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.

Sunday, November 9, 2025

Saturday, November 8, 2025

Vinny’s Corner Paradise Lost

So, whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Cor. 5:17)

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

· Spirit hour: Harvey Wallbanger Day

· 15 Traditional Spanish Drinks

· How to celebrate Nov 8th

o Start your day with a bold cappuccino to kickstart your morning.

§ Head out for a brisk walk to embrace “National Ample Time Day” and take in the town planning sights.

· On ” National Parents as Teachers Day,” learn a new skill or pick up a new hobby – perhaps tinkering on the piano to celebrate ” World Pianist Day.”

§ Raise awareness for health on ” Pertussis Awareness Day” by cooking up a pungent dish and sharing it with loved ones.

· Take a moment to appreciate the marvels of technology on “National STEM/STEAM Day.”

· Bucket Item trip: 🥾 Braga → Fátima, Portugal
o A Pilgrimage of Apparition, Mercy, and Marian Clarity
Dates: November 9–15

· § Nov 9: Braga → Tomar (via Coimbra, train or bus)
• 🕍 Symbolic Act: “Monastic Memory” — Visit Bom Jesus do Monte before departure. In Tomar, walk the cloisters of the Convent of Christ, praying for civic renewal and spiritual courage.
o 🛏️ Stay: Hotel dos Templários or Hostel 2300 Thomar

o § Nov 10: Tomar → Fátima (~30 km walk or bus)
• 🕊️ Symbolic Act: “Pilgrim’s Entry” — Enter Fátima in silence. Pause at the Chapel of the Apparitions and offer a prayer for clarity and communal healing.
o 🛏️ Stay: Hotel Domus Pacis or Albergue Pereira

· § Nov 11: Fátima – Shrine Day
• 🕍 Symbolic Act: “Rosary Vigil” — Join the international rosary and candlelight procession at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima.
• 🪨 Symbolic Act: “Stone of Witness” — Leave a small stone near the tombs of Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia as a sign of intercession.
o 🛏️ Stay: Same as previous night

o § Nov 12: Fátima – Aljustrel & Valinhos Walk (~5 km)
• 🏡 Symbolic Act: “Home of the Visionaries” — Walk to Aljustrel, the childhood homes of the seers. Pause at Valinhos, site of the August apparition, and pray for children and civic leaders.
o 🛏️ Stay: Same as previous night

· § Nov 13: Fátima – Excursion to Batalha & Nazaré
• 🕍 Symbolic Act: “Gothic Mercy” — Visit the Monastery of Batalha, praying in the cloisters for peace among nations.
• 🌊 Symbolic Act: “Ocean Benediction” — At Nazaré, bless your feet in the surf and offer a prayer for environmental stewardship.
o 🛏️ Stay: Return to Fátima

o § Nov 14: Fátima – Excursion to Santarém
• 🕊️ Symbolic Act: “Eucharistic Reflection” — Visit the Church of the Holy Miracle, site of the 13th-century Eucharistic miracle. Offer a prayer for clarity in daily acts.
o 🛏️ Stay: Return to Fátima

· § Nov 15: Fátima – Day of Rest and Departure
• 🕍 Symbolic Act: “Final Benediction” — Attend Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Sit in silence afterward, sealing your pilgrimage with gratitude.
• 🍇 Optional Act: “Civic Supper” — Share a meal with fellow pilgrims or locals, honoring the saints through hospitality and storytelling.

· 🍽️ Civic Supper of Apparition & Mercy

· Braga → Fátima Pilgrimage Meal | November 9–15

o A 7-course ritual meal echoing the Marian pilgrimage’s themes of mercy, clarity, and civic renewal. Each dish is paired with a symbolic act and reflection, inviting pilgrims to taste the journey they’ve walked.

· 🥖 1. Appetizer – “Monastic Memory”

o Dish: Broa de Milho with Azeitão cheese and fig jam
Symbol: The layered simplicity of monastic life—earthy, humble, sustaining.
Reflection: As you break bread, recall the cloisters of Tomar and the echo of prayers for civic courage.

