Saturday, February 1, 2025
- Spirit hour: A Heavenly Lake of Beer: St. Brigid’s Day Blessing
· Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
- Bucket Item trip: Baja, Mexico Whale watching
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
- Clark Gable, born on February 1, 1901
- How to celebrate Feb 1st
- Start your day by enjoying a delicious breakfast of ice cream, celebrating Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. Treat yourself to a scoop of your favorite flavor and kick off the day with a sweet indulgence. Consider trying out a new recipe that incorporates ice cream into your morning meal for a fun twist.
- As you savor your breakfast treat, take some time to change your passwords for added security on Change Your Password Day. Update your online accounts with strong, unique passwords to protect your information and stay one step ahead of cyber threats. Use this opportunity to enhance your digital safety practices and ensure your online presence is secure.
- After securing your online accounts, embrace creativity on International Face and Body Art Day. Experiment with face painting or body art using supplies you have at home. Unleash your artistic side and transform yourself with colorful designs or intricate patterns. Have fun exploring different art forms and expressing yourself through creative visuals.
- Next, show appreciation for freedom on National Freedom Day. Take a moment to reflect on the importance of freedom and rights, and consider ways to support and advocate for equality and justice in your community. Engage in conversations about freedom and human rights to raise awareness and promote positive change.
- Cap off your day with some relaxation and self-care on Spunky Old Broads Day. Treat yourself to a pampering session with a DIY spa night at home. Indulge in a soothing bubble bath, apply a face mask, and unwind with a good book or your favorite movie. Celebrate your resilience and strength as you embrace the spirit of spunky old broads everywhere.
- Embrace the diversity and distinctiveness of these holidays, and make the most of each theme throughout your day. From indulging in ice cream for breakfast to advocating for freedom and enjoying some self-care, there are plenty of ways to celebrate and appreciate the unique qualities of each holiday. Let your imagination run wild as you embark on a day filled with fun, creativity, reflection, and relaxation. Enjoy the adventure!
- Plan winter fun:
- Soak in hot springs
- Hit the snow slopes
- Ride a snowmobile
- Go for a dog sled ride
- Ride a hot air balloon
FEBRUARY
Soil under our feet goes unnoticed, though this first foot of soil is where most living organisms’ dwell. The health of the fragile skin of our earth is of utmost importance. Humility comes from the Latin word for soil, "humus." From and unto dust is the humbling message to each of us. Soil is rich and fertile but also prone to erosion and pollution.
Overview of February
[1]
Highlights of the Month
The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.
The Feast of the Presentation (February 2) or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. February 21, Shrove Tuesday, will find us preparing for Ash Wednesday. The middle of the month will find us on Ash Wednesday accepting the ashes that remind us of our mortality and our need for penance.
Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity. It contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter)! The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd harkens back to the Christmas mystery of Light except that now, Christ, the helpless babe, is “the Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save his people from their sins.” Candles, symbolizing Christ our Light, will be carried in procession this day, as will be the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil Liturgy. In addition, the faithful may receive in February three of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats and blessed ashes.
"The Light of Revelation" shines more brightly with each successive Sunday of Ordinary Time, until its magnificence–exposing our sinfulness and need for conversion–propels us into the penitential Season of Lent. We prepare to accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (February 14) and plunge ourselves into anticipating the major exercises of Lent–fasting, prayer, almsgiving–laying our thoughts and prayers on the heart of our Mother Mary. She, who offered her Son in the temple and on the Cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow after her Son.
Members of each family or domestic church have the opportunity to have the candles for their home altar blessed on Candlemas Day (February 2nd); and the next morning, on the Feast of St. Blaise, all might receive the Blessing of the Throats. Always a solicitous Mother, the Church offers this sacramental during the wintry month of February and also sets aside the World Day of Prayer for the Sick on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
February Travel?[2]
·
Take a Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride (All Month)
Enjoy a gorgeous winter
wonderland in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. National Elk Refuge is
closed to vehicle traffic but not to horse-drawn sleighs. The open-air rides
offer a unique and amazing way to see elk, bison, eagles, foxes and other
wildlife species. Yellowstone
and the Jackson Hole
area offer a variety of other family activities including snow tubing, skiing,
snowmobiles and a year-round roller coaster.
