Saturday, January 25, 2025
Vinny’s Day Try “Bagels & Bialy’s”
· Manuary is a time for men to show their stuff by growing out their facial hair
· Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
· Spirit hour: In honor of St. Paul have some St. Pauli Girl beer
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
· Bucket Item trip: Hong Kong
· FEAST DAY go to Mass.
o Start your day by celebrating National Opposite Day: do things backward, wear clothes inside out, or eat dessert for breakfast. Then, dive into National Irish Coffee Day by making your own version using coffee, whiskey, sugar, and cream. Put on some Celtic tunes to set the vibe. For Burns Night, savor some haggis or vegetarian haggis, along with neeps and tatties. Write and recite poetry in a Scottish accent for added flair.
o National Florida Day calls for citrusy cocktails and a virtual visit to the Sunshine State’s stunning beaches. Whip up some fish tacos to honor National Fish Taco Day, and pair them with a zesty salsa. Celebrate St. Dwynwen’s Day by spreading love and kindness to those around you, perhaps by writing heartfelt letters or messages.
o Observe the Weather Day is perfect for stargazing, cloud watching, or simply stepping outside to feel the breeze. National Seed Swap Day encourages you to start a mini garden or exchange seeds with friends. On A Room of One’s Own Day, carve out space for yourself to read, create art, or simply relax.
o Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day is a great excuse to try your hand at quilting or sewing. Finally, honor National IV Nurse Day by expressing gratitude for healthcare workers or donating to a medical charity. End your day with a cozy quilt, a cup of herbal tea, and perhaps a reflective journal entry. Cheers to a day filled with whimsical celebrations!
· Plan winter fun:
o Soak in hot springs
o Hit the snow slopes
o Ride a snowmobile
o Go for a dog sled ride
o Ride a hot air balloon
· Today’s menu is from the State of Indiana.
o Irish Coffee
o Slow-Cooked Loaded Potato Soup
o Yellow Squash and Zucchini Casserole
o Bacon-Topped Meat Loaf
o Sugar Cream Pie
Introduction to Lamentations[1]
This book of the Bible is
a series of poems all about the destruction of Jerusalem. Around 587 BCE, the Babylonian
Empire rolls into Judah, burns the capital city to ground,
destroys Solomon's
Temple, and exiles
about a quarter of the city's population. This was a traumatic event on a
national scale, right up there with slavery in Egypt. The Jewish people are
left to pick up the pieces and wonder
"why?"
Why did this happen to
them?
Why wasn't God on their
on their side?
Why would he allow a
bunch of other-god-worshipping foreigners to invade his holy city?
And, why, oh, why did
he make Babylon so far away from Jerusalem?
The
author of Lamentations doesn't have an easy job. He needs to answer this
question so the people can move forward and start their lives again. The author
decides that it's not the Babylonians or God who's to blame for this terrible
destruction—it's the Jewish people themselves. They sinned and disobeyed God.
He'd warned them in Deuteronomy what to expect when you don't pay
attention to God's commandments. Blaming the victim might not have been the
most politically correct thing to do, but it worked. The Jewish people were
able to regroup from this crisis and come out strong and thriving. And after
about 50 years in exile, the Persian Empire came along and crushed the
Babylonians to bits. The Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the
Temple and nothing bad ever happened to God's chosen people ever again.
Lamentations is an age-old book that tries to answer age-old questions—
why do bad things
happen?
How do you cope with
tragedy?
How can you express
your suffering to God and to other people?
Why Should I Care?
There's suffering (no cell
reception, breakups) and there's suffering (invasion, mass
destruction, death by starvation, exile). Some suffering is avoidable and some
isn't. No matter. Everyone suffers at some time or another. We're all
inconsolable at times about tragedies great and small.
The question is what
can you do about it?
Lamentations
offers some helpful suggestions. The first is: Lament. And keep
lamenting. Sometimes, it just feels good to get those feelings out. So start
with the tears, sad movies, or sackcloth and ashes—whatever
works. Second suggestion: once you've cried it out, use your suffering as an
opportunity for reflection. Think about what got you to this place.
Why did it happen?
Was it something you
did?
