Dara’s Corner Try Cheese Blintzes
·
Bucket List Trip:
The
Holy Land
·
Spirit hour: White
Wine Spritzer
Spring Arizona Restaurant Week
Friday through Sunday
The 2025 Spring Arizona Restaurant
Week (ARW), which offers the culinary community endless opportunities to dine
on a deal, kicked off Friday, May 16 and runs through Sunday, May 25. The ARW
menus are a departure from the restaurants’ regular menus, allowing diners to
get a new taste of even their favorite restaurants’ culinary breadth — at a
fraction of typical costs.
MAY 14 Wednesday-Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Novena St. Rita-Chicken Dance
1 Maccabees, Chapter 16, Verse 6
The
narrative is nearing its end. Simon, the last of the Maccabean brothers to rule
over the Jewish people, is getting too old to lead the troops into battle. He
passes on the military leadership to his sons Judas and John, who, like real
leaders, lead from the front. He is the first to step into danger.[1]
Even in the present day we
can see similarities in our own heroes and villains.
What should we take
away from this book?
The
contest described in this book is a struggle, not simply between Jew and
Gentile, but between those who would uphold the law and those, Jews or
Gentiles, who would destroy it. The books severest condemnation goes, not to
the Seleucid politicians, but to the lawless apostates from among the Jewish
people, adversaries of Judas and his brothers, who are models of faith and
loyalty.
Fear binds us[2]
There is so much fear and
agony in us. Fear of people, fear of God, and much raw, undefined,
free-floating anxiety. I
wonder if fear is not our main obstacle to prayer.
When
we enter the presence of God and start to sense that huge reservoir of fear in
us, we want to run away into the many distractions that our busy world offers
abundantly.
But
we should not be afraid of our fears. We can confront them, give words to them,
cry out to God, and lead our fears into the presence of the One who says:
“Don’t be afraid, it is I.”
(Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Direction,
58)
Hope is to each of us what sunshine
is to a garden.
Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
The
feast of Saint Matthias[3]
was included in the Roman Calendar in the 11th century and celebrated on
the sixth day to the Calends of March (24 February usually, but 25 February in
leap years). In the revision of the General Roman
Calendar in
1969, his feast was transferred to 14 May, so as not to celebrate it in Lent but instead in Eastertide close to the Solemnity of the
Ascension, the
event after which the Acts of the Apostles recounts that Matthias was selected
to be ranked with the Twelve Apostles.
OF[4]
this apostle nothing certain is known beyond what is contained in the epistle.
In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: “To me Thy friends, O God, are
made exceedingly honorable; their principality is exceedingly strengthened.
Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me; Thou hast known my sitting down and my
rising up.”
Prayer. O God, Who didst associate blessed
Matthias to the company of the apostles, grant, we beseech Thee, that, by his
intercession, we may ever experience Thy tender mercy towards us.
Prayer
to St. Matthias. O
St. Matthias, glorious apostle and martyr of Jesus Christ, who, by the special
providence of God, wast added to the eleven apostles in the room of the
traitor, I humbly beseech thee to obtain for us the grace of Him Who chose thee
from all eternity, that, assisted thereby, we may, after thy example, keep the
commandments of God, practice good works, and thus merit to be numbered with
the elect. Amen.
Novena of St. Rita[5]
This novena prayer,
although short, is sufficient. It would be better of course to add, if time
permits, three Hail Mary’s or say five times the Our Father, Hail Mary and
Glory be to the Father, or to use some of the many well-loved novena prayers
from other sources. Remember that prayers must be said with your lips in order
to gain the indulgences. This novena begins on May 14 and ends on May 22. Rita
is the patron of the impossible.
Prayer:
O
glorious St. Rita! You who so wonderfully participated in the Passion of our
Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for me the grace to suffer with patience the pains of
this life and protect me in all my needs.
Today it is my daughter Dara Hope’s birthday; (her name means: House of Compassion and Hope) please pray the Novena of St. Rita for her. Also today is National Chicken Dance Day! Yes, she loves to do the chicken dance.
Apostolic
Exhortation[6]
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,
1. I wish to speak to you about
the most important and central teaching of our faith. What I share is “not too
high for you.” It is not theology that is only meant for theologians and
priests. This concerns the most important reality of our lives – the saving
presence of our Lord. This is not a teaching that can be dumbed down or over
simplified. This is a truth that we need to be clear and certain about. Be
bold, then! Take up and read, drink in the truth, discuss and share it with
others and allow Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist, to conform you further
to Himself and fulfill the deepest longings of your heart.
2. From the time I was a little child, I knew Jesus was present in every Catholic Church. I could not have explained it, but I was certain He was there. The way my father genuflected before the Tabernacle, the quiet reverence of my mother, the way our pastor Father Daly sang the Tantum Ergo with such gusto and a thick Irish brogue, it was these actions and God’s grace, more than words, that imbedded in my heart a solid conviction about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. And because our farm family prayed together every evening, during thunderstorms or blizzards, whether we had a bumper crop or hardly anything at all from drought-stricken soil, no matter what, we knew that the Lord Jesus we received at Mass was with us, every day and night, and that whatever we faced, all would be well because of Him.
3. Of course, that faith in the
Eucharist has been tested many times over the years. As a seminarian in Tours,
France, for example, during two months of intensive French language study, some
classmates learning of my practice of daily Mass accosted me, sneering with
venom, “You really believe Jesus is present in that piece of bread?” Shocked by
their hate-filled tone, I could say nothing for what seemed like eternity; but
after probably less than a minute, I managed to stammer, “Yes… I do.” That
shocking and embarrassing moment, to my surprise, led ever so gradually to new
gratitude for the gift of the Eucharistic faith and a deeper conviction about
daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration. It also taught me to expect my faith in
our Eucharistic Savior to face scorn and contradiction.
4. I invite you in this
Exhortation to “put out into the deep” (Lk 5:4). Whether your faith in
the Eucharist is strong or weak, whether you consider the Church your Home or
you have recently decided to disassociate, or even if you have no faith at all,
my sincere hope is that a true “Eucharistic amazement” will be ignited within
you.
5. The People of Israel faced
many obstacles, challenges, and sufferings as they crossed the desert and
entered the Promised Land. But God had assured them of His presence and
guidance on their arduous sojourn. In the Ark of the Covenant, they recognized the
presence of God. Into battles and in dangerous lands, wherever the Israelites
went, the Ark went with them because it assured them that God would be with
them to fight their battles, to care for them and protect them. For this
reason, the Ark became a powerful and enduring image of God’s presence.
6. When the People of Israel were preparing to cross the Jordan river and enter the Promised Land, Joshua stressed the importance of following the Ark: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord being carried, you are to set out from your positions and follow it… so that you can see the way to go, since we have never been this way before” (Josh. 3:2-4). This instruction was addressed to a people who would face the dangers of the crossing and the challenges and threats that awaited them in an unknown land.
To be continued…
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day 332 2581-2589
Elijah, the prophets and
conversion of heart
2581 For the
People of God, the Temple was to be the place of their education in prayer: pilgrimages,
feasts and sacrifices, the evening offering, the incense, and the bread of the
Presence (“shewbread") - all these signs of the holiness and glory of God
Most High and Most Near were appeals to and ways of prayer. But ritualism often
encouraged an excessively external worship. the people needed education in
faith and conversion of heart; this was the mission of the prophets, both
before and after the Exile.
2582 Elijah is
the "father" of the prophets, "the generation of those who seek
him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob." Elijah's name, "The
Lord is my God," foretells the people's cry in response to his prayer on
Mount Carmel. St. James refers to Elijah in order to encourage us to pray:
"The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."
2583 After Elijah had learned mercy during his retreat at the Wadi Cherith, he teaches the widow of Zarephath to believe in the Word of God and confirms her faith by his urgent prayer: God brings the widow's child back to life. The sacrifice on Mount Carmel is a decisive test for the faith of the People of God. In response to Elijah's plea, "Answer me, O LORD, answer me," the Lord's fire consumes the holocaust, at the time of the evening oblation. the Eastern liturgies repeat Elijah's plea in the Eucharistic epiclesis.
Finally, taking the desert road that leads to the place where the living and
true God reveals himself to his people, Elijah, like Moses before him, hides
"in a cleft of the rock" until the mysterious presence of God has
passed by. But only on the mountain of the Transfiguration will Moses and
Elijah behold the unveiled face of him whom they sought; "the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God [shines] in the face of Christ," crucified
and risen.
2584 In their
"one to one" encounters with God, the prophets draw light and
strength for their mission. Their prayer is not flight from this unfaithful
world, but rather attentiveness to the Word of God. At times their prayer is an
argument or a complaint, but it is always an intercession that awaits and
prepares for the intervention of the Savior God, the Lord of history.
The Psalms, the prayer of the
assembly
2585 From the
time of David to the coming of the Messiah texts appearing in these sacred
books show a deepening in prayer for oneself and in prayer for
others. Thus the psalms were gradually collected into the five books of
the Psalter (or "Praises"), the masterwork of prayer in the Old
Testament.
2586 The
Psalms both nourished and expressed the prayer of the People of God gathered
during the great feasts at Jerusalem and each Sabbath in the synagogues. Their
prayer is inseparably personal and communal; it concerns both those who are
praying and all men. The Psalms arose from the communities of the Holy Land and
the Diaspora, but embrace all creation. Their prayer recalls the saving events
of the past, yet extends into the future, even to the end of history; it
commemorates the promises God has already kept, and awaits the Messiah who will
fulfill them definitively. Prayed by Christ and fulfilled in him, the Psalms
remain essential to the prayer of the Church.
