ICEMANforChrist

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Friday, February 14, 2025

February 14 Friday

Valentine’s Day

Ezekiel, Chapter 18, Verse 14-17

¹⁴But, in turn, if he (a sinful man) begets a son who sees all the sins his father commits, yet FEARS and does not imitate him— ¹⁵a son who does not eat on the mountains, or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile a neighbor’s wife; ¹⁶who does not oppress anyone, or exact a pledge, or commit robbery; who gives his food to the hungry and clothes the naked;¹⁷who refrains from evildoing, accepts no interest or usury, but keeps my ordinances and walks in my statutes—this one shall not die for the sins of his father. He shall surely live!

It is easy and common for us to blame our character defects on our parents. However, when God adopts a person through the blood and work of the Holy Spirit a new person arises and begins doing works of mercy and justice of His or Her heavenly father.

This is the beauty of discipleship it gives us time to discern our spiritual leadership. To increase your leadership discernment:^{^[1]}

· Examine your past successes.

o What actions have enabled your success?

· Assess each person based on their particular situation.

o Are you stereotyping?

o Are you treating people as things and not people?

o Are you treating others as you wish to be treated?

· Listen to your heart and your head-do the right thing.

· Learn from wise leaders. A Study and read the lives of other leaders.

Valentine's Day[2]

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love and friendship. The holiday derived its name from two Roman martyrs for love, both named Valentine. The first Valentine was beheaded on February 14th, but not before leaving a note signed from your Valentine for his lady. The second Valentine was supposedly a bishop who secretly married young couples, an act that was forbidden by the Roman Emperor who wanted young men to first serve as soldiers before marrying. Valentine ignored the law and was beheaded on February 14. An ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia, a celebration for which young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities, has also been linked to the origins of Valentine's Day.

Since then, the custom of selecting a sweetheart on February 14th has spread through Europe and its colonies and transformed itself into the celebration of love and friendship that we know today.

Valentine's Day Facts & Quotes

· Symbols for Valentine’s Day include hearts, chocolate, flowers, and Cupid - the Roman God of Love.

· 52% of US consumers will send out at least 1 Valentine's Day card, 47% will send candy, and 34% will send flowers.

· Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. And therefore, is winged Cupid painted blind. - William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream)

Valentine's Day Top Events and Things to Do

· Send someone you care for a Valentine's Day card. Take the time to write a small note or love poem inside. Sign it, from your Valentine.

· Go to a special romantic dinner with your sweetheart. Tip: Book early as this is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants.

· Watch the movie Valentine's Day (2010) or the Notebook (2004). Both are romance movies with star casts.

· Send a Secret Valentine to someone several days before, and then reveal your identity on February 14th.

· Remember other important people in your life, such as your parents, grandparents and old friends. Send them a small card or gift to remind them of how much you care.

Catholic Things to Do[3]

· Read the Golden Legend account of St. Valentine's life.

· Pray to St. Valentine for an increase of true, sacrificial love within marriages.

· Make Valentines for those closest to you — your family and friends. If you have children, teach them to make valentines from red construction paper and doilies.

· Begin to read and discuss some of St. John Paul II's works on marriage; for example, Love and Responsibility or his The Theology of the Body Human Love in the Divine Plan (Parish Resources).

Drops of Christ’s Blood[4] St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, with St. Matilda and St. Bridget, wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ, offered fervent and special prayers. Upon which Our Lord revealed to them:

To all the faithful who shall recite for 3 years, each day, 2 Our Fathers, 2 Hail Mary’s and 2 Glory Be’s in honor of the drops of Blood I lost, I will concede the following 5 graces:

1. The plenary indulgence and remittance of your sins.

2. You will be free from the pains of Purgatory.

3. If you should die before completing the said 3 years, for you it will be the same as if you had completed them.

4. It will be upon your death the same as if you had shed all your blood for the Holy Faith.

5. I will descend from Heaven to take your soul and that of your relatives, until the fourth generation.

Blessed by His Holiness Pope Leo XIII in Rome, April 5, 1890

The thought of saving souls should always be on our mind. St. John Bosco stated it well. "There is nothing more holy in this world than to work for the good of souls, for whose salvation Jesus Christ poured out the last drops of His blood." St. Vincent de Paul tells us that: "The salvation of men and our own are so great a good that they merit to be obtained at any price."

Sad to say, the great majority of Catholics put forth little or no effort in promoting the greater honor and glory of God and the salvation of souls. Let us keep in mind that if we manage to save one soul, we also ensure the salvation of our own. The Holy Ghost reveals this to us in the Holy Bible. [St. James 5: 19-20] This little practice gives us a very easy way to save our own soul as well as the ones dearest to us------our family.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 245 1830-1845

III. The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit

1830 The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

1831 The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.

Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

1832 The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. the tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: "charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity."

IN BRIEF

1833 Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good.

1834 The human virtues are stable dispositions of the intellect and the will that govern our acts, order our passions, and guide our conduct in accordance with reason and faith. They can be grouped around the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

1835 Prudence disposes the practical reason to discern, in every circumstance, our true good and to choose the right means for achieving it.

1836 Justice consists in the firm and constant will to give God and neighbor their due.

1837 Fortitude ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good.

1838 Temperance moderates the attraction of the pleasures of the senses and provides balance in the use of created goods.

1839 The moral virtues grow through education, deliberate acts, and perseverance in struggle. Divine grace purifies and elevates them.

1840 The theological virtues dispose Christians to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. They have God for their origin, their motive, and their object - God known by faith, God hoped in and loved for his own sake.

1841 There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. They inform all the moral virtues and give life to them.

1842 By faith, we believe in God and believe all that he has revealed to us and that Holy Church proposes for our belief.

