ICEMANforChrist

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. 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. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Easter is a 50-day feasting AND CELEBRATION season.

50 Fun Things to do in Arizona

Persistent light, enduring strength, unwavering spirit, an anchor in uncertainty, a beacon through challenges, resilient optimism.

Dara’s Corner Try Catholic Recipe: Judases

· Spirit hour: Bernadette’s Craft Cocktails

· Bucket List Trip: Begnas Lake resort

· Days with St. Joseph Day 28

· National Eggs Benedict Day

· National Month of Hope

· Money Smart Week

· Visit a Holy Place

Modern populations are increasingly overfed, malnourished, sedentary, sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, and socially isolated.[9]

Small Doses of Physical Activity Can Lower Risks of Depression[10]

Depression is a leading cause of disability burden in developing countries and a common mental health disorder worldwide. While pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy currently represent elective therapy, their impact is still limited in prevalence, and one third of people with depression remain unresponsive to treatment. Additionally, pharmacotherapy may have adverse side-effects and both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy cannot resolve physical comorbidities associated with depression. Nevertheless, several modifiable factors can favorably act on depression, and they are far from being ascertained. One of these may be physical activity. Moderate evidence sustains a beneficial effect of exercise on depression symptoms.

Exercise for depression.[11]

Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active.

Regular exercise can boost your mood if you have depression, and it's especially useful for people with mild to moderate depression.

Any type of exercise is useful, as long as it suits you and you do enough of it. Exercise should be something you enjoy; otherwise, it will be hard to find the motivation to do it regularly.

How often do you need to exercise?

To stay healthy, adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week. Read more about:

physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 years old

physical activity guidelines for older adults

If you have not exercised for a while, start gradually and aim to build up towards achieving 150 minutes a week.

Any exercise is better than none and even a brisk 10-minute walk can clear your mind and help you relax. Find out more about walking for health.

APRIL 16 Wednesday of Holy Week

SAINT BERNADETTE

Sirach, Chapter 2, Verse 15-17

¹⁵ Those who FEAR the Lord do not disobey his words; those who love him keep his ways. ¹⁶ Those who fear the Lord seek to please him; those who love him are filled with his law. ¹⁷ Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him.

“Perfect love casts out all fear.” Many of us are conscious of our sins and failures. The older we get, the more we become aware that we have not measured up to what God had in mind for us from all eternity. We begin to worry about Judgment Day. Fear. Even when we are younger, if we have a good conscience, we worry over our sins. Remember that God loved us so much that he sent his Son to save us. Remember that Jesus gave his life for each of us personally. Remember that God is not like us: He loves us with an everlasting love. We need to realize this love of God so that it will cast out all fear from our hearts. We must not be presumptive, but we must be appreciative. Remember the musical “Fiddler on the Roof?” When they thought a ghost appeared, they shouted and screamed to drive the ghost away. This is what happens in the gospel: The disciples thought that Jesus was a ghost. They were terrified and cried out: This means that the screamed and shouted in order to drive the ghost away. But Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; it is I!” Jesus is always with us. We may not see him or feel him, but he is always present to help us through the storms of life. Do not be afraid. Perfect love casts out all fear![1]

Wednesday of Holy Week[2]

Prayer.

GRANT, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who are continually afflicted through our excesses, may be delivered by the passion of Thy only- begotten Son.

EPISTLE. Isaias Ixii. 11, 12; Ixiii. 1-7

Thus, saith the Lord God: Tell the daughter of Sion Be hold thy Savior cometh: behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. And they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. But thou shalt be called: A city sought after, and not forsaken.

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra, this beautiful one in His robe, walking in the greatness of His strength?

I, that speak justice, and am a defender to save.

Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in the wine press?

I have trodden the wine- press alone, and of the gentile, there is not a man with Me: I have trampled on them in My indignation, and have trodden them down in My wrath, and their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My apparel. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, the year of My redemption is come. I looked about, and there was none to help: I sought, and there was none to give aid: and My own arm hath saved for Me, and My indignation itself hath helped Me. And I have trodden down the peoples in My wrath, and have made them drunk in My indignation, and have brought down their strength to the earth. I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things that the Lord our God hath bestowed upon us.

Instead of the gospel the Church reads to-day:

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

According to St. Luke xxii. and xxiii.

At that time: The feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Pasch, was at hand. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put Jesus to death: but they feared the people. And Satan entered into Judas who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve. And he went and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad and covenanted to give him money. And he promised. And he sought opportunity to betray Him in the absence of the multitude. And the day of the unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary that the Pasch should be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying: Go and prepare for us the Pasch, that we may eat.

