NIC’s Corner
This is the day the LORD has made.
let us rejoice in it and be glad.
(Psalm 118:24)
· Bucket List trip: Rich vs Poor Tour: Luxembourg vs. Burundi
o Luxembourg: Per Capita: $141,000 The country has positioned itself as a global financial hub, attracting banks, investment funds, and multinational corporations with its business-friendly regulations and tax advantages.
o Burundi-Per Capita $1000 political instability and conflict are the biggest reasons for Burundi's poverty. Decades of civil war, unrest, and weak governance have disrupted economic development, destroyed infrastructure, and discouraged investment. Stability is essential for long-term growth, and Burundi has struggled to maintain it.
· National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
o Cheat: National Steakhouse Month “make it surf and turf”
§ Stay at home: Catholic Recipe: Skewered Beef Roman Style
o Spirit Hour: Bee’s Knees
· National Movie Night dinner and a movie
· Get an indulgence
Introduction to 2 Corinthians
Here you have two
letters written by Paul of Tarsus. He's one of the superstars of the early
church and the guy people think is responsible for almost a third of the
writing in the New Testament. If Jesus is taking home the statute for Best
Biblical Hero, then Paul definitely has a lock in the Best Supporting category.
The guy is A-list all the way. These two letters are just a couple of little
theological blockbusters he wrote to the Christian church he founded in
Corinth. 1 Corinthians is kind of like A New Hope or The Fellowship of the Ring. It's the first
amazing installment in a can't-wait-to-see-how-it-ends series. This first
letter's got everything a hit movie does: sex, love, marriage, divorce,
conflict, betrayal, anger, and even an occasional discussion of penises. Don't
worry, the rating is still G. So, if that was Paul's first box office hit, then
2 Corinthians is like the sequel that's even bigger and better than the
original. Corinth: now with higher stakes, more expensive special effects, and
bigger explosions (of apostolic anger)! This book also has a little bonus
footage in it, because most scholars think that 2 Corinthians is actually two
letters combined into one. It's what would happen if someone took Breaking Dawn: Part 1 and Part 2
and edited them into one movie. Corinthians would
have fewer longing vampire glances, though. The best part about both of these
is that you don't have to wait years between letters to see how it ends. Want
to know what happened after that cliffhanger at the end of 1 Corinthians? Just
flip the page and find out (spoiler alert: things do not go well). It's kind of
like how we'd feel if Peter Jackson had made The Hobbit into one movie instead of
three. (Which let's be honest, he should have: the book isn't that long, dude.) So, break out the popcorn, put on your
3-D glasses, and crack open your Bibles to the letters to the Corinthians. On
second thought, maybe ditch the 3-D glasses. That might just make you dizzy.
Why Should I Care?
"Don't make me
angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Quoting the Hulk (Bruce Banner), but we're also paraphrasing St. Paul
the Apostle. What? Didn't think saints ever got mad? Well then, just take a
peek at 1 and 2 Corinthians to have your world rocked. He may be a follower of
Jesus, but Paul has feelings, too, you know. In these letters, they're mainly
anger, jealousy, and frustration. All that good stuff. See, even though he
founded the church in Corinth, Paul can't quite keep things under control there.
Not only are the Corinthians rebelling left and right, but people keep coming
into town telling everyone that Paul is actually a giant green monster that
can't be trusted in civilized society. Paul calls these guys the false apostles
and, for him, they're worse than a radioactive lab experiment gone wrong. But
if the Hulk's super power is unstoppable strength, Paul's is sarcasm-laced
letters and near-death experiences. While the false apostles spend most of
their time bragging about how amazingly holy and spiritually-gifted they are,
Paul puts pen to paper to record all his failures. He writes in his letters
about being beaten, chained, tortured, imprisoned, starved, and almost
beheaded. See, Paul thinks strength is actually found in weakness. We'd say Christianity
has found its anti-hero. So, if you're looking for a guy from the Bible you can
relate to—someone who occasionally gets mad and lashes out in letter form (as
opposed to stomping buildings)—then, Paul is your biblical superhero. But
remember, if make him angry with your unbelieving ways—PAUL SMASH!
JUNE 13 Ember Friday-Saint Anthony
of Padua
2
Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 11
Therefore, since we know the FEAR of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we are clearly apparent to God, and I hope we are also apparent to your consciousness.
Paul here is talking about the judgment seat of Christ. All will be judged on what they accomplished or failed to accomplish while sojourned here in flesh on earth. Imagine if at your judgment you discovered that you were using inches and feet as a measuring tool when all the time God was using the metric system. (The metric system has been legal in the US since 1866. However, we still don’t understand it.) According to John Maxwell we may be received into the kingdom, but our rewards could be different.
Rewards
versus Inheritance[1]
1)
We are indeed saved by the merits of Christ; but our reward will be based on
our service.
2)
We are given freely God’s grace; but our reward will be given in proportion to
our work.
3)
We receive the Kingdom because the Holy Eucharist forms us to the image of
Christ; but our reward is based on our life as a servant of Christ.
4)
Christ’s blood poured out for us and our baptism gives us a birthright, but our
reward is based on our obedience to the eternal spirit.
