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.

Monday Night at the Movies

Barabbas 1961

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Vinny’s Corner Try “Fillet of Flounder in Tomato Sauce”

· Bicycle Day

o At one time I was going to ride my bike from Phoenix to California-The mountains stopped me. That was when I had 24-inch thighs, now I have a 24-inch neck.

· Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary

· Bucket Item trip: Elephant Walk Experience

· Catholic Activity: Easter Breakfast Picnic

· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 30

· Autism Acceptance Month

· Spirit hour: Amaretto

· Black Saturday

Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Tucson

· Ask any former visitor and they’ll yell it from the rooftops: a trip to this hidden gem in Vail, just a short drive from Tucson, is one of the most unique things to do in Arizona.

· A former hideout for Apache Indians and stagecoach robbers, Colossal Cave Mountain Park is a maze of caves and tunnels — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — is now open for exploration by thrill-seeking tourists from all over the world.

· The bleeding Host in Poland was approved for veneration in April 2016, by Bishop Zbigniew Kiernikowski of Legnica who said that it “has the hallmarks of a Eucharistic miracle.” Learn more here

April 19 Holy Saturday

Isaiah, Chapter 12, Verse 2-4
²God indeed is my salvation; I am confident and UNAFRAID. For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation. ³With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation, ⁴And you will say on that day: give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; Among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

Indeed, the birth of Christ is the beginning of the salvation of his people, when on Christmas morning the virgin gave him birth and he is born the angels proclaim His victory over death. Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.

He has torn down the barricades of hell and overthrown the power of Satan. Tomorrow our Savior shattered the bars and burst the gates of death.

Holy Saturday[1] Holy Saturday (from Sabbatum Sanctum, its official liturgical name) is sacred as the day of the Lord's rest; it has been called the "Second Sabbath" after creation. The day is and should be the most calm and quiet day of the entire Church year, a day broken by no liturgical function. Christ lies in the grave; the Church sits near and mourns. After the great battle He is resting in peace, but upon Him we see the scars of intense suffering...The mortal wounds on His Body remain visible...Jesus' enemies are still furious, attempting to obliterate the very memory of the Lord by lies and slander.

Mary and the disciples are grief-stricken, while the Church must mournfully admit that too many of her children return home from Calvary cold and hard of heart. When Mother Church reflects upon all of this, it seems as if the wounds of her dearly Beloved were again beginning to bleed.

According to tradition, the entire body of the Church is represented in Mary: she is the "credentium collectio universa" (Congregation for Divine Worship, Lettera circolare sulla preparazione e celebrazione delle feste pasquali, 73). Thus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she waits near the Lord's tomb, as she is represented in Christian tradition, is an icon of the Virgin Church keeping vigil at the tomb of her Spouse while awaiting the celebration of his resurrection.

The pious exercise of the Ora di Maria is inspired by this intuition of the relationship between the Virgin Mary and the Church: while the body of her Son lays in the tomb and his soul has descended to the dead to announce liberation from the shadow of darkness to his ancestors, the Blessed Virgin Mary, foreshadowing and representing the Church, awaits, in faith, the victorious triumph of her Son over death. — Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

Although we are still in mourning, there is much preparation during this day to prepare for Easter. Out of the kitchen comes the smells of Easter pastries and bread, the lamb or hams and of course, the Easter eggs.

There are no liturgies celebrated this day, unless the local parish priest blesses the food baskets. In Slavic countries there is a blessing of the traditional Easter foods, prepared in baskets: eggs, ham, lamb and sausages, butter and cheeses, horseradish and salt and the Easter breads. The Easter blessings of food owe their origin to the fact that these particular foods, namely, fleshmeat and milk products, including eggs, were forbidden in the Middle Ages during the Lenten fast and abstinence. When the feast of Easter brought the rigorous fast to an end, and these foods were again allowed at table, the people showed their joy and gratitude by first taking the food to church for a blessing. Moreover, they hoped that the Church's blessing on such edibles would prove a remedy for whatever harmful effects the body might have suffered from the long period of self-denial. Today the Easter blessings of food are still held in many churches in the United States, especially in Slavic parishes.

If there is no blessing for the Easter foods in the parish, the father of the family can pray the Blessing over the Easter foods.

It is during the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday that the Easter Vigil is celebrated. The service begins around ten o'clock, in order that the solemn vigil Mass may start at midnight.

Activities

· Today we remember Christ in the tomb. It is not Easter yet, so it's not time for celebration. The day is usually spent working on the final preparations for the biggest feast of the Church year. The list of suggested activities is long, but highlights are decorating Easter eggs and attending a special Easter food blessing.

· For families with smaller children, you could create a miniature Easter Garden, with a tomb. The figure of the risen Christ will be placed in the garden on Easter morning.

