This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
Fate intervenes when Anne unexpectedly crosses paths with her now‑grown son and his adoptive family. The encounter awakens all the maternal longing she has tried to suppress. At the same time, she finds herself caught between two men: her steady employer (Marshall) and a charming suitor (Ian Hunter). The emotional tension builds toward a choice between personal happiness and the quiet, sacrificial love that has defined her life.
The film leans into the classic 1930s melodrama structure:
a woman with a hidden wound
a child she cannot claim
a love triangle shaped by duty and desire
a final act where self‑denial becomes the highest form of love
Stanwyck carries the film with her trademark blend of steel and vulnerability.
✝️ Catholic / Moral Reflection
This is a story about sacrificial love, the kind that chooses the good of another even when it costs everything. Anne’s life echoes the spiritual truth that love is often expressed not in possession but in relinquishment.
Three themes stand out:
1. The Hidden Cross
Anne’s suffering is quiet, unseen, and unacknowledged — the kind of cross many people carry without recognition. Her dignity comes from bearing it without bitterness.
2. Motherhood as Vocation, Even When Invisible
Though she cannot raise her son, Anne’s maternal heart shapes every decision she makes. The film honors the truth that motherhood is not erased by circumstance.
3. Love That Lets Go
The climax of the film is not romantic triumph but moral clarity. Anne chooses the path that allows her son to flourish, even if it means stepping back.
It’s a Marian kind of love — steadfast, self‑emptying, and oriented toward the child’s good rather than the mother’s consolation.
This is a film that invites viewers to reflect on the difference between sentiment and charity, between wanting someone and willing their good.
πΈ Hospitality Pairing
The “Quiet Goodbye” Cocktail
A gentle, bittersweet drink that matches the film’s emotional tone.
1½ oz gin
½ oz dry vermouth
½ oz crΓ¨me de violette
Lemon twist
Soft, floral, restrained — a drink that feels like a sigh.
Non‑Alcoholic Option: Lavender Lemon Tonic
Sparkling water
Lavender syrup
Fresh lemon
A sprig of mint
Light, fragrant, and reflective.
π One‑Sentence Takeaway
A tender melodrama where Barbara Stanwyck shows that the deepest love is often the love that steps back, blesses quietly, and says “goodbye” for the sake of another’s flourishing.
St. Blaise stands as a quiet but unshakable reminder that confronting evil begins not with outrage but with interior steadiness, the kind that comes from belonging to Christ more than to the news cycle. His world was filled with violence, corruption, and fear, yet he met it with a bishop’s courage and a healer’s gentleness, refusing to let darkness dictate the terms of his soul. The Church teaches that evil is real but never ultimate, and St. Blaise embodies that truth by showing how a Christian resists without becoming hardened, speaks truth without becoming shrill, and protects the vulnerable without becoming cynical. When today’s headlines tempt us toward despair or anger, his witness urges us to guard our voice, guard our heart, and guard the weak—because holiness, lived steadily and without theatrics, is the most decisive way to confront the world’s disorder.
Week 13: South Africa — Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
Theme: Vine of Light, Vine of Restoration Dates: February 3–9, 2026 Base: Stellenbosch • Franschhoek • Cape Winelands Seasonal Note: High summer — warm breezes, bright vineyards, and long evenings of golden light.
π️ Tuesday, February 3 – Arrival in Cape Town → Stellenbosch
✈️ Travel: Arrive at Cape Town International Airport π Transfer: 35 minutes to Stellenbosch ($30 Uber) π¨ Lodging: Oude Werf Hotel ($120/night) π Evening: Walk Stellenbosch’s oak‑lined streets π₯ Symbolic Act — “Light of the Vine” Light a candle at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Stellenbosch, asking for restoration in one area of your life.
π️ Wednesday, February 4 – Tokara & Helshoogte Pass
π· Visit: Tokara Wine Estate ($20 tasting) π Overlook: Helshoogte Pass — sweeping valley views π½️ Lunch: Tokara Deli ($18) π± Symbolic Act — “Restoration Rising” Write a short reflection on where you feel called to rebuild or renew.
π️ Thursday, February 5 – Franschhoek Wine Tram Day
·La Bourgogne Farm ✨ Symbolic Act — “Joy in Motion” Name one joy you want to protect and cultivate this year.
π️ Friday, February 6 – Babylonstoren & Garden Walk
π️ Visit: Babylonstoren — Cape Dutch farm + gardens π· Tasting: Cellar experience (~$15) π³ Garden Walk: Healing herbs, fruit trees, water channels π₯ Symbolic Act — “Garden of Restoration” Choose one plant or tree that symbolizes the healing you seek.
π️ Saturday, February 7 – Waterford Estate & Chocolate Pairing
π· Visit: Waterford Estate (~$25 tasting + chocolate pairing) πΆ Vineyard Walk: Summer vines in full leaf ✍️ Reflection: Journal under the citrus trees π Symbolic Act — “Sweetness Returned” Write a gratitude line for something that has quietly healed.
π️ Sunday, February 8 – Mass & Vineyard Benediction
✍️ Writing: Compose a blessing for the next vineyard traveler π₯ Evening: Toast with Stellenbosch Pinotage π Symbolic Act — “Cape Benediction” Bless the mountains, the vines, and the light that restores.
