Claire’s Corner
· Do not be guided by feeling; it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will. Will is an act of Love.
· Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”
o Berlin, Germany
· Spirit Hour: Sir Knight Cocktail
· Foodie-Éclair
· My brother is a HVAC tech
Every year on June 22, we celebrate National HVAC Tech Day, a day dedicated to the skilled technicians who keep our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems running smoothly.
How to Celebrate National HVAC Tech Day
· Shoutout to the Techs! Blast out a message on social media to celebrate the unsung heroes of HVAC. Highlight their dedication and hard work with a personalized post that shows how much you appreciate their service. Don’t forget to tag your favorite techs and include the hashtag #NationalHVACTechDay.
· Gift a Cool Tool. Surprise your favorite HVAC technician with a handy tool they can use on the job. Make sure to choose something practical, like a gadget that will make their workday a bit easier. A thoughtful gift shows you understand and support their skills.
· Treat Them to a Meal. There’s no better way to say “thank you” than with a delicious meal. Treat your tech to breakfast before their busy day begins, or hand them a gift card for a well-deserved break. Showing kindness with food is always a hit.
· Learn About HVAC. Attending a local seminar to dive into the world of HVAC technology. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation for what technicians do and maybe even learn how to keep your system running better.
· Take Care of Your System. Keeping your HVAC system in top shape not only helps you but also eases your technician’s workload. Regular maintenance, like changing the filter, ensures your tech won’t have to work as hard to keep your system running efficiently.
· Let Freedom Ring Day 8 Freedom from Elitism
· Politics, Religion, and the Ruling Class[11]
o The ruling class is society’s “ins.” This class comprises persons in government, those who depend for their livelihoods on government, and whose socio-economic prospects and hopes are founded on government. Thus, it includes most people in the educational establishment, the media, and large corporations. Its leading elements and its major voting constituencies are the Democratic party. But it transcends political parties because any number of Republicans aspire to its privileges and share its priorities.
o Above all, the ruling class defines itself by a set of attitudes, foremost of which is contempt for those outside itself. This contempt stems from the rather uniform education that the ruling class’s members absorbed from universities and which they developed by living in their subculture.
§ Believing themselves intelligent apostles of scientific truth, they regard others as dumb and in the grip of religious obscurantism.
§ Religion is the greatest of the divides between the ruling class and those it deems its inferiors.
· Whereas they believe themselves morally good and psychologically sound, they regard others as suffering from psychological dysfunctions and phobias—effectively as bad people.
§ The ruling class does not believe that those outside itself have the right or capacity to conduct their own lives.
o The “country class” is the term used in British-American discourse since the 17th century to describe society’s “outs.” The rest of us. Lots more people—quite heterogeneous. Though for reasons heterogeneous and often internally inconsistent, more than two thirds of this class is resentful of the ruling class.
These seem to be the secular religion’s commandments:
1. Science is the only authority, and we are its prophets. For all practical purposes, Science R-us. Thou shalt have no other sources of authority beside us.
2. Thou shalt neither speak nor think anything that besmirches our authority or honor. Whatever we deem inconvenient to us is politically incorrect and shall be punished.
3. Dishonor all that diminishes our authority: father, mother, husband, wife, any notion of “nature.”
4. Every day is like every other day. It is forbidden to waste time thinking about whence you came and whither you are going.
5. For yours and for society’s convenience, you may make categories that allow you to kill those whom you place within them.
6. Everything belongs to all. But the use of anything belongs to whomever can exclude others from using it.
7. Copulate as you may and count it as the charter of your freedom and worth.
8. Speak as seems best to serve your interests.
9. Do what you can to put yourself in position to do unto your neighbor before he does unto you.
10. Grovel before your superior, step on your subordinate.
On Sundays Pray:
O Glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth, Virgin Most Powerful, thou who hast the power to crush the head of the ancient serpent with thy heel, come and exercise this power flowing from the grace of thine Immaculate Conception. Shield us under the mantle of thy purity and love, draw us into the sweet abode of thy heart and annihilate and render impotent the forces bent on destroying us. Come Most Sovereign Mistress of the Holy Angels and Mistress of the Most Holy Rosary, thou who from the very beginning hast received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan. Send forth thy holy legions, we humbly beseech thee, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, counter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them far from us, harming no one on the way, binding them to the foot of the Cross to be judged and sentenced by Jesus Christ Thy Son and to be disposed of by Him as He wills.