· Another activity for families is creation of a paschal candle to use at home.

· The Directory on Popular Piety discusses some of the various devotions related to Easter, including the Blessing of the Family Table, Annual Blessing of Family Home, the Via Lucis and the Visit to the Mother of the Risen Christ.

Holy Saturday Vigil [2]

We should have during the morning and afternoon, a mournful remembrance of our Lord in the tomb.

Prayer. GOD! Who makest this most sacred night illustrious by the glory of the resurrection of Our Lord, preserve in the new offspring of Thy family the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given them; that, being renewed in body and soul, they may serve Thee with purity of heart.

EPISTLE. Colons, iii. 1-4.

Brethren: If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, Who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.

GOSPEL. Matt, xxviii. 1-7.

In the end of the Sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulcher. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven: and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him the guards were struck with terror and became as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus Who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye His disciples that He is risen and behold He will go before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.

Why is this day called Holy Saturday?

Because Jesus Christ, the Holy of holies, on this day rested in the grave, and because on this day the new fire and the baptismal water are blessed.

What is the new fire?

It is the fire caught from the sparks of a flint, and then blessed by the priest, from which afterwards the candles and lamps in the church are lighted.

Why is this done, and what does it signify?

The fire is first caught from a flint to indicate that Christ, the light of the world, though rejected by the Jews, is the real corner-stone, and, though seemingly extinguished in the grave, arose gloriously and sheds the beams of His blessed light on the world.

What is signified by the three candles, or triple candlestick?

The Most Holy Trinity, one in the divine nature, but three in person.

Why are all the candles of the church lighted from the triple candle?

To signify that all enlightening comes from the Most Holy Trinity.

What does the paschal or Easter candle signify?

It represents Jesus Christ, Who died, but rose again, and now lives forever, the light of the world, giving light to all, and delivering us from the darkness of sin. The wax signifies His body, the wick His soul, the light His divinity. The five holes in the Easter candle, in the form of a cross, represent the five holy wounds which Christ retains for our consolation. The five grains of incense inserted therein signify the spices used in embalming the corpse of Our Savior.

What is the signification of the ceremonies used in blessing the baptismal water?

They signify the different effects of Baptism.

Why does the priest pour out the baptismal water towards each of the four quarters of the globe?

To indicate that as the four streams went forth from paradise to water the earth, so also, according to the command of Christ, shall the stream of grace, through holy Baptism, flow to all parts of the world for the washing away of sin.

What does it mean when the priest breathes three times upon the water?

The breathing upon the water denotes the communication of the Holy Ghost.

What does it mean when the priest dips the Easter candle thrice into the baptismal water?

The immersion and withdrawal of the candle from the water denote that it is sanctified by Christ to be a means through which the baptized are drawn out of the abyss of sin.

What is the meaning of the mixing of the holy oils with the consecrated water?

The holy oils are mixed with the consecrated water partly to indicate the union of Christ with His people, and partly also to denote that the grace of the Holy Ghost, of which the holy oil and chrism are figures, together with faith, hope, and charity, is infused into the heart of the catechumen.

· ~No Christian should forget to-day to revisit the holy sepulcher, to thank Jesus for His passion and death, and to venerate the sorrowful Mother Mary.

Holy Water[3]

We begin in water; our human form in the amniotic sac, “bag of waters”, in the womb. In the order of nature birth begins when a mothers “water breaks.” So, with water we begin our visits to church and we dip a hand into the holy water font and bless ourselves. When the world was lost to sin and needed cleansing and rebirth, God sent a great flood, and from the flood the family of Noah found new life. When Israel emerged from slavery as a unified nation, it first had to pass through the waters of the Red Sea. Though babies had always been born through “water,” now grown men and women could be “born of water and the Holy Spirit.” The Church Fathers taught that Jesus, by descending into the waters of the River Jordan, had sanctified the waters of the world, He made them living and life-giving, He made them a source of supernatural regeneration, refreshment and cleansing. St. Teresa of Avila wrote that “there is nothing the devils flee from more—without returning—than holy water.”

Priesthood[4]