If
you've cried and reflected, and decided you brought all this bad stuff on
yourself (like the poet believes Jerusalem did) Lamentations strongly recommends
reconciliation. Ask for forgiveness. Beg for a second chance. AND accept the fact that you may have
permanently ruined the relationship. Lament some more about that. If you're
suffering for no fault of your own, Lamentations still has something good to
offer: the possibility of change. Things will get better even if it sure
doesn't seem that way at the moment. Think about how things were better before
your tragedy and have confidence that they can be that way again.
Kind
of. But it can help put things in perspective. Finally, you can talk about your
suffering because we suffer together. The last chapter of Lamentations is a
communal prayer to end suffering. Why do we publicly commemorate suffering like
9/11 or the Holocaust? Instead of forgetting about the bad times, we hold onto
them to remind ourselves why they happened and how far we've come. The ancient
Jews who watched Jerusalem burn had just experienced a national tragedy and
they dealt with it the only way they could. They cried together, they told
stories, they tried to understand, and they didn't forget. Sounds to us like a
pretty good blueprint for coping. Some things never get old.
JANUARY
25 Saturday-Conversion of St. Paul
Lamentations,
Chapter 3, Verse 57
You drew near on the day I called
you; you said, “Do not FEAR!”
This chapter[2]
is focused less on the destruction of Jerusalem and more on the suffering of an
individual. The identity of the individual is never given. The figure of the
sufferer makes concrete the pain of the people and gives way to a communal
voice to suffering.
Trials and Tribulations[3]
·
The Poet has seen all this awful stuff with his
own eyes. He's personally experienced it, too. We sense he's speaking on behalf
of all Judah.
·
Trust us. The Poet knows what God's wrath is.
God has abandoned him in times of trouble and left him to find his way out in
the dark. God has also filled the Poet's
heart with bitterness and then trapped him there like a prisoner.
·
The Poet cried out for God to help him, but the
Big Guy wouldn't listen. God ignored his prayer requests and returned all his
fan mail, too. Stone cold.
·
God was like a lion pacing outside of the Poet's
prison cell. He was just waiting to tear the Poet to pieces as soon as he stuck
his head out. Or maybe he was like an archer just itching to use the Poet as
target practice. The poor Poet! Poor Jerusalem!
Keeping the Faith
·
But even in all this misery and horribleness,
the Poet doesn't lose heart.
·
Really?
·
Yup. He just remembers one really important
thing—God can't stay mad at him forever. That's right. God is loving. God is
merciful. So, at some point he's gonna have to come around and start helping
the Poet again,
·
right?
·
Every morning the Poet wakes up is a chance for
him to renew his relationship with God. If he has patience, God will be good to
him in the end.
·
And if in the meantime God asks him to go
through a couple of trials (like watching his city be destroyed, his friends
and family murdered, and his children starve to death) then he'll deal with it.
Sure, God causes all kinds of trouble for people, but he's also compassionate.
·
And in any case, it's not like God enjoys making
all this bad stuff happen. His heart's just not in it. When there's evil stuff
happening in the world—God sees it and takes copious notes for later. But no
one can do anything—good or bad—unless God says it's okay. Everything comes
from God. You can't complain when God is just giving you what you deserve,
·
right?
·
That's why the people of Judah need to take a
good look at themselves and return to God. They were sinful and disobedient, so
he got angry and destroyed them. He ignored their prayers, left them for dead,
and watched as their enemies crushed them. Note: this is not an overreaction.
Judah's enemies have hunted him down and captured him for no good reason. But
luckily, when he complained to God about it, God heard him.
· God told the Poet not to be afraid. He said he would help him and make things better. Now, all the Poet wants is for God to right the wrongs that have been done to him. God saw all the horrible things these enemies have done. Now, all he has to do is smite the heck out of them. It's payback time, God. Get angry. Curse them. Destroy the Poet's enemies because they've done so many awful things. Come on. You know you want to. They never were your special people.
Remember[4]
“Behold,
the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, upon those who count on his
mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through
famine.” (Ps. 33:18-19)
Everyone deserves to experience
some unconditional love and many go to great lengths to find it and do not. We
were created for love but not earthly love. Earthly love is but a foretaste of
the love God has for you. Today love someone with no conditions; just love
them. For love alone holds the secret to life. There is hope in the midst of
calamity.