· 🥣 2. Soup – “Pilgrim’s Entry”

o Dish: Caldo Verde (kale and potato soup with chouriço)
Symbol: The warmth of welcome and the quiet strength of the land.
Reflection: Sip in silence, remembering your entry into Fátima and the hush of sacred ground.

· 🐟 3. Fish – “Rosary Vigil”

o Dish: Grilled Bacalhau with olive oil, garlic, and roasted peppers
Symbol: The enduring faith of the Portuguese people, preserved like cod through centuries.
Reflection: As the rosary beads pass through your fingers, let each bite be a prayer for peace.

· 🥔 4. Vegetable – “Home of the Visionaries”

o Dish: Roasted root vegetables with herbs from the region
Symbol: The rootedness of the seers’ childhood homes in Aljustrel and the soil of Valinhos.
Reflection: Taste the earth that bore the visionaries. Pray for the children and leaders of your own land.

· 🍖 5. Meat – “Gothic Mercy”

o Dish: Cabrito Assado (roast kid goat with potatoes and rosemary)
Symbol: Sacrifice and strength, echoing the Gothic arches of Batalha’s monastery.
Reflection: Offer a prayer for nations in conflict. May mercy be carved into history.

· 🌊 6. Palate Cleanser – “Ocean Benediction”

o Dish: Lemon sorbet with sea salt and mint
Symbol: The cleansing surf of Nazaré and the salt of the earth.
Reflection: Let this course wash over you like the Atlantic tide. Bless your feet, your path, your planet.

· 🍮 7. Dessert – “Eucharistic Reflection”

o Dish: Pastel de Nata with a drizzle of port wine reduction
Symbol: The sweetness of clarity and the mystery of the Eucharist in Santarém.
Reflection: As you savor this final course, recall the miracle of daily bread and the clarity it brings.

· 🍷 Communal Toast – “Final Benediction”

o Drink: A glass of Vinho Verde or Ginja de Óbidos
Blessing:

o “To the seed that falls, the stone that witnesses, and the voice that rises in mercy.”

NOVEMBER 8 Saturday

John, Chapter 12, Verse 25

Whoever LOVES his life^--loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.

We are all seeds and a seed that is not buried will not bear fruit. Jesus is mentioning his own self-giving which He joins to that of His disciples. They are called to identical servant roles.[1] This is servant leadership.

The servant leader is servant first…. Becoming a servant-leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. For such people, it will be a later choice to serve—after leadership is established. The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them are the shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature (Greenleaf, 2002, pp. 24-25)

Finding your Voice[2]

The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness is a book written by Stephen R. Covey, published in 2004. It is an upgrade of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989. As such, it clarifies and reinforces Covey's earlier declaration that "Interdependence is a higher value than independence." The eighth habit is "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." Voice is Covey's code for "unique personal significance." Those who inspire others to find theirs are the leaders needed now and for the future, according to Covey. The central idea of the book is the need for steady recovery and application of the whole person paradigm, which holds that persons have four intelligences - physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. Denial of any of them reduces persons to things, inviting many problems. The industrial age is assumed to have been a period dependent on such denial. Covey believed the information age and a foreseen "Age of Wisdom" requires "whole" people (in whole jobs). The book talks of "5 Cancerous Behaviors" that inhibit people's greatness:

· Criticism

· Complaining

· Comparing

· Competing

· Contending

People can discover their voice because of the three gifts everyone is born with:

· The freedom to choose

· The natural laws or principles – those that dictate the consequences of behavior. Positive consequences come from fairness, kindness, respect, honesty, integrity, service and contribution

· The four intelligences – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Covey talks about great achievers expressing their voice through the use of their intelligences.

Achievers for example

1. develop their mental energy into vision

2. develop their physical energy into discipline

3. develop their emotional energy into passion

4. develop their spiritual energy into conscience – their inward moral sense of what is right and wrong and their drive towards meaning and contribution.

Copilot’s Take

🌱 “Unless a grain of wheat falls…”
John 12:25 invites us into the sacred paradox of surrender: that life preserved is life lost, and life given is life eternal. Jesus, the seed buried in love, calls us to join Him—not in dominance, but in servanthood. Greenleaf’s servant-first leader echoes this call: to lead not from power, but from the ache to serve. Covey’s eighth habit—finding your voice—is the fruit of such burial. It is not self-expression for its own sake, but the flowering of vision, discipline, passion, and conscience.