In the bible a priest is a father—and even more of a father than our own earthly father. In the Old Testament the history of the priesthood had two periods: the patriarchal and the Levitical. The patriarchal was based on the family order that place authority down from father to first born son in the form of a “blessing” and the leadership of the building of altars and for the presenting of sacrifice for the family. Fathers are empowered as priests by nature. Fatherhood is the original basis of priesthood. The firstborn is the father’s heir apparent, the one groomed to succeed one day to paternal authority and priesthood within the family. Imagine the blow to the Egyptian with the last plague which killed the firstborn. The pattern continued into the Exodus. There God declared to Moses, “Israel is my firstborn son”—that is, among the many peoples of the earth, Israel was God’s heir and his priest. God in His mercy made all heirs through Christ and with Christ came a restoration of the natural priesthood of fathers and the establishment of a fatherly order of New Covenant Priests. To Christ, we are “the children God has given me”, the “Many sons”, “his bretheren”, the new “seed of Abraham” who together form God’s “family/household” which Jesus builds and rules as a son. As all Christians are identified with Christ, the Church becomes the “assembly of the firstborn.” (Heb. 2, 3, 12) In the truest sense priests are so much more than managers, they are fathers. True fatherhood involves the communication of life. Natural fathers communicate human life but in the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist, a priest communicates divine life and the divine humanity of Jesus Christ. Every Priest therefore requires our respect in spite of their weaknesses or sins and we should pray for them. This is why our Holy Father asks us to pray for him.

Divine Mercy Novena[5]Day 2

Second Day - Today Bring Me the Souls of Priests and Religious.

Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.

Eternal Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.

Novena for the Poor Souls[6]

O Mother most merciful, pray for the souls in Purgatory!

PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere— for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within my family. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE DYING O Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying! Amen.

ON EVERY DAY OF THE NOVENA V. O Lord, hear my prayer, R. And let my cry come unto Thee. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

SATURDAY O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence of and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, through all the ages. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 307 2351-2356

Offenses against chastity

2351 Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.

2352 By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. "Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action." "The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose." For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of "the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved."
To form an equitable judgment about the subjects' moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety, or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extenuate moral culpability.

2353 Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children. Moreover, it is a grave scandal when there is corruption of the young.

2354 Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.

2355 Prostitution does injury to the dignity of the person who engages in it, reducing the person to an instrument of sexual pleasure. the one who pays sins gravely against himself: he violates the chastity to which his Baptism pledged him and defiles his body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Prostitution is a social scourge. It usually involves women, but also men, children, and adolescents (The latter two cases involve the added sin of scandal.). While it is always gravely sinful to engage in prostitution, the imputability of the offense can be attenuated by destitution, blackmail, or social pressure.

2356 Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and charity. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave damage that can mark the victim for life. It is always an intrinsically evil act. Graver still is the rape of children committed by parents (incest) or those responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.

THIS WE BELIEVE

PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Angel of God[7]

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.

Daily Devotions

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

· 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]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2020-04-11

[2] Goffine’s Divine Instructions, 1896.

[3] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 1. Holy Water.

[4] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 21. Priesthood.

[5]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1032

[6]Schouppe S.J., Rev. Fr. F. X.. Purgatory Explained

[7]https://www.vaticannews.va/en/prayers/angel-of-god.html

Friday, April 18, 2025

NIC’s Corner

Stop Pancreatic Cancer

Nicole Havermale 112%

Raised: $565

Goal: $500

EVENT

PurpleStride Phoenix 2025
Saturday, April 26, 2025

TEAM

Diane's Defenders (Captain)

SHARE THIS PAGE

Purple Stride 2025

13 years ago, we lost a beautiful soul, my mother. Before her diagnosis I had never heard of pancreatic cancer, over the next 6 months I would come to understand and hate this disease. My mom fought for 6 months, bravely and graciously. When she was diagnosed the 5 year survival rate was 5%, today it has increased to 12% through awareness and research. I’ve been witness to the great work PanCan has done over the years. Please consider donating and joining my team in memory of my mom, Diane Havermale.

I’ve stepped up to Wage Hope at PurpleStride, the walk to end pancreatic cancer. Will you help me rewrite the future of this disease by making a donation today?

Every dollar that you give ensures that the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network can continue working to improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.

Purple ribbons aren’t enough. Please join me in the fight today.

The valiant one whose steps are guided by the LORD,

who will delight in his way,

May stumble, but he will never fall,

for the LORD holds his hand.

(Psalm 37:23-24)

· desert ridge marketplace is pleased to present villa fleur: a lavish pop-up experience specially crafted to celebrate spring.

o villa fleur will captivate guests transcending them into an eclectic atmosphere of rich prints and bold textures, striking visuals and lush florals. set under romantic lighting, guests will settle into parlor-style seating designed to ignite the senses while enjoying chef-driven fare and elixirs and a state-of-the-art projection show designed exclusively for villa fleur. this rare journey is available for a limited time from March 14 – May 11.

· Catholic Activity: Good Friday Activities in the Home

· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 31

· Bucket List trip: Sri Lanka

· National Food Month

o Chicken Tabaka

· Iceman’s 40 devotion

· Spirit Hour: Gibson

· Get an indulgence

· Operation Purity

Fun things to do in Arizona.

Go to Slide Rock

Beware of others’ butts when in the water!

APRIL 18 Good Friday

Sirach, Chapter 4, Verse 20

My son, watch for the right time; FEAR what is evil; do not bring shame upon yourself.