But they said, where wilt Thou that we prepare?

And He said to them: Behold, as you go into the city, there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in: and you shall say to the goodman of the house:

The Master saith to thee: Where is the guest-chamber, where I may eat the Pasch with My disciples?

And he will show you a large dining-room furnished: and there prepare. And they going, found as He had said to them, and made ready the Pasch. And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. And He said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer. For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And having taken the chalice He gave thanks, and said: Take, and divide it among you. For I say to you, that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God come. And taking bread, He gave thanks, and brake: and gave to them, saying: This is My body which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of Me. In like manner the chalice also, after He had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the New Testament in My blood, which shall be shed for you. But yet behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table. And the Son of man indeed goeth, according to that which is determined: but yet wo to that man by whom He shall be betrayed. And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife amongst them, which of them should seem to be greater. And He said to them: The kings of the gentile’s lord it over them: and they that have power over them, are called beneficent. But you not so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger: and he that is the leader, as he that serveth.

For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table?

but I am in the midst of you, as He that serveth: and you are they who have continued with Me in My temptations: and I dispose to you, as My Father hath disposed to Me, a kingdom: that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom: and may sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord said: Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not: and thou being once converted, confirm thy brethren. Who said to Him: Lord, I am ready to go with Thee both into prison and to death. And He said: I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest Me. And He said to them:

When I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes, did you want anything?

But they said: Nothing. Then said He unto them: But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip: and he that hath not, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword. For I say to you, that this that is written, must yet be fulfilled in Me: And with the wicked was He reckoned. For the things concerning Me have an end. But they said: Lord, be hold here are two swords. And He said to them: It is enough. And going out He went according to His custom to the Mount of Olives. And His disciples also followed Him. And when He was come to the place, He said to them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. And He was withdrawn away from them a stone’s cast: and kneeling down He prayed: saying: Father, if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from Me: but yet not My will, but Thine be done. And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground. And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow. And He said to them:

Why sleep you?

arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation. As He was yet speaking, behold a multitude: and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus for to kiss Him. And Jesus said to him:

Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?

And they that were about Him, seeing what would follow, said to Him:

Lord, shall we strike with the sword?

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when He had touched his ear, He healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients that were come unto Him:

Are you come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs?

When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. And apprehending Him, they led Him to the high priest’s house. But Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom when a certain servant maid had seen him sitting at the light, and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man also was with Him. But he denied Him, saying: Woman, I know Him not. And after a little while another seeing him, said: Thou also art one of them. But Peter said: O man, I am not. And after the space as it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth this man was also with Him: for he is also a Galilean. And Peter said: Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as He had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter going out wept bitterly. And the men that held Him, mocked Him, and struck Him. And they blindfolded Him, and smote His face. And they asked Him, saying:

Prophesy, who is it that struck Thee?

And blaspheming, many other things they said against Him. And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief priests, and scribes came together, and they brought Him into their council, saying: If Thou be the Christ, tell us. And He said to them: If I shall tell you, you will not believe Me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all:

Art Thou then the Son of God?

Who said: You say that I AM And they said:

What need we any farther testimony?

For we ourselves have heard it from His own mouth. And the whole multitude of them rising up, led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying: We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, and saying that He is Christ the King. And Pilate asked Him, saying:

Art Thou the King of the Jews?

But He answering, said: Thou sayest it. And Pilate said to the chief priests and to the multitudes: I find no cause in this man. But they were more earnest, saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. But Pilate hearing Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee. And when he understood that He was of Herod’s jurisdiction he sent Him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem in those days. And Herod seeing Jesus was very glad, for he was desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him: and he hoped to see some sign wrought by Him. And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, earnestly accusing Him. And Herod with his army set Him at naught: and mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate were made friends that same day: for before they were enemies one to another. And Pilate calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates, and the people, said to them: You have presented unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people, and behold I, having examined Him before you, find no cause in this man in those things wherein you accuse Him. No, for Herod neither. For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to Him. I will chastise Him therefore, and release Him. Now of necessity he was to release unto them one upon the feast-day. But the whole multitude together cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas, who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for a murder, was cast into prison. And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus. But they cried again, saying: Crucify Him, crucify Him. And he said to them the third time:

Why, what evil hath this man done?

I find no cause of death in Him: I will chastise Him therefore, and let Him go. But they were instant with loud voices requiring that He might be crucified: and their voices prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition had been cast into prison, whom they had desired: but Jesus he delivered up to their will. And as they led Him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country: and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus. And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women who bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold the day shall come wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall upon us: and to the hills, Cover us.

