NIC’s Corner
“Give thanks to the LORD
for he is good,
his mercy endures
forever!” (Psalm 107:1)
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Catholic Activity:
Religion in the Home for Preschool: May
·
Bucket
List trip: Gettysburg,
PA civil war reenactment
·
Foodie: Apple Harvest Food
o
International
Mediterranean Diet Month
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Spirit
Hour: Branch
Water
o
National
Drinking with Chickens Day
·
Get
an indulgence
Historic
Gettysburg Homes Open for Overnight Stays | Gettysburg National Military Park[1]
For those of you who have an interest in Civil War history, you may be interested to hear that you can stay overnight at both the Michael Bushman and John Slyder houses on the Gettysburg battlefield starting May 24th, 2024.
Gettysburg National Military Park is located
in southern Pennsylvania. The Gettysburg battlefield is free to visit and open
daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset (weather
permitting).
The Historic Bushman House was built in 1808 and restored and updated in 2017. The house is set back from the roadways and nestled within landmarks such as Little Round Top and Devil's Den, according to the NPS website. The Bushman house has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, and has a fully equipped and updated kitchen. You'll also be happy to hear it has air conditioning and central heating for added comfort. Click the following link for a full screen virtual tour: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=JLG3ydrb1Wv
May 23 - 25, 2025
Feast of the Flowering Moon is held annually on Memorial Day weekend in historic, downtown Chillicothe, Ohio.
The festival offers plenty of family-friendly
entertainment for residents and visitors to Chillicothe, Ohio. Featured
activities include Native American music and dancing, crafters, exhibitors,
Mountain Man Encampment with working craftsmen and demonstrations, entertainment
and much more.
MAY 23 Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
ST. JULIA OF CORSICA
2 Maccabees, Chapter 14, Verse 22
Judas had posted armed men in
readiness at strategic points for FEAR
that the enemy might suddenly commit some treachery. But the conference was
held in the proper way.
During our last episode we see that our Hero Judas, with the help of the All Seeing Almighty vanquishes the enemy. Judas wants peace and returns home but the enemy the devil never sleeps, and snip snap the Syrians invade again. This time under the leadership of a gangster called Nicanor; a crafty little snake who wants a peace treaty. In this verse we see Judas is being ready and prepared for any trouble; and his fear is justified.
Making and Breaking Treaties[1]
"When the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and
that the Gentiles were rallying to him, they sprinkled themselves with earth
and prayed to Him Who established His people forever, and Who always comes to
the aid of His heritage." —2 Maccabees 14:15
Nicanor was sent again to
fight Judas (8:9). Instead of fighting, he made a peace treaty and became a
good friend of Judas. But this didn't last long. Soon Nicanor was hunting down
Judas, blaspheming the Temple, and murdering the faithful Jewish elders.
"Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in
flesh" (Jer 17:5). "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose
hope is the Lord" (Jer 17:7).
Prayer:
Father, may I make a peace treaty with You by repenting of sin and surrendering
my life to You.
Promise:
"Therefore, O Holy One, Lord of all holiness, preserve forever undefiled
this house, which has been so recently purified." —14:36
Lesson: When you play with snakes they often bite; don’t make treaties with the Devils children.
St.
Julia of Corsica[2]
St. Julia was a noble virgin of Carthage, who, when the city was taken by
Genseric in 489, was sold for a slave to a pagan merchant of Syria named
Eusebius. Under the most mortifying employments of her station, by cheerfulness
and patience she found a happiness and comfort which the world could not have
afforded. All the time she was not employed in her master's business was
devoted to prayer and reading books of piety. Her master, who was charmed with
her fidelity and other virtues, carried her with him on one of his voyages to
Gaul. Having reached the northern part of Corsica, he cast anchor, and went on
shore to join the pagans of the place in an idolatrous festival. Julia was left
at some distance, because she would not be defiled by the superstitious ceremonies
which she openly reviled. Felix, the governor of the island, who was a bigoted
pagan, asked who this woman was who dared to insult the gods. Eusebius informed
him that she was a Christian, and that all his authority over her was too weak
to prevail with her to renounce her religion, but that he found her so diligent
and faithful he could not part with her. The governor offered him four of his
best female slaves in exchange for her. But the merchant replied, "No; all
you are worth will not purchase her; for I would freely lose the most valuable
thing I have in the world rather than be deprived of her." However, the
governor, while Eusebius was drunk and asleep, took upon him to compel her to
sacrifice to his gods. He offered to procure her liberty if she would comply.