Shame is generally connected with sexual ungodliness. Leviticus which is the book of the law on holiness in chapter 18 lists every sort of sexual sin. Sex is good and was invented by God and carries no shame if it is done at the right time open to life between a husband and a wife.

Leviticus 18 begins with:

My decrees you shall carry out, and my statutes you shall take care to follow. I, the LORD, am your God. Keep, then, my statutes and decrees, for the person who carries them out will find lifethrough them. I am the LORD.

None of you shall approach a close relative to have sexual intercourse. I am the LORD. (Lv. 18:4-6)

Leviticus 18 ends with:

You, however, must keep my statutes and decrees, avoiding all these abominations, both the natives and the aliens resident among you—because the previous inhabitants did all these abominations and the land became defiled; otherwise the land will vomit you out also for having defiled it, just as it vomited out the nations before you. For whoever does any of these abominations shall be cut off from the people. Heed my charge, then, not to observe the abominable customs that have been observed before your time, and thus become impure by them. I, the LORD, am your God. (Lv. 18:26-30)

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion[1]

WHAT does the Church commemorate on this day?

The death of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, and the Savior of the world, Who on this day was scourged, crowned with thorns, and most cruelly crucified between two thieves; through which bitter and ignominious passion and death He accomplished the redemption of mankind.

LESSON. Exodus xii. 1-11.

In those days: The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the months of the year. Speak ye to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and say to them: On the tenth day of this month let every man take a lamb by their families and houses. But if the number be less than may suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his neighbor that joineth to his house, according to the number of souls which may be enough to eat the lamb. And it shall be a lamb without blemish, a male, of one year: according to which rite also you shall take a kid. And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month: and the whole multitude of the children of Israel shall sacrifice it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood thereof, and put it upon both the side posts, and on the upper doorposts of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh that night roasted at the fire, and unleavened bread with wild lettuce. You shall not eat thereof anything raw, nor boiled in water, but only roasted at the fire: you shall eat the head with the feet and entrails thereof. Neither shall there remain anything of it until morning. If there be anything left, you shall burn it with fire. And thus, you shall eat it: you shall gird your reins, and you shall have shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands, and you shall eat in haste: for it is the Phase (that is the Passage) of the Lord.

After this is read:

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

According to St. John xviii. and xix.

At that time Jesus went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden into which He entered with His disciples. And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the place: because Jesus had often resorted thither together with His disciples. Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth and said to them:

Whom seek ye?

They answered Him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am He. And Judas also who betrayed Him, stood with Him. As soon therefore as He had said to them: I am He: they went backward and fell to the ground. Again, therefore He asked them:

Whom seek ye?

And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered: I have told you, that I am He. If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled which He said: Of them whom Thou hast given Me I have not lost anyone. Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter:

Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?

Then the band, and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him: and they led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, who was the high priest of that year. Now Caiphas was he who had given the counsel to the Jews: That it was expedient that one man should die for the people. And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. And that disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore who was known to the high priest, went out, and spoke to the portress, and brought in Peter. The maid therefore that was portress, saith to Peter:

Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples?

He saith: I am not. Now the servants and ministers stood at a fire of coals, because it was cold, and warmed themselves. And with them was Peter also standing and warming himself. The high priest therefore asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world: I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort: and in secret I have spoken nothing.

Why askest Thou Me?

ask them who have heard what I have spoken to them: behold they know what things I have said. And when He had said these things, one of the servants standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying:

Answerest Thou the high priest so?

Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil: but if well,

Why strikest thou Me?

And Annas sent Him bound to Caiphas the high priest. And Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him:

Art not thou also one of His disciples?

He denied it, and said: I am not One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman to him whose ear Peter cut off, saith to him:

Did not I see thee in the garden with Him?

Again, therefore Peter denied, and immediately the cock crew. Then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor’s hall. And it was morning: and they went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said:

What accusation bring you against this man?

They answered and said to him: If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee. Pilate therefore said to them: Take Him you and judge Him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which He said signifying what death He should die. Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to Him:

Art Thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it Thee of Me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew?

Thy own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee up to me.

What hast Thou done?

Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to Him:

Art Thou a king then?

Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice. Pilate said to Him:

What is truth?

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in Him. But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the pasch:

will you therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews?

Then cried they all again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then, therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head: and they put on Him a purple garment, and they came to Him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews! And they gave Him blows. Pilate, therefore, went forth again, and saith to them: Behold I bring Him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him. Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And he saith to them: Be hold the man. When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants had seen Him, they cried out, saying: Crucify Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith to them: Take Him you and crucify Him; for I find no cause in Him. The Jews answered him: We have a law; and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus:

Whence art Thou?

But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to Him:

Speakest Thou not to me? knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee?

