Thursday, March 26, 2026

Rachel’s Corner Try “Mexican Hot Chocolate”

·         Every Crucifix tells us this: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart…I have been obedient unto death. . . I am full of love and patience."

·         Spirit hour: Zombie Cocktail in honor of the baby killer of the month

·         do a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.

·         Bucket List Trip: Belize Barrier Reef

·         New Orleans Shrimp and Spaghetti

·         30 Days with St. Joseph Day 8

·         Baby Killer of the Month Club

·         Live Long and Prosper Day

·         National Spinach Day

·         World Math’s Day

·         Visit a Holy Place

 

Thursday Feast

Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.

·         According to Mary Agreda[4] in her visions it was on a Thursday at six o'clock in the evening and at the approach of night that the Angel Gabriel approached and announced her as Mother of God and she gave her fiat.

Best Places to Visit in March[5]

Sedona

 is a beautiful destination year-round. The most popular seasons are March through May and September through mid-December. Lodging rates are slightly lower in July and August, but the most economical prices of the year are available from the first week of January to mid-February.

Spring Season – March through May

Spring is Sedona's busiest visitor season and it's easy to see why. With average high temperatures in the mid-60s to low 80s (degrees Fahrenheit) and lows that are refreshingly chilly, its perfect weather for Sedona's outdoor activities like hiking, jeep tours, and shopping in Uptown Sedona. You'll want to make sure not to miss the spectacle of "Sedona's evening entertainment" an explosively colorful sunset behind Sedona's red rocks. Pro Tip: Be sure to book your Sedona tour or activities several months in advance. You don't want to miss out on the most popular activities during this, Sedona's busiest season

Today’s Menu is from Arizona

• 24 CARROT GOLD PUNCH
• Shrimp Enchiladas with Green Sauce

·         Grilled Southwestern Potato Salad

·         Icebox Cookies

o    After Dinner Cigars

March 26 Thursday in Passion Week

Joshua, Chapter 10, Verse 25

Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be AFRAID or dismayed, be firm and steadfast. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight.”

 

Joshua, the warrior of God, had just defeated the five Kings of Jerusalem and had all of the soldiers put their foot on the Kings neck as a sign of victory over evil. Additionally, it showed how God had personally empowered each of them to overcome evil and they are not to be afraid or intimidated.

 

Joshua defeated five Kings is the number significant. The number five symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor toward humans and is mentioned 318 times in Scripture. Five is the number of grace, and multiplied by itself, which is 25, is 'grace upon grace' (John 1:16). The Ten Commandments contains two sets of five commandments. The first five commandments are related to our treatment and relationship with God, and the last five concern our relationship with other humans.[1]

 

Additionally in the Rosary there are five daily meditations on the life of Christ where the faithful pray a decade of Hail Mary’s.

 

Aids in Battle[2]Know the nature of devils.

 

·         What a terrible own prerogatives and therefore wants to impose limitations on man (see Gn 3: 5). Satan invites the man to free himself from the imposition of this yoke by making himself “like God.”revolution in their whole being: In their intellect, no thoughts but of crime! In their will, no love but for evil!

·         There is no repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death.

·         Christ gave the Devil power over Himself so that he might be tempted and led into danger and persecuted even to the point of death, so that He might in this way liberate us from the Devil’s power.

·         In the Book of Genesis we find a precise description of lie and falsification of the truth about God, which Satan (under the form of a serpent) tries to transmit to the first representatives of the human race: God is jealous of his

Copilot’s Take

The moment described in Joshua 10 reveals something essential about how God forms His people for spiritual battle. Before any further campaign begins, God teaches Israel to see evil from the correct vantage point—beneath their feet. The soldiers are not simply witnessing a victory; they are being trained to inhabit it. Spiritual warfare begins with this shift in perspective. Evil appears overwhelming only when viewed from below. Once God elevates His people, the scale changes, and fear loses its authority.

The recurring pattern of five throughout Scripture and devotion is not accidental. It reflects the way God shapes the human heart through rhythm and structure. Five kings, five mysteries of the Rosary, and even the Ten Commandments—when understood in their ancient two‑tablet form—follow this same pattern. In that older structure, the commandments are divided into five toward God and five toward neighbor.

The first five form a complete arc of right worship: who God is, how He is represented, how His name is treated, how His day is kept holy, and how His authority is honored in the family. This is why “Honor your father and mother” belongs on the God‑tablet in this tradition; parental authority is the first reflection of divine authority a person encounters. The second tablet then mirrors the first with five commandments that govern relationships with others. This symmetry reveals a moral order that is balanced, intentional, and deeply connected to the way grace forms the soul.