5)
Our faith makes us secure, but our reward is in being faithful to Him, which is
still pending.
Here
is a question to ponder on. Are you a cash cow[2]
for the Lord or the world?
Friday after
Pentecost-Ember Day[3]
EPISTLE.
Joel ii. 23-27.
THUS,
saith the Lord God: O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful, in the Lord
your God: because He hath given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the
early and the latter rain to come down for you as in the beginning. And the
floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and
oil. And I will restore to you the years which the locust, and the bruchus
(beetle), and the mildew, and the palmerworm have eaten: My great host which I
sent upon you. And you shall eat in plenty, and shall be filled: and you shall
praise the name of the Lord your God, Who hath done wonders with you, and My
people shall not be confounded forever. And you shall know that I am in the
midst of Israel: and I am the Lord your God, and there is none besides: and My
people shall not be confounded forever, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL.
Luke v. 17-26.
At that time: It came to
pass on a certain day, as Jesus sat teaching, that there were Pharisees and
doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and
Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was to heal them. And behold
men brought in a bed a man who had the palsy: and they sought means to bring
him in, and to lay him before Him. And when they could not find by what way
they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof,
and let him down through the tiles with his bed, into the midst before Jesus.
Whose faith when He saw, He said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the
scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this Who speaketh
blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?
And when Jesus knew their
thoughts, answering He said to them: What is it you think in your hearts? Which
is easier to say, thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
But that you may know that
the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (He saith to the sick of the
palsy): I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house. And
immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he
went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished; and they
glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful
things to-day.
Ember Friday-Meditation
on the Crucifixion[4]
Another Form of Prayers for
The Stations
(For
Private Use.)
PREPARATORY PRAYER.
RECEIVE, O holy Trinity, this my dutiful service, which I offer unto Thee
in union with the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and
all the saints, to the glory of Thy divine majesty, in satisfaction for my
sins, in remembrance of our redemption, and to obtain for the departed rest,
for the living grace, and for all everlasting glory. To Thee be praise, and
honor, and glory, O blessed Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.
FIRST STATION.
CHRIST IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. He willingly submitted to that unjust
judgment, that He might deliver thee from the sentence of everlasting
damnation.
·
The wicked have said, reasoning with themselves, but
not right: Let us lie in wait for the just, for He is contrary to our doing: He
boasteth that He hath the knowledge of God, and calleth God His Father. Let us
see if His words be true. If He be indeed the Son of God, He will deliver Him
out of our hands. Let us condemn Him to a most shameful death.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God spared not His own Son. But delivered Him up for us all. He was
offered up, because He Himself desired it. And He opened not His mouth.
O Lord, hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who out
of the bosom of the Father didst descend from heaven to earth, and didst shed
Thy most precious blood for the remission of our sins, we humbly beseech Thee
that in the day of judgment we may be found worthy to stand at Thy right hand,
and to hear Thee say unto us, “Come, ye blessed” Amen.
SECOND STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON CHRIST. “The wicked have wrought upon my back”
(Ps. cxxviii.). Hail, our King! Thou only hadst pity on our sins, and wast led,
in obedience to Thy Father, to be crucified, and as a gentle lamb to the
slaughter. To Thee be glory, hosanna; to Thee be triumph and victory; to Thee
the crown of highest praise and honor.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And by His bruises we are
healed. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. For the wickedness of
His people hath He struck Him.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRD STATION.
CHRIST FALLS THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE CROSS. How great must be the weight
of our sins, under which He fell, Who bears all things by the word of His
power!
·
Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself unto death,
even the death of the cross; for which cause God also hath exalted Him, and
hath given Him a name which is above all names.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Surely, He hath borne our infirmities. And carried our sorrows. He was
branded for our iniquities. He was bruised for our sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FOURTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET ON HIS WAY BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER AND ST. JOHN. Oh, how
sharp a sword of grief must have pierced the heart of His Mother and of His
loving disciple when they met Jesus thus! Dost thou, too, share with them their
sorrow and grief?
·
Oh, all ye that pass by, attend and see if there be
any sorrow like to my sorrow: therefore, do I weep, and my eyes run down with
water, because the Comforter, the relief of my soul, is far from me. My eyes
have failed for weeping, my bowels are troubled, my heart is turned within me,
for the desolation of my Son, because the enemy hath prevailed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Great as the sea is thy grief. Who shall heal thee? A sword of grief hath
pierced thine own soul. That out of many hearts’ thoughts may be revealed.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FIFTH STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON SIMON OF CYRENE. This man was compelled to carry
the cross after Jesus. How great an honor to have carried it willingly! Art
thou ready to bear the cross of Christ?
·
It behooveth us to glory in the cross of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, in Whom is our salvation, who is our life and resurrection, and
through Whom we are saved and delivered.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus
Christ. By Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. O
faithful cross, thou peerless tree! No forest yields the like of thee, leaf,
flower, or bud.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SIXTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET BY VERONICA. How excellent a mirror did Veronica obtain in
the image of the face of Christ! Do thou ever contemplate thyself in that
mirror?