Jesus answered: Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, lie that hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar. Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment-seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the parasceve of the pasch, about the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews: Behold your king. But they cried out: Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith to them:

Shall I crucify your king?

The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them for to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him forth. And bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place, which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. This title, therefore, many of the Jews did read, because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Write not, The king of the Jews; but that He said, I am the king of the Jews. Pilate answered: What I have written, I have written. The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Him, took His garments (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part), and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled saying: They have parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother, and the disciple standing, whom He loved, He saith to His mother: Woman! behold thy son. After that, He saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own. Afterwards Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they putting a sponge full of vinegar, about hyssop, put it to His mouth. Jesus, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. [Here all kneel, and pause a little, to meditate on the redemption of mankind. ~\ Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath-day (for that was a great Sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true, that you also may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him. And again, another Scripture saith: They shall look on Him Whom they pierced. And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly lor fear of the Jews) besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took away the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus also came, he who at the first came to Jesus by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred-pound weight. They took therefore the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now there was in the place where He was crucified a garden: and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the Parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus; because the sepulcher was nigh at hand.

When the Passion is finished the Priest prays first:

1, for the Church.

2, for the pope.

3, for the bishops, priests, deacons and the body of the faithful.

4, for the civil rulers and the catechumens.

5, for preservation from famine and sickness.

6, for heretics and schismatics.

7, for Jews and heathen.

After the prayers the priest, from the epistle side of the altar, extends towards the people the veiled crucifix, uncovered at the top, and sings with a loud voice, Behold the wood of the cross, whereon hung the Saviour of the world. This elevation of the crucifix refers to Jesus, Who delivers us from everlasting death. After the response of the choir the priest advances to the corner of the altar, uncovers the right arm of the crucifix, and sings in a higher tone than before, Behold the wood of the cross. The choir again answers. Then at the middle of the altar he uncovers the whole crucifix, and, elevating it, sings in a still higher tone, Behold the wood of the cross, to which the answer is given as at first. The covering of the crucifix signifies that the crucified Savior was at first unknown and despised by the world; the gradual uncovering of it represents the gradual propagation of the knowledge and adoration of Jesus among mankind. The uncovered crucifix is then laid upon a cushion in front of the altar, and the priest puts off his shoes and proceeds to kiss the cross, kneeling three times to remind the faithful that Christ crucified, the Fountain of life, the Centre of the Church, is in her midst, and will remain with her to the end of time. When the adoration is ended, the cross is replaced on the middle of the altar, the candles are lighted, and the Blessed Sacrament is brought in procession from the place where it was deposited the day before. There is no Mass said to-day. For there is no consecration either of bread or wine, but the priest receives one of the hosts consecrated the day before.

Why is there no Mass said?

Because to-day the Church directs her attention exclusively to the bloody sacrifice. During the day do for the love of Jesus all the good you can; for example, to the poor, to the sick, to prisoners, to unfortunate but worthy debtors, make the Way of the Cross, visit the holy sepulcher, and meditate upon the passion of Christ. The passion of Christ gives us unusual strength in combat with temptation. On this point St. Augustine says,

In all my adversities I have not found any remedies so powerful as the passion and wounds of Jesus. In them I sleep securely, and rest without fear. To meditate rightly on the passion of Christ consider what Jesus suffered from the Jews, the gentiles, and even His own disciples, who all forsook Him. Then earnestly reflect that He, the Son of God, holiness and innocence itself, suffered not for His own sake, but to deliver mankind from sin, death, and hell, to free them of guilt and punishment, and to convert them from being children of the devil to be children of God. He came into the world, suffered, and died that we might have life. The man who seriously ponders these things must have a heart of stone if he be not moved to hatred of sin and to love of Jesus. But this is not the perfect fruit of meditation on the passion of Jesus. By contemplating His passion, we ought to become like Him. As often, therefore, as you think on the passion of Christ, whether in making the Stations of the Cross, or in reciting the Rosary, or before an image of the suffering Redeemer, endeavor not only to have pity for His sufferings, not only to give Him assurance of your love, but also to impress upon your heart the virtues practiced by Him in His passion, and to imitate them.

Lenten Calendar[2]

Read: Lent is over. The joy of Easter is almost here, but today we still must journey with the Cross. Many of us have chosen to sacrifice something during Lent. However, there are those in the world that do not have that choice; many struggle to put food on the table, give their children an education, take care of ailing parents, and much more. Through our own sacrifices we stand in solidarity with those who struggle as we work to ease their suffering.

Reflect: One thing we can take away from this Lent and from our encounter with the Passion of Christ is that at the heart of every sacrifice is love. When we freely sacrifice something during Lent, the goal is to do it for the love of God. How can we continue to lovingly sacrifice once Lent is over?