For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?

And there were also two other malefactors led with Him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified Him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they dividing His garments, cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided Him, saying: He saved others, let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar, and saying: If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself. And there was also a superscription written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS is THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of these robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: If Thou be Christ, save Thyself, and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying:

Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise. And it was almost the sixth hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. And saying this, He gave up the ghost. [All kneel]. Now the centurion seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed, this was a just man. And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts. And all His acquaintance, and the women that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding these things. And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and a just man (the same had not consented to their counsel and doings), of Arimathea, a city of Judea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And taking Him down, he wrapped Him in fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulcher that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid.

INSTRUCTIONS ON TENEBRAE

The prayers and chants sung by the choir on the evenings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week are called, Tenebrae. The Church thereby expresses her grief over the passion and death of Our Savior, and over the sins which were the cause thereof, in order to move the sinner to return to God.

Why are these matins called Tenebrae?

Because they are usually said in the evening, and because, also, they are mournful, and call us to sorrow.

Why is this service held at night?

In memory:

1. Of the evening when Christ was by force taken prisoner, like a murderer.

2. Of the darkness which lasted three hours at His crucifixion.

3. Of the spiritual darkness, confusion, and grief which prevailed in the minds of His disciples during Our Savior’s passion.

4. Of the darkness which overspread mankind while Jesus was suffering for them.

What is meant by extinguishing, one after another, the twelve lights on the triangular candlestick, and finally all the rest?

The twelve lights signify the twelve apostles, and the extinguishing of them is to represent how, one after another, they deserted Jesus. The putting out of all the lights reminds us of the darkness which prevailed upon the earth at the death of Jesus, of the blindness of the Jews, and of the gradual extinguishment of belief in Him.

What is the meaning of the last light, which is hidden for a while, and then brought forth again when all is ended?

It signifies Christ, whose body was buried in the grave, from which He soon after arose by His own power, and thereby showed Himself more clearly than before to be the Light of the world.

What is signified by the noise made at the end of; Tenebrae, while the last light is hidden?

It signifies the earthquake at the death of Jesus.

Wednesday of Holy Week[3] Spy Wednesday

The account of Christ's Passion according to St. Luke during the daily Mass; and the nocturnal office of Tenebrae, a sustained reflection on the treachery of Judas, the privation of holiness, and the need for conversion. Tenebrae consists of the divine office of Matins and Lauds for Maundy Thursday. It is generally held on the night of "Spy Wednesday" of Holy Week, so-called because it is believed to be the night on which Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord. The service thus explores the nature of Judas' betrayal, the mental anguish of our suffering Lord, and the desecration of what was once holy and beautiful. Its ceremonies include the use of a "hearse," a triangular candelabrum that holds fifteen candles which are successively extinguished during the liturgy until the entire church is enveloped in darkness. Only one candle remains lit at the end, which is hidden by the Epistle side of the altar before the Miserere is chanted. The service concludes with a banging noise, followed by silence. The extinction of the fourteen candles calls to mind the fourteen holy men mentioned in the Bible who, from the foundation of the world to the very threshold of Christ's coming, were slain by their own wicked brethren. The hiding of the fifteenth candle, on the other hand, signifies the murder and resurrection of Christ Himself, while the banging noise commemorates the confusion of nature when its Creator died (Mt. 27.51).

The Service of shadows is silenced[4]

Up to 1955 the three consecutive Tenebrae services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, including the typical ceremonies such as the extinguishing of candles, and each of these three services anticipated on the previous day, were widely celebrated as an integral part of the liturgy of Holy Week in churches with a sufficient number of clergy wherever the Roman rite was followed. A rich tradition of music composed for these central occasions had developed. From 1956 to 1970 the practice largely declined:

The 1955 papal document restored the celebration of Matins and Lauds of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday to their original timing as

· morning services, with only a little allowance for anticipating any of them on the evening before. On these three days attention shifted from what became morning services to the services that were now to be held in the afternoon or evening. Communal celebration of Matins and Lauds became limited generally to communities that observed the full Divine Office in congregational form. Matins and Lauds, having lost their exceptional character, provided composers with little incentive to produce new music for them and there was no demand for grand performances of the existing music earlier composed for Tenebrae.

· The Roman Breviary, as updated in 1961, did not mention any specific Tenebrae ceremonies to accompany the no longer anticipated Matins and Lauds of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

· Finally, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, Matins and Lauds throughout the year were completely reformed. Matins, for instance, no longer had the nine psalms and Lauds the five psalms that determined the number of candles extinguished in the Tenebrae celebration.

