the ground, and hurl your body
into ice-cold water. Sound like fun? Well, there are plenty of people who
think it does, and these people get together to this every year! Sometimes it’s
for charity and sometimes it’s just for a challenge, but either way, thousands
of people worldwide take to the icy winter waters every year. These swims are
understandably called “Polar Bear Swims”, and they usually take place in the
sea.
Polar Bear Swims have been
practiced for well over a hundred years in different countries. The first
recorded Polar Bear Swim took place in Boston 1904. In many Canadian
communities, plunging into icy water for a swim is a New Year’s Day
tradition. Vancouver’s annual Polar Bear Swim Club has been active since 1920
and usually has 1,000 to 2,000 registered participants every New Year’s
Day, with a record 2,128 registrants taking part in the Polar Bear Swim in
English Bay in 2000.
It would seem that he Netherlands
have greatly outdone North America, as about 10,000 people have been
diving into the icy cold sea water at Scheveningen, The Netherlands’ main
beach resort town, every year since 1960. In fact, it is estimated that all
over the Netherlands, 30,000 people take part in what they call
“Nieuwjaarsduik” New Year’s dive) each and every year.
New Year’s Day is thought to be the
best day for this kind of swim, because as many participants have noted,
after you’ve done that, no challenge the New Year could bring could
possibly phase you. However, some swimming clubs organize regular winter
sessions. Plungapalooza is the largest polar bear plunge in the United
States, held annually at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland.
The event, that raises funds for
the Special Olympics, has managed to collect millions of dollars. The largest
Plungapalooza to date took place in 2008, with an estimated 12,000 people
participating.
How to Celebrate Polar Bear
Swim Day
·
It’s
actually quite simple: take part! Find out where the nearest Polar Bear Swim
Day will be organized, and sign up. You can help raise money for those who need
it, meet new friends and make some incredible memories! However, you should
keep in mind that human beings don’t have the fat and fur that polar bears
have to protect them from the cold.
·
Enter
the water slowly so it’s not too much of a shock, and be sure to have a towel
and dry clothes ready for as soon as you come out of the water. You should also
warm your body up afterwards from the inside out with a hot drink or bowl of
soup. The Polar Bear Swim is also not right for everyone, as it triggers many
intense bodily reactions—you may start to hyperventilate because of the
inability to take a deep breath for the first 30 seconds or so, and your
heartbeat and blood pressure will probably increase drastically.
·
So,
if you have any heart condition or have the tendency to panic, you may be
better off standing on the shore in your nice warm coat, hat and scarf, taking
pictures and laughing at the people running right back out of the water as
quickly as they ran into it. Either way, you will be able to be part of the
fun!
Over time, we as humans have developed a different attitude towards nature and we've forgotten about our inner power. This is the ability of our body to adapt to extreme temperature and survive within our natural environment. The Wim Hof Method is based on this principle.
Because we wear clothes and artificially control the temperatures at home and at work, we've greatly reduced the natural stimulation of our bodies, atrophying the age-old mechanisms related to our survival and basic function. Because these deeper physiological layers are no longer triggered, our bodies are no longer in touch with this inner power. The inner power is a powerful force that can be reawakened by stimulating these physiological processes through the Wim Hof Method.
Start learning the Wim Hof Method today
and start your journey to a happier, healthier and stronger you.
300 Club[11]
The 300 Club is a small number of individuals who have endured a temperature difference of 300° Fahrenheit (166 °C) within a very short time. The group originated at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, and has since been established in North America. The Ceremonial South Pole, which 300 Club participants must run around. Participants in the Antarctic 300 Club wait for a day when the temperature drops to −100 °F (-73 °C) for more than a few minutes, generally in the winter. They first warm up in a sauna heated to 200 °F (93 °C) for as long as 10 minutes. Then they run naked to the Geographic South Pole, circling it in the −100 °F weather. After this, they usually warm up in the sauna again, often with the aid of alcoholic beverages. The first 300 Club outside of Antarctica was established on January 30, 2019 near Minneapolis, Minnesota during a polar vortex. With an outside temperature of −27 °F (−33 °C), three men heated their backyard sauna to 280 °F (138 °C) and sat inside for 10 minutes. Upon exiting the sauna, they sprinted around a flagpole planted in honor of the South Pole tradition and took a brief roll in the snow before returning to the sauna. There are several patches made to commemorate the occasion that are entitled to be worn by those who have joined the 300 Club.
250 Club[12]
Brillo and I decided to use the day off to
head on over to the South Pole ourselves.