π️ Monday, February 9 – Departure
π Return: Stellenbosch → Cape Town ✈️ Depart: Cape Town International Airport π Suggested Next Stop:
·New Zealand (Marlborough) — “Vine of Purity, Vine of Wind”
·Argentina (Mendoza) — “Vine of Altitude, Vine of Courage”
·Australia (Barossa Valley) — “Vine of Heat, Vine of Strength”
The Gospel’s
message is direct and liberating: “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
Jesus calls us to trust Him even when every sign says it’s too late. Faith
opens the door to the Holy Spirit, who brings knowledge, understanding, and
counsel. When we yield to His promptings, prudence deepens, clarity sharpens,
and holiness becomes our desire. Christ is always accessible — and always
urging us to trust Him more.
How do we know what truly comes from the Holy Spirit?
Not every impulse, opportunity, or desire is from God.
Some come from the world’s distractions, and some from darker influences that
pull us away from freedom.
The Church calls this lifelong skill discernment.
It’s more than intelligence or common sense. It is a gift — one God
gladly gives to those who ask. We cultivate it through prayer, silence,
reflection, Scripture, wise counsel, and a willingness to let God speak into
our real lives.
Without discernment, we become prey to whatever is
loudest or newest.
Sometimes a new opportunity is truly “new wine” from
God.
Sometimes it’s an illusion. And sometimes the enemy works in the opposite
direction — keeping us stuck, rigid, afraid to change, and resistant to the
Spirit’s movement.
Discernment helps us recognize what leads to freedom,
what leads to bondage, and what leads to Christ.
Grow in holiness through ordinary responsibilities
Avoid missing the quiet promptings of grace
A simple daily examination of conscience becomes
one of the most powerful tools for this — a way of asking, “Lord, where were
You today, and how did I respond?”
It’s about meaning, mission, and relationship
with the Father who knows and loves us.
God speaks through Scripture, through people, through
circumstances — but we cannot hear Him without silence. Prolonged prayer
clears the fog, calms anxiety, and lets us see our lives in God’s light.
Sometimes God calls us out of comfort.
Sometimes He calls us into change.
Sometimes He calls us to stay and endure.
Discernment is not about repeating old solutions. It is
about letting the Holy Spirit reveal what is needed today.
The logic of gift and of the cross
To
grow in discernment, we must learn God’s patience and God’s timing. His ways
are not ours.
Discernment
is not about “What can I get out of life?”
It
is about “How can I fulfill the mission entrusted to me at baptism?”
This
requires: generosity sacrifice courage and a willingness to let God into every
part of our life God asks for everything — but He gives everything in return.
He does not enter our lives to diminish them, but to bring them to fullness.
Discernment
is not self-analysis.
It is a journey outward — toward God, toward others, toward the mission that
makes our life meaningful.
Copilot’s Take on Confronting Evil
Evil is confronted not by force or fury but by the same quiet power
that triumphed on Calvary: the self-giving love and steadfast fidelity revealed
in the Cross. Evil feeds on fear, confusion, and the instinct for self‑protection,
yet Christ overturns all of this with His simple command, “Do not be afraid;
just have faith.” When we meet darkness with trust, truth, and sacrificial
love, we disarm it at its root. The logic of the Cross teaches us that real
victory often looks like endurance, generosity, and courage in hidden places —
choosing faith when fear presses in, choosing charity when hatred tempts us,
choosing mission over comfort. Evil cannot imitate this and cannot overcome it.
In every trial, the Cross stands as our pattern and our power, reminding us
that God’s strength is revealed precisely where our own ends, and that fidelity
to Christ is the surest path to overcoming whatever seeks to diminish the soul.
While he was in prison, the Armenian
Bishop Blaise (who suffered martyrdom in the fourth century) miraculously cured
a little boy choking on a fishbone lodged in his throat. Ever since then, St.
Blaise has been the patron saint of throats. Saint Blaise Sticks(pan bendito) are distributed on his feast and kept in the home to
be eaten for a sore throat. The most popular custom, however, is the Blessing
of Throats.
The rite of the blessing of throats may
take place before or after Mass. The priest or deacon places the candles around
the throat of whoever seeks the blessing, using the formula: "Through the
intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you free from
every disease of the throat, and from every other disease. In the name of the
Father and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. R. Amen."
Things to Do
·Take your children to Mass to receive
the blessing of throats today.
·Establish a home altar with the blessed
candles (symbols of Saint Blaise) from the feast of the Presentation, February
2.
·Visit this website and learn more about St. Blaise and how he saved Dubrovnik in
Croatia in the 12th century.
Feast
of St. Blaise—Invoking Against Diseases of the Throat
A physician of Sebaste in Cappodocia, where he was later named Bishop, St.
Blaise was martyred about the year 320. He is venerated as a patron to protect
us against diseases of the throat, mainly because of the story told that he
cured a boy choking from a fishbone.
As a doctor Blaise
went into every home, at all hours of the day and night, knew both the rich and
poor of the neighborhood, comforted and cured and advised all. As a bishop, he
did the same thing. It was said that people had to look for him in the prisons,
in the caves with hermits, in the mountains and the valleys, so fast were his
steps to search out and to help each member of his flock.
