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Nineveh 90

Nineveh 90
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Tuesday, July 29, 2025

  Candace’s Corner ·          10 coolest summer getaways in Arizona: Mountains, lakes and a chilly cave trek ·          St. Anthony Nove...

90 Days to Peace

90 Days to Peace
90 Days to Peace

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

 

 

Candace’s Corner

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

·         Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour: Get your Woo-hoo on

o    Vineyard

·         St. Anthony Novena 8-on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.

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

·         Foodie: Grilled Salmon

o   At Home

·         Spirit Hour: Roman Punch

·         Let Freedom Ring Day 30 Freedom from Secularism

o   The left bludgeons anyone who brings Faith into the public square, even priests, with the Big Lie of "separation of Church and State." But prior to Lyndon Johnson's amendment and threat of taxation, faithful shepherds spoke up and spoke out against secular sin. Now, most everyone's a big coward, trembling in fear about being taxed. Please, dear family, honestly ask and answer two simple questions: Do we think the Father of Jesus Christ thinks it's a good idea that we cower in a corner because of oppressive secularism? Do we think Our Father thinks we should not openly bring Him into the public square? The answers are obvious. So are the consequences for how we answer those questions.

o   When Jesus said "give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's," the corollary is "don't give to Caesar what belongs to God." As it was, as it is, as it always will be: God first, last and always. So let us always acknowledge God before men, and let us always openly apply our lives of Faith in the public square.

 

AUGUST 5 Tuesday

Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

 

Matthew, Chapter 14, Verse 22-27

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening, he was there alone. 24Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 27At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be AFRAID.”

The disciples, laboring against the turbulent sea are saved by Jesus. Jesus shows his power over the waters by his walking on the sea during the night. This happens during the fourth watch of the night-time: between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. The Romans divided the twelve hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. into four equal parts called “watches.”  Christ further demonstrates that he is divine by stating “it is I” or “I am.” This reflects his hidden identity of Jesus as Son of God.

Fear of Ghosts[1]

Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, while acknowledging that the Catholic Church does not teach specifically about “ghosts” or spirits, speculates that there are three different kinds of ghosts:

We can distinguish three kinds of ghosts, I believe.

First, the most familiar kind: the sad ones, the wispy ones. They seem to be working out some unfinished earthly business or suffering some purgatorial purification until released from their earthly, business. These ghosts would seem to be the ones who just barely made it to Purgatory, who feel little or no joy yet and who need to learn many painful lessons about their past lives on earth.

Second, there are malicious and deceptive spirits and since they are deceptive, they hardly ever appear malicious. These are probably the ones who respond to conjuring’s at séances. They probably come from Hell. Even the chance of that happening should be sufficient to terrify away all temptation to necromancy.

Third, there are the bright, happy spirits of dead friends and family, especially spouses, who appear unbidden, at God’s will, not ours, with messages of hope and love. They seem to come from Heaven. Unlike the purgatorial ghosts who come back primarily for their own sakes, these bright spirits come back for the sake of us the living, to tell us all is well. They are aped by evil spirits who say the same, who speak “peace, peace, when there is no peace”. But deception works only one way: the fake can deceive by appearing genuine, but the genuine never deceives by appearing fake. Heavenly spirits always convince us that they are genuinely good. Even the bright spirits appear ghostlike to us because a ghost of any type is one whose substance does not belong in or come from this world. In Heaven these spirits are not ghosts but real, solid, and substantial because they are at home there. “One can’t be a ghost in one’s own country.”

How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear[2]

BEFORE you can put any portion of this philosophy into successful use, your mind must be prepared to receive it. The preparation is not difficult. It begins with study, analysis, and understanding of three enemies which you shall have to clear out.

These are INDECISION, DOUBT, and FEAR! The members of this unholy trio are closely related; where one is found, the other two are close at hand.

INDECISION is the seedling of FEAR! Remember this, as you read. Indecision crystalizes into DOUBT, the two blend and become FEAR! The “blending” process often is slow. This is one reason why these three enemies are so dangerous. They germinate and grow without their presence being observed.

There are six basic fears, with some combination of which every human suffers at one time or another. Most people are fortunate if they do not suffer from the entire six. Named in the order of their most common appearance, they are:

·         The fear of POVERTY

·         The fear of CRITICISM

·         The fear of ILL HEALTH

·         The fear of LOSS OF LOVE OF SOMEONE

·         The fear of OLD AGE

·         The fear of DEATH

All other fears are of minor importance; they can be grouped under these six headings. The prevalence of these fears, as a curse to the world, runs in cycles.