It was about a half a mile away, but it took us a lot longer than we
thought. It was slow trekking the
distance through the loose snow. Along
the way, we passed a railroad sign that some humorous person put up out
there. When we got there, our intent was
While we were in the sauna, we decided today
was the day we were going to join club 250.
As soon as we got so warm, we couldn’t stand it anymore; we jumped out
of the sauna with nothing but our boots running the distance from the sauna; up
a 100-foot ramp to the outside of the station where it was about 50 below
zero. Thus, the name, club 250, we went
from plus 200 to minus 50 and made a 250-degree temperature change.
Brillo and I quickly headed back to the
sauna as we were just beginning to lose our steam.
Christ taken to the Ends of the
Earth-December 1973[13]
On Sunday, it was my chance to make a phone patch to my
parents everything worked great but then I found out they changed their number.
What! Here I was in Antarctica working my ass off; freezing my ass off and my
alcoholic Father changed the phone number and to make matters worse I knew
nothing of what was going on with my parents because they hadn’t written me in
the two years I had been in the Navy. I thought, “That’s it, I am an orphan.”
After my failed phone patch, I went to Mass. The Catholic Priest from McMurdo
took a flight up to bring us Holy Communion. We had not been able to receive
Communion since we left. I felt good after receiving Our Lord. I thought that
even though I had no communication with my physical Father I did have
communication with my eternal Father. Afterwards I showed the Priest around the
site, before he left, he said that he had a letter from the Bishop which gave
me permission (Back then only Priests could give communion) to secure and give
Holy Communion to the Catholic Boys there at the South Pole. I didn’t feel
worthy; come on this is Richard you know; but the Priest convinced me that it
was the only way, and I did want to bring “Our Lord” to my fellow brothers in
Christ. I thought about my experiences in Barbados, West Indies where I had a
friendly relationship with a Jesuit Priest on the Island. I was stationed in
Barbados after “A-School;” just prior to my assignment with MCB 71. It was luck
or maybe providence that I got my first assignment to Barbados, West Indies. At
the end of “A School”, I ended up having the highest-grade average-probably due
to I studied and drank less than the others drank. The Chief had six orders for
Vietnam and one set of orders for Barbados. I was given the orders to Barbados.
It was while I was in Barbados that I was examining my Catholic Faith and was
considering a faith change because I was also involved with a non-Catholic
Pentecostal religious group and because my Father had not practiced the
Catholic Faith. I was at a point where I had to decide to be a Catholic or not.
I was praying about it and one night I had a horrid dream where a horribly
disfigured face appeared in white on a dark background. I woke up in a sweat. I
was disturbed by the thought of this vision. I got on my motorcycle and rode
around the island. It was a four-hour ride. At the end of the ride, I passed a
church and turned around to go in and pray. I knew I needed God in my life.
After a short prayer, I was walking out of the church and there right next the
exit door in a pamphlet rack, at eye level was the face in my dream. I was
shocked, I pulled the pamphlet out and trembling read that this was the image
of the reported face of Christ. It was on the burial cloth of Christ and was
stored in a Catholic Church in Italy. I decided God was calling me back to the
Catholic Faith.
Why me?
Why did he appear to me sinner that I was;
I knew not. Yet, because of the memory of this call from Christ, I knew I had
to consent to bring his precious body to my brother Seabees. The priest also
left me a book to read. The book explained the Catholic faith. As I read it, I
knew and understood my faith better. I was especially taken by an Old Catholic
symbol, and I drew it on a small red flag and wore that symbol on my back
declaring myself an ICEMAN for Christ. The symbol means “Jesus Christ Conqueror”
Now instead of a blue ribbon of pain. I had a flag for victory. I still was the
same old sinner, but the flag reminded me of God’s ever presence, even here at
the bottom of the world.
Dara’s Corner-For breakfast try a “Flaeskeaeggekage”
·
Bucket List Trip:
Dubrovnik, “the Pearl of the
Adriatic,”
·
Celebrate National
Bloody Mary Day
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
to Abortion
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/travel-tips/articles/travel-calendar
[3] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 32. Presence of God.
[4]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2020-01-01
[5]http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/xmascustoms.html#circumcision
[6]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896. In the General Roman
Calendar, the 1 January feast, which from 1568 to 1960 was called
"The Circumcision of the Lord and the Octave of the Nativity",
is now named the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Octave Day of
the Nativity of the Lord.
[8]https://www.wincalendar.com/New-Years-Day
[9]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/polar-bear-swim-day/
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_Club#The_200_Club
[12] Except from the “Ice is Nice and Chee
Chee is Peachy”
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