To lead as Jesus did is to be buried in love, watered by conscience, and raised in communal fruitfulness. The cancerous behaviors Covey names—criticism, complaining, comparing, competing, contending—are the weeds that choke the seed. But the gifts we’re born with—freedom, principles, and the four intelligences—are the soil of resurrection.

🕊️ Servant leadership is not a strategy—it is a liturgy.
It is the Eucharistic rhythm of dying to self and rising in service. It is the voice that whispers, “I am here to serve first.” And it is the fruit that feeds others, not the fame that feeds self.

Bible in a Year Day 126 David's Victories

Fr. Mike emphasizes how King David's victories in battle are part of his calling to establish Israel as a kingdom. He also reminds us that the recapitulation of the events we read about 1 Chronicles 10-11, is not repetitive, it served a specific purpose for the people of Israel. Today we read 2 Samuel 8, 1 Chronicles 10-11 and Psalm 60.

Cappuccino Day[3]

Italy is famous for the variety of coffees it produces. Cappuccinos are loved among coffee lovers and despite its vague history, many people still appreciate the comfort it brings. Thus, comes a happy day called Cappuccino Day, where people from all over can order a frothy and whipped cup of coffee and eat with whatever meal they’re having. Let’s take a look at how Cappuccino Day came to be.

The name “Cappuccino” came from the Capuchin Friars, a minor order of friars within the Catholic Church, who in the 16th century was well known for their missionary work helping the poor and were dedicated to extreme austerity, poverty, and simplicity. Wearing a brown robe with a pointed hood, it is believed that the name stemmed from a specific person in the order, Marco d’Aviano. According to the Telegraph, when an Ottoman Turk army tried marching into Vienna in 1683, d’Aviano united the outnumbered Christian troops and made them victorious in defending Vienna. The legend says that after the Turks fled, they left behind Ottoman coffee, and because the Christians found it to be bitter, they sweetened it with milk and honey and named it after the Order of Capuchins. Another source says that the idea of the cappuccino drink appears to have originated in the 1700’s, in the “Kapuziner” coffee houses in Austria, which contained coffee with cream and sugar and eventually added spices. However, the cappuccino we know today was invented in Italy during the 1900’s after the invention of the espresso machine gained popularity. The first record of the cappuccino appeared in the 1930’s. After World War II, the espresso machine improved, and so changed the process of making cappuccinos, which now have steamed and frothed cream and thus spread its popularity around the world.

How to Celebrate Cappuccino Day

Buy a cappuccino at your favorite cafe. If you’d rather have a cup at home, get an espresso machine and make a cup yourself. Or if you love the process of making cappuccinos, look up famous baristas and be wowed by their ability to make beautiful creations with coffee. Cappuccinos are one of the hardest drinks to make, but their elegance and frothy taste will be sure to have you wanting a cup for yourself. If you’re a lover of taking photos of your food, take a picture of your cappuccino and hashtag #CappuccinoDay to show to your friends.

Daily Devotions

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

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary

[1] The Collegeville Bible Commentary

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_8th_Habit

[3] www.daysoftheyear.com

Friday, November 7, 2025

NIC’s Corner

Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been very good to you. (Psalm 116:7)

· Eat Fish on Fridays

o Friday Fish: Halibut

· Spirit Hour: Breakfast of champions

o Today is a day brimming with possibilities. Start by grabbing a hearty stout and settling in to watch some thought-provoking international films.

o As the credits roll, let your creative juices flow and tackle a project with newfound enthusiasm. Remember, even the most mundane tasks can be jazzed up by greeting your furry friend with a big bear hug. Don’t forget about self-care; indulge in some bittersweet chocolate with almonds to lift your spirits.