St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, come to our aid in this grave battle against the forces of darkness, repel the attacks of the devil and free the members of the Auxilium Christianorum, and those for whom the priests of the Auxilium Christianorum pray, from the strongholds of the enemy.
St. Michael, summon the entire heavenly court to engage their forces in this fierce battle against the powers of hell. Come O Prince of Heaven with thy mighty sword and thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits. O Guardian Angels, guide and protect us. Amen.
JUNE 22 Sunday-The
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Cristi)
Romans,
Chapter 8, verse 14-15
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into FEAR, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
By the sacrifice of Christ, we are the adopted children of God, who feared none, and by whose sufferings and glory we share; by reason of the Holy Spirits presence within us. We are thus giving a new life and relationship with God.
Copilot:
Romans 8
is one of the most powerful chapters in Scripture for confronting fear, and
from a Catholic perspective, it offers a message of radical hope and
unshakable trust in God’s love.
St. Paul
begins by declaring, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). This sets the tone: fear of judgment, failure,
or abandonment is silenced by the grace we receive through Christ. The Haydock
Commentary emphasizes that those who live “according to the Spirit” are no
longer slaves to sin or fear, but are adopted children of God, heirs with
Christ.
One of
the most comforting lines comes in verse 15: “You did not receive a spirit
of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption.”
In Catholic teaching, this speaks to the grace of baptism, which frees
us from original sin and makes us sons and daughters of God. Fear is replaced
by filial confidence—a deep trust in the Father’s love.
And then
Paul crescendos with this: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
(v. 31). From a Catholic lens, this is not bravado—it’s the fruit of a life
rooted in the sacraments, prayer, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Even
suffering, persecution, or death cannot separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus (v. 38–39).
So, the
lesson?
Fear loses its grip when we remember who we are: beloved, redeemed, and never alone. In Christ, we are more than conquerors.
Unconditional Love
Unconditional love is
known as affection without any limitations, or love without conditions. This
term is sometimes associated with other terms such as true altruism or complete
love. Each area of expertise has a certain way of describing unconditional
love, but most will agree that it is that type of love which has no bounds and
is unchanging. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is
generally used to describe love between lovers. Unconditional love is also used
to describe love between family members, comrades in arms and between others in
highly committed relationships. An example of this is a parent's love for their
child; no matter a test score, a life changing decision, an argument, or a
strong belief, the amount of love that remains between this bond is seen as
unchanging and unconditional.[1]
One Flesh[2]
The desire to love and be
loved is the deepest need of our being. We long to be known, accepted, and
cherished by another. Yet, the ability to fully give or receive this love is
unattainable on our own. As Catholics we believe Jesus Christ has entered our
broken world to conquer sin and restore us to new life. Throughout every age he
continues to invite all women and men to follow him through his Church, to whom
he has entrusted his teaching authority, so that all can know and follow him.
Only God can give us the unconditional love and acceptance that we desire. Yet,
he has created marriage, a holy union, to mirror this supreme love on earth. At
the heart of their married love is the total gift of self that husband and wife
freely offer to each other. Because of their sexual difference, husband and
wife can truly become “one flesh.” Through the language of their bodies, their
sexual union recalls their vows: giving themselves to one another in love that
is total, faithful, and life-giving. This call to love is to follow Christ
himself, who handed himself totally over for his bride, the Church. Spouses
imitate him by giving the entirety of themselves to one another, including the
gift of their fertility and their openness to new life. Contraception and
sterilization, which deliberately suppress fertility, reduce the sexual act so
that husband and wife withhold the completeness of their total gift to each
other. This changes the meaning of their sexual union so that it no longer
expresses the fullness of their love. God our Father loves us and wants our
lives to be full and rich! He has given his Church the task of bringing women
and men to the fullness of truth which leads to our happiness in this life and
in the life to come. Jesus gives us the power and strength of the Holy
Spirit—the Spirit of Love—so that we, particularly husbands and wives, can
truly love one another. The teaching on the use of contraception and
sterilization may seem challenging, but it is to preserve the true, complete
self-gift between husband and wife, the kind of love that brings real, lasting
joy and peace. If we have failed to live this in the past, we need not be
discouraged. Our loving Father is always calling us back through the Sacrament
of Reconciliation and wanting to strengthen us in the Sacrament of the
Eucharist. When we embrace the Church’s teaching on human sexuality and
marriage and follow Jesus, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives in a
powerful way. When we trust in the Lord’s desire for our happiness, he can
transform our love in a way that can transform the world.
Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of
Christ) is a Eucharistic solemnity, or better, the solemn commemoration of the
institution of that sacrament. It is, moreover, the Church's official act of
homage and gratitude to Christ, who by instituting the Holy Eucharist gave to
the Church her greatest treasure. Holy Thursday, assuredly, marks the
anniversary of the institution, but the commemoration of the Lord's passion
that very night suppresses the rejoicing proper to the occasion. Today's
observance, therefore, accents the joyous aspect of Holy Thursday.
The Mass and the Office for the feast
was edited or composed by St. Thomas Aquinas upon the request of Pope Urban IV
in the year 1264. It is unquestionably a classic piece of liturgical work,
wholly in accord with the best liturgical traditions. . . It is a perfect work
of art.
Things to Do:[3]
·
The Directory
on Popular Piety explains Eucharistic devotion and Eucharistic
adoration.
·
Encourage your pastor to have a Eucharist Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi.
·
Freshly baked bread would be a key dish at your
celebratory Sunday dinner, as bread has always been symbolic for life giving
and nourishment, as is the Eucharist. We have also highlighted a Christmas
cookie recipe called Lebkuchen (life cake), which is rich in symbolism.
·
Two newer church documents to read:
o
The fourteenth encyclical letter of Pope John
Paul II Ecclesia de
Eucharistia (On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church)
released on Holy Thursday, April 17, 2003. The focus of the papal encyclical is
the celebration of the Eucharist; the Pope reminds us that the Eucharist is the
center of Catholic spiritual life.
o
Redemptionis
Sacramentum (On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the
Most Holy Eucharist), an Instruction released by the Congregation
for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on March 25, 2004.
Sunday Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius
Parsch.
Patum de
Berga[4]
The Patum de Berga is a popular and traditional
festival that is celebrated each year in the Catalan city of Berga
(Barcelona) during Corpus Christi. It
consists of a series of "dances" (balls) by townspeople
dressed as mystical and symbolical figures. The balls are marked by
their solemnity and their ample use of fire and pyrotechnics. It was declared a Traditional
Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat
de Catalunya in
1983, and as a Masterpiece of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity
by UNESCO in 2005. In Catalonia, Corpus Cristi is celebrated with
the tradition of the dancing
egg. There is
evidence this tradition dates from the 16th century.
Body of Christ[5]
Feast of Corpus Christi, in the U.S., said on the Sunday rather than the Thursday after the
Feast of the Holy Trinity. An adoration of the Food that sustains us on our
post-Pentecostal pilgrimage and "the pledge of our future glory" The
history of Corpus Christi started with a humble Belgian girl at
the age of sixteen, who began having visions of a bright moon marred by a small
black spot. After years of seeing this perplexing portent, Jesus Christ
appeared to her and revealed its meaning. The moon, He told her, represented
the Church calendar, and the black spot the absence of a feast in honor of the
Blessed Sacrament. That nun was St.
Juliana, Prioress of Mont Cornillon (1258), and the Feast she was
commissioned by our Lord to promote was the feast of Corpus Christi. Even before its universal promotion in 1314,
Corpus Christi was one of the grandest
feasts of the Roman rite. At the request of Pope Urban IV (d. 1264), the
Mass proper’s and divine office for this day were composed or arranged by St. Thomas Aquinas, whose teaching on
the Real Presence was so profound that the figure of Jesus Christ once
descended from a crucifix and declared to him, "Thou hast written well of
me, Thomas." The mastery with which Aquinas weaves together the
scriptural, poetic, and theological texts of this feast amply corroborates this
conclusion.