The Saint made answer that she was as free as she desired to be as long as she
was allowed to serve Jesus Christ. Felix, thinking himself derided by her
undaunted and resolute air, in a transport of rage caused her to be struck on
the face, and the hair of head to be torn off, and lastly, ordered her to be
hanged on a cross till she expired. Certain monks of the isle of Gorgon carried
off her body; but in 768 Desiderius, King of Lombardy, removed her relics to
Breseia, where her memory is celebrated with great devotion. St. Julia, whether
free or a slave, whether in prosperity or in adversity, was equally fervent and
devout. She adored all the sweet designs of Providence; and far from
complaining, she never ceased to praise and thank God under all his holy
appointments, making them always the means of her virtue and sanctification.
God, by an admirable chain of events, raised her by her fidelity to the honor
of the saints, and to the dignity of a virgin and martyr.
Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints
Apostolic Exhortation[3]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My beloved Brothers and
Sisters in Christ,
Part II
I. The Graces of Holy Communion
Holy Communion changes and
transforms us into “Alter Christus”
33. The Eucharistic presence of
Jesus is not only to be with us, but also to be our strength and nourishment.
Jesus does this by choosing the elements of nature – bread and wine – the food
and drink that man must consume to maintain his life. The Eucharist is
precisely this food and drink for they contain in themselves all the power of
the Redemption wrought by Christ. The Eucharist is the only nourishment that
brings us true, lasting happiness and leads us to eternal life. It is capable
of transforming man’s life and open before him the way to eternal life. How is
this possible?
34. While going through a
period of conversion, one day Saint Augustine was granted a vision in which a
voice said to him: “I am the food of the mature: grow, then, and you shall
eat me. You will not change me into yourself like bodily food; but you will be
changed into me” (Confessions, VII, 10, 18). There is a popular saying that
goes, “You are what you eat.” How true this is when we apply this to the
Eucharist. Ordinary food is absorbed by us and becomes a part of our bodies.
But when we receive the Eucharist, it absorbs us; a Christian becomes truly
what he eats; he is transformed into Christ. Centuries ago, Saint Leo the Great
wrote: “Our partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ tends only to make us
become what we eat”.
35. The Fathers of the Church
took the example of physical food to explain this mystery. We know that the
stronger form of life normally assimilates the weaker and not vice versa. The
vegetative world assimilates the minerals, and the animals assimilate the
vegetables, and the spiritual assimilates the material. When we receive the
Body of Christ, we do not change Christ into our own substance. Instead, we are
changed into Christ Himself. The normal food that we eat is not a living thing
and therefore cannot give us life. It is a source of life only because it
sustains the life we have. Instead, the Bread of Life, that is Jesus, is the
living Bread and those who receive it, live by it. So, while the normal food
that nourishes the body is assimilated by the body and becomes a part of it,
the complete opposite takes place with the Bread of Life.
Devotions for Holy Communion[4]
PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION.
O
compassionate Lord Jesus Christ, I, a sinner, nothing presuming on my own
merits, but trusting in Thy mercy and goodness, draw near with awe and
trembling to the table of Thy sweetest banquet. For my heart and my body are
stained with many sins, my mind and my tongue have not been kept with fitting
diligence and circumspection. "Wherefore, O compassion ate Godhead, O
dread and awful Majesty, I, Thy wretched creature, who am fallen into a great
strait, betake myself to Thee, the Fountain of mercy; to Thee I hasten that I
may be healed; beneath Thy protection I make my refuge; I long to have Thee for
my Savior, before Whom I can in no wise stand as my Judge. To Thee, O Lord, I
now show my wounds; before Thee I lay bare all this my shame. I know my sins,
so many and so great, by reason of which I am afraid. I hope in Thy mercies,
which are past numbering. Look on me with the eyes of Thy mercy, O Lord Jesus
Christ, everlasting King, God and man, Who wast crucified for man. Graciously
hear me who hope in Thee; have mercy on me who am full of miseries and of sins,
O Thou full and over-flowing Fountain of pity and of mercy. Hail, Thou saving
Victim, offered for me and all mankind upon the tree of the cross. Hail, thou
noble and precious blood, which dost ever flow forth from the wounds of my
crucified Lord Jesus Christ, and wash away the sins of the whole world.
Remember Thy creature, O Lord, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thine own blood. I
grieve that I have sinned; I do earnestly desire to amend what I have done amiss.
