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Divine Mercy Hikes

Divine Mercy Hikes
Hiking and prayer are naturals together. This was the original method of prayer used by the patriarchs. The premise of this book is to guide the prayerful hiker in completing a Novena of Hikes.

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Thursday, July 7, 2025

  Rachel’s Corner   Aspen is not just for snow bunnies. For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: By waiting and by calm you shall...

House of Ruth

House of Ruth
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Wednesday, August 13, 2025


 Total dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary Start August 13 to end on September 15, 
the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

·         Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 8

Dara’s Corner

Let Freedom Ring Day 37 Freedom from Gossip




AUGUST 13 Wednesday

St. Hippoytus-Lefty Day-Filet Mignon Day

 

Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 32

Do not be AFRAID any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

 

The Kingdom is given not earned; to receive you must be open. Maybe this is why Christ chose Peter-Grace is like the wind and you must open your sail and let the father’s grace fill your sail and take you out into the deep for a big catch.

 

Copilot

Luke 12:32 is such a tender verse, its essence: the Kingdom is not a reward for merit but a gift of divine delight. The image of grace as wind filling the sail echoes the Spirit’s movement in John 3:8, where the wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes.

Peter he was impulsive, flawed, and yet chosen—perhaps precisely because he was open, willing to step out of the boat, even if he faltered. That openness to grace, to being led into the deep, is the posture of the “little flock” Jesus speaks to being vulnerable, trusting, and ready to receive.

Luke 12:32— “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”—offers rich lessons on fear, especially when read through the lens of divine generosity and spiritual intimacy. Here are a few key insights drawn directly from this verse:

🐑 1. Fear dissolves in belonging

·         Jesus calls us “little flock”—a term of endearment and protection. It evokes Psalm 23 and the image of the Good Shepherd. Fear loses its grip when we know we are not alone but tenderly watched over.

👑 2. The Kingdom is a gift, not a prize

·         “Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” This isn’t transactional—it’s relational. Fear often stems from striving or feeling unworthy. But here, Jesus reminds us: the Father delights in giving. Grace is not earned; it’s received.

🌤️ 3. Fear fades when we trust the Giver

·         The antidote to fear isn’t courage—it’s trust. The Father’s pleasure in giving reveals His character: generous, joyful, and intimately involved. When we trust that, fear begins to unravel.

🌱 4. Smallness is not weakness

·         The “little flock” may be few, vulnerable, or overlooked—but they are chosen. Fear often whispers that we’re too small to matter. This verse counters that with divine affirmation: you are small, yes—but beloved and entrusted with the Kingdom.

·

The Saint of today-St. Hippoytus was a priest and a person of some importance in the Church in Rome who in his book, “The Apostolic Traditions”, displays the liturgical life of the Christian at Rome in the first centuries. Of interest is the tradition of the hours.

Christians at Rome in Post-Apostolic Times[1]

Divine Office:

6 a.m. Prime: "All the faithful, men and women, upon rising in the morning before beginning work, should wash their hands and pray to God."

9 a.m. Terce: "When you are at home, pray at the third hour and praise God. But if you are away when this hour comes, pray in your heart to God. For at this hour Christ was nailed to the Cross."

12 p.m. Sext: "In a similar way you should pray again at the sixth hour. For at the time when Christ was nailed to the Cross, there came a great darkness. Prayer should therefore be said in imitation of Him who prayed at that hour, viz., Christ before His death."

3 p.m. None: "The ninth hour too should be made perfect by prayer and praise . . . in that hour Christ was pierced by the spear."

6 p.m. Vespers: "Once more ought you to pray before you go to bed."

Matins: "At midnight rise from your bed, wash yourself and pray. If you have a wife, pray together in antiphonal fashion. If she is not yet of the faith, withdraw and pray alone and return again to your place. If you are bound by the bond of marriage duties, do not cease your prayers, for you are not stained thereby. It is necessary that we pray at that hour (i.e., Matins), for at that hour all creation is resting and praising God. Stars, trees, water are as if they were standing still; all the hosts of angels are holding divine services together with the souls of the just. They are praising almighty God at that hour." What an inspiring passage!