Processions & Pageants
Though
Maundy Thursday is in a sense the primary feast of the Blessed Sacrament,
Corpus Christi allows the faithful to specially reflect on and give thanks for
the Eucharist. Hence there arose a number of observances centered on
Eucharistic adoration. The most conspicuous of these is the splendid Corpus
Christi procession. This public profession of the Catholic teaching
on the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly encouraged
by the Council of Trent: there is even an indulgence attached to all who
participate in it. By the 1600s, the procession on Corpus Christi had become
the most famous of the year. Long parades of faithful walk with the Blessed
Sacrament (carried in a monstrance by the priest) while church bells peal and
bands play. In Latin countries, the streets are blanketed with boughs and flowers,
often elaborately woven together. Sometimes a variation on the custom of
Stations is employed (see Stational
Churches, etc.), where the procession stops at several points for
benediction and adoration. By its very nature, the Corpus Christi procession
encouraged pageantry. In addition to the grandeur mentioned above, vivid symbolic
reenactments of various teachings became a part of the procession.
During the height of baroque piety, people impersonating demons would run along
aside the Blessed Sacrament, pantomiming their fright and fear of
the Real Presence. Others would dress as ancient’s gods and goddesses to
symbolize how even the pagan past must rise and pay homage to Christ. Still
others would carry all sorts of representations of sacred history: Moses and
the serpent, David and Goliath, the Easter lamb, the Blessed Virgin, etc. But
the most popular of all these was the custom of having children dress as angels. Appearing in white (with or without
wings), these boys and girls would precede the Blessed Sacrament as symbols of
the nine choirs of heavenly hosts who ever adore the Panis Angelicum,
the Bread of Angels.
At Holy Trinity German Church, the Corpus Christi procession was the most
important of the year. One witness to the procession of 1851 wrote:
The girls clad in white, with lilies in their hands,
groups of symbolic figures, with banner and flags, the boys with staffs and
rods, all the associations of the parish with their signs and symbols and
burning candles, finally the flower-strewing little children preceding the
clergy -- all these made a fantastic impression (from Holy Trinity German Catholic Church of
Boston: A Way of Life, Robert J. Sauer (Dallas, TX: Taylor
Publishing, 1994), p. 49)
Plays
Medieval piety is famous, among other things, for its mystery
plays, theatrical pieces held after Mass on great feast days that
dramatized the lesson or mystery of the day. These effective didactic tools
were enormously popular, but perhaps none so much as those held on Corpus
Christi. Shakespeare gives an oblique allusion to them when he has Prince
Hamlet speak of the Termagant, a violent, overbearing woman in long robes who
appeared often in these productions (Hamlet III.ii). Favorite medieval
saints, such as George and Margaret, would often be the protagonists, though
the details and plot varied from place to place. Perhaps the most famous of
these plays are the Autos Sacramentales (Plays of the Sacrament) by Fr.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca (1681).
Day of Wreaths
In some places of Europe Corpus Christi is known as the Day
of wreaths. Exquisite wreaths of flowers are used in the pageants, either
perched on banners, houses, and arches that stretch over the street, or worn by
the participants of the procession. The monstrance containing the Blessed
Sacrament could also be adorned with a bouquet of flowers. After the
solemnities these beautiful decorations would be taken home as keepsakes and
posted over gardens and fields for blessing and protection.
Hymns
Special mention must be made of the exquisite hymns written by St. Thomas Aquinas for this feast and their subsequent popularity. Aquinas wrote four: Verbum Supernum Prodiens (for Lauds), Pange Lingua Gloriosi (Vespers), Sacris Solemniis (Matins), and Lauda Sion Salvatoris (Mass sequence). Parts of these, in turn, were used as separate hymns. The famous Tantum ergo Sacramentum used at Benediction is taken from Pange Lingua and O salutaris hostia is taken from Verbum Supernum, while Panis Angelicus is taken from Sacris Solemniis. These hymns have become cherished treasures of Catholic devotion and worship and should be sung with gusto on this great feast.
Thursday Traditional Corpus Christi[6]
The Feast of Corpus Christi commemorates the sacrament of Holy Communion in the Roman Catholic Church. This includes the receiving of the Eucharist which Catholics know is the body and blood of Christ.
This feast seeks to remind us of Jesus Christ's sacrifice Do this in
remembrance of me - Luke
22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25.
In many countries, Corpus Christi is observed on the Thursday after Trinity
Sunday, however where it is not a holy day of obligation, the celebration
occurs on the Sunday that follows.
Today as Catholics we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi or the body of Christ. As Catholics the one thing that has always been consistent in the church is the taking of the body of our Lord.