Breaking the cycle of fear of poverty 

“Each year you shall tithe all the produce of your seed that grows in the field; then in the place which the LORD, your God, chooses as the dwelling place of his name you shall eat in his presence the tithe of your grain, wine and oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, that you may learn always to fear the LORD, your God.” Deuteronomy 14

 

God wants you to celebrate life; you shall eat in his presence the tithe of your produce. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone did this! If we all took time off with a tenth of the money, we made to celebrate with God and our family and friends together. What a different world it would be. Imagine all the celebrations you would attend. Maybe we should all strive to take a 40-day retreat/celebration. Save your money for this! What is on your bucket list; perhaps the Lord wants you and me to cross off some of those things in His presence. If I were young again this is how I would budget: 10% for His Presence (30 to 40 days’ vacation); 10% for charity/church; 10% savings and live off the 70 percent; that is after the government takes their 50%. Imagine if there was a fair tax……. that bequeathed everyone $5000 above the poverty level for a family of 4 of $29,420 to invest. A good resource for financial advice is a book entitled, “The Richest Man in Babylon”[3].

Copilot

Fear—whether spiritual, psychological, or economic—can cloud our recognition of Christ’s presence and distort our perception of reality. The interweaving of Matthew 14 with Kreeft’s ghost typology and reflections on the “ghosts of fear” is a theological tapestry where winds and waves of the sea mirror the unseen forces of dread, hesitation, and spiritual distortion.

🌊 Walking into Fear with Christ’s Presence
The fourth watch is such a hauntingly rich moment: deep night, exhausted disciples, and then—Christ, striding through the chaos. His words, “It is I; do not be afraid,” cut through not only the storm but every layer of fear we carry. That “I am” echoes back to Exodus and forward to the Transfiguration—it’s not just assurance, it’s revelation.

🕯️ Ghosts & Discernment
Kreeft’s threefold typology has fascinating pastoral and mystical implications. It almost reads like a spiritual discernment manual:

·         Purgatorial spirits: Bound to unfinished suffering, begging our prayers.

·         Deceptive spirits: Cloaked in comfort but echoing hollow peace—how many false consolations do we mistake for God's voice?

·         Heavenly visitants: Truly sent, not summoned, and bearing grace.

The line: “One can’t be a ghost in one’s own country.” There's something profoundly Eucharistic and eschatological in that. Heaven is home; everything here is shadow until then.

💰 Tithing & Fear of Poverty
That Deuteronomy 14 passage is a beautiful antidote to the fear of scarcity. Tithing as celebration—in God’s presence—is so radically different from the idea of obligation or loss. Budgeting in “retreat time” and sacred feasting flips the script on fear-based planning. It's fascinating to imagine a world where spiritual joy shapes economic life. And yes—The Richest Man in Babylon is a classic precisely because it reframes financial responsibility in terms of discipline and dignity.

🔥 Indecision, Doubt, Fear: The Unholy Trio
Napoleon Hill’s “ghosts of fear” resonate deeply. These mental phantoms may not haunt halls, but they haunt hearts. And like the disciples who mistook Christ for a ghost, we so often mistake the presence of grace for a threat, simply because it arrives in unfamiliar form.

Lessons

Matthew 14:22–27 offers a rich tapestry of Catholic insights—spiritual, sacramental, and ecclesial. Here are several key lessons drawn from this passage:

🌊 Christ’s Lordship Over Chaos
Jesus walking on the sea is not just a miracle—it’s a revelation. In Catholic theology, water often symbolizes chaos, sin, and death. By walking on the turbulent sea, Christ shows his dominion over all disorder. This echoes Genesis, where the Spirit hovers over the waters, and anticipates baptism, where Christ brings order and grace out of watery death.

🕯️ Prayer as Preparation for Mission
Before approaching the disciples, Jesus retreats to pray alone on the mountain. This solitude reflects his communion with the Father and models the rhythm of Catholic life: contemplation before action. The Catechism teaches that Jesus’ prayer is the foundation of our own (CCC 2602–2604). It’s a reminder that spiritual strength flows from intimacy with God.

