February 22 Saturday-Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter
Billy
Graham-Washington's Birthday-Be Humble
Psalm 23, verse 4:
4 Even
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will FEAR no
evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.
Saint Pope John Paul II was an example of someone who walked through the valley of the shadow of death and feared no evil. The Lord’s rod and staff sustained him through the nightmare of the Nazis and the Communists. Both were evil empires devoted to the destruction of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all except for the few selected elite. These empires systematically replaced God with the rule of the chosen ones of the State. People from both the Fatherland and the Motherland sat by and watched the evil grow without taking decisive action, making the adage ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (or women) do nothing.’ Remember to measure our nation and our politics with Gods Rod (Rods were often used in ancient times to measure) and not the political States or the media nor the opinion of the rich and the powerful. Let us be ever ready to speak up for what is righteous using Gods rod, which are His laws of justice and mercy, working tirelessly and remember Saint Pope John Paul II words of encouragement,
“I plead with you –
never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become
discouraged. Be not afraid.”
Let us also carry with us for the journey the
Staff of God which is truth, not worldly truth but Gods truth. “The word of
truth, publicly, indeed almost liturgically, proclaimed was the antidote the
Rhapsodic Theater sought to apply to the violent lies of the Occupation. The
tools for fighting evil included speaking truth to power.” [1]
St.
Faustina[2]
On
February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustina as the King of Divine Mercy. Jesus
chose her to deliver to the modern world a message as old as eternity. It is
the message of his love for all
people, especially sinners. Jesus said to Faustina, "Today I am sending
you with my mercy to the people of the whole world." It is his desire to
heal the aching world, to draw all people into his merciful heart of love.
He
asked her to have a picture painted of him as she saw him — clothed in white,
with red and white rays of light streaming from his heart. The rays represent
the blood and water that flowed from the side of Jesus on the cross. Under the
image are the words, "Jesus, I trust in you." Many people did not
believe Faustina at first. The sisters in her own convent thought that Jesus
could not possibly have selected her for this great favor. After all, she was
an uneducated peasant girl. Her superiors often refused to give her permission
to carry out Jesus' requests. Church theologians, too, doubted her word. Jesus
told Faustina that he loved her obedience and that his will would be done in
the end. Faustina was canonized by the first Polish pope, John Paul II, on
April 30, 2000. The first Sunday after Easter was declared Divine Mercy Sunday.
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. It brings to mind the mission of
teacher and pastor conferred by Christ on Peter, and continued in an unbroken
line down to the present Pope. We celebrate the unity of the Church, founded
upon the Apostle, and renew our assent to the Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff,
extended both to truths which are solemnly defined ex cathedra, and to
all the acts of the ordinary Magisterium.
AI
Overview: According to Catholic belief, the person currently sitting on the
"Chair of St. Peter" is Pope Francis, as he is considered the
successor to St. Peter and therefore holds the authority symbolized by the
chair; the claim that he is a "fraud" is not supported by the
Catholic Church and is considered a contentious view held by some individuals
who disagree with his teachings or policies.
Billy
Graham[3]
b.
11-07-1918—d. 02-22-2018
·
The
devil certainly wants you to give in to temptation and do what is wrong,
because his main goal is to turn us away from God. When we yield to temptation,
you can be sure we make the devil happy.
·
But
the devil isn’t directly responsible for every temptation we face, nor can we
blame him when we give in and do wrong. Temptations come to us in many ways—but
when we give in to them, we alone are responsible for what we’ve done. The
Bible says, “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged
away and enticed” (James 1:14).
·
Remember,
it isn’t a sin to be tempted; even Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn away
from God’s plan (see Matthew 4:1-11). But it is sin to give in to temptation
and go our own way instead of God’s way. Every sin is an act of rebellion on
our part, telling God we think our way is better than His way. But that is a lie, for God’s way
is always best.
·
Don’t
fight your temptations alone; if you do, you will fail. Instead, ask God to help you by giving you the
courage and inner strength to turn away. Begin by asking Christ to come into your life, forgiving
and cleansing your sins and coming to live within you by His Spirit.