The teaching on the nature of devils underscores why this structure matters. Evil does not possess creativity or love; it relies on distortion, accusation, and fear. Its intellect is corrupted, its will is fixed, and its strategy is always the same: to twist what God has made and to intimidate those who bear His image. Clarity about this reality is not morbid curiosity but spiritual protection. When the mind understands the limits of evil, the will becomes steadier. Fear thrives in exaggeration; it collapses under truth.

The 5×5 pattern presented here becomes a practical architecture for confronting evil. It offers a way to pray with focus, to order life with intention, and to resist spiritual pressure without panic. Grace remembered, worship restored, relationships ordered, Christ’s mysteries contemplated, and the enemy understood—these five movements reinforce one another. They create a stability that does not depend on emotion but on formation.

Taken together, these insights reveal a God who trains His people with precision. The ancient battlefield becomes a living lesson. The same Lord who steadied Joshua’s soldiers steadies believers now through patterns of grace that multiply, strengthen, and anchor the soul. In this formation, fear loses its place, and firmness becomes the natural stance of those who stand under the banner of the Lord.

Thursday in Passion Week

 Prayer.

GRANT, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the dignity of human nature, wounded by intemperance, may be reformed by healthful abstinence.

EPISTLE. Daniel iii. 34-45.

 In those days Azarias prayed to the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, deliver us not up forever, we beseech Thee, for Thy name’s sake, and abolish not Thy covenant. And take not away Thy mercy from us for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one: to whom Thou hast spoken promising that Thou wouldst multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the seashore. For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are brought low in all the earth this day for our sins. Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first fruits before Thee, that we may find Thy mercy: nevertheless, in a contrite heart and humble spirit let us be accepted. As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs: so, let our sacrifice be made in Thy sight this day, that it may please Thee: for there is no confusion to them that trust in Thee. And now we follow Thee with all our heart, and we fear Thee, and seek Thy face. Put us not to confusion, but deal with us according to Thy meekness, and according to the multitude of Thy mercy. And deliver us according to Thy wonderful works, and give glory to Thy name, O Lord: and let all them be confounded that show evils to Thy servants, let them be confounded in all Thy might, and let their strength be broken. And let them know that Thou art the Lord, the only God, and glorious over all the world, O Lord our God.

  GOSPEL. Luke vii. 36-50.

 At that time one of the Pharisees desired Him to eat with him. And He went into the house of the Pharisee and sat down to meat. And behold a woman that was in the city a sinner, when she knew that He sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment: and standing behind at His feet, she began to wash His feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And the Pharisee, who had invited Him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man if He were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: that she is a sinner. And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it. A certain creditor had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both.

 Which therefore of the two loveth him most?

 Simon answering said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said to him: Thou hast judged rightly. And turning to the woman, He said unto Simon:

 Dost thou see this woman?

 I entered into thy house, thou gavest Me no water for My feet: but she with tears hath washed My feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest Me no kiss: but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint but she with ointment hath anointed My feet. Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And He said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves:

 Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

 And He said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe: go in peace.

Lenten Calendar

Read: The Servant Songs, Day Four:

 (Within the Book of the Prophet Isaiah we encounter four poetic sections known as the Songs of the Suffering Servant. The specific identity of this Servant of the Lord remains the topic of scholarly debate. Perhaps it refers to the prophet Isaiah himself, perhaps the entire nation of Israel, or possibly the promised Messiah. Christian faith sees these prophetic utterances fulfilled in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Lord. 

 Because of the Christian identification of the Suffering Servant with Jesus, the four Servant Songs become a way of encountering the Lord during this Lenten Season. Not only do they give us a sense of the commitment and endurance that characterized his messianic ministry, but they become a way of touching the bruised face of the Messiah, of hearing the resolute determination that sustained him in the midst of trial, and of rejoicing with him in God’s ultimate vindication of his calling and service.)

 The fourth song proclaims the salvific value of the Servant’s innocent suffering that will justify many and blot out their offenses.

Reflect: Today we reflect on the last of the four Servant Songs. 

 Pray: Take time with the fourth Servant Song today. Read from Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12.

Act: Here the prophet proclaims the “prosperity” of God’s servant, but it is not a worldly prosperity accomplished through human wisdom. “Who would believe what we have heard?” God’s silent and afflicted servant prospers through a life given to God as an offering for sin. Through suffering, the servant acquires great wealth and “offspring” before God: many are justified before God, iniquity is removed, wounds are healed, and sinners receive an intercessor. The servant prospers in what is true wealth to God.

Aids in Battle [3] The “Our Father” is a battle cry

 

In this prayer, Christ has just spoken of the Evil One, placing us on alert before the battle, reminding us of our enemy, and keeping us from negligence. “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours” (see Mt 6: 13).

·         The kingdom belongs to God, we should fear no one. For no one can withstand Him or tear apart His Empire.

·         “The power is Yours,” Christ says. For this reason, no matter how many forms your weakness may take, you may still rightly be confident in the battle.