·
Chill Out at Saranac Lake Winter
Carnival
o
January
31-February 9 Party
Adirondack style. Since its start back in 1897, the Saranac Lake
Winter Carnival has grown into one of the oldest winter carnivals in
America. The 10-day event showcases plenty of winter magic, from an ice palace
made from blocks of ice to the coronation of a winter carnival king and queen
·
See Punxsutawney
Phil's Prediction
o
February 2
Bundle up, grab some hot coffee and bring your lawn chair to Gobbler’s Knob
before dawn on Groundhog Day. Then watch as Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of
Seers, the Prognosticator of Prognosticators reveals his end-of-winter
prediction.
·
Party in Quebec City February7-11
For fabulous winter fun, head to the annual Winter Festival in Quebec City. Snow
rafting, ice canoe racing, a bartending competition, snow baths (clothing
optional), a snow sculpture competition and a masquerade ball are among the
many activities.
·
February
11-Watch the Big Game
o
Welcome to Super Bowl LIX!
·
Smell the Flowers at Tulipmania
Head to San Francisco’s iconic Pier 39 for Tulipmania.
You’ll see over 39,000 blooming tulips and other garden favorites. Guided tours
and gardening tips are provided by Pier 39’s landscaping experts. The tours
start at 10 a.m. daily at the Crab Statue in the Entrance Plaza and end with a
special treat from Trish’s Mini Donuts. The tulips typically begin blooming in
early February and last through mid-March.
·
Celebrate Valentine’s Day International Style
o
February
14
Many cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they do it in a variety of ways.
In Germany, not only do people exchange chocolate and flowers, they also give
pigs (toy ones mostly) because they symbolize luck and lust. In Denmark, people
send one another poems and rhymes on stationery cut into the shapes of flowers
and snowdrops.
o
February
13-23
Visit the annual Arabian Horse Show in Scottsdale, Arizona to watch over
2,400 horses compete for a chance at winning the coveted gold title. In between
the competitions, there are plenty of kids’ activities like an ice cream
social, pony painting (ceramic ponies, not real ones), and art contests. And
the best part, kids 17 and under are free.
o
Fat Tuesday — the day before Ash Wednesday — is
the biggest party of the year in cities like New Orleans
and Rio de Janeiro.
o
If you can’t make it to one of those places, try
Mobile, Alabama; Nice, France; Venice Italy or Binche, Belgium.
Iceman’s Calendar-February
· Arizona Renaissance Festival February 1-March 30
· Go Back in Time to The Old West in Tombstone
o Just like the Arizona Renaissance Festival, Tombstone, Arizona, beckons visitors to step back in time during February. However, instead of transporting you back to a mystical medieval era, Tombstone brings visitors to the rough and tumbling times of the Old West.
o For those seeking a reprieve from the cold and yearning for breathtaking hikes, Saguaro National Park is an excellent choice. With average winter temperatures soaring into the high 60s, it stands out as a premier destination to thaw out and partake in outdoor adventures in February. Upon entering the vast 143-square-mile park, you’ll be captivated by the towering saguaros. Some of these cacti reach an impressive 50 feet and live a lifespan of up to 125 years. The park is divided into two distinct sections: East Saguaro, characterized by its mountainous terrain and abundant hiking and backpacking trails, and the West side, home to a denser Saguaro Forest.
· Wickenburg, Arizona
o
76th
Annual Gold Rush Days & Senior Pro Rodeo
§
FEBRUARY 13-16
· Check out Yarnell-St. Joseph of the mountains.
Iceman’s Calendar
·
Sat-Feb. 1-First
Saturday
·
Sun-Feb. 2-Fourth
Sunday after Epiphany
·
Mon-Feb. 3-St.