One way is to pay attention to the people in your life, while another way is to stand in solidarity with those who suffer while working to ease their burden.

Pray: Pray the Stations of the Cross today.

Act: Attend the Good Friday liturgy in your parish today. (No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday.)

Timeline of Holy Week[3]

· Good Friday: Preparation Day for Passover (Jn 19:14)

· Early in the morning, the Sanhedrin meets, they lead Jesus to Pilate. (Mk 15:1; Mt 27:1-2; Lk 23:1; Jn 18:28)

· Pilate sends Jesus to Herod (Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee) (Lk 23:6-7)

· Herod mocks Jesus and then clothes him in gorgeous apparel, and sends Jesus back to Pilate (Lk 23:6-12)

· Pilate examines Jesus and finds him not guilty of the Jew’s charges against him. Pilate has Jesus flogged and plans to release him. (Lk 23:13-16; Jn 19:1-13)

· Jesus is crowned with thorns. (Jn 19:1-6)

· Jesus is sentenced to death and is crucified at 12:00 noon.

· Jesus dies at 3:00 and is buried in the tomb. (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; Lk 23:44)

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death. According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning. Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time. Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross. Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last breath and died. By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.[4]

Five most Hateful Sins[5]

As this is Good Friday try to see our Lord weighted down with our sins which he carried with him on the way of the cross; that beam was indeed heavy for it was our sins and it tore a great unrecorded wound in his shoulder. I wonder, “What are the five most hateful sins that our Lord bore in that cross?” In an article by Zac Poonen, he proposed that the five most hated sins by our Lord are:

· Hypocrisy: To be a hypocrite is to give others the impression that we are holier than we actually are. It is the same as being false or telling a lie. Jesus pronounced a curse on hypocrites seven times in Mt. 23:13-29. Jesus told the Pharisees that their inner life was ""full of self-indulgence"" (Mt. 23:25) - which meant that they lived only to please themselves. God looks at our hearts. (Sorrowful mystery: agony in the garden)

· Impurity: Impurity enters into our hearts mainly through our eyes and our ears. Anyone who seeks to be pure must therefore be especially careful about what he sees and what he hears. Jesus hated impurity so much that He told His disciples that they should be willing to pluck out their right eye and cut off their right hand rather than sin with those members (Mt. 5:27-29). When do doctors recommend the amputation of the right hand or the surgical removal of an eye? Only when things have become so bad that without the removal of these organs, the whole body would die. This is what we need to understand in relation to sin as well. Sin is so serious that it can imperil our very life. Most believers have not realized this and that is why they are careless in the way they use their tongues and their eyes. (Sorrowful mystery: scourging at the pillar)

· Spiritual Pride: We all know the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee who despised others even in his prayer (Lk. 18:9-14)! Jesus hated the pride with which he thought of his spiritual activities and with which he despised makes believers constantly judge other believers. Jesus taught that the greatest person in heaven would be the humblest (Mt. 18:4). The greatest virtue found in heaven is humility. This is why it is the first of the seven virtues (Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Patience, Temperance, Understanding and Wisdom) of Mary Christ’s mother. (Sorrowful mystery: crowning of the thorns)

· Indifference to Human Need: Jesus was angry when the leaders of the synagogue did not want Him to heal a man, just because it was the Sabbath day ""He was deeply disturbed by their indifference to human need"" (Mk. 3:5 - Living). We are commanded to do good to all men, especially to the children of God (Gal. 6: 10). Jesus taught that those who did nothing to help their brothers who were in need of the basic necessities of life, would be cast out of His presence in the final day (Mt. 25:41-46). Those who do not help their brothers in need cannot possibly have the love of God dwelling in their hearts (1Jn. 3:17). Jesus spoke out strongly on such matters because He hated the attitude that many religious people had who were concerned only with religious activities but not with helping their needy brothers. (Sorrowful mystery: carrying of the cross)

· Unbelief: Bible speaks of an unbelieving heart as an EVIL heart (He. 3: 12) Jesus rebuked His disciples seven times for unbelief. (See Mt. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:17-20; Mk.16:14; Lk.24:25). It seems that He almost never rebuked His disciples for anything else!! Unbelief is an insult to God, because it implies that God does not care or provide for His children even as much as evil fathers on earth care and provide for their children. (Sorrowful mystery: the crucifixion)

Good Friday Service.[6] The sacrifice of the altar is not offered on the day commemorating the sacrifice of the cross, and though communion may be distributed, the faithful are discouraged from receiving it without good reason. Instead, a mournful service is conducted. The priest, vested in black, reads several passages from the Bible, including the Passion account from the Gospel of John. Afterwards, the "Solemn Prayers" or "Collects" are offered on behalf of all classes of men, from the Church to the heathen. This is followed by the veneration of the cross, during which time the dolorous "Reproaches" are chanted. The service concludes with the "Mass of the Presanctified," a solemn communion rite.