·         “The glory is Yours.” Not only can God free you from Indifference and Apathy

·         m the dangers you face; He can also make you glorious and outstanding in battle. His power is great, and His glory is beyond telling— they are both limitless and never come to an end. See how He has in every way anointed you, His champion, and surrounded you with confidence? ST. JOHN

Bible in a year Day 267 Indifference and Apathy

Fr. Mike introduces us to the books of Ezra and Haggai, emplaining the Israelites' return to the promised land. He also warns us against apathy and indifference in our relationship with God, as we see Israel display towards the temple. Today's readings are Ezra 1-2, Haggai 1-2, and Proverbs 20:1-3.

THIS WE BELIEVE

PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen

Daily Devotions

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

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[1] http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/5.html

[2]Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual Warfare. TAN Books.

[3] Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual Warfare. TAN Books.

[4] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The Mystical City of God: Complete Edition Containing all Four Volumes with Illustrations (p. 770). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition

[5] https://www.sedona.net/best-time-to-visit

 

Looking for Trouble (1934)

🎬 Production Snapshot
Studio: Twentieth Century Pictures (pre‑merger with Fox)
Director: William A. Wellman
Release: 1934
Screenplay: Leonard Praskins & Casey Robinson
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Jack Oakie, Constance Cummings
Genre: Crime drama / Working‑class adventure
Notable: A gritty, fast‑moving Pre‑Code‑adjacent film featuring real footage from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. Tracy plays one of his earliest “ordinary man with moral backbone” roles, and Wellman brings documentary realism to telephone‑company field work.

🧭 Story Summary

Joe Graham (Spencer Tracy) and Casey (Jack Oakie) are linemen and night‑shift troubleshooters for the telephone company—men who climb poles, crawl through basements, and fix what breaks in the dark. Joe is steady, principled, and quietly heroic; Casey is comic relief with a good heart. Ethel Greenwood (Constance Cummings), a switchboard operator, becomes the emotional center of the story as Joe’s love interest and moral compass.

What begins as routine night work spirals into danger when Joe uncovers a criminal racket using telephone lines for illegal operations. A police raid, a murder, and a frame‑up pull Joe into a web of corruption. The climax erupts during a catastrophic building collapse—augmented by real earthquake footage—where Joe and Casey must risk their lives to save others and expose the truth.

The film closes with restored order, renewed loyalty, and the quiet dignity of men who return to their tools and their vocation, having faced danger without fanfare.

🕰 Historical and Cultural Context

• Released just as the Production Code began tightening, the film retains the rawness of early‑’30s crime pictures—gambling dens, corruption, and moral ambiguity.
• William Wellman, known for Wings and The Public Enemy, brings a semi‑documentary realism to working‑class professions.
• Twentieth Century Pictures was still independent, giving the film a rougher, almost newsreel texture.
• The use of real Long Beach earthquake footage gave audiences a shock of authenticity rarely seen in studio films of the era.
• Spencer Tracy was on the cusp of major stardom; this film helped define his persona as the decent, blue‑collar American hero.

✝️ Catholic Moral Resonances

Though not explicitly religious, the film carries a moral architecture that aligns naturally with Catholic social teaching—especially around work, justice, and courage.

Vocation as Service
Joe’s pride in being a “trouble shooter” reflects the dignity of labor: work as participation in God’s order, not merely a paycheck. He refuses promotion because he wants to serve where the real problems are—an echo of the Church’s esteem for humble, hands‑on vocations.

Courage in the Ordinary
The film elevates the quiet heroism of workers who protect the public without applause. This mirrors the Catholic conviction that sanctity often hides in ordinary duties faithfully done.

Justice Against Corruption
Joe’s refusal to be intimidated by criminals or compromised by fear reflects the moral clarity of the just man—one who stands firm even when institutions falter.

Mercy and Loyalty
Casey’s comic bravado masks a deep loyalty; Ethel’s steadiness anchors Joe. Their relationships embody the Catholic sense that community is a shield against despair.

Suffering as Refinement
The earthquake sequence becomes a crucible: danger strips away pretense and reveals character. In Catholic thought, trials reveal the truth of the heart and purify intention.

🍷 Hospitality Pairing

Drink: Rye Whiskey Highball
Simple, working‑class, and clean—something a lineman might take after a long shift, but elevated enough to honor the film’s grit and heart.

Snack: Salted Pretzels or Warm Pub Nuts
Unpretentious, sturdy, and fitting for a story rooted in night shifts, saloons, and the camaraderie of labor.

Atmosphere:

• Dim lighting, like a night‑shift depot or a switchboard room.
• Soft jazz or early‑’30s dance‑band music.
• A sense of being “off duty,” letting the film’s working‑class world settle around you.

🪞 Reflection Prompt

God inviting you to act with Joe Graham’s steadiness: doing the right thing without applause, protecting others quietly, and treating your vocation as a place where grace can take root?