🚶‍♂️ The Fourth Watch: Divine Timing
The “fourth watch” (3–6 a.m.) is a time of deep vulnerability—physical exhaustion, spiritual fatigue, and fear. Yet it’s precisely when Christ comes. Catholic tradition sees this as a metaphor for grace arriving when we are weakest. It’s a Eucharistic rhythm: Christ comes in the dark, in the storm, and says, “Take courage, it is I.”

👻 Fear and Misrecognition
The disciples mistake Jesus for a ghost. This speaks to the Catholic understanding of fear as a distortion of truth. When fear dominates, we misperceive grace as threat. The Church teaches that holy fear is reverence, not terror. Jesus’ words—“Do not be afraid”—are repeated throughout Scripture and liturgy, especially in Easter proclamations.

🪞 “It is I”: Echoes of the Divine Name
Jesus’ declaration, “It is I” (Greek: ego eimi) recalls God’s self-revelation to Moses: “I AM”. This is a profound Christological moment. In Catholic theology, it affirms Jesus’ divinity and his identity as the Son of God. The disciples’ fear is dispelled not by explanation, but by presence.

The Church as the Boat
The tossing boat is a classic Catholic image of the Church amid worldly storms. Christ doesn’t prevent the storm—he enters into it. This affirms the Church’s mission: not to escape suffering, but to endure it with Christ. The boat is fragile, but it holds together because Christ is near.


 

Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome[4]


On 5 August, at the height of the Roman summer, snow fell during the night on the summit of the Esquiline Hill. In obedience to a vision of the Virgin Mary which they had the same night, the couple built a basilica in honor of Mary on the very spot which was covered with snow.[5]

 

St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons:

 

(a) It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.

(b) The basilica is Rome's "church of the crib," a kind of Bethlehem within the Eternal City; it also is a celebrated station church, serving, for instance, as the center for Rome's liturgy for the first Mass on Christmas. In some measure every picture of Mary with the divine Child is traceable to this church.

(c) St. Mary Major is Christendom's first Marian shrine for pilgrims. It set the precedent for the countless shrines where pilgrims gather to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the world. Here was introduced an authentic expression of popular piety that has been the source of untold blessings and graces for Christianity in the past as in the present.

The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version:

Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.

Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used.

John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed.

Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection.

We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer. (Christopher)
—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patronage: Italy; diocese of Reno, Nevada; Italy: Arzachena, Atella, Castiglione in Teverina, Conco, Rovereto, San Marco in Lamis, Susa, Torre Annunziata; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Almagro, Spain; Utah

Highlights and Things to Do:

 Bible in a Year-Day 48-God’s Presence

Fr. Mike reflects on God's presence to his people, and how that makes his chosen people distinct. Today's readings are Exodus 33-34, Leviticus 24, and Psalm 80.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: True Masculinity

·         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

I ain't fraid of no ghost


Fear in the Storm Hike—combining a hike through the rugged beauty near Jerome, AZ with a spiritual reflection on the apostles’ fear when they mistook Christ for a ghost walking on the water. Let’s bring both elements together:


🥾 Spiritual Hike in the Jerome Area: A Catholic Reflection on Fear and Faith

🌄 Recommended Trail: Woodchute Trail

  • Location: Just outside Jerome, AZ
  • Length: 6.7 miles round trip
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Highlights: Panoramic views of the Verde Valley, peaceful forested paths, and a sense of solitude perfect for contemplation.

This trail offers a quiet, elevated setting—ideal for meditating on the Gospel story from Matthew 14:22–33, where the apostles, battered by wind and waves, see Jesus walking on the water and cry out in fear, thinking He is a ghost.


✝️ Catholic Reflection: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

“When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost!’ they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’”
— Matthew 14:26–27

🌬️ Fear in the Storm

  • The apostles, many of them seasoned fishermen, were overwhelmed by the storm. But their greater fear came not from the sea—but from the unknown.
  • In Catholic tradition, this moment reveals how fear distorts our perception of Christ. They saw Him, but didn’t recognize Him.

👣 Faith That Steps Out

  • Peter’s response—“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you”—is a bold act of faith. But when he takes his eyes off Jesus and focuses on the wind, he begins to sink.
  • This is a metaphor for our spiritual lives: when we focus on the chaos around us, we falter. But when we fix our gaze on Christ, we walk above the storm.