"To love someone is to
desire that person's good, AND to take effective steps to secure it"-
Benedict XVI'
Rosary
the Roadmap of Salvation
Leaders understand the importance
of seeing the big picture to the accomplishment of their objectives. The other
day while walking and praying I noticed that all of the mysteries of the Rosary
when combined together seems to give us a roadmap for salvation. Before Mary
gave the Rosary to Saint Dennis the pious of Christ’s time prayed the 150
psalms and the Shema Israel daily. It is interesting to ponder that the Shema
Israel is a type of mission statement for every righteous Jew and in turn
Catholics:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and
you shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, and with all your soul,
and with your entire mind, and with all your strength.
The question is how do we love God
with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
I believe the
rosary is the answer to this question that also gives us practical examples. To
know how to love God with all your mind study the Joyful mysteries and with all
your strength the sorrowful, and with all your soul the glories mysteries and
with all your heart the luminous mysteries.
In addition, I noticed that if you
look at all the mysteries and line up the first decade of each of the four
mysteries and continue lining up the second and third and so forth there is a
roadmap of salvation with practical examples. Study the chart below:
Rosary
Roadmap of Salvation
|
|||||
|
Joyful |
Sorrowful |
Glorious |
Luminous |
|
Step One foundation of
love |
The
Annunciation-Humility |
The
Agony in the Garden-Do the will of the Father |
The
Resurrection-Faith |
The
Baptism in the Jordan-Gratitude |
Mystery of Love |
Step Two understanding heart |
The Visitation-Love
of neighbor |
The Scourging-Mortification
of the Senses |
The Ascension-Christian
Hope |
The Wedding at
Cana-Fidelity |
Mystery of the Heart |
Step Three a firm purpose |
The
Birth of Christ-Spirit of Poverty |
The
Crowning of Thorns-Reign of Christ in your heart |
The
Descent of the Holy Spirit-Gifts of the Holy Spirit |
The
Proclamation of the Kingdom-Desire for Holiness |
Mystery of Purpose |
Step Four a Core of
Strength |
The
Presentation-Purity of Mind and Body |
The
Carrying of the Cross-Patient Bearing Trials |
The
Assumption-To Jesus Through Mary |
The
Transfiguration-Spiritual Courage |
Mystery of Strength |
Step Five Victory |
The
Finding of Jesus in the Temple-Obedience |
The
Crucifixion-Pardoning of Injuries |
The
Coronation-The Grace of Final Perseverance |
The
Institution of the Eucharist-Love of Our
Eucharistic Lord |
Mystery of Triumph |
|
Love
your God with all your Mind |
Love
your God with all your Strength |
Love
your God with all your Spirit |
Love
your God with all your Heart |
|
Feast of the conversion of St. Paul[5]
St.
Paul was born at Tarsus, Cilicia, of Jewish parents who were descended from the
tribe of Benjamin. He was a Roman citizen from birth. To complete his
schooling, St. Paul was sent to Jerusalem, where he sat at the feet of the
learned Gamaliel and was educated in the strict observance of the ancestral
Law. As a convinced and zealous Pharisee, he returned to Tarsus before the
public life of Christ in Palestine.
Sometime
after the death of Our Lord, St. Paul returned to Palestine. His profound
conviction made his zeal develop to a religious fanaticism against the infant
Church. He took part in the stoning of the first martyr, St. Stephen, and in
the fierce persecution of the Christians that followed. Entrusted with a formal
mission from the high priest, he departed for Damascus to arrest the Christians
there and bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was nearing Damascus, about
noon, a light from heaven suddenly blazed round him. Jesus with His glorified
body appeared to him and addressed him, turning him away from his apparently
successful career. An immediate transformation was wrought in the soul of St.
Paul. He was suddenly converted to the Christian Faith. He was baptized,
changed his name from Saul to Paul, and began travelling and preaching the
Faith. He was martyred as an Apostle in Rome around 65 AD.
Feast of St. Paul the Apostle[6]
THE history of this conversion is
fully given in the epistle taken from the Acts. The Introit of the Mass is as
follows: "I know Whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to
keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day, being a just judge.
Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me, Thou hast known my sitting down, and my
rising up."
Prayer.
O God, "Who didst teach the
whole world by the preaching of blessed Paul the apostle, grant us, we beseech
Thee, that we, who this day celebrate his conversion, may advance towards Thee
by his example. Amen.
EPISTLE. Acts ix. 1-22.