Blaise also had
the reputation for curing sick and wounded animals, it was while he tended an
animal that some of the governor's hunters found him and announced him as a
Christian. This was their best catch, a bishop; and Blaise was ready, for he
had been warned in prayer to prepare himself as a sacrifice. On his way to
prison, Blaise greets his people along the way, says goodbye to them,
evangelizes them and baptizes. As he speaks, a voice is heard on the streets:
"Stop,"
says a woman, "my child is dying!"
"And what is
the matter with this child?"
"There is a
fishbone in his throat, and it is strangling him."
Is it a physician
or a bishop that is needed? Blaise does not hesitate medicine is too long,
faith is shorter. He touches the elbow of the little boy, and commands the
fishbone in the name of its maker:
"Go down or
come out, by the law of the All-Powerful!"
The fishbone
disappears and the child is returned safe and sound to his mother.
Blaise is thrown
into prison, from which there is no exit except by adoration of the pagan gods.
Upon his first refusal to worship, Blaise is whipped; and this achieves
nothing, attempts are made to buy him off: he must keep his faith to himself
and simply appear at the official ceremonies of the state. Again, he refuses,
and is tortured, beaten and thrown into prison again.
"You punish
my body," says Blaise, "but there is nothing you can do to my soul.
If he wished, my God could snatch my body from your hands. His will be
done."
"Do you think
he could save you, if I had you drowned like cat in a pond?" asked the
governor. Thereupon he orders Blaise to be thrown into a nearby lake and is
astonished to find the waters remain frozen like ice, unwilling to be an
accomplice in the death of this holy man. In a frenzy, a soldier draws his
sword, and with a single blow delivers Blaise from the hands of his tormentors
into those of the living God. Excerpted from The Encyclopedia of Catholic
Saints, Volume 2
300 Days, once a day. (See Instructions.) 387 Leo XIII, May 13, 1903.
O GLORIOUS St Blaise, who with a short prayer didst restore to perfect
safety a child at the point of death from a fishbone fixed in its throat, grant
that we may all feel the power of thy patronage in every malady of the throat
and may have the special grace to mortify the dangerous sense of taste by
observing faithfully the precepts of the Church. Thou also, who in thy
martyrdom hast left to the Church the testimony of a glorious faith, grant that
we may keep this divine gift intact, and that in these times we may be enabled,
by word and deed, without fear of man, to defend the truths of faith, so
grievously obscured and attacked.
Bible in a Year Day 216 The Suffering
Servant
Fr. Mike marvels at the beauty of Isaiah 53, which reveals that Jesus is the
Lord's suffering servant and also zeroes in on Ezekiel 15, which reminds us
that without God we are like a useless vine that bears no fruit. Today we read
Isaiah 53-54, Ezekiel 14-15, and Proverbs 12:25-28.
Litany
of Trust- “Deliver me, Jesus, from the fear that I am unlovable.”
Epiphany’s light continues its quiet
unveiling, moving from the fear that our past is unforgivable to the
deeper, more intimate fear that we ourselves are unlovable. This fear
does not arise from a single moment or mistake. It grows slowly, often
unnoticed, shaped by wounds, comparisons, disappointments, and the quiet
suspicion that love is something fragile — something we must earn, maintain, or
deserve.
But Epiphany reveals a God who does
not love conditionally.
He does not love the polished version of us.
He does not love the future version of us.
He loves the person we are right now — the one He formed, the one He carries,
the one He refuses to abandon.
The fear of being unlovable often
hides beneath our strengths. It hides beneath our humor, our competence, our
independence, our silence. It whispers that if anyone knew us completely, they
would step back. It tells us that love is limited, that affection is scarce,
that belonging is fragile.
Christ contradicts this fear simply
by being who He is.
He does not love reluctantly.
He does not love sparingly.
He does not love theoretically.
He loves personally, fully, and without hesitation.
To pray this petition is to allow
Epiphany’s light to fall on the deepest questions of the heart. It is to let
Christ speak into the places where we have doubted our dignity. It is to trust
that the One who knows us completely loves us completely.
This prayer invites us to release the
belief that love must be earned.
It calls us to trust that we are not tolerated — we are cherished.
Not barely accepted — deeply desired.
Not conditionally welcomed — eternally held.
To pray these words this week is to
step into the truth Epiphany reveals:
that we are loved not because we are flawless,
but because God is faithful.
Daily Devotions
·Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: The Pope
Director: Alfred Hitchcock Studio: Gaumont-British Picture Corporation Runtime: 75 minutes Starring: Leslie Banks, Edna Best, Peter Lorre, Nova Pilbeam Release: 9 December 1934 (UK)
π§ Plot Overview
Bob and Jill Lawrence, vacationing in Switzerland with their daughter Betty, befriend a Frenchman, Louis Bernard.
Bernard is assassinated while dancing with Jill; with his dying breath he reveals a secret about an impending political assassination.
To silence the Lawrences, the conspirators kidnap Betty.
Back in London, Bob and Jill must navigate a shadowy network of spies, a sun‑worshipping cult, and a looming assassination attempt at the Royal Albert Hall.
Jill’s climactic scream disrupts the assassin’s shot, leading to a tense siege as the parents fight to rescue their daughter.
π Cast Highlights
Leslie Banks as Bob Lawrence — steady, determined, and morally anchored.