Blasé Blessing of throats
·
Wed-Feb 5-First
Wednesday
·
Thu-Feb 6th Thursday Feast
·
Fri-Feb 7-First
Friday
·
Sun-Feb 9-Fifth
Sunday after Epiphany
·
Tue-Feb 11-Our
Lady of Lourdes
·
Wed-Feb 12-Lincoln’s
Birthday
·
Thu-Feb 13th-Thursday Feast
·
Fri-Feb 14-St.
Valentines
·
Sun-February 16 Septuagesima
· Mon-February 17-Presidents Day
·
Sat-Feb 22 Washington’s
Birthday
·
Sun-Feb 23 Sexagesima
o
Start Novena
to Holy Face to end on Shrove Tuesday Mar 3rd
·
Mon-Feb 24 St.
Matthias
·
Thu-Feb 27-Carnival
Thursday
·
Fri-Feb 28-Carnival
Friday
o
Ramadan Begins
FEBRUARY
1 First Saturday
FEAST
OF ST. BRIGID
Luke, Chapter 1,
verse 65-75
65 Then FEAR came upon all
their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill
country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took
them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of
the Lord was with him. 67 Then
Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed be the
Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his
people.69
He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his
servant,
70
even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:71 salvation from our
enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, 72 to show mercy to our
fathers
and to be mindful of his holy covenant 73 and of the oath he swore to
Abraham our father, and to grant us that,74 rescued from the
hand of enemies, without FEAR we might worship him75 in holiness and
righteousness before him all our days.
When God Makes Us Righteous, He Means It[3]
Some Protestants believe, contrary to Catholic teaching, that our justification doesn’t consist in us being intrinsically righteous. Rather, God merely declares us righteous, whereby we receive Christ’s personal righteousness, and God treats us just as he treats Christ. In other words, God sees Christ when he sees us.
To make their case, these Protestants will often appeal to 2 Corinthians 5:21, where Paul writes, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Just as Christ is said to be sin when he wasn’t, so the argument goes, so too sinners are reckoned to be righteous (“become the righteousness of God”) when they aren’t. And if we’re reckoned righteous without being intrinsically righteous, then it must be Christ’s righteousness that we receive.
Feast of St. Bridget, Abbess, and patroness
of Ireland[4]
BRIDGETT
was born about the year 453 at Fochard, in Ulster. When about twenty years old
she received the veil from St. Mel, the nephew and disciple of St. Patrick. So
many sought the religious life under her direction that a convent, the first in
Ireland, was erected for her and she was made superior. From this parent stem
branched forth other convents in different parts of Ireland, all which
acknowledged her as their mother and foundress. Several churches in England and
Scotland are dedicated to God under her name, and some also in Germany and in
France.
After
seventy years devoted to the practice of the most sublime virtues, corporal
infirmities admonished our saint that the time of her dissolution was nigh. For
half a century she had irrevocably consecrated herself to God, and during that
period great results had been attained. The day on which our abbess was to quit
this life, February 1, 523, having arrived, she received the blessed body and
blood of her Lord in the Blessed Eucharist, and, as it would seem, immediately
after her spirit passed forth, and went to possess Him in that heavenly country
where He is seen face to face and enjoyed without danger of ever losing Him.
Her
body was interred in the church adjoining her convent, but was some time after
exhumed, and deposited in a splendid shrine near the high altar. In the ninth
century, the country being desolated by the Danes, the remains of St. Bridget
were removed to Down-Patrick, where they were deposited in the same grave with
those of St. Patrick. Their bodies, together with that of St. Columba, were
translated after wards to the cathedral of the same city, but their monument
was destroyed in the reign of King Henry VIII. The head of St, Bridget is now
kept in the church of the Jesuits at Lisbon.
The
Introit of the Mass is as follows: Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity;
therefore, O God, Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy
fellows. My heart hath uttered a good word. I speak my works to the King."
