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Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Introduction to Joel
In the two
speeches that make up this book, Joel uses an agricultural crisis to measure
his audience’s knowledge of its God, warn them of a worse disaster if they
ignore his preaching, and express his conviction that all faithful Judahites
would someday enjoy a secure future. Inadequate winter rains and a spring
locust infestation have devastated Judah’s grain fields, vineyards, and
orchards. Because the people carry on with business as usual, unaware that this
crisis is the work of the Lord in their midst, Joel fears that the Lord may
soon deliver a death blow by withholding the rains that normally fall in the
late autumn. However, Joel’s efforts to avert this crisis are successful. The
first speech ends with Joel’s assurance that at the end of the next agricultural
year the people will enjoy a superabundant harvest. The second speech begins
with the prophet’s hope that Judah’s God will one day destroy its enemies and
make Jerusalem secure once and for all. This divine intervention will create a
more inclusive community, cutting across boundaries of gender, class, and age.
The rest of Joel’s second speech uses the imagery of drought and locusts from
the first speech and introduces the metaphor of a grape harvest and wine making
to describe the attack of the Lord’s heavenly army on Judah’s enemies. In the
renewal of Judah’s hillsides by the winter rains, the prophet sees the
revitalization of the people because the Lord dwells with them.
Candace’s Corner-Try “Ginger Fried Rice”
· Pray Day 5 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel
· Spirit Hour: Fresh Berry Delicious
· Bucket List trip: Transylvania
March 11 Tuesday First Week of Lent
Joel,
Chapter 2, Verse 21-22
21 Do not FEAR, O land! Delight and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things 22Do not fear, you animals in the wild, for the wilderness pastures sprout green grass. The trees bear fruit; the fig tree and the vine produce their harvest.
Notice the prophet here acknowledges that God in his power has complete control over nature. They do not fear. They are perfectly happy because nature does not have freewill and cooperates with God living their existence in accordance with their created function.
Yet we because we were created in the image and likeness of God we have a choice. To do good or to do evil.
Daily we must
decide if we are for ourselves and pursue the things of the world or are we
going to follow Christ by picking up our cross daily.
EPISTLE. Isaias Iv. 6-11.
IN those days Isaias the prophet spoke, saying: Seek ye the Lord while He may be found call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God: for He is bountiful to forgive. For My thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts. And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be, which shall go forth from My mouth : it shall not return to Me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL. Matt. xxi. 10-17.
At that time: When Jesus was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this? And the people said: This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the chairs of them that sold doves: and He saith to them: It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves. And there came to Him the blind, and the lame in the temple; and He healed them. And the chief priests and scribes seeing the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying: Hosanna to the son of David; were moved with indignation, and said to Him: Hearest Thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of suckling’s Thou hast perfected praise? And leaving them, He went out of the city into Bethania, and remained there.
Prayer. Look down upon Thy family, O Lord, and grant that our minds, which are afflicted by the mortifications of the flesh, may shine in Thy light with the desire of Thee.
Lenten Calendar
Read: Lent is a time many often rededicate themselves to prayer. Check out these 9 ways to pray. . . from USCCB’s We Are Salt and Light for ideas on how to expand your prayer life this season.
Pray: Try one of the 9 ways to pray from the article that you have never tried before.
Act: If you
found you liked one of the 9 ways to pray from above to be helpful to you,
share your experience with a loved one.
Preparing for Battle[2]
Know Your Battle
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. EPHESIANS 6: 10– 13
The ordinary activity of demons is subtle and occurs
within our thought life. They plant ideas within our minds seeking to influence
our reason, memory, and imagination— and ultimately, our will. They use various
methods to tempt us.
- First, the demons tempt through deception.
(The Devil is the father of lies)
- Second, demons tempt through accusation.
- Third, the Devil tempts us through doubt as he seeks to diminish our faith. (Don’t hesitate in
faith)
- Fourth, demons tempt us through enticement.
(Don’t take the bait)
- Finally, demons can tempt us through provocation. (Don’t give into vexations)
We should always remember that not all temptations come directly from
Satan and his minions. Many of them arise simply from our own weakness and the
habits of sin we have developed.
Leadership and fasting[3]
The practice of fasting that pleases God and goes further than going without food. God does not delight in our denying ourselves but in us turning eyes from ourselves to others and begin to loosen the chains that bind others. God is calling us to live from His values and ethics not ours. Fasting is good in that it redirects our focus and helps us to bring the body back under the control of the mind and spirit, but we must not fast while continuing to harbor destructive thoughts, assumptions and attitudes. Consider what God expects from the “Fasted life.”