Edna Best as Jill Lawrence — a mother whose courage becomes the film’s moral center.
Peter Lorre as Abbott — chilling, charismatic villainy in his first English‑language role.
π️ Why This Film Matters
Hitchcock’s Early Mastery
A prototype for the “ordinary person in extraordinary danger” theme he would refine in later works.
The Royal Albert Hall sequence is one of Hitchcock’s earliest demonstrations of pure visual suspense.
Peter Lorre’s performance adds a modern, unsettling edge that still holds up.
Production Roots
Originally conceived from a shelved Bulldog Drummond story.
Influenced by screenwriter Charles Bennett’s WWI intelligence experience and possibly the Lindbergh kidnapping.
✝️ Catholic Moral & Devotional Reading
1. The Vocation of Parents
Bob and Jill’s relentless pursuit of their daughter mirrors the spiritual truth that parents are guardians of life and innocence.
Their courage reflects the domestic church defending its own.
2. The Power of a Single Moral Act
Jill’s scream—one decisive moment—prevents an act of political murder.
A reminder that small, courageous acts can interrupt cycles of evil.
3. Evil Prefers Silence
The kidnappers’ threat—“Tell no one or your daughter dies”—echoes the spiritual tactic of isolating the good.
The Church teaches that truth spoken at the right moment is an act of charity.
4. The Siege as Spiritual Warfare
The final standoff resembles the Christian struggle against entrenched evil:
darkness hiding in a false “temple,”
the innocent held captive,
the parents fighting not for vengeance but restoration.
πΈ Hospitality Pairing (from your bar stock)
A film set between Switzerland and London calls for something crisp, bracing, and slightly continental.
The Alpine Vigil
A simple, dignified cocktail to match the film’s tension and clarity.
Ingredients (all in your bar):
Gin
Dry vermouth
A squeeze of lime
Optional: a dash of Cointreau for a subtle European sweetness
Method:
Shake gin and vermouth over ice.
Add lime.
Serve in a chilled glass.
Symbolism:
Gin = British resolve
Lime = the sharp interruption of evil (Jill’s scream)
Vermouth = the shadowy world of espionage
Cointreau = the unexpected grace that breaks through
Black Narcissus (1947) is one of the most visually arresting and spiritually charged films of the 20th century
π¬ Black Narcissus (1947)
Psychological Drama • Powell & Pressburger • Technicolor Masterpiece
Cast: Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Kathleen Byron, Sabu Release: 1947 (UK & US) • Runtime: 100 minutes Setting: A former harem perched on a Himalayan cliff, where Anglican nuns attempt to found a school and clinic.
π§ Plot Summary
A group of Anglican sisters, led by Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), is sent to establish a mission in the abandoned palace of Mopu.
The altitude, wind, isolation, and sensual history of the building begin to erode the sisters’ discipline and interior peace.
Mr. Dean (David Farrar), the British agent, becomes an unsettling presence—both a practical necessity and a source of temptation.
Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) unravels psychologically, her instability becoming the film’s central dramatic fuse.
The climax unfolds at the cliffside bell tower—one of cinema’s most iconic sequences—where spiritual warfare, jealousy, and human frailty collide.
✝️ Catholic-Thematic Reflection
1. The Battle Between Exterior Mission and Interior Disposition
The sisters arrive with zeal, but the environment exposes their unhealed wounds.
Lesson: Mission without interior formation becomes fragile.
Tie‑in: A reminder for Feb 2 (Feast of the Presentation) that purification precedes offering.
2. The Palace as a Symbol of the Unconverted Heart
A former harem turned convent: a place with a past, now consecrated but still echoing old desires.
Lesson: Grace does not erase history; it transforms it through perseverance.
3. Sister Ruth — The Danger of Isolation Without Community
Her descent is not merely psychological but spiritual: pride, secrecy, and refusal of correction.
Lesson: The enemy works most effectively in isolation; community is a guardrail.
4. Sister Clodagh — Leadership Under Pressure
Her memories of lost love surface, revealing that holiness is not repression but integration.
Lesson: Leaders must shepherd their own hearts as much as their people.
5. The Bell Tower — A Visual Metaphor for Temptation and Judgment
The height, the wind, the abyss—Powell & Pressburger turn the cliff into a moral stage.
Lesson: Temptation often appears at the edge of our vocation.
π½️ Hospitality Pairing
Drink: “The High‑Cliff Gin & Lime”
A nod to the altitude, the austerity, and the sharp psychological edges of the film.
2 oz gin
¾ oz lime
½ oz simple syrup
Shake hard, serve in a chilled glass
Garnish with a thin lime wheel (symbolizing the Himalayan sun)
Food Pairing: Himalayan‑Inspired Simplicity
Lentil dal with toasted cumin
Warm flatbread
A small bowl of yogurt with honey
This keeps the meal monastic, humble, and atmospheric.
π―️ Devotional Angle for Feb 2 (Presentation of the Lord)
Pair the film with a short reflection on purification, clarity, and the unveiling of hidden motives.
Simeon’s prophecy (“a sword will pierce your heart”) mirrors the film’s theme: true consecration exposes what is unhealed.