💡 Catholic Insight

  • According to Catholic reflections, this story teaches that mature faith is not the absence of fear, but the courage to trust in Christ amid fear.
  • Jesus doesn’t rebuke Peter for stepping out—He rebukes him for doubting. Even “little faith” is enough to begin the journey, but it must grow through trials.

🧘‍♂️ Suggested Meditative Practice on the Trail

  1. Start your hike in silence, offering the walk as a prayer.
  2. Pause at a scenic overlook—perhaps halfway up Woodchute Trail—and read Matthew 14:22–33 aloud.
  3. Reflect on these questions:
    • What “storms” in my life cause me to lose sight of Christ?
    • When have I mistaken His presence for something frightening or unfamiliar?
    • What would it mean to “step out of the boat” in faith today?
  4. Pray the Litany of Trust or simply repeat: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
  5. End your hike with gratitude, recalling how Christ walks toward you in every storm.

🥾 Spiritual Hike in the Jerome Area: A Catholic Reflection on Fear and Faith

🌄 Recommended Trail: Woodchute Trail

  • Location: Just outside Jerome, AZ
  • Length: 6.7 miles round trip
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Highlights: Panoramic views of the Verde Valley, peaceful forested paths, and a sense of solitude perfect for contemplation.

This trail offers a quiet, elevated setting—ideal for meditating on the Gospel story from Matthew 14:22–33, where the apostles, battered by wind and waves, see Jesus walking on the water and cry out in fear, thinking He is a ghost.


✝️ Catholic Reflection: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

“When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost!’ they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’”
— Matthew 14:26–27

🌬️ Fear in the Storm

  • The apostles, many of them seasoned fishermen, were overwhelmed by the storm. But their greater fear came not from the sea—but from the unknown.
  • In Catholic tradition, this moment reveals how fear distorts our perception of Christ. They saw Him, but didn’t recognize Him.

👣 Faith That Steps Out

  • Peter’s response—“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you”—is a bold act of faith. But when he takes his eyes off Jesus and focuses on the wind, he begins to sink.
  • This is a metaphor for our spiritual lives: when we focus on the chaos around us, we falter. But when we fix our gaze on Christ, we walk above the storm.

💡 Catholic Insight

  • According to Catholic reflections, this story teaches that mature faith is not the absence of fear, but the courage to trust in Christ amid fear.
  • Jesus doesn’t rebuke Peter for stepping out—He rebukes him for doubting. Even “little faith” is enough to begin the journey, but it must grow through trials.

🧘‍♂️ Suggested Meditative Practice on the Trail

  1. Start your hike in silence, offering the walk as a prayer.
  2. Pause at a scenic overlook—perhaps halfway up Woodchute Trail—and read Matthew 14:22–33 aloud.
  3. Reflect on these questions:
    • What “storms” in my life cause me to lose sight of Christ?
    • When have I mistaken His presence for something frightening or unfamiliar?
    • What would it mean to “step out of the boat” in faith today?
  4. Pray the Litany of Trust or simply repeat: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
  5. End your hike with gratitude, recalling how Christ walks toward you in every storm.

 


Rachel's Corner

what !!!!




Sunday, August 3, 2025


Claire’s Corner

·         Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

·         Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”

o    Baie du TombeauMauritius Island.

·         Spirit Hour: Master of the Hounds cocktail

o   St. Moritz Cocktail

·         Foodie: Nutmeg and Mace

o   Summer Sunday Dinner Menu

·         National Watermelon Day

·         Let Freedom Ring Day 28 Freedom from Acedia

Move it, move it, move it for the Lord

The most dominant sin, that characterizes our culture today is "Acedia." Acedia has been referred to as the "noontime devil." 

"Acedia" originates from the Greek, akèdia, meaning "lack of care." It's a kind of "indifference" or a "lack of spiritual energy," which is a phrase from the book by Jean-Charles Nault, O.S.B., The Noonday Devil: Acedia, the Unnamed Evil of Our Times. Nault, the abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Wandrille in France, is one of the world's experts on acedia. I recall the acclaim this book had in 2015, and I ordered it, right away. I highly recommend it. 