While they
were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and
said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks,
and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is
my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. (Mark 14:22-24)
Feast
of Corpus Christi Facts & Quotes
·
In
the Middle Ages, the priest was the only person who received the elements.
The congregation watched him eat the bread and drink the wine.
·
The
Sacraments are Jesus Christ's presence in us. So, it is important for us
to go to Confession and receive Holy Communion. - Pope Francis via twitter on Nov 23, 2013.
Feast
of Corpus Christi Top Events and Things to Do
·
If
you're Christian, go to Mass and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of Corpus
Christi.
·
Travel
to the Vatican City and watch the annual procession of the Blessed Sacrament,
headed by the Pope, through the streets of Rome.
·
A
wide range of theologies exist about Holy Communion. Read about how the
elements of bread and wine are related to the body and blood of Christ
depending on your denomination.
Novena to
the Sacred Heart[7]
This novena prayer was
recited every day by Padre Pio for all who asked for his prayer. You are
invited to recite it daily, so as to be spiritually united with the prayer of
St. Pio of Pietrelcina.
Prayers
I. O my
Jesus, You have said "Truly I say to you, ask and you shall receive, seek
and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." Behold I knock,
I seek, and I ask for the grace of . . . .
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
II. O my
Jesus, You have said, "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the
Father in My Name, He will give it to you." Behold, in Your name, I ask
the Father for the grace of . . . .
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
III. O my
Jesus, You have said, "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass
away, but My words will not pass away." Encouraged by Your infallible
words, I now ask for the grace of . . . .
Our
Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all
my trust in you.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible
not to have compassion on the afflicted, have mercy on us sinners, and grant us
the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, Your tender mother and ours.
Say
the Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) prayer. Conclude with St. Joseph, foster
father of Jesus, pray for us.
Second Sunday after Pentecost[8]
ON this Sunday also, the Church, in
consideration of God’s love towards us, animates us to love Him and our
neighbor, and sings at the Introit of the Mass: "The Lord became my
protector, and He brought me forth into a large place; He saved me because He
was well pleased with me. I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my
rock, my refuge, and my deliverer."
Prayer.
Grant, O Lord, that we may have a
perpetual fear and love of Thy holy name, for Thou never ceasest to direct and
govern, by Thy grace, those whom Thou instructest in the solidity of Thy love. Amen
EPISTLE, i. John Hi. 13-18.
Dearly Beloved: Wonder not if the
world hate you. "We know that we have passed from death to life, because
we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death; whosoever hateth his
brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding
in himself. In this we have known the charity of God, because He hath laid down
His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
He that hath the substance of this
world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from
him, how doth the charity of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love
in word, nor in tongue, but indeed and in truth.
Explanation.
A true Christian may be known by
the love he has for his neighbor. For as it belongs to a child of this world,
to the wicked, the godless, to hate and persecute the man whose life
contradicts their own, so, on the other hand, love of one’s neighbor, of one’s
enemy, is the mark by which to know whether a man is truly regenerated and
translated from the death of sin to spiritual life. For he that loveth not,
abideth in death cannot become a child of God, Who is love; has not in him the
life of God ; rather he is a murderer, because his lack of love, and his
hatred, have first deprived him of spiritual life, and next become the source
of all other offences against his neighbor, of scandal, of seduction like
Satan, of murder like Cain.
GOSPEL. Luke xiv. 16-24.
At
that time Jesus spoke to the Pharisees this parable: A certain man made a great
supper, and invited many. And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to say
to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready.
And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought
a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. And
another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray
thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I
cannot come. And the servant returning told these things to his lord. Then the
master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: Go out quickly into the
streets and lanes of the city: and bring in hither the poor and the feeble, and
the blind and the lame. And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast
commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into
the highways and hedges; and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
But I say unto you that none of those men that were invited shall taste of my
supper.
How
is the parable of the great supper to be understood?
By the supper is meant the kingdom of God upon earth,
the Church of Christ, in which are deposited all the treasures of grace, for
the nourishment, strengthening, and sanctification of our souls. It is a great
supper, because the Church is to take in all men of all times. Jesus, the
Godman, Himself prepares this supper by establishing His Church. The servant
represents the apostles and the successors whom He sends into all the world, to
call both Jews and gentiles. The first invited were the Jews, to whom the
coming of the Messiahs had been announced beforehand, and who were the first
called to the Church.