Lenten Calendar[5]

Read: “Out of love he chose ‘to empty himself’ and make himself our brother; out of love he shared our condition, that of every man and every woman.” (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, April 8, 2009)

Reflect: Watch a video reflection on the day’s readings.

Pray: Pray in thanksgiving for the challenges that were presented to you during this Lenten season and the spiritual growth you experienced.

Act: Before embarking on these next three days of the Triduum, remember that in the end, God wins the day. Our long fast is followed by the greatest of feasts. Before long, we will be sharing Easter joy!

Timeline of Holy Week[6]

· Wednesday, the supper and anointing in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper. (Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-8) Mark’s account is just after he says that it was two days before Passover.

· The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover. Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him. Also, in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.

St. Bernadette[7]

Marie Bernarde ('Bernadette') Soubirous was the eldest child of an impoverished miller. At the age of fourteen she was ailing and undersized, sensitive and of pleasant disposition but accounted backward and slow. Between 11 February and 16 July 1858, in a shallow cave on the bank of the river Gave, she had a series of remarkable experiences. On eighteen occasions she saw a very young and beautiful lady, who made various requests and communications to her, pointing out a forgotten spring of water and enjoining prayer and penitence. The lady eventually identified herself as the Virgin Mary, under the title of 'the Immaculate Conception'. Some of these happenings took place in the presence of many people, but no one besides Bernadette claimed to see or hear 'the Lady', and there was no disorder or emotional extravagance. After the appearances ceased, however, there was an epidemic of false visionaries and morbid religiosity in the district, which increased the reserved attitude of the church authorities towards Bernadette's experiences. For some years she suffered greatly from the suspicious disbelief of some and the tactless enthusiasm and insensitive attentions of others; these trials she bore with impressive patience and dignity. In 1866 she was admitted to the convent of the Sisters of Charity at Nevers. Here she was more sheltered from trying publicity, but not from the 'stuffiness' of the convent superiors nor from the tightening grip of asthma. 'I am getting on with my job,' she would say. 'What is that?' someone asked. 'Being ill,' was the reply. Thus, she lived out her self-effacing life, dying at the age of thirty-five. The events of 1858 resulted in Lourdes becoming one of the greatest pilgrim shrines in the history of Christendom. But St Bernadette took no part in these developments; nor was it for her visions that she was canonized, but for the humble simplicity and religious trustingness that characterized her whole life.

Patron: Bodily ills; illness; Lourdes, France; people ridiculed for their piety; poverty; shepherdesses; shepherds; sick people; sickness

St. Bernadette Catholic Church

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 304 2331-2336

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

CHAPTER TWO-YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

Article 6-THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

You shall not commit adultery.
You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery."
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

I. "Male and Female He Created Them . . ."

2331 "God is love and in himself he lives a mystery of personal loving communion. Creating the human race in his own image . . .. God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus the capacity and responsibility, of love and communion."

"God created man in his own image . . . male and female he created them"; He blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply"; "When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female, he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created."

2332 Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others.

2333 Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out.

2334 "In creating men 'male and female,' God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity." "Man is a person, man and woman equally so, since both were created in the image and likeness of the personal God."

2335 Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way. the union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator's generosity and fecundity: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." All human generations proceed from this union.

2336 Jesus came to restore creation to the purity of its origins. In the Sermon on the Mount, he interprets God's plan strictly: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.
The tradition of the Church has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human sexuality.

THIS WE BELIEVE

PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Lord’s Prayer[8]

Our Father, Who art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come.

Thy Will be done,

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

'The Lord's Prayer 'is truly the summary of the whole gospel.' 'Since the Lord... after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive, ' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires.'

- Tertullian, De orat.

from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761.

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night, perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

· Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: For the Poor and Suffering

· 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

[1]http://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/january-2011/12986-wednesday--st-john-neumann

[2]Goffines Devout Instructions, 1896

[3]http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/septlentcustoms.html

[4]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenebrae#Roman_Catholic_practice

[5]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf

[6] https://www.thoughtco.com/holy-week-timeline-700618

[7]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-04-16

[8]https://www.usccb.org/prayers/morning-offering

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330161/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9862474/

[11]https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/exercise-for-depression/

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Candace’s Corner Try Kohlrabi

· Pray Day 1 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

· Bucket List trip: Fish Tail Lodge, Nepal

· Spirit Hour: St. Damien Cocktail

· Housecleaning for Holy Week I

· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 28

· Titanic Remembrance Day

· Red Cross Month

· McDonald’s Day

· Soup

Tuesdays Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, we beg Thee for the grace to remain guarded beneath the protective mantle of Mary, surrounded by the holy briar from which was taken the Holy Crown of Thorns, and saturated with Thy Precious Blood in the power of the Holy Spirit, with our Guardian Angels, for the greater glory of the Father. Amen.