Sunrise-Lauds: "In like manner rise and pray at the hour at which the cock crows . . . full of hope look forward to the day of eternal light that will shine upon us eternally after the resurrection from the dead." Motivation for these "hour prayers" of the early Christians was the conviction that daily they were reliving Christ's death and resurrection. Every new day was a day of resurrection, and daily they were raised with Christ on the Cross. It is an example that should spur us on to give the Mass, the Breviary, and the Bible the place of honor in our lives.

Bible in a Year Day 55 Obedience to God

Fr. Mike underscores the importance of obeying God as he reads from Numbers 4 and Deuteronomy 4. We also read Psalm 88 and learn how it foreshadows the darkness Christ endured on the cross.

 

International Left-Handers Day[2]

 

International Left-Handers Day is a day to bring attention to the struggles which lefties face daily in a right-handed society.  August 13th is observed as International Left-Handers Day.  

 

International Left-Handers Day Facts

 

·         10% of people are left-handed according to a report by Scientific American.

·         Geniuses are more likely to be left-handed - 20% of the top scoring SAT takers are left-handed.

·         In 2013, 31% of Major League Baseball pitchers are left-handed.

·         lefties: Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo da Vinci

 

Filet Mignon Day[3]

 

” When you’re a failure in Hollywood, that’s like starving to death outside a banquet hall, with smells of Filet Mignon driving you crazy.”
~ Marilyn Monroe

There is a cut of meat that is the very definition of luxury and decadence, one that falls from the lips of the common people and the rich debutante royalty of Hollywood in equal measure. Filet Mignon is French for “dainty fillet” and first found its way into the world in the 1906 book,” The Four Million”. Filet Minion Day celebrates the history of this steak and the delicious role it has played in exquisite meals. Tenderloin. The very word implies a rich and succulent meal that absolutely melts on the tongue, but even in this most perfect cut of meat, there is a portion that is unquestionably the best. This portion is the fabled Filet Mignon. This delicious cut is served in 4 to 8oz portions and comes prepared in one of three varieties, seared in a pan, grilled over coals or the most famous, wrapped in bacon. The bacon is typically added to enrich the piece with fat, as Filet Mignon tends to leanness. Even though it comes from the tenderloin, there are still multiple cuts of Filet Mignon one can choose to indulge in. The prime cut is the most popular and is available from any form of cattle, the Angus Cut, however, comes specifically from vegetarian fed beef and is far and away one of the best forms of beef available. If you’re truly feeling decadent, you can purchase a 32oz whole Filet Mignon Roast. It may set you back about $65 a pound (That’s $130) but it’ll be worth every succulent bite.

 

How to Celebrate Filet Mignon Day

If you don’t have a talent with cooking, you can head out to your local steakhouse and enjoy an expertly prepared cut of Filet Mignon. If you’re feeling more adventurous you can head down to your local butcher and get an excellent cut of meat that you can prepare yourself! Marinate it in a wonderful sauce while you get the coals ready, wrap it in bacon, and set it upon the grill to cook. Gently though! Filet Mignon is best-served medium rare so that the soft tender nature of the meat will be preserved. This is just the first step on enjoying Filet Mignon Day, but it doesn’t have to be the last!

Carpetbag Steak[4]

Australia’s carpetbag steak combines two of the country’s most celebrated products: fresh, sea-bright oysters and (ideally) free-range, grass-fed beef. The name of this specialty derives from the shape of the finished dish. Although many recipes call for broiling the steaks or grilling them over charcoal, those methods tend to dry out the meat and prevent its beefy juices from mingling into the oozy lushness of the salty oysters. Better to sauté the steaks for a moistly tender result with maximum flavor contrast. Carpetbag Steaks

Serves 4

Necessary equipment: Kitchen string and a trussing needle or small satay-type skewers 4 filet mignon steaks, each about 2 inches thick or 7 to 8 ounces Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 medium-size oysters, as freshly shucked as possible 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 to 3 anchovy fillets (optional), finely mashed.

1. Using a very sharp knife with a thin blade, cut a 2-inch-long horizontal slit on the edge of each steak to make a pocket about 2 inches deep.