Prayer.
Give
ear to us, O God our Savior, that, as we celebrate with joy the solemnity of
blessed Bridget Thy virgin, so we may improve in the affection of piety. Amen
EPISTLE, ii. Cor. x 17, 18; xi. 1, 2.
Brethren:
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commendeth himself
is approved, but he whom God commendeth. "Would to God you could bear with
some little of my folly, but do bear with me. For I am jealous of you with the
jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you
as a chaste virgin to Christ.
GOSPEL. Matt. xxv. 1-13.
At that
time Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: Then shall the kingdom of
heaven be like to ten virgins, who, taking their lamps, went out to meet the
bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise: but the
five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: but the
wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying,
they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the
bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and
trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil: for
our lamps are gone out. The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not
enough for us and for you, go you rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves. Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that
were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But at last
came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said:
Amen I say to you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore because you know not the
day nor the hour.
Feast Day
of St Brigid of Ireland[5]
Bridget (Brigid, Bride, Bridey) of Kildare was born around 450 into a Druid
family, being the daughter of Dubhthach, court poet to King Loeghaire. At an
early age, Brigid decided to become a Christian, and she eventually took vows
as a nun. Together with a group of other women, she established a nunnery at
Kildare. She was later joined by a community of monks led by Conlaed. Kildare
had formerly been a pagan shrine where a sacred fire was kept perpetually
burning. Rather than stamping out this pagan flame, Brigid and her nuns kept it
burning as a Christian symbol. (This was in keeping with the general process
whereby Druidism in Ireland gave way to Christianity with very little
opposition, the Druids for the most part saying that their own beliefs were a
partial and tentative insight into the nature of God, and that they recognized
in Christianity what they had been looking for.) As an abbess, Brigid
participated in several Irish councils, and her influence on the policies of
the Church in Ireland was considerable.
Things to
Do
- Read
Amy Steedman's biography of Saint Brigid of Ireland to gain a greater
appreciation and devotion for this holy woman, who had a great tenderness
for mothers and their children.
- Read
Saint Brigit: The Mary of the Gael (Catholic Culture
Library) or go to this fascinating page St. Brigit - The Giveaway where you will find some
folklore and recipes.
- Saint
Brigid always recognized Christ in the sick and the poor. Visit Christ in
a nursing home or hospital today, and pray for the grace of clear vision,
even when you encounter Him in a distressing disguise.
- Meditate
on 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13. Is this the kind of love you share with your
family? Pray to Saint Brigid for the grace to be patient, kind, and gentle
with those entrusted to your care.
- For
more recipes and for a craft go to Brigid's Day
Foods and How to Make a Traditional St. Brigid's Cross.
73. THE ROSARY OR CHAPLET
CALLED AFTER ST. BRIDGET.
Pope Leo X., in his Bull of July 10, 1516, and Pope Clement XI., in his Bull De salute Dominici gregis, of Sept. 22, 1714, granted many Indulgences to all who carry about them, or who say, the Chaplet, called after St. Bridget because she first conceived the idea of it and promulgated the usage of it. These Indulgences were confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV., in his Brief of Jan. 15, 1743, wherein he added others, of all which a summary will now be given.
This Chaplet is said in honour of the sixty-three years
which the most holy Mary lived upon this earth, being made up of six divisions,
each division consisting of one Pater noster, ten Ave Maria, and one Credo;;
after these is said one more Pater noster, and three more Ave Maria: thus in
all there will be seven Pater noster, to mark the number of her Seven Dolours
and Seven Joys; the three Ave Maria being added to make up the full number of
sixty-three years. (See the Archivium of the Segretaria of the S. Congr. of
Indulgences, tom. vi. p. 144.) It will be seen in the following summary that
the Indulgences may be gained by saying the fifteen decades, or five decades
only, as mentioned in the Rosary above.