· Iceman’s 40 devotion

· Get an indulgence

· Operation Purity

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands and 🇭🇹 Haiti—Two More Stops on the Rich vs Poor Tour, Each Offering Distinct Catholic Landscapes

Here’s the next pilgrim pairing: Faroe Islands, a remote and affluent archipelago with a tiny but resilient Catholic presence, and Haiti, a nation of deep poverty and profound spiritual endurance. Together, they extend NIC’s Corner’s contemplative journey into the spiritual contrasts of wealth and adversity.

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands — Wealthy, Isolated, and Quietly Catholic

GDP per capita: ~$71,718 USD (2023)

🧮 Why the Faroe Islands Rank High in Per Capita Income

· Fishing Economy: Exports of salmon and cod dominate GDP.

· Small Population: With ~55,000 residents, wealth is concentrated.

· Autonomous Governance: Though part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroes manage their own economic affairs.

· Low Unemployment: Strong labor participation and public services.

· Renewable Energy: Over 40% of electricity comes from renewables.

✝️ Quality of Life for Catholics

· Tiny Community: ~300 Catholics from over 23 nations.

· Single Parish: Mariukirkjan (St. Mary’s Church) in Tórshavn is the only Catholic church.

· Franciscan Legacy: Sisters established a school, crèche, and nursery in 1933.

· Ecumenical Respect: Despite being a Protestant-majority nation, Catholics are welcomed.

⚠️ Challenges

· Clergy Scarcity: Often served by visiting priests from Copenhagen.

· Cultural Distance: Catholicism is unfamiliar to most locals.

· Geographic Isolation: Harsh terrain and weather limit outreach.

🌿 For a Catholic

The Faroes offer a pilgrimage of silence and resilience—where the Eucharist meets wind and sea, and the Gospel whispers through basalt cliffs and Nordic mist. It’s a place for intentional faith and quiet reverence.

🇭🇹 Haiti — Economically Strained, Spiritually Enduring

GDP per capita: ~$1,155 USD (2024)

🧮 Why Haiti Ranks Low in Per Capita Income

· Political Instability: Coups, assassinations, and weak institutions.

· Gang Violence: Over 360,000 displaced due to escalating unrest.

· Infrastructure Collapse: Schools, hospitals, and roads are failing.

· Natural Disasters: Earthquakes and hurricanes compound poverty.

· Limited Investment: Foreign aid is critical, but inconsistent.

✝️ Quality of Life for Catholics

· Majority Faith: ~55% of Haitians are Catholic.

· Ten Dioceses: Including Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien.

· Missionary Legacy: Education, healthcare, and peacebuilding remain central.

· Spiritual Resilience: Churches remain open amid chaos, offering hope and refuge.

· Local Saints: Mother Mary Lange, born in Haiti, founded the Oblate Sisters of Providence in the U.S.

⚠️ Challenges

· Security Risks: Bishops and sisters have been attacked or kidnapped.

· Resource Scarcity: Many parishes lack electricity, books, and basic supplies.

· Clergy Shortage: Bishops meet via Zoom due to safety concerns.

· Economic Hardship: Poverty affects catechesis and sacramental preparation.

🌿 For a Catholic

Haiti is a pilgrimage of courage and communion—where the Eucharist is celebrated in dust and defiance, and the Gospel is lived in song, struggle, and solidarity. The Church here is not just a building—it’s a lifeline.

NOVEMBER 7 First Friday

Bitter Chocolate with Almonds Day

John, Chapter 11, Verse 3-5

So, the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Master, the one you LOVE is ill.” When Jesus heard this, he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

Martha, Mary and Lazarus were three home runs of Christ. They were loved by Christ not because of their wealth but by the fact they knew that all wealth is really just on loan from the Father and that we are to use our wealth to build the kingdom. You cannot love God and money. When our Lord was raised up on the cross, we see that our true wealth is in him and until we come to our own natural end, we should use our wealth to bring truth, beauty, and love to our communities and families.

The Mass is a reenactment of the death of our Lord. It is thought-provoking to contemplate that Pilates notice above Christ’s head, was printed in three languages Hebrew, Latin and Greek. These three cultures in a sense represented the characteristics of God. The Hebrew’s were Gods people and represented the good of man and brought the idea that the person was created by God and is more valuable than the universe. Latin the language of the Romans brought the idea that truth is the highest value, and the Greek culture brought the idea of beauty being the greatest value. In Christ’s death is represented all three values. That a good God died for man; true to the end; and His shame was turned by love to beauty. We must put our “Trust” in Him for He is the “Resurrection and the Life.”