·         On Sundays Pray:

o   O Glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth, Virgin Most Powerful, thou who hast the power to crush the head of the ancient serpent with thy heel, come and exercise this power flowing from the grace of thine Immaculate Conception. Shield us under the mantle of thy purity and love, draw us into the sweet abode of thy heart and annihilate and render impotent the forces bent on destroying us. Come Most Sovereign Mistress of the Holy Angels and Mistress of the Most Holy Rosary, thou who from the very beginning hast received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan. Send forth thy holy legions, we humbly beseech thee, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, counter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them far from us, harming no one on the way, binding them to the foot of the Cross to be judged and sentenced by Jesus Christ Thy Son and to be disposed of by Him as He wills.

o   St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, come to our aid in this grave battle against the forces of darkness, repel the attacks of the devil and free the members of the Auxilium Christianorum, and those for whom the priests of the Auxilium Christianorum pray, from the strongholds of the enemy.

o   St. Michael, summon the entire heavenly court to engage their forces in this fierce battle against the powers of hell. Come O Prince of Heaven with thy mighty sword and thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits. O Guardian Angels, guide and protect us. Amen.

God's blessings are indeed signs of His goodness, signs of His infinite Love. Are we indifferent to those signs of His goodness and love? Are we so unaware of His signs that we are disconnected from Him that we can take it or leave it?





AUGUST 3 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Luke, Chapter 8, Verse 35-37

People came out to see what had happened and, when they approached Jesus, they discovered the man from whom the demons had come out sitting at his feet. He was clothed and in his right mind, and they were seized with FEAR. Those who witnessed it told them how the possessed man had been saved.  The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. So, he got into a boat and returned.

 

The population was more Greek than they were Jews; thus, Jesus scared them really bad, with the exorcism and all. Christ understood their fear and got in the boat and left. The Church today still has the power of exorcism.

 

The Latin Church Bishops of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the English translation of De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam, editio typica in November 2014, and the final text of Exorcisms and Related Supplications (ERS). A list of frequently asked questions on exorcism and its use in the Church's liturgical life was developed by the Secretariat of Divine Worship. Answers were provided by specialists in this ministry and by experts in canon law. Since so much of the common perception of the nature and application of exorcism is shaped by the exaggerations of movie scripts and television programs, the Committee on Divine Worship has approved dissemination of these basic questions and answers, in hopes that clear information is brought to bear on a topic that is often shrouded in mystery or misinformation.

 

Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose.

 

Copilot

 

Luke 8:35–37 is a striking moment of divine intervention met with human fear. The Gerasenes’ reaction—asking Jesus to leave after witnessing the healing of the possessed man—reveals how unsettling holiness can be when it disrupts the familiar. The man was restored, clothed, and lucid, yet the people were seized with fear. Not awe. Not gratitude. Fear.

Their worldview may not have been prepared for the radical authority Jesus displayed over spiritual forces. And yet, Christ’s response—getting into the boat and leaving—was not rejection, but respect for their freedom. He never forces himself where he’s unwelcome.

💡 The Church’s continued authority in exorcism, as affirmed in the 2014 approval of De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam and its English translation Exorcisms and Related Supplications (ERS), is a testament to that same divine power still active today. The rite is carefully safeguarded, requiring discernment, episcopal permission, and deep spiritual preparation. It’s not theatrical—it’s pastoral.

“Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose,” echoes the angelic refrain throughout scripture. It’s a call to courage, to trust, and to act. Whether confronting spiritual darkness or stepping into a new mission, fear must not paralyze us.

Lessons on Fear

From a Catholic perspective, fear is not merely an emotion to suppress—it’s a spiritual signal that invites discernment, trust, and transformation. Here are some key lessons the Church offers on fear:

🙏 1. Holy Fear vs. Crippling Fear

  • Holy fear is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2–3). It’s not terror, but reverence—a deep awareness of God’s majesty and justice.
  • It leads to humility, repentance, and awe before God’s presence.
  • Crippling fear, on the other hand, is often rooted in mistrust, anxiety, or spiritual attack. It can paralyze faith and isolate us from grace.

📖 2. Scripture’s Refrain: “Do Not Be Afraid”

  • This phrase appears over 365 times in the Bible—one for each day of the year.
  • Jesus says it to the apostles in storms (Mark 6:50), to Jairus before raising his daughter (Luke 8:50), and to Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:30).
  • It’s not a dismissal of fear, but a call to courage grounded in divine presence.

🛐 3. Trust in God as the Antidote

  • Philippians 4:6–9 teaches: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”
  • Trust is cultivated through prayer, gratitude, and surrender—not by denying fear, but by placing it in God’s hands.