Wherefore, O most merciful Father, take away from me all my iniquities and my
sins, that, being cleansed in soul and in body, I may worthily receive the holy
food of the holy; and grant that the sacred taste of Thy body and blood, which
I unworthy am about to receive, may be to me the remission of my sins, the
perfect expiation and cleansing of all my faults, and the putting to flight of
evil thoughts, the quickening and renewal of all good feelings, the healthful
energy of all good works, the most assured protection of my body and soul from
all the snares of my enemies. Amen.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day 341 2656-2662
The theological virtues
2656 One
enters into prayer as one enters into liturgy: by the narrow gate of faith.
Through the signs of his presence, it is the Face of the Lord that we seek and
desire; it is his Word that we want to hear and keep.
2657 The Holy
Spirit, who instructs us to celebrate the liturgy in expectation of Christ's
return, teaches us - to pray in hope. Conversely, the prayer of the Church and
personal prayer nourish hope in us. the psalms especially, with their concrete
and varied language, teach us to fix our hope in God: "I waited patiently
for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry." As St. Paul
prayed: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
2658
"Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Prayer, formed
by the liturgical life, draws everything into the love by which we are loved in
Christ and which enables us to respond to him by loving as he has loved us.
Love is the source of prayer; whoever draws from it reaches the summit of
prayer. In the words of the Cure of Ars:
I love you,
O my God, and my only desire is to love you until the last breath of my life. I
love you, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving you, than
live without loving you. I love you, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love
you eternally.... My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love
you, I want my heart to repeat it to you as often as I draw breath.
"Today"
2659 We learn
to pray at certain moments by hearing the Word of the Lord and sharing in his
Paschal mystery, but his Spirit is offered us at all times, in the events of
each day, to make prayer spring up from us. Jesus' teaching about praying to
our Father is in the same vein as his teaching about providence: time is
in the Father's hands; it is in the present that we encounter him, not
yesterday nor tomorrow, but today: "O that today you would hearken to his
voice! Harden not your hearts."
2660 Prayer in
the events of each day and each moment is one of the secrets of the kingdom
revealed to "little children," to the servants of Christ, to the poor
of the Beatitudes. It is right and good to pray so that the coming of the
kingdom of justice and peace may influence the march of history, but it is just
as important to bring the help of prayer into humble, everyday situations; all
forms of prayer can be the leaven to which the Lord compares the kingdom.
IN BRIEF
2661 By a living transmission -Tradition - the Holy Spirit
in the Church teaches the children of God to pray.
2662 The Word of God, the liturgy of the Church, and the
virtues of faith, hope, and charity are sources of prayer.
Fitness Friday-Water[5]
In order to prevent dehydration, anyone who exercises
(especially athletes) should drink water before, during, and after the workout.
The following tips can help ensure your body has the hydration
it requires for optimum exercise performance and recovery. These are general
guidelines and may need to be increased for high-intensity or endurance
activities or races.
If you are a serious athlete, you may want to weigh
yourself before and after workouts to keep track of your fluid losses. Doing so
will help you develop an individual hydration schedule.
Before Exercise
· Drink at 16 ounces of water about two to three hours before
exercising.
· Drink 8 ounces of water about 30 minutes before exercising.
During Exercise
· Drink 8 ounces of water every 15 to 30 minutes during
exercise
· If exercising longer than 60 minutes, drink about 12 ounces
of a sports drink that contains a mixture of carbohydrates every 20 to 30
minutes.
After Exercise
· Drink 8 to 16 ounces of water 30 minutes after exercise.
· If you weighed yourself before exercise, weigh yourself
again and drink 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost.
Throughout the Day
· Drink at least one-half to three-fourths of your body weight
in ounces of clean water throughout the entire day.
· Drink an additional 8 ounces of water for every cup of soda, coffee, tea, or alcohol consumed. These beverages are acidic and contribute to additional water loss in the body.
Important notes:
· The body can only utilize about 12-16 ounces of water at
one time. Thus, when rehydrating, drink 16 ounces of water every 30 to 60
minutes.
· Drink water BEFORE you get thirsty. When you feel thirsty,
you are already dehydrated. Thus, drink water regularly throughout the day.
· In preparation for a sports performance, the time to really
focus on proper hydration is the three days prior to the event.
Water is important as well as caution in the Sun: Today is “Don’t Fry
Day”-but if you do it is better to fry in this life then in the
next.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Binding
and suppressing the Devils Evil Works
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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