Copilot’s Take

🍫 November 7 – First Friday

Bitter Chocolate with Almonds Day
A Day of layered sweetness and strength.

📖 John 11:3–5

“Master, the one you love is ill.”
… “This illness is not to end in death but is for the glory of God…”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

🏠 Three Home Runs of Christ

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus weren’t just beloved—they were trusted. Their home was a sanctuary of friendship, truth, and resurrection. Christ’s love for them wasn’t transactional; it was covenantal. They understood that wealth is not possession but provision—on loan from the Father, meant to be spent on love.

To love God is to release our grip on money and instead invest in the eternal:

· Truth in our speech

· Beauty in our rituals

· Goodness in our hospitality

✝️ The Trilingual Cross

Above Christ’s crucified body, Pilate’s inscription bore three languages:

· Hebrew – the dignity of the person, created by God

· Latin – the supremacy of truth, even unto death

· Greek – the triumph of beauty, even in shame

In this trifold witness, we see the full character of God:

· A good God who dies for man

· A true God who fulfills the promise

· A beautiful God who transforms suffering into glory

🍫 Symbolic Pairing: Bitter Chocolate with Almonds

Let today’s flavor be a ritual:

· Bitterness for the illness we carry

· Almonds for the resurrection we await

· Chocolate for the sweetness of being loved by Christ

🙏 Liturgical Cue

At Mass, we reenact the death of our Lord not as a tragedy, but as a triumph. Let us place our trust in Him, the Resurrection and the Life, and use our wealth—material, emotional, spiritual—to build altars of truth, beauty, and love in our homes and communities.

First Friday[1]

Prayer Video - First Friday Devotion

Jesus made the following 12 promises to St. Margaret Mary in favor of those who consecrate to the Sacred Heart, in a spirit of reparation, the First Friday of each month.

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

2. I will establish peace in their homes.

3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.

4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.

5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.

6. Sinners will find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.

7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.

8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.

9. I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart is exposed and honored.

10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart.

12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

The Church grants a Plenary indulgence to those who attend Mass and receive Communion in honor of The Sacred Heart of Jesus on the First Friday of each month for nine (9) consecutive months.

First Friday Devotion Prayers

The following prayers are recommended in the First Friday Devotion.

Litany of The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Act of Reparation to The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Memorare to The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Prayer of Adoration and Love to The Sacred Heart
Prayer of Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer of Trust in the Sacred Heart
Prayer of Consecration

Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, obedient to death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
R. Make our hearts like to Thine.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers You in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Your mercy, in Your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.

Act of Reparation to The Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Jesus, Divine Savior, deign to cast a look of mercy upon Your children, who assemble in the same spirit of faith, reparation, and love, and come to deplore their own infidelities, and those of all poor sinners, their brethren. May we touch Your Divine Heart by the unanimous and solemn promises we are about to make and obtain mercy for ourselves, for the world, and for all who are so unhappy as not to love You. We all promise that for the future:

For the forgetfulness and ingratitude of men, we will console you, O Lord.

For the way you are deserted in your holy tabernacle, we will console you, O Lord.

For the crimes of sinners, we will console you, O Lord.
For the hatred of the impious, we will console you, O Lord.

For the blasphemies uttered against you, we will console you, O Lord.
For the sacrileges that profane your sacrament of love, we will console you, O Lord.

For the outrages against your divinity, we will console you, O Lord.
For the injuries of which you are the adorable victim, we will console you, O Lord.

For the coldness of the greater part of your children, we will console you, O Lord.

For the contempt of your loving invitation, we will console you, O Lord.
For the infidelity of those who called themselves your friends, we will console you, O Lord.

For the abuse of your grace, we will console you, O Lord.

For our own unfaithfulness, we will console you, O Lord.

For the incomprehensible hardness of our hearts, we will console you, O Lord.