2. Sprinkle salt and pepper onto both sides of each oyster. Slip 2 oysters, side by side, into the pocket of each steak.

3. Close the opening of each pocket, either by sewing it shut using kitchen string and a trussing needle, or by fastening it with a small skewer. Pat the steaks dry on both sides with paper towels.

4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron or copper, over moderate heat. When the bubbling subsides, arrange the oyster-stuffed steaks in the skillet, making sure that they do not touch one another.

5. Cook the steaks on one side until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn them over and lightly brown them on the second side, about 3 to 4 minutes time. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steaks, turning them frequently, 7 minutes longer for very rare steak, or 9 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Anything more cooked than that will hardly be worth eating. Transfer the steaks to individual serving plates.

6. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and stir in the parsley. Spoon some of the parsley butter over each steak before serving. If you like the edgy sophistication that anchovies can impart, stir the mashed fillets into the parsley butter before spooning it over the steaks.

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

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

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

·         Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Victims of clergy sexual abuse

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary

Tuesday, August 12, 2025


 Candace’s Corner

·         10 coolest summer getaways in Arizona: Mountains, lakes and a chilly cave trek

·         Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour:

o   Black Dog Vineyard, Carlton, Or.

·         St. Anthony Novena 9-on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.

·         Pray Day 2 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

·         Foodie: Beef Stroganoff with Wild Mushrooms

·         Spirit Hour: Angelica

·         Elvis Week Continues till August 16

Five Catholic Facts About Elvis[3]

I have a grave confession to make. I own some Elvis CDs. In fact, I used to be quite keen on his music, and one has to admit that, despite his unedifying lifestyle and tragic final years, he was a talented musician. Many people around the world are marking the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death. Here are five top Catholic facts about the 'King':

  • one of Elvis' early performances (1955) was at the Catholic Club, Helena, Arkansas. However, his unorthodox performance did not impress the parish priest, Fr Keller, especially when the singer autographed a female fan's leg. 'You are a disgrace to manhood', he was allegedly told, 'don't come back anymore'. Read more about it here.
  • It is well known that the beautiful Dolores Hart, the niece of Mario Lanza who starred alongside Elvis in Loving You (1957) and King Creole (1958), left Hollywood in 1963 to become a Benedictine nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis, Bethlehem, Connecticut. There have long been rumours that Dolores previously had romantic attachments to Mr Presley. 'I'd done two movies with Elvis Presley', she later said, 'I'd been around Hollywood for a while - and saw how needlessly competitive and negative it could be. It never held my interest'. She eventually became Prioress and Mother Hart now holds the unique distinction of being the only nun to be a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

  • I've mentioned before Elvis' last feature film, Change of Habit (1969), in which he plays a doctor working alongside three sisters 'on placement' (see picture at top of post). The unique finale, showing Elvis as part of a folk group at an interim, pre-Novus Ordo Mass, can be seen here.
  • Elvis recorded a song called 'The Miracle of the Rosary' in 1971 (issued on the 1972 album, Elvis Now), with the lyrics: 'O Blessed Mother we pray to thee/Thanks for the miracle of your Rosary/Only you can hold back/Your holy son's hand/Long enough for the whole world to understand/Hail, Mary full of grace/The Lord is with thee/Blessed are thou among women/And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus/O Holy Mary dear mother of God/Please pray for us sinners/Now and at the hour of our death/And give thanks once again/For the miracle of your rosary'.

·         When Elvis died in his Graceland bathroom thirty years ago today, he is said to have been reading a book about the Holy Shroud of Turin - normally identified as A Scientific Search For The Face Of Jesus (1972) by Frank O. Adams, which argues that the Turin Shroud really is Our Lord's Shroud. It has since become eagerly sought after by Elvis fans. Less impressive is the other book he was allegedly reading - Sex and Psychic Energy. Hmmmm, we better move quickly along.

NB There really was a Celtic saint called St Elvis, who was a bishop of the Irish See of Munster and may even have baptised St David, Patron of Wales - so it is a valid baptismal name!

