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Candace’s Corner
· Foodie: National Mushroom Month
o No One Time Mushrooms-5 Ways of Cooking Porcini Mushrooms
§ Catholic Recipe: Chicken Paprika
· St. Anthony Novena 12-on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.
· Pray Day 5 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
· Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour: Va Piano
· Spirit Hour: Burgundy Wine
· 30 DAY TRIBUTE TO MARY 19th ROSE: Crowning with Thorns
o 30 Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger
§ Mullein (Verbascum thapsiforme)
MEDICINAL PLANTS Day 18 SKIN DISEASES-Revealed by Heaven to Luz De María
CALENDULA Scientific name: Calendula officinalis Family: Asteraceae Known as: Marigold, Pot Marigold, Goldbloom and Golds, Golden Flower of Mary
Relieves burns, irritations and inflammations. Pain caused by insect bites, bruising and bumps. In skin burns reduces inflammation and soothes pain. Stimulates skin regeneration and promotes collagen production. Promotes healing and wound regeneration. Helps in case of dermatitis and improves cracked skin.
Acts, Chapter 23, verse 10
The dispute was so serious that the commander, AFRAID that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound.
During Paul’s time the Jewish people were divided into two camps. Paul in his fearlessness had spoken the truth and it struck a nerve with both sects wanting his death.
How often is truth and reason ignored?
Men find it easier to fall into camps and rationalize or justify their actions. Christ tells us to use reason much as He did with Thomas and believe. God has given us intelligent foresight as well as the Holy Spirit.
The
Virtue of Foresight: A Mark of Wisdom[1]
The ancient philosophers
identified man’s
capacity for thought by the use of different words for perceiving reality: sensus
(the five senses), imaginatio (the ability of the mind to recall
pictures from the past or paint pictures of the future), ratio (the
ability to think in logical steps to reach a conclusion), and intellectus
(the ability to perceive the truth all at once as self-evident). While animals
have instincts as a form of knowledge, they do not reflect on the past or
ponder the future with the capacity to think that distinguishes human virtues
such as foresight and prudence, a mark of wisdom.
While ants prepare for the
winter, they do not contemplate eternity. While dogs have keen memories, they
do not gather wisdom from the accumulated experience of the entire human race
as a source of universal truth.
Beyond the Present
Because man is a rational
animal with the power of intelligence, human thinking goes beyond the immediate
concerns and duties of the present moment. Man’s memory allows him to recall the
mistakes of the past and not repeat them and to learn from the previous
experience of older generations in his study of history. Man’s imagination allows him to project
into the future and consider possibilities, consequences, and likely outcomes. The
art of living requires this capacity to think today while mindful of the past
and conscious of the future. This wise thinking, however, is not escaping into
the past with nostalgia or calculating about the future with cunning. The
foresight of a wise man is a far cry from the reckoning of a fox or rat.
Exceeding our Grasp
Foresight does not mean
simply being insured for accidents to protect against harm to a person’s health or damage to his home.
While home and car insurance show prudential judgment, foresight is more than
prevention or precaution. It goes beyond not taking foolish chances but rather
embraces noble efforts and daring initiatives to achieve an ideal. It
encompasses the common good, the welfare of future generations, the happiness
of all family members young and old, and an awareness of the four last things:
death, the final judgment, heaven, and hell. Foresight strives for excellence
and imagines always the difference between the way things are in the present
and the way things ought to be in the future. Famous characters in literature
like Don Quixote seek to restore the best of the past—the virtues of knighthood—to inspire future generations with
truth, honor, chivalry, and courtesy. Robert Browning writes that “man’s reach should exceed his grasp, “Or
else what’s a
heaven for?” Foresight
always aspires to perfection and never rests complacent with mediocrity, the
lowest common denominator, or the average. Just as God in His Divine Providence
foresees man’s needs
and plans for them, man too needs to be provident—to be far-seeing, to think ahead,
to be mindful of consequences, and to realize that the outcome of the future
depends on the choices of today. Created in God’s image, man imitates God by
providing for others and acting with prudence about the future with the virtue
of foresight. For example, God’s
all-wise plan for life—envisioning
a child’s needs—prepares for the birth of the
newborn by endowing man and woman with parental instincts to care for and
protect the infant. All good parents are provident as they attend not only to
the present needs of their children but also think ahead for their future.
Looking Ahead
The word “pro-vide” comes from two Latin words that
mean to look before or ahead. To be Godlike, to be wise, to be prudent, and to
exercise common sense means to weigh consequences and be aware of both the
present and the future. All actions bear fruit for good or for ill. As the
parable of the talents illustrates, God expects the coins to be multiplied and
earn interest—evidence
of foresight and imagining the future with good judgment. God judges man by the
abundance of his harvest: “By
their fruits you shall know them.” There
is no interest earned, no bountiful harvest, no fruitful field without
foresight, without sowing the right seeds in the springtime of life for the
later years. Unlike animals that live in the present and do not foresee the
future with vision or ideals, man enjoys a greater awareness of time as he
recollects the past and anticipates the future. In fact, the cardinal virtue of
prudence takes account of past, present, and future—learning from the mistakes and
experience of the past, making a practical judgment based on the reality of the
present, and foreseeing the consequences of actions today that affect others
for the common good in the days ahead. To be responsible, moral, and sensible,
a person naturally thinks ahead—living
today but anticipating tomorrow, saving money now for next year’s purchases, educating children in
their youth for their later adult life, keeping the Ten Commandments and living
the life of the Beatitudes in the expectation of life everlasting.