·
Behold, we have seen Him without beauty or
comeliness, despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and
acquainted with infirmity, and His look was as it were hidden and despised;
whereupon we esteemed Him not. His appearance is without honor among the
living, and His beauty among the sons of men; yet He is beautiful above all the
children of men, by Whose bruises we are healed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
O Lord God of hosts correct us. Show us Thy face, and we shall be saved.
Turn not away Thy face from us. Neither leave Thy servants in displeasure.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS DOWN AT THE GATE OF JUDGMENT. How wilt thou be able to stand
before Him in the day of judgment?
·
They delivered Me into the hands of the ungodly, and
thrust Me among the wicked, and did not spare My soul. The strong men gathered
themselves against Me. and stood over Me like giants, gazing upon Me with
fierce looks; and, beating Me with cruel stripes, they mocked Me.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
But I am a worm, and no man. The scorn of men and the outcast of the
people. All they that see Me laugh at Me. They spoke against Me with their
lips, and wagged their heads.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
EIGHTH STATION.
WOMEN LAMENT OVER CHRIST. Where are the tears with which thou dost bewail
thy sins rather than the loss of any earthly good?
·
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep
for yourselves and for your children. For, behold, the days shall come in which
they say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the
paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains,
fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood they do
these things, what shall be done in the dry?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The breath of our nostrils, Christ the Lord. Is taken in our sins. The
crown of our head hath fallen. Woe unto us, for we have sinned.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
NINTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS FOR THE LAST TIME AT MOUNT CALVARY. Oh, how often is Christ
pressed down by the weight of our sins!
·
My people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have
I molested thee? Answer thou Me. I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt,
and thou hast prepared for Me a cross; I led thee through the wilderness forty
years, and fed thee with manna, and thou hast beaten Me with buffets and
scourges; I gave thee a royal sceptre, and thou hast given My head a crown of
thorns. What could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
He is led like a sheep to the slaughter. And, as a lamb before His
shearers, He is dumb. He delivered His soul unto death. That He might give life
unto His people.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS, AND IS GIVEN VINEGAR AND GALL TO
DRINK. Art thou unkind and inconsiderate to the poor? What thou dost to them
thou dost to Christ.
·
My people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have
I molested thee? Answer thou Me. I brought thee out from the house of bondage
to the promised land; and when I came to thee from the bosom of My Father, thou
didst lead Me to the death of the cross. I planted thee My choicest vine, and
thou wast made unto Me exceeding bitter; I gave thee to drink out of the rock
the water of salvation, and thou madest Me to drink vinegar and gall. What
could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My strength hath dried up like a potsherd. And my tongue hath cleaved to
My jaws. They gave Me gall to eat. And when I was thirsty, they gave Me vinegar
to drink.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
ELEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS FASTENED TO THE CROSS WITH DREADFUL NAILS. How strong are the
bands of love with which Jesus hath bound Himself unto thee! How dost thou bind
thyself in return unto Him?
·
My people, what have I done unto thee? I exalted
thee with great power, and thou didst hang Me on the gibbet of the cross; I
made thee higher than all nations, and thou hast loaded Me with reproaches and
curses; I opened before thee the Red Sea, and thou hast opened My side with a
spear. What could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
What are these wounds in the middle of Thy hands? With them was I wounded
in the house of those that loved Me. They have pierced My hands and My feet.
And have numbered all My bones.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TWELFTH STATION.
CHRIST DIES UPON THE CROSS. Consider what Jesus said and did when He was
dying. Oh, that thou too mayst die like Him!
·
Behold how the just man dieth, and no man layeth it
to heart; and the righteous are taken away, and no one considereth. The just
man is taken away from before the face of evil, and the memory of him shall be
in peace.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Christ became obedient unto death for us. Even the death of the cross. We
adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast
redeemed the world.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF CHRIST IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND LAID UPON THE KNEES
OF HIS MOTHER. Consider the vehement anguish of Mary’s soul when she received
in her arms the dead body of her Son taken down from the cross, and laid Him on
her knees. Love caused her so great grief, and made her truly a martyr. What
love and sympathy dost thou feel for thy Savior?
·
To what shall I compare thee, or to whom shall I
liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee, O virgin
daughter of Sion? Great as the sea is thy desolation. O mother of mercy make me
to share with thee the death of Christ; make me a partaker of His passion.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Through thee, O Virgin Mary, may we obtain salvation. From the wounds of
Christ. O holy Jesus, grant me to obtain, through Thy Mother, The crown of
victory.
FOURTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF JESUS IS BURIED. Consider, O my soul, how the body of Jesus
was wrapped in spices, and laid in a new tomb. With what honor dost thou
receive Jesus thy Redeemer daily, either sacramentally or spiritually? Art thou
always endeavoring to be, as it were, a new tomb for the reception of Jesus,
bright with the beautiful ornaments of virtue?
·
I am counted among them that go down to the pit; I
am become as a man without help, free among the dead. O good Jesus, I come here
with the women to Thy tomb, sorrowing and lamenting that hitherto I have shown
myself so unworthy: confirm and establish the kingdom of Thy grace in my heart.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My flesh shall rest in hope. Thou wilt not give Thy holy one to see
corruption. Arise, O Lord, and help me. And deliver me from my sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer. O Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
COMMENDATION.