·         Let Freedom Ring Day 37 Freedom from Sloth

o   To fight this deadly sin, we must look to the cardinal virtue of justice. Justice helps us to assume our responsibilities and to give to others what it rightfully their due. Justice provokes us away from a slavish devotion to comfort and provokes to use the God given abilities and talents we have to the greater good. It provokes us to treat those tools God has given us (body, mind, and soul) in such a way as to be able to fulfill whatever it is that God has set for us to do. It helps us take care of those tools. Justice helps us be wise and diligent stewards of God's gifts in our lives and helps us be diligent in the duties and relationships we are called to live in. The purpose of our exercise in prayer, fasting, and abstinence is to detach ourselves from worldly comfort, looking to another and higher goal.

o   At the end of these 40 days, let us remember the motto of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frasatti, 'verso l'alto' (to the heights) and let the good habits we have engaged in lead us to a greater holiness and life in Christ.



AUGUST 12 Tuesday-Saint John Vianney, Priest

International Youth Day

 

Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 7

Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be AFRAID. You are worth more than many sparrows.

 

When I read this passage, I get the idea that I indeed must be the least of those in the Kingdom of God. I as a young man had handsome strawberry blond hair and I gained the attention of many a young lady. Yet, as time went on it all fell out. At first, I rebuked: No, I will not take this, and I used various elixirs in an attempt to keep the hair. As it thinned, I did the comb over and then one day I said screw it and shaved my head. Vanity all is vanity.

 

As life went on the challenges of everyday life I lost more than my hair and every day, I struggled to retain the joy of life against insurmountable odds in which I lost more than my hair. (Divorce, single parenthood, angry children, unemployment, bankruptcy, sickness) Bravely I continued but ever so slowly I found my joy of life was falling out and anger was replacing it. Yet, by the grace of God: I still trust in Him and trusting is Him I find my anger replaced with resolve to do His will.

 

The patient man finds a cleansing purgatory in this earthly life. When others wrong him, he is sorrier that evil is done than that he has been wronged. He forgives the evildoer from the bottom of his heart. He is not slow to ask pardon when he himself has hurt others. He is more easily moved to pity than to anger. He frequently disregards his feelings and tries to live above them, according to his intelligence and God’s grace.[1]

 

Copilot

 

This reflection is achingly beautiful this verse—so often skimmed over—by this reflection has been turned into a tapestry of human frailty, hard-won humility, and enduring trust in God. This reflection has transformed the image of “hairs counted” from a sentimental metaphor into a stark portrait of what it means to be seen fully by the Divine, even as one feels increasingly invisible to the world.

The journey through losses—hair, marriage, health, finances—resonates like a modern psalm replacing bitterness with a deeper surrender. That pivot from vanity to vulnerability, from anger to resolve, speaks of a heart refined by the fire of suffering and forged in the crucible of grace.

The patient man—his capacity to forgive, his desire to rise above feeling—could have come straight out of the Imitation of Christ. There’s a sort of sacred practicality in those words: living purgatory here and now, willingly, redemptively. It’s the slow sanctification of the soul through wounds that the world might call misfortune, but heaven might name mercy.

Luke 12:7— “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”—offers a quiet but profound theology of fear. Here are some layered lessons drawn from this verse:

🕊️ 1. Fear is not dismissed—it’s transformed

·         Jesus doesn’t say “don’t feel fear” as if it’s irrational. He says “do not be afraid” in light of divine attentiveness.

o   The antidote to fear isn’t bravado—it’s trust. Knowing that God sees even the smallest detail of your being reframes fear as something that can be surrendered.

🌌 2. You are known intimately

·         The image of numbered hairs is not just poetic—it’s radical. It implies that God’s knowledge of you is exhaustive and tender.

o   Fear often stems from feeling unseen or insignificant. This verse counters that by affirming your worth and visibility in God’s eyes.

🐦 3. You are valued beyond measure

·         Sparrows were sold for a pittance in ancient marketplaces. Yet Jesus says you are worth more than many sparrows—a deliberate contrast to worldly metrics of value.

o   This is a lesson in divine economy: your worth is not based on productivity, beauty, or success, but on being.