What
is denoted by the excuses of those invited?
He who bought a farm signifies those proud and
avaricious men who seek only for temporal goods; he who wished to try his five
yoke of oxen represents those too-busy persons who find no time to do anything
for God and heaven; finally, he who could not come on account of his wife
stands for those sensual persons who, through the lusts and pleasures of sense,
render themselves insensible to heavenly joys. Now as the Jews, by such
worthless excuses, had shown themselves unworthy to be received into the kingdom
of God, they were accordingly shut out, and others called in their stead.
Who
are these others?
First, the humble and docile Jews, who were the
opposite of the proud, avaricious, and sensual Pharisees; and in the next place
those gentiles prepared for Christianity, who, through the apostles and their
successors, were brought into the Church from the four quarters of the world.
In
what other sense may this parable be understood?
St. Gregory interprets it as referring to the Most
Holy Sacrament of the Altar. That is, indeed, a feast to which all are invited,
which offers the fulness of graces and spiritual gifts, and is, therefore,
fitly called a great feast; it is despised by the sensual, proud, and earthly;
but to the penitent, the humble, the loving, it conveys innumerable blessings
and inestimable benefits.
LESSONS AGAINST
IMPURITY.
" I have
married a wife and therefore cannot come." Luke xiv. 20.
By introducing in this parable a
wedding as an excuse, Our Savior points out impurity as a hinderance to
entering into the kingdom of heaven; that is, the violation of modesty, either
in thought, imagination, or desire, in gesture, words, dress, or actions; thus
He would show us how detestable, shameful, and pernicious is this vice, which
makes men so miserable, and incite us to purity and chastity, in whatever state
of life we may live.
On account of this sin of impurity,
God repented of having created mankind, and brought the flood upon the earth,
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, cut off the brothers Her
and Onan by sudden death, and gave nearly the whole tribe of Benjamin to be
slain.
What are the best means to preserve
us from impurity?
1. Avoid the following: (a) idleness,
which breeds evil thoughts and desires; (b) reading bad books; (c) excess in
eating and drinking; (d) bad company.
2.
Preserve
modesty, which is a safeguard against impurity; (a) reverence God; (b) remember
the bitter passion and death of Our Savior; (c) think frequently of death,
judgment, and hell.
3.
Flee
the first sin; dread the first thought, the first motion; avoid, also, what
appears a trifling thing, if it offends modesty.
4.
Be
zealous in prayer to God, and to His blessed Mother.
5.
Restrain
your senses, particularly your eyes. Learn to be abstemious, and deny yourself
even lawful enjoyments and pleasures, that you may the more easily give up
those that are unlawful.
6.
Watch
always, and especially on occasions that cannot be avoided.
7.
Finally,
go often to holy communion, and choose a zealous confessor, in whom you ought
to place entire confidence and follow as your father. Think on God; combat on
every occasion promptly, without making terms; call confidently on God for
help, and you will carry off the victory, and become worthy, one day, to be a
follower of the Lamb.
Also
Do
something for Corpus Christi
How to Celebrate Corpus
Christi
Celebrating
Corpus Christi can be a delightful mix of tradition and modern creativity. Here
are some playful suggestions on how you can make this feast day uniquely
special:
·
Join
a Colorful Procession
Why not
step into a bit of history and pageantry? Many parishes host Eucharistic
processions, where the faithful parade through the streets, often with music
and singing.
It’s a
majestic way to pay tribute to the real presence of Christ in the
Eucharist—like a spiritual parade with a divine guest of honor!
·
Bake
and Break Bread
Gather
your loved ones and bake some bread together. While it bakes, dive into the
Bread of Life discourse from the Gospel of John. Sharing homemade bread can be
a heartwarming way to connect over the significance of Jesus as the Bread of
Life.
·
Floral
Offerings
Who says
you can’t mix flowers and faith? Collect some wild or garden flowers and place
them at the altar or along the procession route. It’s a beautiful, natural way
to honor the feast and make the surroundings as beautiful as the celebration.
·
Learn
a Sacred Song
Music
lifts the soul! Learn a traditional Eucharistic hymn with your family. Singing
together fills your home with music and a deeper connection to the feast’s
meaning. Plus, it’s a fun way to keep everyone’s spirits high and engaged.