APRIL 15 Tuesday of Holy Week

Tax Day

Sirach, Chapter 2, Verse 7-10

⁷ You that FEAR the Lord, wait for his mercy, do not stray lest you fall. ⁸ You that fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. ⁹ You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. ¹⁰ Consider the generations long past and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? Has anyone called upon him and been ignored?

Serving the Lord is not without its trials; but no matter what happens, the genuine believer will remain sincere, steadfast, and faithful. Misfortune and humiliation are means of purification to prove one’s worth. Ben Sira believed that patience and unwavering trust in God are ultimately rewarded.

Tuesday of Holy Week

Traditionally the account of Christ's Passion according to St. Mark is read today and most people continue with spring cleaning. Also today marks the bargaining of Judas with the Sanhedrin as the Jewish way of tracking time makes Tuesday evening Wednesday as days changed after sunset and not at midnight following the Roman time keeping method.[1]

We learned yesterday from St. John that Judas was a thief. He robbed from Christ, from the other apostles, from the incipient Church. Jesus, for him, had become merely an excuse to seek after his own interests. Jesus was not the one thing necessary, as he was for Mary of Bethany. Jesus wasn't even an end, but merely a means for Judas to satisfy his own greed. Judas supposedly had serious qualms of conscience about the failure to sell the years’ worth of aromatic nard with which Mary had anointed Jesus' feet, but he thought nothing about selling Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas had been a disciple merely in his body, not in his heart. Judas had been called personally by the Lord, had lived with him for about 1,000 days, had followed him for three years, had heard him preach and teach, had seen him walk on water, still stormy seas, feed thousands with a five rolls and two sardines, raise three people from the dead, heal on countless occasions the sick, blind and lame and have mercy on countless sinners, had even received from the Lord the power to do many of these same things himself, and had been entrusted by him with the money bag for the Twelve. But he tragically had never gotten to know Jesus, and even more tragically had never gotten to love him. He remained just a follower of Jesus on the outside, not on the inside. In betraying Jesus, Judas valued him less than a handful of coins, forgetting that it would profit him nothing to gain the whole world and forfeit his life.[2]

Goffine’s Devout Instructions (1896) for Tuesday in Holy Week

Prayer. O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God grant us so to celebrate the mysteries of Our Lord s passion that we may deserve to obtain pardon.

EPISTLE. Jeremias xi. 18-20.

In those days Jeremias said: Thou, O Lord, hast showed me, and I have known then Thou showedst me their doings. And I was as a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more. But Thou, O Lord of Sabbath, Who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see Thy revenge on them: for to Thee have I revealed my cause, O Lord my God.

Instead of the gospel the Church reads to-day:

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

According to St. Mark xiv. and xv.

At that time: The feast of the Pasch, and of the Azymes was after two days: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on Him, and kill Him. But they said: Not on the festival- day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. And when He was in Bethania in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box she poured it out upon His head. Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said:

Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said:

Let her alone, why do you molest her?

She hath wrought a good work upon Me. For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good; but Me you have not always. What she had, she hath done she is come beforehand to anoint My body for the burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.

Who hearing it were glad: and they promised him they would give him money?

And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. Now on the first day of the unleavened bread when they sacrificed the Pasch, the disciples say to Him: Whither wilt Thou that we go, and prepare for Thee to eat the Pasch. And He sendeth two of His disciples, and saith to them:

Go ye into the city; and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; and whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, The Master saith, where is My refectory, where I may eat the Pasch with My disciples?

And he will show you a large dining-room furnished; and there prepare ye for us. And His disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as He had told them, and they prepared the Pasch. And when evening was come, He cometh with the twelve. And when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith: Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with Me shall betray Me. But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one:

Is it I?

Who saith to them:

One of the twelve, who dippeth with Me his hand in the dish?