The nuns’ unraveling becomes a cautionary tale about entering sacred work without interior readiness.
oStart your day by playing your ukulele and tapping into your creative side. Enjoy some bubble gum while cooking up a batch of crepes for breakfast. Consider trying out different two-factor authentication methods for added security throughout the day. Take your brown dog for a walk while wearing red to show support for various causes. Learn about hedgehogs or even visit them at a local petting zoo. Participate in river clean-up activities to give back to the community. Volunteer at a local dental clinic to support Give Kids a Smile Day.
oEducate yourself and others about heart health on National Woman’s Heart Day. Indulge in some tater tots for a tasty snack. Learn about sled dogs and their role in history. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of wetlands and their importance to the environment. Embrace self-renewal by practicing self-care activities. Play catch with a friend or family member in honor of National Catchers Day.
oTake on a new challenge inspired by Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Make some heavenly hash dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. Capture a moment of your day with a photo or video to mark Record of a Sneeze Day. Reflect on stories of resilience and courage on Lung Leavin’ Day. Learn about historical events like the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo while enjoying kiwifruit snacks from California. Shadow someone in a profession you find interesting to celebrate Groundhog Job Shadow Day.
Participate in activities that promote awareness about the environment on World Wetlands Day. End your day by unwinding and focusing on self-improvement on Self Renewal Day.
π―️ Bucket List Trip [3] – Part 15: USA 70 Degree Year Journey
·Dates: February 2–8, 2026 Theme: Gulf Ordinary Time – Light, Labor & the Call of the Everyday Route: Phoenix → Tampa → Clearwater → Dunedin → Tarpon Springs Style: Coastal‑urban pilgrimage, Candlemas transition, working‑day spirituality Climate Alignment: Daily highs 70–73°F (Tampa Bay)
·π° Estimated Cost Overview
Category
Estimated Cost
Lodging (6 nights)
~$690 (mid‑range hotels)
Food (daily meals)
~$250
Transit (flight + rental car)
~$320 (PHX → TPA + rental)
Symbolic extras
~$70
Total Estimate
~$1,330
·π️ Lodging Options
oTampa: Hotel Flor Tampa
oClearwater Beach: Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
·π Day 1 – Monday, February 2 (Candlemas)
oLocation: Tampa – Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Symbol: Light for the Nations Ritual Prompt: “Carry the Candlemas flame into the ordinary days ahead.” Evening Candlemas Mass; keep one blessed candle for the year’s journey.
π₯ Foodie Stop: Oxford Exchange (~$28)
·π Day 2 – Tuesday, February 3
oLocation: Clearwater Beach – Pier 60 Symbol: Everyday Radiance Ritual Prompt: “Notice the light that returns in small ways.” Sunset walk; reflect on the quiet graces of Ordinary Time. π² Foodie Stop: Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill (~$22)
·π¬ Day 3 – Wednesday, February 4
oLocation: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Symbol: Healing in Motion Ritual Prompt: “Let the works of mercy soften your heart.” Visit the rescue center; journal on compassion as a daily discipline. π₯ Foodie Stop: Marina Cantina (~$30)
oLocation: Tarpon Springs – St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral Symbol: Blessing of the Waters Ritual Prompt: “Let the waters remind you of your baptismal call.” Visit the cathedral; pray for renewal and unity. π§Ί Foodie Stop: Hellas Restaurant & Bakery (~$20)
·⚓ Day 6 – Saturday, February 7
oLocation: Tarpon Springs Docks Symbol: Labor & Vocation Ritual Prompt: “Honor the dignity of work—offer your labor to God.” Walk the sponge docks; reflect on the call to serve through daily work. π½️ Foodie Stop: Dimitri’s on the Water (~$25)
·π Day 7 – Sunday, February 8 (Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
oLocation: Clearwater – St. Brendan Catholic Church Symbol: Salt & Light Ritual Prompt: “Be salt for the earth—be light for the world.” Sunday Mass + blog reflection: “The Gulf Coast and the Grace of the Everyday.” π· Foodie Stop: Island Way Grill (~$35)
February 2 Monday-Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord
Now since the children share in blood
and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the
one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who through FEAR of death had been subject to
slavery all their life.
Copilot: In an age when
the news confronts us daily with violence, corruption, and the unraveling of
basic trust, Hebrews reminds us that the deepest evil is not merely what
happens “out there,” but the fear that enslaves hearts and paralyzes
conscience. The Church herself is not exempt from this struggle; scandals,
divisions, and failures of leadership reveal how fear—fear of losing influence,
fear of speaking truth, fear of repentance—can hollow out the very institutions
meant to bear Christ’s light. Confronting evil today requires the same pattern
Christ revealed at His Presentation: entering the darkness without becoming its
disciple, naming sin without becoming its echo, and refusing the slavery of
fear by standing in the freedom of the One who has already destroyed death’s
power. In a world addicted to outrage and a Church tempted by caution or
compromise, the Christian task is neither retreat nor rage but the steady
courage of those who know that evil has already been defeated and therefore
cannot command their obedience.
Feast
of the Presentation of Our Lord (Candlemas Until 1969[1]) which
is of Oriental origin, was known in the West as the feast of the Purification
of Our Lady, and closed the Christmas Cycle, forty days after the Lord's birth.
This feast has for long been associated with many popular devotional exercises.