Forty Hours' Devotion

It is traditionally believed that the duration of time from Christ's death until His Resurrection is forty hours, from 3 p.m. on Good Friday until 7 a.m. Easter Sunday. As early as the 100s it was customary for some of the faithful to fast and keep vigil during this entire period.

Other Good Friday Customs

If a devotion of forty hours could not be done, many Catholics observed Good Friday as a day of austerity as best they could. Fasting more than was required was common. Attending the Three Hours' Devotion, or Seven Last Words of Christ, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (the hours our Lord hung upon the cross), has also been popular. Liturgically speaking, this is a relatively new observance, begun in Peru in the early 1700s, but it is a very effective one. An older tradition that has lamentably been forgotten, on the other hand, is that of the Holy Sepulcher, a special shrine set up to house either the Blessed Sacrament or a crucifix which the faithful could visit on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

The Divine Mercy Novena Between 1930 and 1938 Christ appeared to Sister Faustina, a Sister of Mercy in Poland who initiated the Divine Mercy devotion. She was canonized on April 30, 2000, the Sunday after Easter, the Feast of Divine Mercy. On Good Friday, 1937, Jesus requested that Blessed Faustina make a special novena before the Feast of Mercy, from Good Friday through the following Saturday. Jesus also asked that a picture be painted according to the vision of Himself as the fountain of mercy. He gave her a chaplet to be recited and said that it was appropriate to pray the chaplet at three o'clock each afternoon (the Hour of Great Mercy).

Good Friday-Start Divine Mercy Novena[7]

Unlike other novenas, where people ask for something from God through the intercession of His Holy Saints, Divine Mercy Novena is intended to be prayed for graces and/or salvation to be given to other people. Jesus asked that this novena be prayed prior to the Feast of Divine Mercy (the Sunday after Easter), beginning on Good Friday. He gave Sr. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said: "These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy." In her diary, Faustina wrote that Jesus told her: "On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

Prayer:

The different souls prayed for on each day of the novena are:

All mankind, especially sinners; The souls of priests and religious; All devout and faithful souls; Those who do not believe in Jesus and those who do not yet know Him; The souls of separated brethren; The meek and humble souls and the souls of children; The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus' mercy; The souls who are detained in purgatory; and The souls who have become lukewarm.

This is prayed along with the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

· First Day - Today bring Me all mankind, especially all sinners.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.

· Second Day - Today Bring Me the Souls of Priests and Religious.

Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.

· Third Day - Today Bring Me All Devout and Faithful Souls.

Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in the great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.

Eternal Father, turn Your Merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lost the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.

· Fourth Day - Today Bring Me The Pagans and Those Who Do Not Know Me.

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

· Fifth Day - Today Bring to Me the Souls of Heretics and Schismatics.

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of heretics and schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics, and schismatics, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your Own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.

· Sixth Day - Today Bring Me The Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children.

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy, and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek and humble souls, and upon the souls of little children, who are enfolded in the abode of the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight you take in them: bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

· Seventh Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Especially Venerate and Glorify My Mercy.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your Mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident in Your Mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, "I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."

· Eighth Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Are In the Prison Of Purgatory.

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.

Eternal Father, turn Your most merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

· Ninth Day - Today Bring Me The Souls Who Have Become Lukewarm.

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen

Jesus, I trust in You.

The Sign of the Cross[8]

The most basic Christian gesture in prayer is and always will be the Sign of the Cross. (Pope Benedict XVI) “…by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal 6:14) Martyrs made the Sign as they were taken to their deaths.

The Sign of the cross is used in every single liturgy of the Church: sacraments, exorcisms, consecrations, and blessings[9]

1. "The sign of the cross is a symbolic expression of the principal mysteries of Christianity, a confession of the Catholic faith. It reminds us of the Crucified, of the price of our redemption, and of the value of our soul; it enkindles love of God, strengthens hope, and animates us to follow Christ on the way of the Cross. It indicates that in the cross we are to find our honor, our salvation, and our life; that we should prefer the folly and weakness of the cross to all the wisdom and power of the world, that, as disciples of the Crucified, we should combat under the banner of the cross and by this sign triumph over all our enemies."

2. St. Francis de Sales: "We raise the hand first to the forehead, saying, 'In the name of the Father,' to signify that the Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity, of whom the Son is begotten and from whom the Holy Ghost proceeds. Then saying, 'and the Son,' the hand is lowered to the breast, to express that the Son proceeds from the Father, who sent Him down to the womb of the Virgin. Then the hand is moved from the left shoulder or side to the right, while saying, 'and of the Holy Ghost,' thereby signifying that the Holy Ghost, as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, that He is the Love that unites both, and that we, through His grace, partake of the fruits of the passion. Accordingly, the sign of the cross is a brief declaration of our faith in the three great mysteries: of our faith in the Blessed Trinity, in the passion of Christ, and in the forgiveness of sin, by which we pass from the left side of curse to the right of blessing."