And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but wo to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born. And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread: and blessing broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye, this is My body. And having taken the chalice, giving thanks He gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And He said to them: This is My blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many. Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had said a hymn, they went forth to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in My regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter saith to Him: Although all shall be scandalized in Thee, yet not I. And Jesus saith to him: Amen I say to thee, to-day even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice. But he spoke the more vehemently: Although I should die together with Thee, I will not deny Thee. And in like manner also said they all. And they come to a farm called Gethsemani. And He saith to His disciples: Sit you here, while I pray. And He taketh Peter and James and John with Him; and He began to fear and to be heavy. And He saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and watch. And when He was gone forward a little He fell flat on the ground; and He prayed that if it might be, the hour might pass from Him: and He saith: Abba, Father, all things are possible to Thee, remove this chalice from Me, but not what I will, but what Thou wilt. And He cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And He saith to Peter:

Simon, sleepest thou? couldst thou not watch one hour?

Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And going away again, He prayed, saying the same words. And when he returned, He found them again asleep (for their eyes were heavy) and they knew not what to answer Him. And He cometh the third time, and saith to them: Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. rise, let us go. Behold, he that will betray Me, is at hand. And while He was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. And he that betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is He, lay hold on Him, and lead Him away carefully. And when he was come, immediately going up to Him, he saith: Hail, Rabbi: and he kissed Him. But they laid hands on Him, and held Him. And one of them that stood by drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answering, said to them:

Are you come out as to a robber with swords and staves to apprehend Me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on Me. But that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. Then His disciples leaving Him all fled away. And a certain young man followed Him having a linen cloth cast about his naked body: and they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked. And they brought Jesus to the high priest: and all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. And Peter followed Him afar off, even into the court of the high priest: and he sat with the servants at the fire, and warmed himself. And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus that they might put Him to death, and found none. For many bore false witness against Him, and their evidences were not agreeing. And some rising up, bore false witness against Him, saying: We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another, not made with hands. And their witness did not agree. And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying:

Answerest Thou nothing to the things that are laid to Thy charge by these men?

But He held His peace and answered nothing. Again, the high priest asked Him, and said to Him:

Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed God?

And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rending his garments saith:

What need we any farther witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What think you?

Who all condemned Him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on Him, and to cover His face, and to buffet Him, and to say unto Him: Prophesy: and the servants struck Him with the palms of their hands. Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court, and the cock crew. And again, a maid servant seeing him, began to say to the standers-by: This is one of them. But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely, thou art one of them: for thou art also a Galilean. But he began to curse and to swear, saying I know not this man of Whom you speak. And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny Me. And he began to weep. And straightway in the morning the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.

And Pilate asked Him: Art Thou the King of the Jews?

But He answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused Him in many things. And Pilate again asked Him, saying:

Answerest Thou nothing?

behold in how many things they accuse Thee. But Jesus still answered nothing: so that Pilate wondered. Now on the festival-day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in, the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them.

And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the King of the Jews?

For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him up out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them:

What will you then that I do to the King of the Jews?

But they again cried out: Crucify Him. And Pilate saith to them:

Why, what evil hath He done?

But they cried out the more: Crucify Him. And so, Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led Him into the court of the palace, and they call together the whole band: and they clothe Him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon Him. And they began to salute Him: Hail, King of the Jews. And they struck His head with a reed: and they did spit on Him. And bowing their knees, they adored Him. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own garments on Him, and they led Him out to crucify Him. And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up His cross. And they bring Him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, the place of Calvary. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He took it not. And crucifying Him, they divided His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. And the inscription of His cause was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with Him they crucify two thieves, the one on His right hand, and the other on His left. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith: And with the wicked He was reputed. And they that passed by, blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again, save Thyself, coming down from the cross. In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others, Himself He cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with Him, reviled Him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying:

Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani?Which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

And some of the standers-by hearing, said: Be hold He calleth Elias. And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave Him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take Him down. And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice gave up the ghost.

[Here all kneel.]

And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against Him, seeing that crying out in this manner He had given up the ghost, said: Indeed, this man was the Son of God. And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome: who also when He was in Galilee, followed Him, and ministered to Him, and many other women that came up with Him to Jerusalem. And when evening was now come (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that He should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if He were already dead. And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph buying fine linen and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulcher which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher.

The Physical Death of Jesus Christ[3]

Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripe like lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock, as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion, his wrists were nailed to the patibulum and, after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post (stipes), his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia. Jesus' death was ensured by the thrust of a soldier's spear into his side. Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicate that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross.

GETHSEMANE

After Jesus and his disciples had observed the Passover meal in an upper room in a home in southwest Jerusalem, they traveled to the Mount of Olives, northeast of the city. (Owing to various adjustments in the calendar, the years of Jesus' birth and death remain controversial. However, it is likely that Jesus was born in either 4 or 6 BC and died in 30 AD. During the Passover observance in 30 AD, the last Supper would have been observed on Thursday, April 6 [Nisan 13], and Jesus would have been crucified on Friday, April 7 [Nisan 14].) At nearby Gethsemane, Jesus, apparently knowing that the time of his death was near, suffered great mental anguish, and, as described by the physician Luke, his sweat became like blood.