The faithful:
gladly
participate in the processions commemorating the Lord's entry into the
Temple in Jerusalem and His encounter with God, whose house He had come to
for the first time, and then with Simeon and Anna. Such processions, which
in the West had taken the place of licentious pagan events, always had a
penitential character, and were later identified with the blessing of
candles which were carried in procession in honor of Christ, 'the light to
enlighten the Gentiles' (Lk 2, 32);
are sensitive
to the actions of the Blessed Virgin in presenting her Son in the Temple,
and to her submission to the Law of Moses (Lk 12, 1-8) in the rite of
purification; popular piety sees in the rite of purification the humility
of Our Lady and hence, 2 February has long been regarded as a feast for
those in humble service.
Popular
piety is sensitive to the providential and mysterious event that is the
conception and birth of new life. Christian mothers can easily identify with
the maternity of Our Lady, the most pure Mother of the Head of the mystical
Body — notwithstanding the notable differences in the Virgin's unique
conception and birth.
These
too are mothers in God's plan and are about to give birth to future members of
the Church. From this intuition and a certain mimesis of the
purification of Our Lady, the rite of purification after birth was developed,
some of whose elements reflect negatively on birth.
The
revised Rituale Romanum provides for the blessing of women both before
and after birth, this latter only in cases where the mother could not
participate at the baptism of her child.
It
is a highly desirable thing for mothers and married couples to ask for these
blessings which should be given in accord with the Church's prayer: in a
communion of faith and charity in prayer so that pregnancy can be brought to
term without difficulty (blessing before birth), and to give thanks to God for
the gift of a child (blessing after birth).
In
some local Churches, certain elements taken from the Gospel account of the
Presentation of the Lord (Lk 2, 22-40), such as the obedience of Joseph and
Mary to the Law of the Lord, the poverty of the holy spouses, the virginity of
Our Lady, mark out 2 February as a special feast for those at the service of
the brethren in the various forms of consecrated life.
The
feast of 2 February still retains a popular character. It is necessary,
however, that such should reflect the true Christian significance of the feast.
It would not be proper for popular piety in its celebration of this feast to
overlook its Christological significance and concentrate exclusively on its
Marian aspects. The fact that this feast should be 'considered [...] a joint
memorial of Son and Mother' would not support such an inversion. The candles
kept by the faithful in their homes should be seen as a sign of Christ 'the
light of the world' and an expression of faith.
ON this day the Church solemnly celebrates
the presentation of Jesus in the temple, and the obedience and humility both of
Mary and her divine Son, who, though not subject to the law in regard to
purification and presentation yet subjected themselves to it. Hence this feast
is called the Purification of the Virgin Mary.
In common speech we call it also Candlemas,
because on this day the candles required for the divine service are blessed and
carried in procession. What is the design of this custom?
1. It is to remind us that Jesus, the light of the
world, was offered up to His heavenly Father, by Mary, in the temple at
Jerusalem, where He was called by Simeon “a light for the revelation of the
gentiles, and the glory of the people of Israel.”
2. To remind us, also, of several important truths,
to which the priest refers in the prayers at the blessings. Thus he prays that
as the earthly light dispels the darkness of night, so Jesus, with the light of
His divine doctrine, may clear away our spiritual blindness and ignorance, and
lead us in the way of virtue; that as the Holy Ghost enlightened Simeon, so He
may also enlighten us to acknowledge Jesus as the true light, to love Him and
follow Him, to keep our hearts from the way of sin, and to guide them in the
way of virtue, and to kindle them with the fire of holy love; finally, that God
may preserve, in soul and body, those who use blessed candles with devotion,
may hear their prayers, and grant them entrance into the kingdom of the eternal
and ever-blessed light. In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: We have
received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple; according to Thy name, O
God, so also is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth; Thy right hand is full
of justice. Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our
God, in His holy mountain.”
Prayer.
Almighty, everlasting God, we suppliantly beseech
Thy majesty that, as Thy only begotten Son was this day presented in the temple
in the substance of our flesh, so Thou wouldst grant us to be presented to Thee
with purified souls.
EPISTLE.
Mai iii. 1-4.
Thus, saith the Lord: Behold I send My angel, and
he shall prepare the way before My face. And presently the Lord Whom you seek,
and the angel of the testament whom you desire, shall come to his temple.
Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts: and who shall be able to think of
the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a
refining fire, and like the fullers herb: and he shall sit refining and
cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine
them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice.
And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the
days of old, and in the ancient years, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL.
Luke ii. 22-32.
At that time: After the days of Mary’s purification
according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they carried Jesus to
Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord:
Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; and to offer a
sacrifice according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves,
or two young pigeons. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and
this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the
Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that
he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came
by the Spirit into the temple. And when His parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for Him according to the custom of the law: he also took Him into his
arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord,
according to Thy word, in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which
Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to the revelation of
the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Explanation.
The Blessed Virgin presented herself and her divine
Son at the temple so as not to give scandal to such as were ignorant of their
being exempt from the law, to show from the first that Jesus was come to redeem
sinners, and to leave us an example of humility and obedience. Mary offered the
gift of a pair of doves, like the poor, because she was poor, and was not
ashamed to acknowledge it before the world.
INSTRUCTION FOR
WOMEN AFTER CHILDBIRTH.