1.
Liberate
the oppressed.
2.
Share
with the needy
3.
Shelter
the homeless
4.
Clothe
the naked
5.
Stop
judging and accusing others
The Practices
of a Committed Catholic Man[4]
What
practices can help us to take up our cross and follow our King?
If
we think of soldiers who do not remain in strong physical and mental shape and
who fail to practice the essential combat arts, we know they will not be ready
for battle and will be a danger to themselves and their comrades in arms. The
same is true for Catholic men; those who do not prepare and strengthen
themselves for spiritual combat are incapable of filling the breach for Christ.
While
there are many habits and devotions that a Catholic man can form, Bishop
Olmstead charges you with keeping these seven basic practices*
on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. If these practices are not (yet) part of
your life, start now!
Daily
1.
Pray every day. Each Catholic man must start his
day with prayer. It is said, “Until you realize that prayer is the most
important thing in life, you will never have time for prayer.” Without prayer,
a man is like a soldier who lacks food, water, and ammunition. Set aside some
time to speak with God first thing each morning. Pray the three prayers
essential to the Catholic faith: The Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory
Be. Pray also at every meal. Before food or drink touches your lips, make the
Sign of the Cross, say the “Bless us, O Lord” prayer, and end with the Sign of
the Cross. Do this no matter where you are, with whom or how much you are
eating. Never be shy or ashamed about praying over meals. Never deny Christ the
gratitude that is due to Him. Praying as a Catholic man before every meal is a
simple but powerful way to keep strong and fill the breach.
2.
Examine your conscience before going to sleep. Take a few moments to review the
day, including both your blessings and sins. Give God thanks for blessings and
ask forgiveness for sins. Say an Act of Contrition.
3.
Go to Mass.
Despite the fact that attending weekly Mass is a Precept of the Church, only
about one in three Catholic men attend Sunday Mass. For large numbers of
Catholic men, their neglect to attend Mass is a grave sin, a sin that puts them
in mortal danger. The Mass is a refuge in the Spiritual Battle, where Catholic
men meet their King, hear His commands, and become strengthened with the Bread
of Life. Every Mass is a miracle where Jesus Christ is fully present, a miracle
that is the high point not only of the week, but of our entire lives on Earth.
In the Mass, a man gives thanks to God for his many blessings and hears Christ
send him again into the world to build the Kingdom of God. Fathers who lead
their children to Mass are helping in a very real way to ensure their eternal
salvation.
4.
Read the Bible. As St. Jerome so clearly tells us,
“Ignorance of the Sacred Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” When we read God’s
word, Jesus is present. Married men read with your wife and your children. If a
man’s children see him read the Scriptures, they are more likely to remain in
the Faith. My brothers in Christ, this I can assure you: men who read the Bible
grow in grace, wisdom, and peace.
5.
Keep the Sabbath. From the creation of Adam and Eve,
God the Father established a weekly cycle ending with the Sabbath. He gave us
the Sabbath to ensure that one day out of seven we will give thanks to God,
rest, and be refreshed. In the Ten Commandments, God asserts anew the
importance of keeping the Sabbath. With today’s constant barrage of buying and
selling and the cacophony of noisy media, the Sabbath is God’s respite from the
storm. As Catholic men, you must begin, or deepen, keeping the holiness of the
Sabbath. If you are married, you must lead your wives and children to do the
same. Dedicate the day to rest and true recreation and avoid work that is not
necessary. Spend time with family, attend Mass, and enjoy the gift of the day.
Monthly
6.
Go to Confession. At the very start of Christ’s
public ministry, Jesus calls on all men to repent. Without repentance from sin,
there can be no healing or forgiveness, and there will be no Heaven. Large
numbers of Catholic men are in grave mortal danger, particularly given the
epidemic levels of pornography consumption and the sin of masturbation. My
brothers get to Confession now! Our Lord Jesus Christ is a merciful King who
will forgive those who humbly confess their sins. He will not forgive those who
refuse. Open your soul to the gift of our Lord’s mercy!
Confession[5]
In the beginning God asks Adam,
where are you?
Adam had
sinned and so he hid from God. After Cain killed Able God asked him,
“Where is your brother? …
Yet again
according to catholic tradition Saint Peter was fleeing from crucifixion in
Rome at the hands of the government, and along the road outside the city he
meets the risen Jesus and this time it is Peter who asks the question in Latin
"Quo vadis?" “Where are you going?”