Look down, O Lord, we beseech Thee, upon this Thy family, for which Our
Lord Jesus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men,
and to endure the torment of the cross. Amen.
PRAYER ON THE HOLY WINDING-SHEET OF CHRIST’S BODY.
O Lord Jesus Christ, “Who didst leave the marks of
Thy passion on the holy winding-sheet in which Thy most sacred body was wrapped
by Joseph when taken down from the cross, mercifully grant that through Thy
death and burial we may be brought to the glory of the resurrection. Amen.
MEDITATIONS ON THE
LITURGY FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM FOR EACH OF THE EMBER DAYS AFTER PENTECOST.
Written by Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel, originally
published in the journal Orate Fratres Vol. XVIII, May 14, 1944, No. 7, pp.
299-305, later reprinted in Vine and Branches, Pio Decimo Press, 1948.
These
meditations are attached to the 1962 Extraordinary Form liturgy. The current
lectionary has different readings and prayers not specific to the Ember Days.
Prayer:
EMBER FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Station "With the Twelve Apostles"
They
found them clean vessels and one in love (response).
We
are resting upon the blessed Apostles, the twelve pillars of the Church of God.
May we never depart from them. The Church prays today for that grace: "We
who by the Holy Ghost have been gathered within the (apostolic) fold,
may we in no wise be disturbed by any attack of the foe."
Yesterday's
response to the first lesson is a beautiful tribute to the apostolic protectors
on this ember Friday. "The fire of God," so reads the response,
"came not to destroy, but to enlighten; not to consume, but to shine, and
found the hearts of the disciples’ clean vessels. And the Holy Ghost gave them
the gifts of His grace. He found them one in love, and the overflowing grace of
the Godhead shone through them, alleluia."
He
found their hearts clean vessels full of charity and love. No wonder the Holy
Spirit replenished such hearts with the gifts of His grace. Where purity is,
there is the vision of God; where charity and love are, there is God Himself.
Purity and charity, these are the jewels that adorn the twelve apostolic
pillars upon whom we rest. Purity and charity, these are the two channels
through which flows freely the transforming life of the Godhead.
"O
children of Sion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because He hath
given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the early and the latter rain
to come down to you, as in the beginning" (epistle).
The
holy apostles with whom we celebrate this day are indeed our "teachers of
justice." If we adhere to them, if we absorb their purity and charity, the
dew of the Holy Ghost will descend upon us, as it did in the beginning--on the
day when "He found their hearts clean vessels and one in love."
In
many ways we resemble the sick man in today's gospel; the palsy of human
affections and uncharitableness is responsible for our lameness in the things
of God. May these twelve strong apostolic men take hold of us this morning and
"let us down into the midst before Jesus" that we may obtain from Him
health of mind and heart and a new infusion of His Spirit of purity and
charity.
May
the eucharistic fire of God make our hearts clean vessels, and fill them with
such a degree of love that the Holy Ghost will also give to us His gifts and
the overflowing grace of His Godhead.
Prayer Source: Orate
Fratres/Worship: A Review Devoted to the Liturgical Apostolate , The
Liturgical Press
Which are the fruits of the Holy
Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2. Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6.
Goodness.
7.
Longsuffering.
8.
Mildness.
9.
Faith.
10.
Modesty.
11. Continency.
12. Chastity.
These fruits should be visible in the Christian, for
thereby men shall know that the Holy Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known
by its fruit.
Notice I have placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep
fashion so we may reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of
our growth in the spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father.
Today we will be focusing on the fifth step which is mildness.
St.
Anthony[5]
Anthony
is one of the most popular saints in the Church. He is the patron of lost
things and numerous other causes. In Brazil, he is considered a general of the
army; he is the patron of the poor and has been recognized as a wonderworker
from the moment of his death. He was born in Portugal and entered the
Augustinian monastery of Sao Vicente in Lisbon when he was fifteen. When news
of the Franciscan martyrs in Morocco reached him, he joined the Franciscans at
Coimbra. At his own request, he was sent as a missionary to Morocco, but he
became ill, and on his return journey his boat was driven off course and he
landed in Sicily. He took part in St. Francis' famous Chapter of Mats in 1221
and was assigned to the Franciscan province of Romagna. He became a preacher by
accident. When a scheduled preacher did not show up for an ordination ceremony
at Forli, the Franciscan superior told Anthony to go into the pulpit. His
eloquence stirred everyone, and he was assigned to preach throughout northern
Italy. Because of his success in converting heretics, he was called the
"Hammer of Heretics" and because of his learning, St. Francis himself
appointed him a teacher of theology. St. Anthony of Padua was such a forceful
preacher that shops closed when he came to town, and people stayed all night in
church to be present for his sermons. He became associated with Padua because
he made this city his residence and the center of his great preaching mission. After
a series of Lenten sermons in 1231, Anthony's strength gave out and he went
into seclusion at Camposanpiero but soon had to be carried back to Padua. He
did not reach the city but was taken to the Poor Clare convent at Arcella,
where he died. He was thirty-six years old, and the whole city of Padua turned
out in mourning for his passing. He was canonized within a year of his death
and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.