The law of purification in the Old Testament, it is
true, no longer applies to Christian women, because the Church has done away
with Jewish ceremonies. But the spirit and intention of that law the Church
would yet have complied with. She permits women, therefore, to remain at home,
with a good conscience, for six weeks after childbirth, or so long as
circumstances may require, without attending divine service, in order to care
for their health. This permission is, at the same time, an excellent admonition
to women, that, in order to their recovery, they should refrain from anger,
from exposure, from hard labor, from injurious food; to men, not to refuse
their wives during this period, set apart by God Himself under the Old Law, the
rest and attention which their nature requires. But when this time is past the
Church desires that women should, after the example of Mary, repair to the
church with their children, to procure the blessing of the priest, to give
thanks to God for their safe delivery, to dedicate their children to Him, and
to implore of Him, with the priest, grace to bring up their offspring in piety
and holiness. In this consists the so-called “churching of women”; and, from
what has been said, it is evident, not only that it contains nothing to be
ashamed of, but that it should by no means be omitted by such as desire God’s blessing.
The feeble health of both women and children after childbirth is almost always
owing to their having injured themselves by want of care.
Prayer for
Women after Childbirth.
Almighty and merciful God, Who didst lay upon our
mother Eve the fit punishment for her disobedience that she should bear
children in sorrow, I offer to Thee all the pains of my child-bearing in
propitiation for my sins; and I thank Thee that, through Thy help, the fruit of
my womb has been safely brought forth into the world, and new-born in Baptism.
According to the example of the Mother of Thy only begotten Son, I also offer
to Thee my child for Thy holy service, and will earnestly strive to bring it up
to Thy honor. To this end give me, through the intercession of the most blessed
Virgin, thy grace; bless me and my child, and grant that we may live according
to Thy will here, and hereafter may obtain everlasting happiness.Amen.
Ask your parish priest to bless the candles that you will be
using on your home altar this year.
Read Luke 2:22-35, the account of the presentation including the
Canticle of Simeon.
Meditate on the constant fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who
embraced the will of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would
pierce her heart.
Since the
children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through
death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their
life.
One of
the grandest feasts of the Middle Ages and one of only three feasts in the
English language verbally denoted by a Mass (Christmas and Michaelmas being the
other two), Candlemas, or the Feast of
the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorates Our Lady's visit
to the Temple in humble obedience to that clause of the Old Law which requires
a woman to be ritually purified forty days after bearing a son. On the
assumption that Our Lord was born on December 25, the date of Mary's visit to
the Temple would be February 2. It was on this day that Simeon the aged
prophet, upon seeing the infant Jesus, proclaimed him to be "a Light to
the gentiles" (Lk. 2.32). Hence the day has always involved a celebration
of light. The most famous of these customs -- and the one from which the feast
takes its common name -- is the blessing
of, and procession with, candles. The day begins with five beautiful blessings of candles that invoke God's
aid in living out allegorically what the light and fire of a candle symbolize:
wisdom and illumination, purification and charity, and so on. A solemn and
penitential procession (in which the
celebrant wears purple) exits and then re-enters the church, at which point the
purple is cast aside for the jubilance of white and a joyful Mass is offered.
One of the more distinctive features of this Mass is that the candles are held lighted in the hand during the
Gospel and from the Sanctus to the Communion. Candles used in the
procession are not the only ones blessed on this day. Many families
traditionally had most or all of their special candles -- for Advent, St.
Lucy's Day, Christmas, or the family shrine -- blessed on this day.
The
Feast's association with light also made it a great day for predicting the
weather. According to an old legend, if the sun shines bright for the better
part of the day, it means forty more days of winter. Subsequently this quaint
superstition became Groundhog Day. Finally,
Candlemas is the absolute last day for ending
the Christmas season. Any Christmas items that had not been taken down on
Epiphany or its Octave were now carefully put away.
·A lot of Christians will also bring candles with them to their local
church. They will then have their candles blessed, and they will use them for
the rest of the year. This is especially the case for Roman Catholics,
Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, and Anglicans. The candles are essential, as
they are viewed as a symbol of Jesus Christ. If you’re familiar with the
teachings of the Bible, you will know that Jesus often referred to Himself as
the Light of the World.
·There are different celebrations that take place all around the world
on this date. It is certainly interesting to learn about the various ways that
countries celebrate this occasion, and you can easily find this information
online if you would like to learn more. For example, in Peru, one of the
biggest festivals of dancing, music, and culture takes place during the first
fortnight of February. There are many different events taking place, which are
in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria, which is considered the patron saint of Puno,
a city in Peru.
·In Mexican tradition, some of the important celebrations on this day
include enjoying family meals with tamales, which is a classic dish from
Mesoamerican cuisine. The adoration and dressing of the child Jesus also plays
a role in this symbolic day. In Puerto Rico, the end of Christmas is celebrated
on this day. There are a number of different festivities that will occur on
this date.
·This includes a statue of the “Virgen de la Candelaria” carried on the
shoulders, with people following behind with lit candles. In Luxembourg, this
day is very much centered on the children. Small groups of children and adults
will roam the streets, singing traditional songs to every house that they pass
and holding a homemade wand or lantern. In exchange for singing songs, it is
hoped that the children will receive some sort of reward. Today, this is
typically some loose change or sweets. Traditionally, it was biscuits, peas, or
bacon.