Although this is a very rare phenomenon, bloody sweat (hematidrosis or hemohidrosis) may occur in highly emotional states or in persons with bleeding disorders. As a result of hemorrhage into the sweat glands, the skin becomes fragile and tender. Luke's descriptions supports the diagnosis of hematidrosis rather than eccrine chromidrosis (brown or yellow-green sweat) or stigmatization (blood oozing from the palms or elsewhere). Although some authors have suggested that hematidrosis produced hypovolemia, we agree with Bucklin that Jesus' actual blood loss probably was minimal However, in the cold night air, it may have produced chills.

Stations of the Cross[4]

Though technically only the last fourteen days of Lent explicitly consider the sufferings of our Lord, the Stations of the Cross (a.k.a. the Way of the Cross) have long been a popular Lenten devotion for any or all of the forty days (though they tend to be done on Fridays). These fourteen scenes from the via dolorosa, the sorrowful path that Christ took while carrying His cross to Golgotha, help direct one's heart to the mysterium fidei of our Lord's selfless sacrifice.

Other Forms of Asceticism[5]

Since Lent recapitulates time spent in the desert, other forms of asceticism have accrued to its observance. Unessential travel and diversion are discouraged. In former times, certain forms of entertainment, such as live theatre and secular music, were banned, as was the holding of court. Weddings were also forbidden in the early Church; even after this changed, the Solemn Nuptial Blessing could not be given during a Lenten wedding. Finally, married couples were once admonished to abstain from conjugal relations during this time (as they were admonished to do during all solemn fasts and feasts). Again, the principle is the same: withdrawal from the preoccupations of the flesh in order to focus on the spirit.

Today, plan to do at least one Novena for the calendar year for yourself and for your Family. I always plan to do the Divine Mercy Novena by hiking for nine Saturdays starting on the Friday before Divine Mercy Sunday.

Timeline of Holy Week[6]

· Jesus denounces the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 23:1-36; Mk 12:37-40; Lk 20:4547)

· Jesus teaches in the Temple (Lk 21:37-38)

· Jesus predicts the destruction of the Temple. (Mt 24:1-3; Mk 13:1-4; Lk 21:5-7

· Returns to Bethany at night.

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith. Back at the Temple, religious leaders, upset at Jesus establishing himself as a spiritual authority, organized an ambush with the intent to place Him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them, saying:

"Blind guides! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)

Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic language about the end times events, including His Second Coming and the final judgment. Scripture indicates that this Tuesday was also the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court of ancient Israel, to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples return to Bethany to stay the night.

Lenten Calendar[7]

Read: Read these 5 suggestions for Holy Week from USCCB’s www.foryourmarrige.org. . . .

Reflect: Watch a video reflection on the day’s readings.

Pray: As we journey with Jesus through Holy Week, remember all those in our world today who carry heavy crosses of poverty, homelessness, and hunger. Pray for the poor and vulnerable today.

Act: Commit with your family to do at least one of the five suggestions in the article above.

The Church’s Calendar[8]

We often learn our doctrine much more deeply and effectively simply by celebrating the feasts and fasts of the Church.

In fact, in Orthodox Judaism the calendar is the catechism of Israel. According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, “On the pinions of time which bear us through life, God has inscribed the eternal words of His soul-inspiring doctrine, making days and weeks, months and years the heralds to proclaim His truths. Nothing would seem more fleeting than these elements of time, but to them God has entrusted the care of His holy things, thereby rendering them more imperishable and more accessible.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2698 The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying intended to nourish continual prayer. Some are daily, such as morning and evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours. Sundays, centered on the Eucharist, are kept holy primarily by prayer. The cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic rhythms of the Christian's life of prayer.

No one knows human nature better than the God who created it. The book of Genesis tells us that the Lord God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. He rested not because he was weary-God does not tire-but because He wanted to provide a model for human labor and rest. The Church calendar coincides with the cosmic rhythms of God. The Church calendar reflects this fact: That Christ rose from the dead in payment for our sins and is the Jewish Messiah that was hoped for.

Aids in Battle[9] When in the battle

In the moments when you are tempted to be careless or halfhearted in the struggle, let these exhortations stir you to a renewed valor in battle and provide you with strategies to follow.

· The life of man upon the earth is a warfare. Tob 12: 13 DOUAY-RHEIMS

· God has not destined us to wrath, but to gain.

· Fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience. 1 Tim 1: 19

· lay hold of the life eternal, to which you have been called.

· Conduct yourself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

· Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12: 21 RSVCE

· The unceasing prayer of a just man has great effectiveness.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 303 2318-2330

PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST

SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

CHAPTER TWO-YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

Article 5-THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT

IN BRIEF

2318 "In [God's] hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10).

2319 Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God.

2320 The murder of a human being is gravely contrary to the dignity of the person and the holiness of the Creator.

2321 The prohibition of murder does not abrogate the right to render an unjust aggressor unable to inflict harm. Legitimate defense is a grave duty for whoever is responsible for the lives of others or the common good.

2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 # 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.

2323 Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed like every other human being.

2324 Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.

2325 Suicide is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth commandment.

2326 Scandal is a grave offense when by deed or omission it deliberately leads others to sin.

2327 Because of the evils and injustices that all war brings with it, we must do everything reasonably possible to avoid it. the Church prays: "From famine, pestilence, and war, O Lord, deliver us."

2328 The Church and human reason assert the permanent validity of the moral law during armed conflicts. Practices deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes.

2329 "The arms race is one of the greatest curses on the human race and the harm it inflicts on the poor is more than can be endured" (GS 81 # 3).

2330 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Mt 5:9).

Tax Day (Taxes Due)[10]

Tax Day marks the last day to file income taxes in the United States. The history of US Income Tax dates back to the Civil War and the Revenue Act of 1861. This tax was imposed to help pay the costs of the war. After several repeals, new taxes, and subsequent repeals, the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified and went into law in 1913. This established the right of Congress to impose a Federal Income tax. The Income Tax remains the primary way that the US Government finances itself. To ensure that all monies due for the prior year are paid, a Tax Day was created. All US taxpayers are required to file taxes based on prior year’s earnings by this date. Traditionally this date has been on April 15 of each year. If this day falls on a weekend, the due date is extended to the following Monday. This date is also impacted by the Emancipation Day Holiday in Washington DC.

Tax Day (Taxes Due) Facts & Quotes

· In 1913, the original US income tax rates were 1% for incomes over $3,000; 6% for incomes over $500,000.

· During World War I, around 1918, the highest income tax rate was over 77%.

· The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government. - James Madison, U.S. President

· A tax loophole is something that benefits the other guy. If it benefits you, it is tax reform. - Russell B. Long, U.S. Senator

Tax Day (Taxes Due) Top Events and Things to Do

· Be sure to mail your Tax Return before the midnight of the designated Tax Day.

· File for an extension before midnight, if needed.

· Visit Office Depot and shred your old documents for Free.

· Take advantage of Tax Day Freebies at local restaurants.

· Watch a movie that deals with taxes and the consequences of unpaid taxes. Our picks: Stranger Than Fiction (2006), Catch Me If You Can (2012), The Firm (1993), The Mating Game (1959)

· Wine about your Taxes

Jesus & Taxes?[11]

1. Criminal Charges

What charges were made against Jesus the Christ?

"They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." - Luke 23:2

Depending on which Bible translation you read, there were two or three charges made against Jesus.

The tax trial of Jesus•

Charge 1: "perverting the nation" pervert: to turn upside down, overturn, overthrow. Source: LawyerIntl.com

Charge 2: "forbidding paying taxes to Caesar" forbid: to command [someone] not to. Source: OneLook Dictionary

Charge 3: "saying that he himself is Christ, a king."

· Christ: messiah, the expected king and deliverer. Source: Merriam-Webster

· Christ: The Anointed; Savior of the World; Source: Webster's 1828 Dictionary

· King of the Jews? During trial, Pilate, the judge, asked Jesus "Are you king of the Jews?"

· Jesus was a tax protester. Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world." - John 18:36

So, is there any evidence for charges of a tax crime?

Was Jesus really a tax protester ... perverting the nation by leading a tax rebellion?

Tax fact: Jesus had a trial for tax crimes ... where he was charged with "perverting" or "subverting the nation", and "forbidding paying taxes".

HOW DO WE EXPLAIN Jesus’s death?

The answer according to Bill O’Reilly is simple: big-government Jews and Roman taxes.[12]

TAX DAY

THIS WE BELIEVE

PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Morning Offering[13]

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Families of the Porters of St. Joseph

· Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels

· 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

[1] http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/charts/jewishtimedivision.htm

[2] http://www.catholic.org/homily/yearoffaith/story.php?id=50256

[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=252

[4] http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/septlentcustoms.html