🕊️ 4. Fear as a Path to Peace

  • Saints like St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque embraced fear as a doorway to deeper trust.
  • Their lives show that fear, when offered to God, becomes a crucible for sanctity.

🧠 5. Practical Catholic Tools for Fear

  • Spiritual reading and Lectio Divina help reframe fear through scripture.
  • Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist, restore peace and spiritual clarity.
  • Community support and gratitude practices can transform anxiety into hope.

 

ON KEEPING THE LORDS DAY HOLY[1]

 

CHAPTER V

 

DIES DIERUM

 

Sunday: The Primordial Feast, Revealing the Meaning of Time

CONCLUSION

84. Sustaining Christian life as it does, Sunday has the additional value of being a testimony and a proclamation. As a day of prayer, communion and joy, Sunday resounds throughout society, emanating vital energies and reasons for hope. Sunday is the proclamation that time, in which he who is the Risen Lord of history makes his home, is not the grave of our illusions but the cradle of an ever new future, an opportunity given to us to turn the fleeting moments of this life into seeds of eternity. Sunday is an invitation to look ahead; it is the day on which the Christian community cries out to Christ, "Marana tha: Come, O Lord!" (1 Cor 16:22). With this cry of hope and expectation, the Church is the companion and support of human hope. From Sunday to Sunday, enlightened by Christ, she goes forward towards the unending Sunday of the heavenly Jerusalem, which "has no need of the sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light and its lamp is the Lamb" (Rev 21:23).

 

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost[2]

 

The importance of intelligent foresight and the fascinating passage on "the mammon of iniquity" (Lk. 16.9).

 

IN the Introit of the Mass the Church praises God, whose mercy and justice extend to the ends of the world. “We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple. According to Thy name, O God, so also is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth; Thy right hand is full of justice. Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain”. (Ps. xlvii. 11, 1).

 

Prayer. Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, at all times, the spirit of thinking and doing what is right, that we, who cannot exist without Thee, may be able to live according to Thy will.

 

EPISTLE. Rom. viii. 12-17.

 

Brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die but if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry Abba (Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. And if sons, heirs also: heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

“The works of the flesh are,” according to St. Paul, “fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, envies, murders, drunkenness, reviling’s, and such like” (Gal. v. 19, 20). Those who practice such vices are not children of God, and will inherit, not heaven, but eternal death. Examine yourself, therefore, whether you are not living according to the flesh, and for the future resist sinful desires with God’s assistance, and you will gain a crown in heaven.

 

Aspiration. Grant me, Lord, Thy spirit, that I may always remember the happiness of Thy kingdom, may mortify the lusts of the flesh, and may walk as Thy child in holy chastity.

 

Luke xvi. 1-9.

 

At that time Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now, thou canst be steward no longer. And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the steward ship? To dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. Therefore, calling together every one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? But he said: A hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.

 

Who are meant by the rich man and his steward?

By the rich man is meant God; by the steward, man. The goods entrusted to the steward are the different goods and gifts of soul and body, of nature and of grace.

 

Why did Christ use this parable?

 

To teach us that God requires of every man a strict account of whatever has been given to him, to encourage us to be liberal to the poor, and to warn us against dissipation and injustice.

 

How are we to understand the direction “to make unto us friends of the mammon of iniquity”?

 

Riches are called the mammon of iniquity because they so easily lead us to injustice, avarice, excess, and dissipation. Jesus intended to say that we should, according to our ability, employ in doing good those worldly goods which so easily carry us into sin. But He is not to be understood as saying that we should steal, or cheat, or use goods otherwise unjustly obtained, to give alms.

 

What friends are we thus to make?

 

The friends are the good works which render us pleasing to God, and open to us heaven; the poor, the saints of God; the angels, who rejoice in our benevolence, and become our intercessors; and finally Christ, Who regards what is given to the poor as so much given to Himself (Matt. xxv. 40). “The hands of the poor” says St. Chrysostom, “are the hands of Christ” through them we send our goods to heaven beforehand, and through their intercession we obtain the grace of salvation.

 

Aspiration. Grant me, O most just God and Judge, grace so to use the goods entrusted to me on earth, that with them I may make my self-friends to receive me, at the end of my life, into everlasting habitations.

 

INSTRUCTION ON CALUMNY

 

Is calumny a grievous sin?