Each of
these suggestions blends a bit of the traditional essence of Corpus Christi
with a dash of personal touch, making your celebration both meaningful and
memorable.
Sir Thomas More-Honesty[9]
John McCain in his book entitled “Character is
Destiny” tells us that Sir Thomas More surrendered everything for the truth as
he saw it and shamed a king with the courage of his conscience. Thomas was a
brilliant student. He loved learning and would for the rest of his life prefer
the less prestigious but more satisfying rewards of a scholar to the riches and
power of the king’s court. He was part of a movement called humanism, whose
followers were faithful to the Church but hoped to encourage a better understanding
of the Gospels and their more honest application to the workings of society.
They studied the great Greek and Roman philosophers, whose views on morality
and just societies they believed complemented their Christian principles. They
were passionate in pursuit of the truth as revealed by God, and by discovery
through study and scholarly debate and discussion. They thought the world could
be made gentler with Christian love and greater learning—love and learning that
served not only the nobility of court and Church, but all mankind. Thomas was a
devout Christian, and for a time lived in a monastery with the intention of
entering the priesthood. The monastic life was one of isolation and
self-denial. And though he took his religious devotion seriously, he loved the
comforts of family life, and the rewards of learning and earthly pleasures as
well: music and art, reading and writing, friendship and conversation and
jests. He loved his city, London, then the greatest capital of Northern Europe.
He loved life. So, he left the cloister for a wife and family, and returned to
the worldly affairs of men. His love of learning and truth was second only to
his love of God, and he encouraged his children, for the sake of their
happiness, to seek truth through learning as well as scripture. He cultivated
friendships and exchanged letters with some of the greatest minds in Europe,
including with the Dutch priest and famous humanist philosopher Erasmus, who
became More’s greatest admirer outside his family, and whose description of
More became the title by which he is still remembered to this day: “a man for
all seasons.” His scholarly reputation and skill as a scrupulously honest
lawyer first gained the attention of the king’s most powerful counselor, the
lord chancellor of England, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. An ambitious and shrewd
politician, Wolsey recognized the younger man’s talents, and pressed him into
the king’s service. Serving first as a diplomat, then in a series of
increasingly powerful offices at court, knighted, and given lands and wealth,
More became a favorite of Wolsey’s and Henry’s. And while he might have
preferred the life of a philosopher, husband, and father to the rigors of
public life, he no doubt took pride in the king’s confidence and favor. When
Wolsey’s downfall came that would lead in time to Thomas’s death, Henry made
his friend, Thomas, Lord Chancellor. It was the highest office at court, and
Thomas More was the first layman to hold it. His appointment was greeted
favorably by the court and public alike, for Thomas was known by one and all as
an honest man, who would conscientiously discharge the duties of his office. As
it turned out, he was too honest for his king. Thomas More waged an
intellectual and judicial war against the followers of Luther that was at times
surprisingly aggressive and even cruel for such a reasonable and just man. In
the beginning, he had the king’s full support in his persecution and
prosecution of “heretics.” More defended the Church out of religious principle,
and because he and the king feared the uncontrollable social disorder that a
permanent split among the faithful would surely cause. But his hatred, if it
could be called that in such a mild man, was for the heresy and not the
heretics. Death was the judgment for heretics in the courts that Thomas More
governed, but he went to great lengths to encourage the accused to recant their
views and escape their sentence. In fact, in the many cases he prosecuted, all
the accused except for four poor souls, who went to their deaths rather than
recant, escaped the headman’s ax. More was diligent in his duty, but a much
more powerful threat than Luther’s protests had encouraged was growing to the
Catholic Church in England. Henry’s queen, Catherine of Aragon, had failed to produce
a surviving male heir. Henry was determined to have a new wife who could give
him a healthy son. Other kings and nobles had received from the pope annulments
of their marriage. But the most powerful king in Europe, the Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, was Catherine’s nephew, and he had great influence with Pope Clement
VII. He persuaded Clement not to grant an annulment that would remove the crown
from his aunt’s head. Once Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn, the
fifteen-year-old daughter of a scheming courtier, he would no longer accept
papal opposition to his desire to remarry. In this dangerous and growing
conflict, Thomas More became a central figure, and he would struggle with all
his intellect, lawyer’s skills, and courage to obey his king without forsaking