Foresight for the Future
Christ taught his
followers to be both “gentle
as doves and wise as serpents.”
The serpent looks to the left and to the right, moves slowly and cautiously,
and checks for dangers and enemies. Thinking must always precede acting;
otherwise, a person acts foolishly or imprudently without weighing the effects
or reactions beforehand. Without foresight a person wastes money, time, or
effort and accomplishes nothing. Without foresight—an intelligent plan of action to
achieve a moral goal—no
one progresses toward a destination. To live only for the present and think “eat, drink, and be merry, for
tomorrow we die”
does not amount to wisdom because the future always comes. Man enters the
future either prepared or unprepared—like
the ants in Aesop’s
fable that prepared for winter or the cicada that only sang in the summer and
froze in the cold. Foresight for students means not only preparing for a career
through a good education but also gathering wisdom to live well and to enjoy an
abundant life. Nothing learned—no
matter the subject matter, book, or class—is
ever wasted. Whatever a person learns in science, social studies, religion, or
English, he will use in one capacity or another. Not to learn is to show no
foresight. If not in his own profession, then in his own personal life a person
will be glad he knows, glad he can teach others, glad he possesses an informed
mind capable of making intelligent decisions. A person in high school or
college is not just qualifying for a profession but providing for a life of the
mind, one of the greatest sources of human happiness because man is designed to
love truth, to desire knowledge for its own sake, and ultimately to know God. It
is not only human wisdom to think ahead for the sake of one’s own happiness but also charity to
be far-sighted on behalf of the well-being of others. Just as a Christian is
obligated to love others as Christ loves him and forgive others as God forgives
him, he also needs to think of others and provide for their future as God
provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.
Copilot
This entry for September 2 is
a blend of Scripture, philosophy, and pastoral insight. It reads like a
spiritual catechesis on the virtue of foresight—anchored in Paul’s peril,
elevated by classical anthropology, and crowned with Christ’s call to wisdom,
it’s a summons to live liturgically, intelligently, and charitably.
🔍 Reflection
Paul’s fearless proclamation
of truth ignited division among the Jewish sects. His reasoned witness—piercing
and unflinching—provoked violence, yet it also revealed the cost of truth in a
world that prefers camps over conscience. Christ calls us to reason, not
reaction, to foresight, not faction.
Foresight is not mere
caution—it is the virtue that sees beyond the moment, beyond self-interest, and
into eternity. It is the art of living wisely:
- remembering
the past with humility
- acting
in the present with prudence
- anticipating
the future with hope
Acts 23:10 and the virtue
of foresight resonates powerfully in today’s polarized climate—especially within the Catholic community, where political
identity can feel like a burden rather than a badge of moral clarity.
In the real world, Catholics
are increasingly caught between partisan camps. According to recent data from
Pew Research, about half of Catholic voters now lean Republican, while 44% lean
Democratic. But this split masks a deeper tension: many Catholics feel
politically homeless, torn between platforms that affirm some Church teachings
while contradicting others. As Catholic
Stand notes, more than half of Catholics now
identify as independents or third-party voters—a sign that many are seeking a
path beyond tribalism.
This division mirrors Paul’s
moment in Acts: truth spoken boldly can provoke fury from both sides. Today,
Catholics who uphold the sanctity of life, the dignity of the poor, the
integrity of marriage, and the call to welcome the stranger often find themselves
alienated by both major parties. The temptation is to retreat into ideological
camps, rationalizing compromise. But Christ calls us to reason—not reaction—and
to foresight, not faction.
- 🧠
Ratio and Intellectus: Catholics must think beyond slogans and platforms,
using reason and spiritual discernment to navigate complex moral terrain.
- 🌱
Providence over Politics: Like good parents preparing for their children’s
future, Catholics are called to sow seeds of truth, justice, and mercy—not
just vote for short-term gains.
- 🕊️
Gentle as Doves, Wise as Serpents: Foresight means engaging politically
with prudence, not partisanship—seeking the common good, not tribal
victory.
What kind of society are we
building for the next generation?
Are we forming consciences or
just winning arguments?
Are we living the Beatitudes
or weaponizing them?
Bible in a Year Day 75 The Keeping of Vows
Fr. Mike gives us some background around the feast days of the Old Testament and emphasizes the importance of vows, which are serious promises made with God. Today's readings are Numbers 29-30, Deuteronomy 29, and Psalm 113.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite yourself in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Church
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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