In those days: Saul as yet
breathing out threatening’s and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the
synagogues: that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew
nigh to Damascus: and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him. And
falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou Me? Who said: Who art Thou, Lord? And He said: I am Jesus Whom
thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad. And he
trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the
Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee
what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed,
hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the ground, and
when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they leading him by the hands,
brought him to Damascus. And he was there three days without sight, and he did
neither eat nor drink. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named
Ananias: and the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold I
am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is
called Strait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For
behold he prayeth. (And he saw a man named Ananias, coming in and putting his
hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.) But Ananias answered: Lord, I
have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in
Jerusalem. And here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that
invoke Thy name. And the Lord said to him: Go thy way, for this man is to Me a
vessel of election, to carry My name before the gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My
name’s sake. And Ananias went his way and entered into the house: and laying
his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, He that
appeared to thee in the way as thou earnest: that thou mayst receive thy sight
and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as
it were scales, and he received his sight; and rising up he was baptized. And
when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that
were at Damascus for some days. And immediately he preached Jesus in the
synagogues, that He is the Son of God. And all that heard him were astonished,
and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon
this name; and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to
the chief priests? But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the
Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.
What do we learn from this history?
Not to despise any
sinner, nor to despair of his salvation: for, like Paul on the road to
Damascus, the greatest sinner may, by the grace of God, be suddenly converted,
and become a saint. At the command of God, he accepted Ananias as his leader in
the way of salvation and became as zealous for the honor of Christ as he had
previously been intent on persecuting Him. In like manner, a convert must shut
his eyes to all by which he has heretofore been led astray and must give heed
to that only which God commands.
Today try and be 100% for God.
As iron, cast into
the fire, loses its rust and becomes bright with the flame, so too a man who
turns his whole heart to Me is purified and all sluggishness and changed into a
new man.[7]
Who am I, Lord, that I should be considered by You: I AM WHO AM.
Like Paul we must be fearless in proclaiming the gospel.
“Go into the whole
world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mk. 16:15-16)
GOSPEL. Matt. xix. 27-29.
At
that time Peter said to Jesus: Behold, we have left all things, and have
followed Thee: what, therefore, shall we have? And Jesus said to them: Amen I
say to you, that you, who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son
of man shall sit on the seat of His majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath left house, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life
everlasting. This gospel teaches that he who renounces the world, its
pleasures, and its riches, shall receive the grace of God, virtues, interior
consolation, and eternal happiness, which are a hundred-fold, that is,
infinitely, more precious than worldly goods. Prayer. O St. Paul, great
apostle, who, from being an enemy, became the most zealous friend and preacher
of Christ, procure for me from Him, I beseech thee, grace at last truly to know
Him, Whom I have heretofore so often denied, offended, and, by my sins,
crucified anew; to follow Him, and, after thy example to be henceforth as
diligent in doing justice as I have formerly been in practicing evil; that I
may one day attain to that happiness which thou hast gained. Amen.
Highlights and Things to Do[8]:
- Visit this section on Catholic
Culture prepared for the Year of St. Paul in 2008.
- Read more on the Conversion of St. Paul:
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Scott Hahn on the Conversion of St. Paul
(and watch Scott Hahn – Saint
Paul: Persecutor to Apostle)
- Catholic Exchange: The Conversion of St. Paul
and The Importance of the
Conversion of St. Paul
- Many artists depicted the conversion of St.
Paul. One of the most popular paintings is by Caravaggio.
There is also the fresco by Michelangelo
that is very inspiring.
- The tomb of St. Paul is located in Basilica of St. Paul
Outside the Walls in Rome.
- See some food ideas on Catholic Cuisine.
- One of the traditions attached to this feast
is found in rural England. Similar to the United States Groundhog Day
tradition, weather predictions included fine days predicting good
harvests, to clouds and mists foretelling pestilence and war in the coming
months.
Food[9]
Some ideas for honoring St. Paul on his conversion (also for June 29, Saints Peter and Paul):
- Incorporating a horse in the celebration
seems most obvious to me. This previous post for Horseshoe Cookies
for the feast of St. Martin has loads of ideas for other horse themed
foods. There is also Podovy: St. Stephen's Horns
which is a filled bread in the shape of horseshoes. How about the Giddy-Up Horse Cake
from Kraft Foods?
- Roast beef and horseradish,
one of my favorite combinations would make a nice main course. And how
about Garlic Horseradish Mashed Potatoes?