1843 By hope we desire, and with steadfast trust await from God, eternal life and the graces to merit it.

1844 By charity, we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for love of God. Charity, the form of all the virtues, "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:14).

1845 The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon Christians are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Fitness Friday

Recognizing that God the Father created man on Friday the 6^th day I propose in this blog to have an entry that shares on how to recreate and renew yourself in strength, mind, soul and heart.

Being a catholic during the Carnival season does not mean you cannot has fun but it also requires that you use prudence and reason-maintain your backbone.

Your Posture says a lot about you-stand tall have an erect bearing.

FM 20-21: War Department Field Manual, 1946

Posture Training

GENERAL

PRINCIPLES OF POSTURE TRAINING. There is no one “best posture” for all men because the physical architecture of individuals differs according to the bony structure they inherit. Therefore, to develop the best posture for each member of any given group certain general principles must be applied intelligently to the group as a whole as well as to each man. These principles are:

To teach the characteristics of good posture.
b. To provide an opportunity to “feel” or practice good posture.
c. To have the men practice proper posture until it feels more comfortable than poor posture.
d. To motivate the men to acquire it as a habit.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD POSTURE. The first step in posture training is to teach what good posture is. Many men have a misconception as to what constitutes good posture. For example, they arch the lower back, thrust out the chest and retract the shoulders in an exaggerated manner, or they spring their knees backward. The characteristics of good posture are head balanced and erect, chest held high without tension, abdomen flat, shoulders back and relaxed, lower back only slightly curved, and knees straight but not stiff. Instructors should explain and demonstrate the position of the various parts of the body in proper posture.

TRAINING FOR GOOD POSTURE. The men must be provided with opportunities to feel and to practice good posture. Many individuals feel more natural while maintaining a bad posture. Certain muscle groups must have special training to maintain good posture without undue fatigue. The exercises below will provide this training. The emphasis upon proper posture must not be confined to physical training periods only. A good military bearing must be insisted upon until the men assume it from habit.

MOTIVATING GOOD POSTURE. Regardless of the amount of exercise and instruction they get; men habitually assume good posture only if they want to. That is why motivation is so important.

At the beginning, a short talk should be given, illustrated if possible, on reasons for cultivating good posture. Good posture has many values for the soldier. First, a soldier is often judged by his appearance – the man with good posture looks like a soldier, he commands attention. Secondly, it is an accepted psychological fact that good posture is associated with good morale – a man with a good posture feels better and is more positive. A man with poor posture cannot feel as positive, consequently he may develop a negative and discouraged attitude. Thirdly, good posture permits the body to function most efficiently. This is because the opposing muscle groups balance, thus maintaining the bony structure in a balanced position. The correct bony alignment provides for the correct positions of the internal organs. The correct positions of the organs assist them in the performance of their various functions. Less strain and tension is placed upon bones, muscles, ligaments and organs.

The instructors should always be excellent examples of good posture. They must be enthusiastic about it and “sell it” to the men. Men with excellent posture should be complimented. They should be reminded when they exhibit poor posture. This should be done without nagging, and with humor, if possible.

Visual aids should be utilized. A few pictures of good posture and a few signs at familiar places will remind the men to emphasize good posture. These help to motivate many of the men.

Posture judgments help to motivate the men. The four posture silhouettes above are highly valid standards by which to make such judgments. It takes a few minutes to judge 100 men, especially if they are inspected in small groups. They should also be judged occasionally when off guard. Announcing the platoon with the best average posture may stimulate friendly rivalry.

POSTURAL EXERCISES

GENERAL. The ten exercises below are designed to develop the postural muscles. All of these exercises have SLOW CADENCE and two-count movements. They are especially valuable for use in the “strength course.”

EXERCISE 1

Starting Position. Attention.
Movement:

Swing arms forward and upward to full stretch overhead and at the same time rise high on toes.

Swing arms sideward and downward slowly and press back hard. At the same time retract chin and let heels drop to the ground. Avoid an exaggerated arch in lower back.

EXERCISE 2

Starting Position. Trunk leaning forward about 60°, arms hanging downward loosely from shoulders.
Movement:

Swing arms sideward and backward vigorously, retracting chin forcefully and flattening upper back. Hold this position momentarily.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 3

Starting Position. Standing, fingertips touching shoulders, arms in front of chest, and elbows downward.
Movement:

Move upper arms outward and backward, with elbows hugging sides. Hold the position a full second while trying to force arms further around and back. At same time, retract head and attempt to stretch upward.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 4

Starting Position. Kneeling on the mat, trunk bent sharply forward, hands behind head.
Movement:

Still leaning forward, straighten upper back and press elbows and head backward. At the same time pull in chin.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 5

Starting Position. Sitting on the floor, knees raised, trunk bent forward, and arms stretched forward.
Movement:

Still leaning forward, swing arms upward and backward. At the same time pull in chin.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 6

Starting Position. Lying face down on the floor, with elbows at sides and fingertips on shoulders.
Movement:

Rotate arms outward and pull elbows in hard to sides. At the same time pull in chin and lift head about 6 inches from the floor. Hold this position a full second.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 7

Starting Position. Bending forward about 45°, elbows horizontally sideward from shoulders, forearms bent forward, palms down, thumbs just in front of shoulders.
Movement:

Straighten elbows and swing arms slowly but hard sideward and backward. At the same time retract head.

Recover to starting position.

EXERCISE 8

Starting Position. Leaning slightly forward, elbows bent, and fingertips touching shoulders.
Movement:

Make small circles about a foot in diameter, elbows circling upward and backward. Press arms backward and retract head. Movement is slow.
(2) After completing sufficient repetitions, recover to starting position.