Patron: Against
shipwrecks; against starvation; against starving; American Indians; amputees;
animals; asses; barrenness; boatmen; Brazil; diocese of Beaumont, Texas;
domestic animals; elderly people; expectant mothers; faith in the Blessed
Sacrament; Ferrazzano, Italy; fishermen; harvests; horses; Lisbon, Portugal;
lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; oppressed people; Padua, Italy;
paupers; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; sailors; seekers of lost
articles; shipwrecks; starvation; starving people; sterility; swineherds; Tigua
Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; watermen.
Things to
Do
·
St. Anthony was a great lover of the poor.
Deprive yourself of some treat and put the money saved in the poor box.
·
St. Anthony's Bread refers to an episode told in
the Rigaldina, the oldest life of St. Anthony. A Paduan mother, who
lived near the Basilica during its construction, had left little Thomas, her 20-month-old
son, alone in the kitchen. The little boy, while playing, ended up headfirst in
a tub of water. His mother found him lifeless. She screamed desperately but she
didn't give up. She called on the Saint. She made a vow: if she obtained the
blessing of her child back to life, she would donate to the poor bread equal to
the weight of her son to the poor. Her prayer was answered. Read
more about St. Anthony's Bread and consider donating to St. Anthony's
charities.
·
St. Anthony is invoked by women in search of
good husbands, so if you're single and in search of a spouse, today is a good
day to make a visit to a church or shrine dedicated to St. Anthony to make your
petition to this generous saint!
·
Because St. Anthony was buried on a Tuesday and
many miracles accompanied his funeral, Tuesdays are special days of honoring
him throughout the year. It is customary to pray a Novena
to him on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.
·
St. Anthony Novena
1-on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.
o Saint Anthony died
on Friday, June 13th, 1231.
He was buried on the following Tuesday, June 17th.
o No miracle had
occurred during the interval, but on that Tuesday his funeral procession was
changed into a continuous triumphal ovation on account of the number and
greatness of miracles by God occurring thru the intercession of St.
Anthony.
o Come join
us for 13 TUESDAYS NOVENA TO ST. ANTHONY.
o Mass is celebrated at 6:30 PM, then
the Novena, followed by adoration until 8pm. Confession is also available
during this time.
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 III
Loving and Adoring the Eucharistic
Lord
VI. Pastors, have one
Eucharistic procession each year in your parish.
101. Of course, any Eucharistic
procession should be reverent, beautiful, peaceful, festive, and well-planned.
But there will be much variation from parish to parish. For a particular parish
the procession could be several miles and in highly public places; it could be
shorter and simply around the parish campus. Perhaps it involves a few dozen or
several hundred people, or even much larger crowds. For some parishes (like
those in the cooler climates) the feast of Corpus Christi may be the best time
for a procession. For others (like those in warmer places), parishes may want
to choose another day each year. Possibilities include the celebration of Our
Lady of Guadalupe (our diocesan patroness), Christ the King, Epiphany,
Pentecost, the parish’s patronal feast day, and the celebration of the
anniversary of the dedication of the church.
VII. Pastors, consider how you
can make Eucharistic adoration a more available evangelical opportunity.
102. As we discussed above,
Eucharistic adoration can be a significant opportunity for evangelization
because there we truly are able to bring a friend into the sacramental, living,
bodily presence of Christ. The Eucharist is the greatest treasure of the Church
for it is Christ Himself – and it is the treasure to which the church
invites each man and woman in every place and time. But all priests know the
confused and overwhelmed look that can often appear on the face of a
non-Catholic after attending Mass for the first time. We can forget how rich,
complex, and biblical are the symbolic words, images, and gestures in the Mass.
It is like another world with a foreign language. For those unfamiliar with
Catholic liturgy, this complexity can frequently be so alien as to be almost
entirely impenetrable. Eucharistic adoration, on the other hand, is much
simpler and less demanding for an un-evangelized person. It can be a kind of
door or bridge to the full sacramental life of the church.
103. What would it look like
if your parish made Eucharistic adoration more beautiful, available, and
accessible to Catholics who could invite friends?
Are times for adoration widely
publicized?
Is the place where adoration is
held reverent, dignified, safe, and inviting?
How often do Mass-going Catholics
receive encouragement to invite friends and family members to adoration?
Are there resources which can
easily assist non-Catholics and fallen-away Catholics in beginning to learn to
pray in the presence of the Eucharistic Lord?
To be continued…
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day 361 2816-2827
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 3-THE SEVEN PETITIONS
II. "Thy Kingdom Come"
2816 In the
New Testament, the word basileia can be translated by "kingship"
(abstract noun), "kingdom" (concrete noun) or "reign"
(action noun). the Kingdom of God lies ahead of us. It is brought near in the
Word incarnate, it is proclaimed throughout the whole Gospel, and it has come
in Christ's death and Resurrection. the Kingdom of God has been coming since
the Last Supper and, in the Eucharist, it is in our midst. the kingdom will
come in glory when Christ hands it over to his Father:
It may even
be . . . that the Kingdom of God means Christ himself, whom we daily desire to
come, and whose coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us. For as he is our
resurrection, since in him we rise, so he can also be understood as the Kingdom
of God, for in him we shall reign.