·
Then
learn to walk with God every day, through prayer and fellowship with other
believers and reading the Bible. The Bible says, “God is faithful. … When you
are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it”
(1 Corinthians 10:13). `
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day
252 1905
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE-MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE
SPIRIT
CHAPTER TWO-THE HUMAN
COMMUNION
Article 2-PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE
II. The Common Good
1905 In
keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is
necessarily related to the common good, which in turn can be defined only in
reference to the human person:
Do not live
entirely isolated, having retreated into yourselves, as if you were already
justified, but gather instead to seek the common good together.
1906 By common
good is to be understood "the sum total of social conditions which allow
people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more
fully and more easily." The common good concerns the life of all. It
calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercise the office
of authority. It consists of three essential elements:
1907 First, the common good presupposes respect for the person as such. In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person. Society should permit each of its members to fulfill his vocation. In particular, the common good resides in the conditions for the exercise of the natural freedoms indispensable for the development of the human vocation, such as "the right to act according to a sound norm of conscience and to safeguard . . . privacy, and rightful freedom also in matters of religion."
1908 Second,
the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group
itself. Development is the epitome of all social duties. Certainly, it is the
proper function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the common good,
between various particular interests; but it should make accessible to each
what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work,
education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family,
and so on.
1909 Finally,
the common good requires peace, that is, the stability and security of a just
order. It presupposes that authority should ensure by morally acceptable means
the security of society and its members. It is the basis of the right to
legitimate personal and collective defense.
1910 Each
human community possesses a common good which permits it to be recognized as
such; it is in the political community that its most complete realization is
found. It is the role of the state to defend and promote the common good of
civil society, its citizens, and intermediate bodies.
1911 Human
interdependence is increasing and gradually spreading throughout the world. The
unity of the human family, embracing people who enjoy equal natural dignity,
implies a universal common good. This good calls for an organization of the
community of nations able to "provide for the different needs of men; this
will involve the sphere of social life to which belong questions of food,
hygiene, education, . . . and certain situations arising here and there, as for
example . . . alleviating the miseries of refugees dispersed throughout the
world, and assisting migrants and their families."
1912 The
common good is always oriented towards the progress of persons: "The order
of things must be subordinate to the order of persons, and not the other way
around." This order is founded on truth, built up in justice, and
animated by love.
Washington’s Birthday[4]
In John McCain’s book Character is Destiny the 1st President of the United States is McCain’s example of a man who demonstrates for us the characteristic of SELF CONTROL.
(Do you think this is what lent is all about?)
Self-control is the ability to control one's emotions, behavior, and desires in the face of external demands in order to function in society. (Matt DeLisi)
George Washington was a warrior and a mensch. Washington was a self-made man who learned to govern himself before he governed our great country. Washington was a passionate man by nature, yet he was famous for his reserve and graciousness to others. Washington worked on himself very hard to control his temper and to not be sensitive to criticism. It was a lifelong struggle and at times he was given to fits of anger. His passion was a two-edged sword that either cut for him or against him. His passion was also the source of his great courage. History records his fury in battle where he wore out two horses and stood in defiance of withering fire and having his coat tore by four musket balls. Washington did not just tell his men to stand fast and face the enemy but set the example; leaping headlong into battle and the men followed. Washington disciplined his passionate nature with iron will and self-control. Washington wrote,
“Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect, to those that are present” and, “Labor to keep alive in your breast the little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”
He strove to be a man of unquestionable dignity and manners. He was modest and wore clothes that were fine and neat but never showy. He was consciously groomed and was seldom discourteous to anyone, of higher or lower station in life. He knew his strengths as well as his weaknesses; there was no hubris in him.