It is requisite, in order to gain these Indulgences, that
the Chaplet, being made, as has been said, of six decades, &c., should be
blessed by the superiors of the monastic houses or other priests of the order
of St. Saviour, sometimes called the order of St Bridget, deputed for this
purpose; and after they have been blessed they cannot be sold, or lent for the
purpose of communicating the Indulgences to others, according to the express
command of the said Pope Clement XI. in the Bull above named, and according to
the general decrees of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, confirmed by Benedict
XIV., under date Feb. 9, 1743.
SUMMARY OF INDULGENCES
ANNEXED TO THE CHAPLET OF ST. BRIDGET.
i. The Indulgence of 100 days for each Pater, 100 days for each Ave, and 100 days for each Credo, to all the faithful who say the Rosary or Chaplet of St. Bridget. Pope Leo X., July 10, 1515.
ii. The Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines, besides the above, to every one who says the said Rosary or Chaplet of fifteen decades. Grant of the same Pope Leo. (Whenever this Rosary is said with others, each person may gain the Indulgences I. and II. precisely the same as when the said Rosary is said by one person alone. The same Pope Leo.)
iii. The Plenary Indulgence to all who shall say at least
five decades daily for a year, on any one day in the year when, after
Confession and Communion, they shall pray for the Holy Church. Pope Clement
XI., Sept. 22, 1714.
iv. The Plenary Indulgence, on the Feast of St. Bridget
(Oct. 8), to all who say the said Rosary of five decades at least once a week,
and, after Confession and Communion, visit their own parish church, or any
other church, and pray to God there for the Church as above. Benedict XIV.,
Jan. 15, 1743.
v. The Plenary Indulgence to all who have been accustomed to
say this Rosary, as in No. IV., when, in articulo mortis, recommending their
soul to God, they say the holy name Jesus with their hearts, if unable to do so
with their lips, having at the same time Confessed and Communicated; or, if
these conditions are impossible, being contrite of heart. Benedict XIV.
vi. The Plenary Indulgence, once a month, to all who say
this Chaplet daily for a month, on any one day when, after Confession and
Communion, they visit a church and pray as above. Benedict XIV.
vii. The Indulgence of forty days to all who carry this
Rosary with them, if, at the tolling of the bell for a passing soul, they kneel
down and pray for that soul. Benedict XIV.
viii. The Indulgence of twenty days, to all who carry this
Rosary, whenever they make examination of conscience, and say three Pater
noster and three Ave Maria. Ben. XIV.
ix. The Indulgence of 100 days to all who carry this Rosary
whenever they hear Mass (feast-day or ferial), or assist at a sermon, or
accompany the Most Holy Viaticum, or bring back any sinner to his way of
salvation, or do any other good work in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Blessed Virgin, or St. Bridget, provided they say also three Pater noster and
three Ave Maria. Benedict XIV., as before.
February 1st, St. Brigid (Hist.):
- Irish
Potato Pancakes
- St.
Brigid Vegetable Soup
- Traditional
Irish Soda Bread
- After Dinner Cigars
BEWARE
Tonight, the night
before the feast of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple begins the black
mass of magic spring
say your rosary it is
a weapon and a shield against evil.
The Black Mass[7]
The black mass is a parody of [the Catholic]
Mass, in which one adores and exalts Satan. Usually it is officiated at night,
because the darkness permits greater secrecy and because during the night fewer
people are found at prayer, which disturbs the ritual. During the celebration,
the words and the external signs of the Eucharistic liturgy are used, but
always in a contrary sense, in order to manifest opposition to God. There is
always a satanic priest officiating who wears blasphemous vestments, an altar represented
by a nude woman, possibly a virgin, on whom very serious acts of profanity of
the Eucharist (usually stolen from a church), are performed, with words of
consecration proclaimed in a contrary sense and an overturned crucifix. Only
members of the satanic sect, who are sworn to secrecy, may participate.
Nonmembers are never permitted to attend unless it is hoped that, having
already been seduced by the perversions and the illusion of power, they may
decide to enter the sect.