2817 This
petition is "Marana tha," the cry of the Spirit and the Bride:
"Come, Lord Jesus."
Even if it
had not been prescribed to pray for the coming of the kingdom, we would
willingly have brought forth this speech, eager to embrace our hope. In
indignation the souls of the martyrs under the altar cry out to the Lord:
"O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge and avenge our
blood on those who dwell upon the earth?" For their retribution is
ordained for the end of the world. Indeed as soon as possible, Lord, may your
kingdom come!
2818 In the
Lord's Prayer, "thy kingdom come" refers primarily to the final
coming of the reign of God through Christ's return. But, far from
distracting the Church from her mission in this present world, this desire
commits her to it all the more strongly. Since Pentecost, the coming of that
Reign is the work of the Spirit of the Lord who "complete(s) his work on
earth and brings us the fullness of grace."
2819 "The
kingdom of God (is) righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit." The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring
of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between
"the flesh" and the Spirit.
Only a pure
soul can boldly say: "Thy kingdom come." One who has heard Paul say,
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies," and has purified
himself in action, thought and word will say to God: "Thy kingdom
come!"
2820 By a
discernment according to the Spirit, Christians have to distinguish between the
growth of the Reign of God and the progress of the culture and society in which
they are involved. This distinction is not a separation. Man's vocation to
eternal life does not suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into
action in this world the energies and means received from the Creator to serve
justice and peace.
2821 This
petition is taken up and granted in the prayer of Jesus which is present and
effective in the Eucharist; it bears its fruit in new life in keeping with the
Beatitudes.
III. "Thy Will
Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven"
2822 Our
Father "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth." He "is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any
should perish." His commandment is "that you love one another;
even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." This
commandment summarizes all the others and expresses his entire will.
2823 "He
has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
that he set forth in Christ . . . to gather up all things in him, things in
heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,
having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all
things according to his counsel and will." We ask insistently for
this loving plan to be fully realized on earth as it is already in heaven.
2824 In
Christ, and through his human will, the will of the Father has been perfectly
fulfilled once for all. Jesus said on entering into this world: "Lo, I
have come to do your will, O God." Only Jesus can say: "I always
do what is pleasing to him." In the prayer of his agony, he consents
totally to this will: "not my will, but yours be done." For this
reason Jesus "gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." "and by
that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all."
2825
"Although he was a Son, [Jesus] learned obedience through what he
suffered." How much more reason have we sinful creatures to learn
obedience - we who in him have become children of adoption. We ask our Father
to unite our will to his Son's, in order to fulfill his will, his plan of
salvation for the life of the world. We are radically incapable of this, but
united with Jesus and with the power of his Holy Spirit, we can surrender our
will to him and decide to choose what his Son has always chosen: to do what is
pleasing to the Father.
In
committing ourselves to [Christ], we can become one spirit with him, and
thereby accomplish his will, in such wise that it will be perfect on earth as
it is in heaven.
Consider how
Jesus Christ] teaches us to be humble, by making us see that our virtue does
not depend on our work alone but on grace from on high. He commands each of the
faithful who prays to do so universally, for the whole world. For he did not
say "thy will be done in me or in us," but "on earth," the
whole earth, so that error may be banished from it, truth take root in it, all
vice be destroyed on it, virtue flourish on it, and earth no longer differ from
heaven.
2826 By prayer
we can discern "what is the will of God" and obtain the endurance to
do it. Jesus teaches us that one enters the kingdom of heaven not by
speaking words, but by doing "the will of my Father in heaven."
2827 "If
anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to
him." Such is the power of the Church's prayer in the name of her
Lord, above all in the Eucharist. Her prayer is also a communion of
intercession with the all-holy Mother of God and all the saints who have
been pleasing to the Lord because they willed his will alone:
It would not
be inconsistent with the truth to understand the words, "Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven," to mean: "in the Church as in our Lord
Jesus Christ himself"; or "in the Bride who has been betrothed, just
as in the Bridegroom who has accomplished the will of the Father."
Yukon Territory
created, 1898[7]
The Yukon, a territory in
northwest Canada, is wild, mountainous and sparsely populated. Kluane National
Park and Reserve includes Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak, as well as
glaciers, trails and the Alsek River. In the far north is Ivvavik National Park,
with protected calving grounds for Porcupine caribou. In the south are numerous
glacier-fed alpine lakes, including boldly coloured Emerald Lake.
The '20-5-3' Rule-How
Much Time to Spend Outside[8]
Americans today spend 92 percent
of their time indoors, and their physical and mental health are suffering. Use
this three-number formula to make yourself stronger and happier.
The herd of
400-pound caribou was running 50 miles an hour and directly at me. The
30 animals had been eating lichen in the Arctic tundra in Alaska when something
spooked them. I was sitting in their escape route. The ground began to vibrate
once they cracked 100 yards. At 50 yards, I could see their hooves smashing the
ground and kicking up moss and moisture. Then they were at 40 yards, then 35.