7.
Build
fraternity with other Catholic men. Catholic friendship among men has a
dramatic impact on their faith lives. Men who have bonds of brotherhood with
other Catholic men pray more, go to Mass and Confession more frequently, read
the Scriptures more often, and are more active in the Faith. Proverbs tells us:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (27:17). I call on each of
our priests and deacons to draw men together in their parishes and to begin to
rebuild a vibrant and transforming Catholic fraternity. I call on laymen to form
small fellowship groups for mutual support and growth in the faith. There is no
friendship like having a friend in Christ.
Aids in Battle[6]
The Word of God useful for our warfare with evil
These biblical passages
provide aids in warfare for those who will ponder and act upon the truths they
teach us. Recite them as battle cries in the heat of the conflict. Call on
Jesus Christ, our Champion when the battle is fierce, turn your eyes to our victorious
commander and place your confidence in Him.
·
To
this end the Son of God appeared that He might destroy the works of the Devil.
1 Jn 3: 8
·
Be
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
·
That
at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and
under the earth, and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is
in the glory of God the Father.
·
Disarming
the Principalities and Powers, He displayed them openly, leading them away in
triumph by force of [the Cross]. Col 2: 15
·
Now
has come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God.
Preparing for
Battle[7] Know Your Weapons
The
weapon of Eucharistic adoration
Outside
of Mass, the other great refuge from the Devil and his wiles is prayer before
the Blessed Sacrament. St. John Bosco used to tell the boys who were under his
care:
·
Listen:
There are two things the Devil is deathly afraid of: fervent Communions and
frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
·
Do
you want Our Lord to grant you many graces? Visit him often.
·
Do
you want Him to grant you only a few? Visit Him only seldom.
·
Do
you want the Devil to attack you? Rarely visit the Blessed Sacrament.
·
Do
you want the Devil to flee from you? Visit Jesus often.
·
Do
you want to overcome the Devil? Take refuge at Jesus’ feet.
·
Do
you want to be overcome by the Devil? Give up visiting Jesus.
·
Visiting
the Blessed Sacrament is essential, my dear boys, if you want to overcome the
Devil. Therefore, make frequent visits to Jesus. If you do that, the Devil will
never prevail against you.
Confession
and Holy Communion[8]
One of the Precepts of the Church is to
receive the sacraments of Penance
and Holy Communion at
least once a year, during Lent or Paschaltide. Catholics once dedicated the
three days prior to Lent as a special time to go to confession. Shrovetide
arose from the desire to prepare for the holy asceticism of the Great Fast.
Once Lent begins, however, confession should still be sought out: since Lent is
a time for frequent and frank examinations of conscience, confession is a
sacrament that should be liberally taken advantage of during this time.
Guardian
Angels[9]
Our
lives always are better if we work with God rather than against him. To this
end God has assigned an angel to protect churches and persons for indeed we are
the true temples of God. We should be particularly attentive to our own
guardian angels, since they are specifically assigned to our care. Our guardian
angels want to help us cooperate with the will of God, and they want to keep us
from sin. They help us to comfort others-and they want to keep us safe and from
causing harm to others. They are our best friend in that they always want
what’s best for us even if it does not coincide with the things, we desire the
most and they will undoubtedly help us, especially when we ask them. Learn to
ask for what you need. Our angel helps us to answer Gods call for holiness. As
we are the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit our angel is charged with protecting
our temples and keeping us pure for the presence of God. We must learn to speak
to the angels.
No evil shall befall you, no
affliction come near your tent for he commands his angels with regard to you,
to guard you wherever you go. With their hands they shall support you,
lest you strike your foot against a stone. You can tread upon the asp and
the viper, trample the lion and the dragon. (Ps.91:10-13)
One
question that comes up repeatedly is why are the Ember Days only Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday?
Is
there any rhyme or reason to these days?
In the days of the early church,
Mass was originally only on Sundays. Gradually other days were added, the
development can be seen in connection with the Roman Station Churches, as I
wrote about last year in Roman
Pilgrimage: Station Churches.
The Ember Days fall on the days that had assigned stational churches,
originally Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Station churches for
Thursdays were a much later addition and are not included in the Ember Days.
Unique
Character of the Spring or Lent Ember Days
The
Lent Ember Days fall on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the first
week of Lent. There are four major intentions of the Quarterly Ember Days, but
each set of days has a different flavor according to the corresponding
liturgical season.