In general, the black masses are celebrated
by small groups of ten or at most fifteen of the “faithful.” Once the ritual is
concluded, the woman who functions as the altar is raped in turn by all the
participants: first by the one who exercised the “rites” of the priest, then by
all the others. This woman may have freely accepted that role, or she may have
been led there against her will; and aside from the physical violence, she
often suffers the terrible consequences of the ritual: [diabolical] possession.
As in the Church, some of the official rites
are required and are tied to particular feast days.
·
The most important is Halloween, which falls on
the night between October 31 and November 1 of each year: it is considered the
magic New Year. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the extreme danger for
our children and youth who participate in the feast of Halloween on that date.
·
The second precedes our feast of the
presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2. The night before, in fact,
begins the magic spring.
The officiator of these rites is usually
someone who is consecrated to Satan, and although it is not stated, this person
is also usually possessed by the devil. Often during these rituals, the
Eucharistic hosts are profaned, [having been] stolen from tabernacles or taken
by some of the faithful at Communion during Mass and not consumed.
More pagan worship: Serpent Day[8]
Serpent Day is a day
of reflection and coming to grips with our fears. It’s dedicated to
pondering our reactions to the prime material behind that expensive
high-fashion snake-skin handbag. Its unique, slithering form has long been
associated with wisdom and power, used for either good or evil. Serpents have
been both feared and revered, at times simultaneously, in many different
periods of human history. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity, the
worship of which was first known documented in Teotihuacan in the first century
BCE or first century CE. The veneration of the figure appears spread throughout
Mesoamerica between 600–900 AD.
Quetzalcoatl, also called
“the Plumed Serpent,” played a dominant role as a god, model, myth, historical
figure and symbol in Aztec culture. According to legend, he was incarnated
on earth and founded the fabulous capital of the Toltecs, Tollan. Quetzalcoatl
represented the universal quest for meaning in life, and was
the guardian of water and rain, a precious resource of the Aztecs.
In the Hindu regions of Asia,
the serpent, or naga, is considered a nature spirit. As in
the Aztec belief system, Naga is the protector of springs, wells, and rivers,
and so serpents bring rain, and fertility. The serpent is also a
fascinating biblical symbol. Perhaps the most common is the portrayal of
the serpent as an enemy in general, or as Satan in particular.
However, a serpent is later used to foreshadow Jesus’ death on the cross and the salvation it makes possible when a bronze serpent appears on a cross that the severely ill Israelites looked upon to recover, which can be found in John 3:14-15. Anthropologists have argued that the serpent as a symbol of death is built into our unconscious minds because of evolutionary history, as for millions of years, snakes were mainly just predators of primates. Nowadays, a snake wrapped around the Rod of Asclepius is on the Star of Life, the worldwide symbol of medical aid.
Better to smoke in this life than the next[9]
Cigars are great for contemplation.
Let’s face it:
Many of us need a lot more contemplation in life. Our fast-paced world
encourages us to quickly go from one thing to the next, and to always stay
busy. We then become consumed by this world and forget to let our souls breathe
and take some time to contemplate the true, good, and beautiful. A cigar is our giant NO to a world that doesn’t want us
to think for ourselves, that merely wants us to comply. There’s nothing quite
like kicking back with a good cigar and letting your thoughts rise to the
heavens on wisps of smoke. Those who have never tried cigars don’t realize just
how much cigars can inspire deep thoughts. But there’s a reason why many great,
insightful writers, artists, and thinkers smoked cigars!
The
Mill Brothers know what we’re talking about. To quote their song “Smoke Rings”:
“Where do they go; the smoke rings I blow each night? What do they do,
those circles of blue and white? O little smoke rings I love, please take me
above!”
Cigars represent the spirited part of the human person.
Author Michael P. Foley has compared pipes,
cigarettes, and cigars to Plato’s view of the tripartite soul. The pipe
corresponds to the rational part of the soul. You often see photos of
professors with pipes — we bet that J.R.R. Tolkien popped into some of your
minds! For Foley, the cigarette corresponds to the appetitive part of the soul.