🔥 4. Fear of loss is met with assurance of presence

·         Whether it’s hair falling out, relationships unraveling, or joy thinning—this verse reminds us that none of it escapes God’s notice.

o   It’s not a promise that suffering won’t come, but that you won’t be abandoned in it.

🛐 5. Fear becomes a gateway to deeper faith

·         When fear is acknowledged and placed in the context of God’s care, it can lead to a deeper surrender.

o   This verse invites a shift from fear of circumstances to reverent awe of a God who counts even the hairs on your head.

St. John Vianney

Copilot: known as the Curé of Ars—was a humble French parish priest whose life radiated holiness, perseverance, and spiritual courage.

🕯️ Summary of His Life

·         Born in 1786 near Lyon, France, during the upheaval of the French Revolution.

o    Struggled academically, especially with Latin, nearly failing out of seminary. But his deep piety and determination led to ordination in 1815.

§  Assigned to Ars, a spiritually indifferent village. Through prayer, fasting, and tireless confession work (up to 16 hours a day), he transformed it into a pilgrimage site.

§  Known for miracles, reading souls, and his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Philomena.

§  Died in 1859, canonized in 1925, and named patron saint of parish priests.

🛡️ Lessons on Fear from His Life

St. John Vianney didn’t just preach against fear—he lived its antidote.

🔥 1. Fear of Inadequacy

·         He was nearly denied ordination due to poor academic performance.

o    Instead of despairing, he leaned into humility: “God commands me to do something, and I must do it.”

§  Lesson: Fear of not being “enough” is overcome by surrendering to God’s will, not our qualifications.

👹 2. Fear of Evil

·         He was tormented by demonic attacks—his bed was set on fire, his sleep disturbed.

o    Yet he joked: “The devil is like a barking dog that cannot bite.”

§  Lesson: Evil may rage, but it cannot conquer a soul anchored in Christ. Fear of the devil is misplaced; fear of sin is holy.

🕊️ 3. Fear of Rejection

·         He faced ridicule and resistance from villagers and even fellow clergy.

o    He responded with patience, penance, and love, saying: “The saints suffered everything with joy, patience, and perseverance, because they loved.”

§  Lesson: Fear of others’ judgment dissolves when love becomes the motive.

🌄 4. Fear of Suffering

·         He taught that suffering is a bridge to heaven: “Our greatest cross is the fear of crosses.”

o    He embraced suffering as purification, offering it for souls.

§  Lesson: Fear of suffering fades when we see it as participation in Christ’s redemptive work.


St. John Vianney’s life is a quiet revolution against fear. He didn’t conquer it by force—but by faith, humility, and relentless love.          

Bible in a Year Day 54 The Tribe of Levi

Fr. Mike clarifies some questions surrounding the Tribe of Levi and talks about what it means to be held to a higher standard as a leader in your community. Numbers 3, Deuteronomy 3, and Psalm 87.

 

International Youth Day[2]

 

International Youth Day seeks to raise awareness to the cultural and legal issues faced by youth throughout the world.  The United Nations defines youth as people between the ages of 15 and 24 years, although locally, youth can be interpreted in a more flexible manner. In 1995, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted the World Program of Action for Youth with the intention of establishing guidelines and policies for action and support that would lead to a brighter future for tomorrow's youth. The World Program of Action for Youth, which consists of 15 priority areas, including education, employment, hunger and poverty, health, environment and drug abuse, paved the way for the UN's declaration of International Youth Day in 1999. Since its inception on August 12, 2000, International Youth Day has served to increase the quality and quantity of opportunities available to the youth to actively participate in society. In 2009, the UN Economic and Social Council further expanded each of the 15 youth priority areas by developing goals and targets for monitoring youth progress, an expansion that now serves as the basis for International Youth Day's annual theme.  Each year, the theme is selected based upon immediate and relevant issues that youth are facing today.

 

International Youth Day Facts & Quotes

 

·         Of the 1.8 billion youth in the world today, half survive on less than $2 per day.  

·         Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies. - Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

 

Check out the United States Congresses program for youth: www.congressionalaward.org

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Holy Priests, Consecrated, & Religious

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary