Dara’s Corner Try
- Bucket List Trip: The Alps
· Fairness is giving animals their due too this is “Responsible Animal Guardian Month”.
· In honor of St. Bernard hike a mountain.
o Piestewa Peak Summit Trail #300, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, Phoenix, Arizona, United States | AllTrails.com
§ Piestewa Peak Summit Trail #300 Hard• Phoenix Mountain Preserve
§ Check out this 2.3-mile out-and-back trail near Phoenix, Arizona. Generally considered a challenging route. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are October through May. You'll need to leave pups at home — dogs aren't allowed on this trail.
· After the hike have a BBQ
· After dinner have a brandy in honor of St. Bernard and his dog.
MAY 28 Rogationtide Wednesday
SAINT
BERNARD
Wisdom,
Chapter 5, Verse 1-2
Then
shall the righteous one with great assurance confront
his oppressors who set at nought his labors. Seeing this, the wicked shall be shaken with DREADFUL FEAR, and be amazed at the unexpected salvation.
In
contrast to their speech in chapter 2
the wicked now regret their assessment of life and righteousness.
According to
Copilot the passage presents two contrasting groups:
·
The
Righteous: These
are individuals who have remained steadfast in virtue and integrity despite
suffering oppression. They were dismissed and their efforts were devalued, yet
they endured with unwavering faith. When their vindication arrives, they stand
with confidence, confronting those who once wronged them.
·
The
Wicked: These are
people who disregarded righteousness, considering it meaningless. They
oppressed the just and mocked their struggles. However, when they witness the
unexpected salvation of the righteous, they are overwhelmed with fear and
astonishment, realizing the error of their ways.
Rogationtide
Wednesday[1]
Today would be a good day to reflect on what we want to harvest this fall; so, like farmers we must till the soil of our soul reflecting this day on our use of our TREASURE (yes money/tithe) and look at in what ways we may offer our money to Christ to help build a harvest for His Kingdom. It has been said that money is the root of all evil. Yet, this is not exactly true for the real root of all evil is not money but the LOVE of money. Those who fear the Lord know that money is a gift from God. It is not to be buried but sown. This is the correction that God wishes us to accept. We are all sowers, and we are to spread the seeds or gifts that God gives us out.
Does
God need a tithe from us? Or Does God need our hearts free from the love of
money?
Do not make my house a marketplace. For love of money or the lust for money is what corrupts men not the money itself.
Donate a
Day Wages to a Charity Day[2]
We all have causes that we care about,
problems we want to see erased from society, and issues that have affected us
deeply throughout our lives. However, most people are busy and haven’t had the
time or opportunity to dedicate as much as they would want to charities and the
causes of their choice. Donate A Day’s Wages to Charity Day is there to change
that. Whether you have trouble keeping up with charitable donations and you
want to make a difference or you believe that you should make a pledge that
matters once a year, it’s the day to do it.
Your Money or Your Life[3]
At this tense moment in our history, when external wars and internal violence make us so conscious of death, an affirmation of the sanctity of human life by renewed attention to the family is imperative. Let society always be on the side of life. Let it never dictate, directly or indirectly, recourse to the prevention of life or to its destruction in any of its phases; neither let it require as a condition of economic assistance that any family yield conscientious determination of the number of its children to the decision of persons or agencies outside the family. Stepped-up pressures for moral and legal acceptance of directly procured abortion make necessary pointed reference to this threat to the right to life. Reverence for life demands freedom from direct interruption of life once it is conceived. Conception initiates a process whose purpose is the realization of human personality. A human person, nothing more and nothing less, is always at issue once conception has taken place. We expressly repudiate any contradictory suggestion as contrary to Judeo-Christian traditions inspired by love for life, and Anglo-Saxon legal traditions protective of life and the person. Abortion brings to an end with irreversible finality both the existence and the destiny of the developing human person.
·
Conscious
of the inviolability of life, the Second Vatican Council teaches: God, the Lord
of life, has conferred on man the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life, a
ministry which must be fulfilled in a manner that is worthy of man. Therefore,
from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care
while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes (Gaudium et Spes, 51).
· The judgment of the Church on the evil of terminating life derives from the Christian awareness that men are not the masters but the ministers of life. Hence, the Council declares: Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or willful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person...all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator" (Gaudium et Spes, 27)
Fairness is a word that means physical beauty. In a sense
God is asking us to not do those things that mar the physical beauty of
another. This means is essence that we need to nourish each other and to give
to share with other the gifts we receive from God. This means to respect each
person as a person, physically, mentally, and emotionally; to provide for their
welfare. One of the greatest ways we can honor our creator is in how we deal
fairly with ourselves, our families, our friends, and those who we detest or
are our enemies.
Christ gave us the ultimate example of fairness:
Then
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They
divided his garments by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
Charity is an
act of fairness and justice.
In which you give the other their due[4]
Traditional Jews give at
least ten percent of their income to charity.
·
Traditional
Jewish homes commonly have a pushke, a box for collecting coins for the poor,
and coins are routinely placed in the box. Jewish youths are continually going
from door to door collecting for various worthy causes.
·
A
standard mourner's prayer includes a statement that the mourner will make a
donation to charity in memory of the deceased.
·
In
many ways, charitable donation has taken the place of animal sacrifice in
Jewish life: giving to charity is an almost instinctive Jewish response to
express thanks to G-d, to ask forgiveness from G-d, or to request a favor from
G-d.
·
According
to Jewish tradition, the spiritual benefit of giving to the poor is so great
that a beggar actually does the giver a favor by giving a person the
opportunity to perform tzedakah.
The Meaning of the Word
"Tzedakah"
"Tzedakah" is
the Hebrew word for the acts that we call "charity" in English:
giving aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy
causes.
·
The
nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word
"charity" suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by
the wealthy and powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy.
·
The
word "tzedakah" is derived from the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet-Qof,
meaning righteousness, justice or fairness.
·
In
Judaism, giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act; it is
simply an act of justice and righteousness, the performance of a duty, giving
the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an
obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are
themselves in need.
·
Tzedakah
is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a
person who does not perform tzedakah is equivalent to an idol worshipper.
·
This
is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance of tzedakah in Jewish
thought.
·
Tzedakah
is one of the three acts that gain us forgiveness from our sins.
·
The
High Holiday liturgy repeatedly states that G-d has inscribed a judgment
against all who have sinned, but teshuvah (repentance), tefilah (prayer) and
tzedakah can alleviate the decree. See Days
of Awe.
·
According
to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor.
·
This
is generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes.
·
Taxes
themselves do not fulfill our obligation to give tzedakah, even though a
significant portion of tax revenues in America and many other countries are
used to provide for the poor and needy.
·
Those
who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence may
give less, but must still give to the
extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would
become a public burden.
·
The
obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to
health care institutions, to synagogues or to educational institutions.
·
It
can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are
legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age.
·
The
obligation includes giving to both Jews and gentiles; contrary to popular
belief, Jews do not just "take care of our own." Quite the contrary,
a study reported in the Jewish Journal indicated that Jewish "mega-donors" (who
give more than $10 million a year to charity) found that only 6% of their
mega-dollars went to specifically Jewish causes.
·
Judaism
acknowledges that many people who ask for charity have no genuine need. In
fact, the Talmud suggests that this is a good thing: if all people who asked
for charity were in genuine need, we would be subject to punishment (from G-d)
for refusing anyone who asked.
·
The
existence of frauds diminishes our liability for failing to give to all who
ask, because we have some legitimate basis for doubting the beggar's sincerity.
·
It
is permissible to investigate the legitimacy of a charity before donating to
it.
·
We
have an obligation to avoid becoming in need of tzedakah.
·
A
person should take any work that is
available, even if he thinks it is beneath his dignity, to avoid becoming a
public charge.
·
However,
if a person is truly in need and has no way to obtain money on his own, he
should not feel embarrassed to accept tzedakah.
·
No
person should feel too proud to take money from others.
·
It
is considered a transgression to refuse tzedakah. One source says that to make
yourself suffer by refusing to accept tzedakah is equivalent to shedding your
own blood.
Certain kinds of tzedakah
are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels
of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The
levels of charity, from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are:
- Giving begrudgingly
- Giving less than you should but giving it cheerfully.
- Giving after being asked
- Giving before being asked
- Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the
recipient knows your identity.
- Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the
recipient doesn't know your identity.
- Giving when neither party knows the other's identity.
- ENABLING THE RECIPIENT TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT. (If only this was the goal of our politicians rather than steal from those who are self-reliant (work) to give to their supporters).
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Are these words just words highlighted by men during the age of enlightenment or are they the inspired will of the creator?
America is special in that the founders realized this when
they wrote our constitution which was established to ensure that laws are
enacted and enforced that support life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Much of our misery in this country is caused by laws that reverse the order
ensuring that wealth trumps liberty and liberty trumps life. No, it must be
life first.
The
transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people
collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a
source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties
and hardships.
The
fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married
people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have
provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they
concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human
beings.
The protection of Life has primacy.
·
If we are the children of the creator, we know
that life must be protected at conception to its natural end.
·
We must seek the dignity of the unborn, the
living and the aged in our laws and traditions.
Are
you into composting?[5]
When Americans die, most are buried or
cremated. Washington could soon become the first state to allow another option:
human composting. The novel approach, known as “recomposition,” involves
placing bodies in a vessel and hastening their decomposition into a
nutrient-dense soil that can then be returned to families. The aim is a less
expensive way of dealing with human remains that is better for the environment
than burial, which can leach
chemicals into the ground, or cremation, which releases
earth-warming carbon dioxide.
“People
from all over the state who wrote to me are very excited about the prospect of
becoming a tree or having a different alternative for themselves,” said state
Sen. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat, who is sponsoring a bill in Washington’s
Legislature to expand the options for disposing of human remains. The
recomposition bill would also make Washington the 17th state to allow alkaline
hydrolysis, the dissolving of bodies in a pressurized vessel with water and lye
until just liquid and bone remains. Pedersen plans to introduce the bill when
the new legislative session begins next month.
Well,
I guess we wouldn’t have to depend on Russia for fertilizer
This is scary,
sounds like the movie “Soylent Green” was prophetic. Maybe if you are over fifty you need to stay healthy
as possible for as long as you can.
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,
Part II
II. Faith perceives what our
senses fail to grasp.
49. Yet, faith can penetrate
through the veil of our senses to help us see that every Holy Mass is truly an
encounter with Jesus Christ. When Scripture is proclaimed and preached, it is
Christ Himself who is speaking. To receive all these benefits and transforming
effects of Holy Communion, faith is the first essential requirement.
50. In the Discourse on the
Bread of Life in Chapter 6 of the Gospel of Saint John, many of the disciples
reacted to Jesus’ claim by saying, “this teaching is difficult. Who can accept
it?” After Jesus watched most of His disciples abandon Him, He turned to the
Twelve apostles and asked, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter responded with
faith, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have
come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn 6:68). This
teaching was not any easier for Peter. It would only become fathomable a year
later for Peter and the other Apostles during the Last Supper when Jesus would
take bread and wine into His hands, and totally change them into Himself as He
said, “This is my body: take and eat,” and “This is the chalice of my blood:
take and drink.” Peter knew that Jesus had the words of eternal life. He put
his whole faith in Jesus’ words. He believed in Jesus’ difficult teaching on
the Eucharist precisely because he believed in his Lord and God, basing his
entire existence in the words of Jesus.
51. Today, in our own particular situation and circumstance, Jesus also turns to us and asks the same question: “Do you also want to leave?”. Like the disciples in Capernaum, many in our times have wandered spiritually away from Jesus in the Eucharist. Many Catholics have wandered away from the practice of Sunday Mass, focusing more on work, sports, sleep, or entertainment rather than the Lord. There are also those who are physically there but not with their faith. They may come to Mass but do not receive Jesus with faith, love, and reverence because they think that they are only receiving a symbol rather than God Himself who died for them. There are those who physically come to Mass, but their hearts cannot wait to leave Jesus’ presence. Indeed, the Eucharist is hard to believe! Thus, it is important for us to have patience and compassion for those whose faith is weak. Nevertheless, the call to faith is urgent.
St. Bernard of Montjoux-Patron of Mountaineers[7]
Historically
May 28th is the feast of St. Bernard of Montjoux, an Italian
churchman, founder of the Alpine hospices of Saint Bernard. He is most famous
for the hospices he built on the summits of passes over the Alps. Many pilgrims
from France and Germany would travel over the Alps on their way to Rome, but it
was always a possibility that one would die from freezing along the way. In the
9th century a system of hospices had been attempted but had lapsed long before
Bernard's time. Bernard's hospices in the 11th century were placed under the
care of clerics and laymen and were well equipped for the reception of all
travelers. A now-famous breed of dogs, known for its endurance in high altitude
and cold, was named in honor of this saint. Bernard's life has been the focus
of many romantic plays and stories. Many of us may remember childhood stories
of St. Bernard’s dogs coming to the rescue of stranded or injured victims on
Alpine slopes. The dogs almost always seem to have a cask of Brandy attached to
their collars and when the victims were revived by a good drink the dogs would
lead them to safety.
Things
to Do
·
Read
History of the Grand St Bernard pass for background.
·
If
you like dogs, you might find this history of the Saint Bernard Dog interesting.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters
of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Authentic Feminism
·
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[3]http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/abortion/excerpts-from-human-life-in-our-day.cfm
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