2587 The Psalter is the book in which the Word of God becomes man's prayer. In other books of the Old Testament, "the words proclaim [God's] works and bring to light the mystery they contain." The words of the Psalmist, sung for God, both express and acclaim the Lord's saving works; the same Spirit inspires both God's work and man's response. Christ will unite the two. In him, the psalms continue to teach us how to pray.
2588 The
Psalter's many forms of prayer take shape both in the liturgy of the Temple and
in the human heart. Whether hymns or prayers of lamentation or thanksgiving,
whether individual or communal, whether royal chants, songs of pilgrimage or
wisdom meditations, the Psalms are a mirror of God's marvelous deeds in the
history of his people, as well as reflections of the human experiences of the
Psalmist. Though a given psalm may reflect an event of the past, it still
possesses such direct simplicity that it can be prayed in truth by men of all
times and conditions.
2589 Certain
constant characteristics appear throughout the Psalms: simplicity and
spontaneity of prayer; the desire for God himself through and with all that is
good in his creation; the distraught situation of the believer who, in his
preferential love for the Lord, is exposed to a host of enemies and
temptations, but who waits upon what the faithful God will do, in the certitude
of his love and in submission to his will. The prayer of the psalms is always
sustained by praise; that is why the title of this collection as handed down to
us is so fitting: "The Praises." Collected for the assembly's
worship, the Psalter both sounds the call to prayer and sings the response to
that call: Hallelu-Yah! (“Alleluia"), "Praise the Lord!"
What is more
pleasing than a psalm? David expresses it well: "Praise the Lord, for a
psalm is good: let there be praise of our God with gladness and grace!"
Yes, a psalm is a blessing on the lips of the people, praise of God, the
assembly's homage, a general acclamation, a word that speaks for all, the voice
of the Church, a confession of faith in song.
Chicken Dance Day[7]
We’ve all seen it, it’s
utterly ridiculous and usually performed in a bout of intoxicant driven lunacy.
You tuck your hands into your armpits to make ‘wings’, and then you flap like
an idiot in time with some particularly unfortunate music. All that aside,
you’re having complete giggle fits with a bunch of your friends while you
behave in a fashion that has the local sanitarium eyeballing you for
membership. What are we talking about? The Chicken Dance of course! Chicken
Dance Day commemorates this dance and its origins, and even gives you a chance
to learn WHY anyone would do this terrible, terrible thing.
History of Chicken
Dance Day
“Der Ententanz” was the
name of the song that inspired all of this, and while the dance has come to be
called “The Chicken Dance”, the song itself is called The Duck Dance.
At least that was its original name, and now it has spread all over the world,
undergoing multiple name changes in the process. It has been known as
everything from The Little Bird Dance to De Vogeltjesdans, or
“The dance of the little birds.” This rendition was actually the B-Side of a
single released by a band called “De Electornica’s”. The A-Side simply wasn’t
being well received by the radio station’s audiences, so they flipped it over.
At that moment, history was made, and it rocketed to the Dutch charts and
stayed there for nearly a year. So much has its popularity exploded that it has
been recorded in no less than 140 versions with over 40,000,000 records
published over its lifetime. In 1981 the dance brought to Oktoberfest in the
United States, and due to a complete lack of duck costumes anywhere near the
event, they had to settle for chicken costumes instead. The result of which is
the name by which it is now known. The song responsible gets new covers done
almost every year, with new lyrics added all the time. That’s right, there’s
lyrics. You’re welcome.
How to Celebrate
Chicken Dance Day
Need we say it? The best
way to celebrate Chicken Dance Day is by getting out there and doing the
Chicken Dance! It’s quite simple, and it all starts with making a beak with
your hands, and ‘squawk’ them four times in beat with the music, then you make
wings as described earlier, and flap them four times in time with the music.
Then… ya know what? Just watch this: How to Chicken Dance.
US
Marine Corp[8]
Where the mighty go; God goes with
them!
·
At
Iwo Jima, Marine Chaplain Father Charles Suver celebrated Holy Mass shortly
before the raising of the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi by the Marines. Debate
has been inconclusive whether it was the first less known or the second more
well-known raising of the flag that is now immortalized in history. Regardless
of which flag raising it was Father Suver could still hear Japanese voices
in the nearby caves as he said the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
·
Fr.
Charles Watters in Vietnam shortly before his death in November, 1967. Chaplain
Watters
was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery under fire. Once he
linked up with the Marines they told him to leave as it was too dangerous.
Father McGonigal refused and ministered aid and Last Rites to the wounded and
dying. He was killed on February 17, 1968 trying to rescue a wounded Marine.
The Marines later dedicated a chapel at Camp Pendleton in his honor to the
service he gave to the Marines at Hue.
Dara’s Corner
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Catholic Politian’s and Leaders
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
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