·There are also celebrations across Swiss Romandy, Belgium, and France.
It is considered the day of crepes here! Not only does everyone enjoy some
delicious crepes, but everyone is prompted to light all of the candles in the
house. Tradition also indicates that manger scenes should be kept out until
Candlemas.
The Litanies commonly called " Litanies of our Lady" are
named "Litanies of Loretto" in the Constitutions of several Sovereign
Pontiffs, - viz. Reddituri, of Sixtus V., July11, 1687; Sanctissimus, of
Clement VIII., Sept. 6, 1601; and In supremo, of Alexander VII., May 28, 1664 -
by reason of their being sung with great solemnity every Saturday in the Holy
House of Loretto. They are composed of humble supplications and devout prayers
to Almighty and (this being the meaning of the word "Litanies"),
offered up through the intercession of our Blessed Lady, who is honoured
therein by the application to her of the mystic figures, high titles, and
glorious appellations whereby she is invoked. That these Litanies, when said by
the faithful, in church in public, or at home in private, might always remain
word for word exactly as they have been handed down to us from ancient
tradition, Pope Alexander VII., in the Constitution above named, strictly
forbade the making of any alteration in them.
To encourage the faithful often to have recourse to the intercession of
most holy Mary in their behalf with Almighty (and, and at the same time to do
her honor, Pope Sixtus V., in the above-named Constitution, granted –
i. An indulgence of 200 days, every time these Litanies are said with
devotion and contrition. Pope Benedict XIII., by a decree of the S. Congr. of
Indulgences, Jan. 12, 1728, confirmed this Indulgence; and Pope Pius VII.,
confirming it afresh by a decree of the same S. Congr. of Sept 30, 1817,
extended it to 300 days.
He granted, moreover, to all who say them daily –
ii. A plenary Indulgence on the five Feasts of our Blessed Lady, of
Obligation according to the Roman Calendar, viz, the Immaculate Conception, the
Nativity, the Annunciation, the Purification, and the
Assumption, on condition that, being truly contrite for their sins, and after
Confession and Communion, they visit a public church, and pray according to the
intention of the Pope.
Bible in a Year Day 215 False Prophet’s
Fr. Mike focuses on Ezekiel's warnings about false prophets misleading the
people of Israel, and challenges us to reflect whether we choose to listen to
prophets who tell us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear.
Today's readings are Isaiah 51-52, Ezekiel 12-13, and Proverbs 12:21-24.
I ask Christ if he has seen the movie, “Ground Hog Day”.He laughs
and says playfully, “No, but I inspired it”. I continue, well today is Ground Hog
Day and tradition say that if the ground hog sees his shadow there will be six
more weeks of winter.Christ asks, “So
what happens in the movie?” I state it is a story of a cranky young man who
keeps magically repeating his ground hog day until he has a life changing
attitude toward people and life in general. Christ says that is the reason for
His coming to these coffee clutches with me and that He wants to give me a
whole new view of life. This is what I referred to when I told Nicodemus that a
person must be born again to enter the kingdom. That is, you must awaken or
give birth to the Spirit of the Father that is in you-the spirit of love, and
you must also live in the truth. Your actions and behavior must be true to the
spirit the Father reveals to you.
John McCain in his
book “Character is Destiny” portrays the life of “The Four Chaplains” as a
model of great religious tolerance that
allowed them to risk all to protect others of a different faith or race.
It was the evening
of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying
902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers. Once a luxury coastal
liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The
Dorchester was one of three ships steadily moving across the icy waters from
Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland.
Hans J. Danielsen,
the ship’s captain, was concerned and cautious because he knew he was in
dangerous waters. German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea
lanes, and several ships had already been blasted and sunk. The Dorchester was
now only 150 miles from its destination, but the captain ordered the men to
sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers sleeping deep
in the ship’s hold disregarded the order because of the engine’s heat. Others
ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable.
On Feb. 3, at
12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the
cross hairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the
Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface,
and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the
torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was
decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amid ship, far below the water
line. Captain Danielsen, alerted that the Dorchester was taking water
rapidly and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship.
In less than 20
minutes, the Dorchester would slip beneath the Atlantic’s icy waters. Aboard
the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men,
and many more were seriously wounded. Others stunned by the explosion were
groping in the darkness. Those sleeping without clothing rushed topside
where they were confronted first by a blast of icy Arctic air and then by the
knowledge that death awaited. Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats,
over-crowding them to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other
rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in
them. Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four
Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness.
Those chaplains
were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P.
Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. Quickly
and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried
to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward
safety. “Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer
prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt
R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found
himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I
could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear
the chaplain’s preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me
going.” Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his
cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic
air, explained he had forgotten his gloves. “Never mind,” Goode responded. “I have
two pairs.” The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves.
In retrospect,
Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of
gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester. By this
time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker
and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark
witnessed an astonishing sight. When there were no more lifejackets in the
storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened
young men. “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of
heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act.
Ladd’s response is understandable. The altruistic action of the four
chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a
person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out
for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the
Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life
jackets to the next man in line. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby
rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting
deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. Of the 902 men aboard
the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached
American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and
heroic conduct of the four chaplains.
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