“He understood the nature of his countrymen as well as he understood his own. He knew we are all flawed, that we must always be alert to the danger of ungoverned appetites and must strive to control and improve our nature. He understood his country at its birth needed a leader of towering honor, wisdom, and selflessness, whose appearance must fit the role as well as his character, did. And through the constant application of his self-control, he inhabited that role as no one has again, and became, in fact, the father of our country. He imprinted his character on this nation, and in that sense, we are all his descendants, a people famous for our constant struggle to improve. We are never so removed from the failings of our nature that we cannot stand more improvement, but neither are we so removed from Washington’s magnificent example that we dare not dream we can achieve it.”
Son of the Republic[5]
In America, we have until now had no fear in worshiping our God in holiness and righteousness. In fact, the model in America since its founding has been one of “Many religions, but one covenant”.
We are certainly a blessed people because we as a whole have not abandoned the covenant, nor shall we if the vision of George Washington at Valley Forge is true. In it he saw that Americans would remain true to our creator.
"Son
of the Republic…Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most
fearful is the third, but in this greatest conflict the whole world united
shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live
for his God, his land and the Union."
With these words the vision vanished, and I (Washington) started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown to me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States.
Be Humble Day[6]
Humility may be the most difficult of all the virtues to
truly attain. There seems to be a paradox in that claiming to have humility may
be an act of pride. Some people might be prideful in their humility… or
something like that. Either way, Be Humble Day focuses on humbling yourself.
There is no boasting allowed on Be Humble Day. Choosing not to brag about your
successes and abilities can prove to be much more difficult than one might
anticipate, as the culture surrounding us is often centered on self and the
successes achieved by an individual. Throughout the age’s philosophers and the
average Joe alike have pondered humility and what it means to be truly humble.
It is a difficult question to answer and the final answer may never fully
present itself. But perhaps the seeking of humility is more important than the
achieving. In a fascinating twist of irony, the person responsible for the
founding of Be Humble Day is unknown. Whoever it was clearly took humility
seriously and didn’t bother to brag about starting a recognized day of
celebration. Perhaps the person was so humble that they didn’t even stop to
think they might have instigated something that would reach so far.
Observing Be Humble Day
The observance of Be Humble Day can be gone about in many
ways, but all the avenues of observance should maintain the quietness
associated with humility. There should be no loud proclamations of the fact
that you’re celebrating Be Humble Day, as that would ruin the point. The first
step is simply to bear in mind to be humble. If you keep that focus, then the
rest may follow along after quite simply. Remember: don’t focus on your own
greatness and the achievements you’ve made. Be Humble Day is also about encouraging
others and focusing on their achievements and giving a friend or co-worker the
props, they deserve is an excellent way to keep in the spirit of Be Humble Day.
If you’re looking for further inspiration and more ways to dig deeper into
humility on Be Humble Day then perhaps considering these quotes from some great
minds (a title foisted upon them by others, not one they themselves took in
keeping with humility) will assist you in your journey.
The Christian thinker C.S. Lewis, best known for his beloved Chronicles of Narnia book series, said that “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” A perfect quote for Be Humble Day. Criss Jami, an American poet and philosopher observed that “The biggest challenge after success is shutting up about it.” And if you think you know something then stop for a minute and consider the words of Albert Einstein: “A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing.” If Albert Einstein can admit that he knows nothing, then perhaps there is hope for all of us to be humbler in our everyday lives. Opportunities to humble ourselves pass us by every day, and Be Humble Day is the perfect inspiration to sit up and notice these chances to better ourselves and to make the world a more pleasant place for the people around us.
Vinny’s Corner
·
On
February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustina as the King of Divine Mercy.
·
Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day
7
Get Ready for Spring in Dallas
Can’t
wait for spring?
Head to the Dallas
Arboretum and Botanical Garden to see the largest floral festival in the
Southwest which features an explosion of color from more than 500,000
spring-blooming blossoms, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry
trees
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Increase
of Vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1] George Wiegel, Witness to Hope, 1999,
p66.
[3]https://billygraham.org/answer/does-the-devil-cause-every-temptation-we-face/
[4] McCain, John; Salter, Mark.
Character Is Destiny.
[6]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/be-humble-day/
George Washington's Birthday 1732
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