3. The Sign of the Cross is likened by the Fathers to the true cross of Christ.

4. The Sign of the Cross is source of all blessings and graces, the weapon and armor of our defense against the evil spirit... as sign of Christ's victory over sin, death, and hell.

5. God has imparted to the sign of the cross an efficacy, because of honors and merits of the Crucified. This efficacy is greater if sign of cross made with devout and believing disposition, recollection of mind, devotion of heart, love towards the Crucified.

Meditation[10]

As Jesus neared the end of His public life, the opposition of the Jewish leaders became more violent and their desire to kill Him more determined. Our Lord, however, continued to teach in the temple, where large crowds came to hear Him. The admiration of the people intensified the hatred of the priests, and they planned to ensnare Jesus in His speech that they might have grounds for condemnation. While His enemies plotted His downfall, Our Lord spent the night in prayer on the Mount of Olives. The contrast between the character of Christ and that of His enemies could not be more pronounced. Yielding to base passion, they were openly seeking the death of the Messiah. Jesus, on the contrary, in the spirit of generous charity, was spending His days in teaching and His nights in prayer. Does our conduct in difficult circumstances resemble that of Christ? When we are unjustly accused, criticized, or condemned, do we calmly continue our work and have recourse to God in prayer? Perhaps we seek vengeance upon those who oppose us by wishing them evil or persuading others to despise and condemn them. Let us leave our reputation in the hands of God and imitate Christ's efforts to benefit those who hated and condemned Him.

"The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?"

Things to Do: If you wish to gain the courage to embrace the small crosses in your life with joy, pray the Stations of the Cross. This is an excellent practice that should not only be confined to Lent but ought to be prayed on Fridays throughout the year. An excellent version with beautiful meditations composed by Pope John Paul II is his Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum. Some recommended versions are: Eucharistic Stations of the Cross, and the more traditional Stations of the Cross written by Saint Alphonsus Liguori can be found in most Catholic bookstores. Here are some guidelines for praying the Stations of the Cross in your home.

Novena for the Poor Souls[11]

O Mother most merciful, pray for the souls in Purgatory!

FRIDAY O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Jesus Thy divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory, where it may praise Thee and bless Thee for evermore. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 306 2346-2350

The integrality of the gift of self

2346 Charity is the form of all the virtues. Under its influence, chastity appears as a school of the gift of the person. Self-mastery is ordered to the gift of self. Chastity leads him who practices it to become a witness to his neighbor of God's fidelity and loving kindness.

2347 The virtue of chastity blossoms in friendship. It shows the disciple how to follow and imitate him who has chosen us as his friends, who has given himself totally to us and allows us to participate in his divine estate. Chastity is a promise of immortality.
Chastity is expressed notably in friendship with one's neighbor. Whether it develops between persons of the same or opposite sex, friendship represents a great good for all. It leads to spiritual communion.

The various forms of chastity

2348 All the baptized are called to chastity. the Christian has "put on Christ," The model for all chastity. All Christ's faithful are called to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life. At the moment of his Baptism, the Christian is pledged to lead his affective life in chastity.

2349 "People should cultivate [chastity] in the way that is suited to their state of life. Some profess virginity or consecrated celibacy which enables them to give themselves to God alone with an undivided heart in a remarkable manner. Others live in the way prescribed for all by the moral law, whether they are married or single." Married people are called to live conjugal chastity; others practice chastity in continence:

There are three forms of the virtue of chastity: the first is that of spouses, the second that of widows, and the third that of virgins. We do not praise any one of them to the exclusion of the others.... This is what makes for the richness of the discipline of the Church.

2350 Those who are engaged to marry are called to live chastity in continence. They should see in this time of testing a discovery of mutual respect, an apprenticeship in fidelity, and the hope of receiving one another from God. They should reserve for marriage the expressions of affection that belong to married love. They will help each other grow in chastity.

Fitness Friday

· Try the St. George Universal Man Plan and slay dragons.

THIS WE BELIEVE

PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Glory Be[12]

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Daily Devotions

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

· 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] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.

[2] http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/april-19.cfm

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

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

[5] http://www.cfcindia.com/article/five-sins-that-jesus-hated-most

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

[7]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1032

[8] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 2. The Sign of the Cross.

[9]http://www.stjosephstoledo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96:october-18-2009-homily-the-sign-of-the-cross&catid=14:homilies&Itemid=13

[10]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-03-31

[11]Schouppe S.J., Rev. Fr. F. X.. Purgatory Explained

[12]https://www.usccb.org/prayers/prayers-rosary