The
Lent Ember Days were the last ones added to the liturgical calendar, and they
have a slightly different character than the other three. Since the Lenten
season already had fasting and abstinence, observing Ember Days in Lent only
added a little extra in penance to the already formerly strict laws of Lent.
The
focus of the Lenten Ember Days:
1.
Consecration
of the New Season. The other Ember Days marked thanksgiving
for different harvests, but the Lent Ember Days did not. Instead, this was a
time of consecrating the new spring to God and asking blessing on the upcoming
growing season. This was also a time of thanksgiving for the gift of light.
Instead of harvest offerings on Ember Wednesday, flowers were usually presented
and blessed. The symbol of the Lenten Ember Days is the Paschal and baptismal
candles. (I have not found any evidence, but I conjecture that perhaps the wax
harvest from the honeybee might have been featured during these Lenten Ember
Days? It would seem to be a logical connection.)
2.
Days
of Spiritual Renewal. Holy Mother Church
provides us so many opportunities to redirect, refresh and renew. The Lenten
Ember Days blends with the season of Lent, providing reminders to continue and
persevere in the spirit of conversion and penance.
3.
Praying
for Priests. The Church no longer regularly ordains priests
during the Quarterly Ember Days, but this is a special time, particularly Ember
Saturday, to pray for priests and for seminarians, particularly the ones who
are about to be ordained within the year.
4.
Reflecting
the Spirit of the Season. Each set of Ember Days reflect
the season of the Liturgical Year in which they occur. The Lenten season
focuses on our conversion of our hearts,
and also a focus on the supernatural life we receive at baptism, whether it be
as a catechumen or a renewal of baptismal promises.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day
268 2037-2043
2037 The law
of God entrusted to the Church is taught to the faithful as the way of life and
truth. The faithful therefore have the right to be instructed in the divine
saving precepts that purify judgment and, with grace, heal wounded human
reason. They have the duty of observing the constitutions and decrees
conveyed by the legitimate authority of the Church. Even if they concern
disciplinary matters, these determinations call for docility in charity.
2038 In the
work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the
dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the contribution of
all Christians and men of good will. Faith and the practice of the Gospel
provide each person with an experience of life "in Christ," who
enlightens him and makes him able to evaluate the divine and human realities
according to the Spirit of God. Thus the Holy Spirit can use the humblest
to enlighten the learned and those in the highest positions.
2039
Ministries should be exercised in a spirit of fraternal service and dedication
to the Church, in the name of the Lord. At the same time the conscience of
each person should avoid confining itself to individualistic considerations in
its moral judgments of the person's own acts. As far as possible conscience
should take account of the good of all, as expressed in the moral law, natural
and revealed, and consequently in the law of the Church and in the
authoritative teaching of the Magisterium on moral questions. Personal
conscience and reason should not be set in opposition to the moral law or the
Magisterium of the Church.
2040 Thus a
true filial spirit toward the Church can develop among Christians. It is the
normal flowering of the baptismal grace which has begotten us in the womb of
the Church and made us members of the Body of Christ. In her motherly care, the
Church grants us the mercy of God which prevails over all our sins and is especially
at work in the sacrament of reconciliation. With a mother's foresight, she also
lavishes on us day after day in her liturgy the nourishment of the Word and
Eucharist of the Lord.
II. The Precepts of the Church
2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a
moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character
of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to
guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and
moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:
2042 The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays
and holy days of obligation.") requires the faithful to participate in the
Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the
day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.
The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least
once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of
the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion
and forgiveness.
The third precept (“You shall humbly receive your Creator
in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a
minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the
Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.
2043 The fourth precept (“You shall keep holy the holy days
of obligation.") completes the Sunday observance by participation in the
principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin
Mary, and the saints.
The fifth precept (“You shall observe the prescribed days
of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance
which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over
our instincts and freedom of heart.
The faithful also have the duty of providing for the
material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
Sex Trafficking, Slavery
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Religion in the Home for
Preschool: March
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 27
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
[1] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[2]Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual
Warfare. TAN Books.
[3] Maxwell, John. The Maxwell
Leadership Bible.
*Let us be faithful
to these practices as Naaman was faithful to wash himself seven times in the
Jordan to cleanse himself of leprosy at the instruction of the prophet Elias.
[5] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 28. Confession.
[6]Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual
Warfare. TAN Books.
[7]Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual
Warfare. TAN Books.
[9] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 5. Guardian Angels
WHO declares COVID 19 pandemic 2020
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