 

When the occasion is important, and the slander is deliberately uttered, with evil intention, when one’s neighbor is thereby grievously injured, and his good name damaged, everyone may see how grievous and detestable, in such a case, this sin is. (Hmm…Fake News?)

 

Is it sinful to disclose the faults of our neighbor?

 

To make public the faults and sins of our neighbor uselessly, merely for the entertainment of idle persons, is always sinful. But if, after trying in vain to correct his faults and sins by brotherly admonition, we make them known to his parents or superiors, for his punishment and amendment, so far from being a sin, it is rather a good work and a duty of Christian charity.

 

Is it a sin also to listen willingly to calumny?

 

Yes, for thereby we furnish the calumniator an occasion for sin and give him encouragement. For which reason St. Bernard says: “Whether to calumniate be a greater sin than to listen to the calumniator I will not lightly decide.”

 

What ought to restrain us from calumny? The thought,

 

1 of the enormities of this sin.

 

2 of the number of sins occasioned thereby of which the calumniator, as the occasion of them, becomes partaker.

 

3 of the difficulty of correcting the harm done, since we cannot know the full extent of the injury, nor stop the tongues of people. Finally, we must think about the eternal punishment which follows this sin. The holy Fathers say that of young persons who are condemned the greater part is for impurity, but of the old, for calumny.

 

The Finding of the Body of St. Stephen[3]


The second festival in honor of the holy protomartyr St. Stephen is on the 3rd of August and was instituted by the Church on the occasion of the discovery of his precious remains. His body lay long concealed, under the ruins of an old tomb, in a place twenty miles from Jerusalem, called Caphargamala, where stood a church which was served by a venerable priest named Lucian.

In the year 415, on Friday, the 3rd of December, at about nine o'clock at night, Lucian was sleeping in his bed in the baptistery, where he commonly lay in order to guard the sacred vessels of the church. Being half awake, he saw a tall, comely old man of a venerable aspect, who approached him, and, calling him thrice by his name, bid him go to Jerusalem and tell Bishop John to come and open the tombs in which his remains and those of certain other servants of Christ lay, that through their means God might open to many the gates of His clemency. This vision was repeated twice. After the second time, Lucian went to Jerusalem and laid the whole affair before Bishop John, who bade him go and search for the relics, which, the bishop concluded, would be found under a heap of small stones which lay in a field near his church. In digging up the earth here, three coffins or chests were found. Lucian sent immediately to acquaint Bishop John with this. He was then at the Council of Diospolis, and, taking along with him Eutonius, Bishop of Sebaste, and Eleutherius, Bishop of Jericho, came to the place.

Upon the opening of St. Stephen's coffin, the earth shook, and there came out of the coffin such an agreeable odor that no one remembered to have ever smelled anything like it. There was a vast multitude of people assembled in that place, among whom were many persons afflicted with divers’ distempers, of whom seventy-three recovered their health upon the spot. They kissed the holy relics, and then shut them up. The Bishop consented to leave a small portion of them at Caphargamala; the rest were carried in the coffin with singing of psalms and hymns, to the Church of Sion at Jerusalem. The translation was performed on the 26th of December, on which day the Church has ever since honored the memory of St. Stephen, commemorating the discovery of his relics on the 3rd of August probably on account of the dedication of some church in his honor.
Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints

Highlights and Things to Do:

Novena in Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney[4]

Desire for Heaven

O Holy Priest of Ars, your precious remains are contained in a magnificent reliquary, the donation from the priests of France. But this earthly glory is only a very pale image of the unspeakable glory which you are enjoying with God. During the time you were on earth, you used to repeat in your dejected hours, 'one will rest in the other life." It is done, you are in eternal peace, and eternal happiness. I desire to follow you one day. Until then, I hear you saying to me:

"You should work and fight as long as you are in the world."

Teach me then to work for the salvation of my soul, to spread the good news and good example and to do good towards those around me in order that I will receive the happiness of the Elect with you. Holy Priest of Ars, I have confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for ... (mention silently your special intentions).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

O St John Vianney, Patron of Priests, pray for us and for all priests!

Bible in a Year-Day 46 Set apart for God

Fr. Mike points out how blessing something sets it apart for the purposes of God, and it is no longer meant for ordinary uses. So when we are filled with the spirit of God, our daily task becomes extraordinary, because it is consecrated to God. Today's readings are Exodus 30-31, Leviticus 22, and Psalm 115.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: The Pope

·         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