For our long delay in loving you, we will console you, O Lord.

For our tepidity in your holy service, we will console you, O Lord.

For your bitter sadness at the loss of souls, we will console you, O Lord.

For your long waiting at the door of our hearts, we will console you, O Lord.

For the heartless scorn that grieves you, we will console you, O Lord.
For your loving sighs, we will console you, O Lord.

For your loving tears, we will console you, O Lord.

For your loving imprisonment, we will console you, O Lord.

For your loving death, we will console you, O Lord.

Let us pray: O Jesus! Divine Savior, from whose Heart comes forth this bitter complaint, "I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none," graciously accept the feeble consolation we offer You, and aid us so powerfully by Your grace, that we may, for the time to come, shun more and more all that can displease You, and prove ourselves in everything, and everywhere, and forever Your most faithful and devoted servants. We ask it through Your Sacred Heart, O Lord, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Memorare to The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Remember, O most kind Jesus, that none who have had recourse to Your Sacred Heart, implored its assistance, or called for mercy, have ever been abandoned. Filled, and animated by this same confidence, O divine Heart, Ruler of all hearts, I fly to You, and oppressed beneath the weight of my sins, I prostrate myself before You. Despise not Your unworthy child, but grant me, I pray, an entrance into Your Sacred Heart. Sustain me in all my combats and be with me now, and at all times, but especially in the hour of my death. O gracious Jesus! O amiable Jesus! O loving Jesus! Amen.

Prayer of Adoration and Love to the Sacred Heart

I adore Thee, I love Thee, I praise Thee, I cry to Thee for mercy, I return Thee thanks, I invoke Thee and confide myself entirely to Thee, O most holy and adorable Heart of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who for the salvation of us all didst submit Thyself to the rigors of Divine Justice, and didst voluntarily accept a birth accompanied with poverty, sorrow and contempt, a life of labor and contradictions, but of kindness for all, and a death full of opprobrium, confusion and sorrow, and who, in fine, for the love of those who wish to be saved through Thy divine charity, dost remain in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar to the end of time. Accomplish, O most adorable Heart, Thy wishes in my poor and miserable heart, which I dedicate and consecrate to Thee forever. Grant that it may live in the sentiments of love and gratitude which it owes Thee, that it may at all times breathe only Thy honor and glory, in order that it may expire in the waters of perfect contrition. Amen.

Prayer of Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament

Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God, Whom I believe to be really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, receive this most profound act of adoration to supply for the desire I have to adore Thee unceasingly, and in thanksgiving for the sentiments of love which Thy sacred Heart has for me in this sacrament. I cannot better acknowledge them than by offering Thee all the acts of adoration, resignation, patience, and love which this same Heart has made during its mortal life, and which it makes still and which it shall make eternally in heaven, in order that through it I may love Thee, praise Thee, and adore Thee worthily as much as it is possible for me. I unite myself to this divine offering which Thou dost make to Thy divine Father, and I consecrate to Thee my whole being, praying Thee to destroy in me all sin and not to permit that I should be separated from Thee eternally. Amen.

Prayer of Trust in The Sacred Heart

In all my temptations, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my weaknesses, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my difficulties, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my trials, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my sorrows, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In all my work, I place my trust in You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In every failure, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In every discouragement, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In life and in death, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In time and in eternity, I place my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Prayer of Consecration

I, _______, give myself to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I consecrate to Him my person and my life, my actions, pains, and sufferings, so that henceforth I shall be unwilling to make use of any part of my being except for the honor, love, and glory of the Sacred Heart.

My unchanging purpose is to be all His and to do all things for the love of Him while renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.

I take you, O Sacred Heart, as the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, the assurance of my salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all my faults, and the sure refugee at my death.

O Heart of love, I place all my trust in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Consume in me all that can displease You or resist Your holy Will. Let Your pure love imprint You so deeply upon my heart that I shall nevermore be able to forget You or be separated from You. May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in You, for I desire to place in You all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in virtual bondage to You.