We often go for cigarettes when we simply need a smoke right now. The cigar
corresponds to that noble-spirited part of us — the chest. That’s because a
cigar is more about what you blow out than what you inhale. It’s therefore no
surprise that great speakers and politicians — such as Winston Churchill —
loved cigars. Of course, we will never find full satisfaction in any earthly
thing. True happiness is only obtained in heaven. But God in His mercy has
given us little foretastes of joy sprinkled here and there. Some of us find
echoes of this joy in cigars. Let’s offer this joy back to God and let our
smoking fuel beautiful, holy thoughts!
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day
235 1739-1748
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE
SPIRIT
CHAPTER
ONE-THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Article 3-MAN'S FREEDOM
II. Human Freedom in the Economy of Salvation
1739 Freedom and sin. Man's
freedom is limited and fallible. In fact, man failed. He freely sinned. By
refusing God's plan of love, he deceived himself and became a slave to sin.
This first alienation engendered a multitude of others. From its outset, human
history attests the wretchedness and oppression born of the human heart in
consequence of the abuse of freedom.
1740 Threats to freedom. The exercise of freedom does not imply a right to say or do everything. It is false to maintain that man, "the subject of this freedom," is "an individual who is fully self-sufficient and whose finality is the satisfaction of his own interests in the enjoyment of earthly goods." Moreover, the economic, social, political, and cultural conditions that are needed for a just exercise of freedom are too often disregarded or violated. Such situations of blindness and injustice injure the moral life and involve the strong as well as the weak in the temptation to sin against charity. By deviating from the moral law man violates his own freedom, becomes imprisoned within himself, disrupts neighborly fellowship, and rebels against divine truth.
1741 Liberation and salvation.
By his glorious Cross Christ has won salvation for all men. He redeemed them
from the sin that held them in bondage. "For freedom Christ has set us
free." In him we have communion with the "truth that makes us
free." The Holy Spirit has been given to us and, as the Apostle
teaches, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom." Already we glory in the "liberty of the children of
God."
1742 Freedom and grace. the
grace of Christ is not in the slightest way a rival of our freedom when this
freedom accords with the sense of the true and the good that God has put in the
human heart. On the contrary, as Christian experience attests especially in
prayer, the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in
inner freedom and confidence during trials, such as those we face in the
pressures and constraints of the outer world. By the working of grace the Holy
Spirit educates us in spiritual freedom in order to make us free collaborators
in his work in the Church and in the world:
Almighty and
merciful God,
in your
goodness take away from us all that is harmful,
so that,
made ready both in mind and body,
we may
freely accomplish your will.
IN BRIEF
1743
"God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel (cf Sir
15:14), so that he might of his own accord seek his creator and freely attain
his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him" (GS 17 # 1).
1744
Freedom is the power to act or not to act, and so to perform deliberate acts of
one's own. Freedom attains perfection in its acts when directed toward God, the
sovereign Good.
1745
Freedom characterizes properly human acts. It makes the human being responsible
for acts of which he is the voluntary agent. His deliberate acts properly
belong to him.
1746 The
imputability or responsibility for an action can be diminished or nullified by
ignorance, duress, fear, and other psychological or social factors.
1747 The
right to the exercise of freedom, especially in religious and moral matters, is
an inalienable requirement of the dignity of man. But the exercise of freedom
does not entail the putative right to say or do anything.
1748
"For freedom Christ has set us free" (Gal 5:1).
Daily Devotions/Activities
·
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.
[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/02.cfm
[4] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[6]http://liturgialatina.org/raccolta/trinity.htm#:~:text=A%20plenary%20indulgence%20for%20ever%2C%20once%20in%20a,according%20to%20the%20intention%20of%20the%20Sovereign%20Pontiff.
[7]Amorth, Fr. Gabriele. An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels
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