I could hear their breathing, smell their coats, and see all
the details of their ornate antlers. Just as I was wondering if the rescue
plane would be able to spot my hoof-pocked corpse, one of the caribou noticed
me and swerved. The herd followed, shaking the earth as they swept left and
summited a hillcrest, their antlers black against a gold sky.
That moment when those caribou shook the earth also shook my
soul. It was transcendent, wild as a religious experience. And it’s not even
the most intense thing I did in Alaska. I experienced savage weather, crossed
raging rivers, and faced a half-ton grizzly. My brain was feeling less hunkered
down in its typical foxhole—a state I’d compare to that of a roadrunner on
meth, dementedly zooming from one thing to the next. My mind felt more like it
belonged to a monk after a month at a meditation retreat. I just
felt . . . better. The biologist E. O. Wilson put what I was feeling this way:
“Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive, and even
spiritual satisfaction.”
When I returned from the wild, my Zen-like buzz hung around
for months. To understand what was happening, I met with Rachel Hopman, Ph.D.,
a neuroscientist at Northeastern University. She told me about the nature
pyramid. Think of it like the food pyramid, except that instead of recommending
you eat this many servings of vegetables and this many of meat, it recommends
the amount of time you should spend in nature to reduce stress and be
healthier. Learn and live by the 20-5-3 rule.
20 Minutes
That’s the amount of
time you should spend outside in nature, like a neighborhood park, three times
a week. Hopman led a new study that concluded that something as painless as a
20-minute stroll through a city botanical garden can boost cognition and memory
as well as improve feelings of well-being. “But,” she said, “we found that
people who used their cell phone on the walk saw none of those benefits.”
Other research
discovered that 20 minutes outside three times a week is the dose of nature
that had the greatest effect on reducing an urban dweller’s levels of the
stress hormone cortisol.
In nature, our
brains enter a mode called “soft fascination.” Hopman described it as a
mindfulness-like state that restores and builds the resources you need to
think, create, process information, and execute tasks. It’s mindfulness without
the meditation. A short daily nature walk—or even a walk down a tree-lined
street—is a great option for people who aren’t keen on sitting and focusing on
their breath. But turn off your phone—alerts from it can kick you out of
soft-fascination mode.
5 Hours
The minimum
length of time each month you should spend in semi-wild nature,
like a forested state park. “Spending more time in wilder spaces does seem to
give you more benefits,” said Hopman.
A 2005 survey conducted in Finland found that city dwellers
felt better with at least five hours of nature a month, with benefits
increasing at higher exposures. They were also more likely to be happier and
less stressed in their everyday lives.
The Finnish government then funded another study in 2014 in
which the scientists dumped people in a city center, a city park, and a
forested state park. The two parks felt more Zen than the city center. No
shocker. Except that those walking in a state park had an edge over the
city-park people. They felt even more relaxed and restored. The takeaway: The
wilder the nature, the better.
Nature has these effects on the mind and body because it
stimulates and soothes us in unusual and unique ways. For instance, in nature
you are engulfed in fractals, suggested Hopman. Fractals are complex patterns
that repeat over and over in different sizes and scales and make up the design
of the universe. Think: trees (big branch to smaller branch to smaller branch
and so on), river systems (big river to smaller river to stream and so on),
mountain ranges, clouds, seashells. “Cities don’t have fractals,” said Hopman.
“Imagine a typical building. It’s usually flat, with right angles. It’s painted
some dull color.” Fractals are organized chaos, which our brains apparently
dig. In fact, scientists at the University of Oregon discovered that Jackson
Pollock’s booze-and-jazz-fueled paintings are made up of fractals. This may
explain why they speak to humans at such a core level.
Nature lifts us in other ways, too: Think smells and sounds.
The feeling of the sun’s warm rays. Or just the fact that you’re getting out of
the stress of your home or office. “It’s probably a mix of a lot of things,”
said Hopman. Environments like cities, with their frenetic pace, right angles,
loud noises, rotten smells, pinging phones, and to-do lists, don’t offer this.
3 Days
This is
the top of the pyramid. Three is the number of days you should
spend each year off the grid in nature, camping or renting a cabin (with
friends or solo). Think: places characterized by spotty cell reception and wild
animals, away from the hustle and bustle.
This dose of the wildest nature is sort of like an extended
meditation retreat. Except talking is allowed and there are no gurus. It causes
your brain to ride alpha waves, the same waves that increase during meditation
or when you lapse into a flow state. They can reset your thinking, boost
creativity, tame burnout, and just make you feel better.
This is likely why one study found that three days in the
wild boost’s creativity and problem-solving abilities and another found that
U. S. military vets who spent four days white-water rafting were still buzzing
off the wild a week later. Their PTSD symptoms and stress levels were down 29
and 21 percent, respectively. Their relationships, happiness, and general
satisfaction with their lives all improved as well.