- Don't forget what we feed the horse! Perhaps
a plate of crudités:
maybe just celery and carrot sticks with dip.
- St. Paul followed the Jewish laws strictly,
which would mean dietary laws, too. This could be an opportunity to serve
a Biblical Jewish meal.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Day
227 1659-1666
PART
TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER THREE-THE
SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION
Article 7-THE
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
IN
BRIEF
1659 St. Paul said:
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church.... This is a great
mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church" (Eph 5:25, 32).
1660 The marriage
covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion
of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the
Creator. By its very nature it is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as
to the generation and education of children. Christ the Lord raised marriage
between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament (cf CIC, can. 1055 # 1; cf.
GS 48 # 1).
1661 The sacrament
of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the
grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church;
the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens
their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life (cf
Council of Trent: DS 1799).
1662 Marriage is
based on the consent of the contracting parties, that is, on their will to give
themselves, each to the other, mutually and definitively, in order to live a
covenant of faithful and fruitful love.
1663 Since marriage
establishes the couple in a public state of life in the Church, it is fitting
that its celebration be public, in the framework of a liturgical celebration,
before the priest (or a witness authorized by the Church), the witnesses, and the
assembly of the faithful.
1664 Unity,
indissolubility, and openness to fertility are essential to marriage. Polygamy
is incompatible with the unity of marriage; divorce separates what God has
joined together; the refusal of fertility turns married life away from its
"supreme gift," the child (GS 50 # 1).
1665 The remarriage
of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law
of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they
cannot receive Eucharistic communion. They will lead Christian lives especially
by educating their children in the faith.
1666 The Christian
home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith.
For this reason the family home is rightly called "the domestic
church," a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of
Christian charity.
Irish
Coffee Day[10]
1942 proved a fortuitous year for transatlantic travelers wearied by the cold and damp conditions of an Irish winter. Thanks to the innovative imagination of bartender Joe Sheridan, they were soon to have their cockles delightfully warmed by an almost decadent blend of fine Irish whiskey with the irresistible taste and aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Combined with the subtle sweetness of brown sugar and sipped through the luxurious density of whipped cream, it was a recipe that would become a global hit that needed no specific weather conditions to be enjoyed.
Get Creative with Irish Coffee
While
the two most important ingredients are listed in the name, it is also possible
to make things much more interesting with some unique ingredients added to the
basic recipe. Try out one of these modernized Irish Coffee ideas in celebration
of the day:
·
The
Blind Abbott. Start
with cold brew coffee and 1 shot of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. Then intensify
the coffee flavor even more by adding a half shot of Galliano Ristretto, an
espresso-based liqueur. Finish it off with some cinnamon syrup and a few dashes
of bitters, pour over ice and shake until frosty. Serve topped with fresh, sweet,
whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
·
Vintage
Coffee Cocktail. Named
after the Vintage Cocktail Club located in Dublin, Ireland, this one is
Dublin-ified with a bit of the city’s signature beer: Guinness. Start by
infusing Guinness with some malt extract and a vanilla bean pod over heat. This
combination is then whisked together with whipping cream and stirred in with a
shot of Paddy Old Irish Whiskey, a few shots of espresso, and a teaspoon of
light molasses. Top with a garnish of nutmeg sprinkling.
·
Gort’s
Reprieve Irish Coffee. Featured
at the Drink Well Bar in Austin, Texas, this unique version of the drink is a
fun departure from the original. Start with coffee that has been freshly brewed
in a French Press, then add in a shot of Irish Whiskey and a half shot of amaro
(Italian herbal bitters), a bit of simple syrup and a few dashes of New Orleans
coffee bitters. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle on some spices such as
cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. Make it extra special by adding chocolate covered
espresso beans on top!
·
Bailey’s
Irish Cream Coffee. This
recipe builds a sweeter, creamier, stronger drink (reminiscent of a dessert!)
by starting with coffee and whiskey, then adding a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream
Liqueur and finishing it off with a dollop of sweet, whipped cream.
Daily Devotions/Practices
·
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[4] http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/video/fr-barron-on-love-tolerance-and-making-distinctions/4820/
[6] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[7] Paone, Anthony J., Our Daily
Bread, 1954.
[9]https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2009/01/conversion-of-st-paul.html
[10]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/irish-coffee-day/
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