his church. It would prove impossible. Initially More dutifully served
the king’s wishes, arguing in Parliament that there were grounds to consider
the marriage to Catherine unlawful. But when the king declared himself, and not
the pope, to be the supreme head of the Church in England, More offered the
king his resignation. Henry refused it and promised his friend that he would
never be forced to take any action that his conscience would not permit. But
the king’s assurance was hollow, and soon both he and More realized that the
king’s desires and More’s conscience could not be reconciled. More again asked
the king to accept his resignation, and this time, Henry agreed. For many
months, he was careful not to speak against the king’s wishes, in public or in
private. But he declined to attend the king’s wedding to Anne Boleyn. When
Parliament passed a law requiring the king’s subjects to sign an oath
recognizing Anne as queen, and any children she might bear Henry as legitimate
heirs to the throne, he refused to sign it because it denied the pope’s
authority over the Church in England. He was arrested and imprisoned in the
Tower of London. He remained there until his trial fifteen months later. The
jury, which included Anne Boleyn’s father, brother, and uncle, found him guilty
and sentenced him to be hanged, and drawn and quartered. Then More spoke his
conscience and said he could not in his own heart accept the king as head of
the English Church. The death to which he was first sentenced would have been a
far slower and more painful death than he was made to suffer in the end. Henry,
mercifully, permitted his old friend and counselor to die by beheading. On the
day of his execution, he had some difficulty climbing the scaffold steps. He
thanked the guard who helped him but joked that he should be allowed to “shift
for myself” when he came back down. He recited a prayer of repentance. The
hooded executioner, as was the custom, begged the condemned man’s forgiveness.
More gave him a coin, kissed him, and thanked him for giving him a “greater
benefit than ever any mortal man can be able to give me.” And then the man who
had all his life loved to jest, made one last joke. As he knelt to place his
head upon the block, he asked for a moment to arrange his long beard so that it
wouldn’t be severed by the ax, observing that as far as he knew his beard had
not offended the king. In his last address, spoken moments earlier, he had
asked the crowd of witnesses to pray for his soul and for the king, for he died
“the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” One swift stroke and the king’s
will was done. The life on earth of honest Thomas More was ended. His glory had
just begun.
Things
to Do:[10]
·
A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt is a
wonderful play that captures much of St. Thomas More's vitality. There is a
1966 movie by the same title that stars Paul Scofield as St. Thomas. If you
haven't watched the movie or read the play yet, put it on your priority list.
·
Read more on the life of St. Thomas More. For
youth, Saint Thomas More of London by Elizabeth Ince, a reprint of
the wonderful Vision Books series. For adults, the newer book The King's Good Servant but God's First : The Life and Writings
of Saint Thomas More by James Monti which explores the life and writings of
St. Thomas More. Also Scepter Publishers has a biography Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Gerard B. Wegemer.
·
For some writings by St. Thomas More, see The Sadness of Christ (Yale University Press Translation)
and Four Last Things: The Supplication of Souls: A Dialogue on
Conscience.
·
If you or your children are considering a career
as a lawyer you might find Dr.
Charles Rice's article helpful.
·
Learn more about St. Thomas More at Catholic News Agency
·
Read St. Thomas
More: A Saint for Adopted Children and Widowers
·
Read St. Thomas More, martyr of the English Reformation
·
Read Saint Thomas More, Martyr, Chancellor of
England at EWTN
·
Watch this YouTube
video on St. Thomas More
· Read about the Thomas More Society, a not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty here
·
Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
Religious Freedom Week
All people desire to know their Creator. All people have a
natural impulse to seek the good and to live in accordance with that good. All
people can flourish when they pursue the truth about God and respond to the
truth. Religious freedom means that all people have the space to flourish.
Religious freedom is both an American value and an important part of Catholic
teaching on human dignity. When we promote religious freedom, we promote the
common good and thus strengthen the life of our nation and the community of
nations. Learn more at www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek!
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Increase
of Vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/love-and-sexuality/upload/USCCB-Summer-Bulletin-Insert-A_One-Flesh.pdf
[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-06-23
[7]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=892
[8] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[9]McCain, John; Salter, Mark. Character
Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult
Should Remember
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