Bible in a Year Day 125 Covenant with David

Fr. Mike highlights the moment God makes a covenant with David, promising him an everlasting dynasty, but reserving the building of the Temple to David's son Solomon. He also teaches us how 2 Samuel 7 foreshadows the fact that the Blessed Mother is the new Ark of the Covenant. Today's readings are 2 Samuel 6-7, 1 Chronicles 9, and Psalm 89.

Fitness Friday-Take a bath

Rome was in part a great nation due to their system of "Bathing". After researching the bath system, I have reinvented the roman bath into a 10-step method.

Oil
Light Exercise
Warm bath/massage
Steam Room followed by drinks.
Hot Bath/Sauna
Cold Bath
Massage w/oils
Entertainment/Sunbath
Walk/Art
Food/Alcohol

The Roman Bath

We can safely assume that the Roman Bath, or Thermae, is the father of our modern-day spas and health clubs. Bathing in ancient Rome was not a private activity conducted in the intimacy of one's home. Quite to the contrary, it was a highly social activity where men and woman of all classes congregated at different hours to exercise, bathe, socialize, relax and even read in the bathhouse’s communal libraries. During the Roman Empire bathhouses flourished. The city of Rome had 170 baths during the reign of Augustus, which increased to 900 in 300 AD. Bathhouses were considered a public facility and were built using tax money collected by the municipality. Sometimes a rich lord or emperor would build a sumptuous bath to impress his subjects and would grant them free entrance for a period of time. Generally, a modest entrance fee, affordable by all men was charged at the bathhouse. The women's fee was double, and their bath time restricted to mornings, while men used the baths from the early afternoon to closing time. Communal bathing, although frowned upon, must have been indulged in regularly in ancient Rome as various Roman emperors frequently outlawed it.

· An interesting aspect of the Roman Bath was the exercise area or Palaestra (as the gym is still referred to by the Italians today).

This is where the ancient Roman males and some females engaged in various types or muscle-building and sweat-inducing exercises like weightlifting, ball games, wrestling and boxing. Bowls, gambling with dice and various board games were available for the less energetic. The Roman bathhouses were the height of luxury. Even the average bath had floor to ceiling mirrors, intricate mosaics and rich marble pools. The baths were the equivalent of a social club or today's shopping malls. Besides the bath and the gym, they had a library with a reading room, a snack bar, restaurants, wine and beer bars, shops, lounges, taverns and hair cutting salons. Some even had a museum and a theatre.

· A typical Roman bath started in the apodyterium or changing rooms, where people would take their clothes off in small cubicles and leave their slaves to guard them.

· From there, they would step into the unctuarium where they had various oils rubbed onto their skin and could then exercise in one of the exercise yards or Palaestra.

· Then, they would generally move to the tepidarium or warm room, where they would lie around chatting with their friends, with attendants serving them snacks and drinks.

· The tepidarium was a transitional area and preparation for the hot caldarium.

· The latter is the equivalent of a sauna or steam bath, hot and steamy with heated floors where the bathers would sweat profusely while scraping their skin with a strigil.

This curved metal tool was used to remove the oils, which were used by the common people instead of the very expensive soaps, only accessible to the rich.

· From the hot steaming rooms, the bathers would then move to the frigidarium where, as the name indicates, they were able to cool off and allow the skin pores to close.

The frigidarium contained pools of fresh water for dipping and swimming. After swimming, the bather would enjoy a massage and have oils and perfumes rubbed into his skin. Feeling clean and relaxed, the Roman bather then drifts through the beautiful gardens decorated with mosaics and colossal sculptures. Undoubtedly, the most interesting feature of the Roman bath was the under-floor heating, made possible by the Hypocaust system for heating the building and the pools. Thanks to the Hypocaust, hot air, heated from the basement fires flowing between the bricks and concrete columns would heat the rooms. In some baths the floor would be so hot that the bathers had to wear wooden sandals to prevent their soles from burning. The ancient Romans were undisputed early Master of Architecture and civil planning. They are accredited for being the builders of the greatest aqueducts in the world. These refer to an intricate system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and supporting structures, which were used to transport water from its source onto a main distribution point. Through these aqueducts water flowed to the city by the sheer force of gravity. It usually went through a series of distribution tanks within the city from which it is later transported to its final destination.