When I returned from Alaska, my wife and I moved to the edge
of the desert in Las Vegas. She wanted a shorter commute, and I wanted more
access to nature. I now walk my dogs through red-rock trails for at least 20
minutes daily and on Sunday do a long trail run deep into the canyons to rack
up my five-hour quota for the month. This summer, I’m planning a weeklong
backcountry fly-fishing trip in Idaho’s Frank Church–River of No Return
Wilderness Area. Hoping I’ll return less frazzled, fitter, and feeling more
alive.
Adapted from the book The Comfort Crisis: Embrace
Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self, by Michael Easter,
out now from Rodale Books. Copyright © 2021 by Michael Easter.
Fitness
Friday-Get off your Knees America
Knee Exercises[9]
Is It Safe for Me to
Exercise?
Are you
worried that working out could cause more knee damage or pain?
As
long as your doctor says it’s OK, the best thing you can do is to strengthen
the muscles that support your knee and keep them flexible. Start slowly, and
build up over time. Talk to your doctor about which specific exercises are good
for you.
Warm Up First
You can ride a stationary
bike for about 5 minutes, take a brisk 2-minute walk while pumping your arms,
or do 15-20 wall push-ups followed by the same number of calf raises. Doing
this will help you get more out of your workout, prepare you to stretch, and
lower your risk of an injury.
1. Straight Leg Raises
If your knee’s not at its
best, start with a simple strengthening exercise for your quadriceps, the
muscles in the front of the thigh. This move puts little to no strain on the
knee. Lie on your back on the floor or another flat surface. Bend one knee and
place your foot flat on the floor. Keeping the other leg straight, raise it to
the height of the opposite knee. Repeat 10-15 times for three sets.
2. Hamstring Curls
These are the muscles
along the back of your thigh. Lie flat on your stomach. Slowly bring your heels
as close to your butt as you can, and hold that position. Do three sets of 15.
You can also do this exercise standing while you hold onto a chair and lift one
leg at a time. If this becomes easy, you can add ankle weights, slowly
increasing the weight from 1 to 3 to 5 pounds.
3. Prone Straight Leg
Raises
Lie on your stomach with your legs straight. Tighten the muscles in your
bottom and the hamstring of one leg, and lift toward the ceiling. Hold 3-5
seconds, lower, and repeat. Do 10-15 lifts and switch sides. You can add ankle
weights as you gain strength. You shouldn’t
feel back pain. If you do, limit how high you lift up. If it still hurts, stop
and talk to your doctor.
4. Wall Squats
This is a more advanced
move. You’ll keep your feet on the floor. Stand with your back against a wall,
your feet about shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your knees, and keep your
back and pelvis against the wall. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Don’t bend too deeply.
If you feel pressure or discomfort in your knees, change your position. Repeat
the exercise and try to hold the sit position a few seconds longer each time.
5. Calf Raises
Stand facing the back of a
sturdy chair, other support such as the back of a couch, or a wall bar at the
gym. You can also do this on the stairs, holding on to the banister with your
heels hanging off the edge of the step. Slowly raise the heels as high as you
can, then lower. Do three sets of 10-15. When it becomes easy, lift one foot
slightly off the floor, with all your weight on the other foot.
6. Step-Ups
Place one foot on a step
bench, platform, or the lowest step on a staircase. Keeping your pelvis
level, bend your knee and slowly lower the opposite foot to the floor. Lightly
touch your toe to the floor, then rise back up. Repeat 10-15 times, then switch
legs.
Too easy?
Use
a higher step or touch your heel instead of your toe.
7. Side Leg Raises
Lie on one side with your
legs stacked. Bend the bottom leg for support. Straighten the top leg and raise
it to 45 degrees. Hold for 5 seconds, lower and relax briefly, then repeat
10-15 times. Switch sides and start over.
Want to try a bit of a
different spin on the move?
Point
the toe of your upper leg slightly toward the floor as you raise it.
8. Leg Presses
Sit on a leg-press machine
with your back and head against the support and your feet flat on the foot
plate. Adjust the seat back so it’s comfortable. Slowly push the plate away
from you until your legs are extended. Bend your knees and return to your starting
position. Do three sets of 10-15 reps. (Ask a gym staff member for help the
first time you do this.)
No-No's for Your Knee
Exercise should never
cause pain or make it worse. Remember: Muscle soreness after a hard workout is
normal. But sharp, shooting, or sudden pain in the muscles or joints means you
should stop and check with your doctor.
Knee-Friendly Cardio
Gentle is good.
So skip high-impact activities such as running or intense aerobics. Notice
what feels right for you. For example, some people love elliptical machines,
but others don’t. Swimming, jogging in water, or water aerobics are often
great! Double-check with your doctor about your exercise plan.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Victims
of clergy sexual abuse
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell
Leadership Bible.
[2]Cash cow is business jargon for a business venture that generates a steady
return of profits that far exceed the outlay of cash required to acquire or start it.
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[7]https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yukon,+Canada/@65.0731698,-132.4013939,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x51178198b4528b89:0x2e149cd561cc96ea!8m2!3d64.2823274!4d-135!16zL20vMDg3cjQ?entry=ttu
[9]https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/injury-knee-pain-16/slideshow-knee-exercises
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