Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - June 24 - "Prepare ye the way of the Lord"

From Luke 3:3-6 [1]:

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

From Isaiah 40:3-5 [2]:

 3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

"Christians have interpreted the life of John the Baptist as a preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ." [3]

How to prepare?

From Douay-Rheims Bible [4] :

And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea. And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [Emphasis  original.]

 "Do penance": Paenitentiam agite. Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises. [Emphasis  original.]

From Biblegateway [5]:

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Often many people are too obsessed with themselves, with what they want from life that is only temporal to spend even a few moments to perform periodic examinations of conscience let alone going through the necessary contrition, repentance and conversion to better prepare themselves for an eternity in Heaven.


[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+40%3A3-5%2CLuke+3%3A3-6&version=KJV
There is a song from Godspell - Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord  from the 1970's on YouTube:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSIs1MHdFQY (the movie version);
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuUl522_8jQ (the Broadway musical version).
[2] Ibid.
[3] http://www.newmanconnection.com/faith/saint/nativity-of-saint-john-the-baptist
[4] http://www.drbo.org/chapter/47003.htm, quoted without references.
[5] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+3%3A1-2&version=NIV, quoted without references.

Feast Of the Sacred Heart Of Jesus --Third Friday After Pentecost

The following two paragraphs are from The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962:

Though the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is of great antiquity in the Church, yet it was reserved to the holy Margaret Mary Alacoque [Sainte Marguerite Marie Alacoque] of the Order of the Visitation, to make this devotion public.  During the Octave of Corpus Christi, in the year 1690, our Blessed Lord appeared to His devoted handmaid, and disclosing to her His Heart, said: "Behold this Heart, which, notwithstanding the burning love for man with which it is consumed and exhausted, meets with no other return from the generality of Christians than sacrilege, contempt, indifference, and ingratitude." [1]

OFFERTORY

My heart hath expected reproach and misery: and I looked for one that would grieve together with Me, but there was none; and for one that would comfort Me, and I found none. [2], [3]

Below is a prayer of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus from Our Catholic Prayers (without boldface) [4]:

Adorable Heart of Jesus, glowing with love for us and inflamed with zeal for our salvation. O Heart that understands the misery to which our sins have brought us, infinitely rich in mercy to heal the wounds of our souls, behold me humbly kneeling  before You to express the sorrow that fills my heart for the coldness and indifference with which I have so long returned the numberless benefits which You have bestowed upon me.

With a deep sense of the outrages that have been heaped upon You by my sins and the sins of others, I wish to make reparation to Your most Sacred Majesty. It was our sins that filled Your Heart with bitterness; it was the weight of our guilt that pressed down Your face to the earth in the Garden of Olives and caused you to die in agony on the Cross. But now, repentant and sorrowful, I implore Your forgiveness.

Adorable Heart of Jesus, Source of true consolation and ever merciful to the penitent sinner, impart to our hearts the spirit of penance that we may be sincerely sorry for our sins. Pardon them, O Lord, in Your mercy, and let all who have sinned against You in the Sacrament of Your love be converted and return to You. Deliver us from our sins. And in order to repair the sins of ingratitude by which we have grieved Your most tender and loving Heart, may we love and honor You in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, where You are present to hear and grant our petitions and to be the food and life of our souls.

Merciful Jesus, be our Mediator with Your heavenly Father, whom we have so grievously offended. Help us to amend our ways. As Your Sacred Heart is our refuge and our hope when we have sinned, so let it be the strength and support of our repentance, and nothing in life or death shall ever separate us from You. Amen.  [Emphasis  added.]

[1] The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962 (p.718). Angelus Press.  Copied in part.
[2] The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962 (p.721-2). Angelus Press.
[3] Ps. 68:21, http://www.drbo.org/chapter/21068.htm
[4] https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/reparation-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html

(Note: For those interested in a Traditional Latin Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus can follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgvM97qCobQ.  This Mass was celebrated by a SSPX priest.  SSPX, Society of St. Pius X, is not presently in full communion with the Holy See.)

Sufferings In Syria

Asianews.it  published an article entitled Trappist nuns: the Syrian people are starving as a result of 'unsustainable' international sanctions  on June 17, 2020.  The following paragraphs are quoted from the article [1]:

Whilst recognising that the problems in Syria are not only due to sanctions and that responsibility also falls on Syrian leaders, the nuns believe that “the time after the fighting is more difficult” as an "economic war" is underway over power, privileges, influence on the territory with the terrorists "still burning wheat fields in the north".

And yet "the domestic political-economic system, which has defended the country’s sovereignty, now risks jeopardising it if it does not adequately take care of the suffering of the people.”

For the nuns, the fact remains that sanctions "have been renewed,” indeed increased and their harmful effects are seen on the civilian population, on “people like me and you,” say the nuns, “men, women and children ... not politicians, not leaders. Sanctions are against the people.”

“Of course, whoever decides to impose them knows this well.” Their goal is “to drive people to bring down those who rule, to achieve what weapons could not achieve. But is it moral to use the suffering of peoples for political ends?”

The answer to the question above is "no" but the reality is that the world has been shaped by wars, genocides and oppression.  This on-going pandemic is a tiny equalizer between the powerful and the powerless.  The inescapable first death is the world's ultimate equalizer.  Beyond that, there is the second death [2]:

In Revelation 21:8 we read: "[A]s for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

[1] http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Trappist-nuns:-the-Syrian-people-are-starving-as-a-result-of-'unsustainable'-international-sanctions-50368.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_death#:~:text=In%20Revelation%2021%3A8%20we,which%20is%20the%20second%20death.%22, quoted without hyperlink.

Epistle For The Second Sunday After Pentacost

From 1 John 3:13-18 [1], [2]:

Dearly beloved, wonder not if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. In this we have known the charity of God, because He hath laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him, how doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children; let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.


[1] The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962 (p.715). Angelus Press.
[2] https://www.bible.com/bible/55/1JN.3.DRC1752

Christ Never Mentioned Any Of These Rules -- Not Even Saints Follow Them

Quoted below from INSIDER  are the rules that Cameron Walsh from Houston, Texas, learned from his mom in order not to arouse suspicion from law enforcement officials [1]:

"Don't put your hands in your pockets.

"Don't put your hoodie on.

"Don't be outside with no shirt on.

"Check in with your people; it don't matter even if you're down the street.

"Don't touch anything you're not buying.

"Never leave the store without a receipt or a bag, even if it's just a pack of gum.

"Never make it look like there's an altercation between you and someone else.

"Never leave the house without your ID.

"Don't drive with a wifebeater on. Don't drive with a du-rag on. Don't go out in public with neither.

"Don't ride with the music too loud. Don't stare at a Caucasian woman.

"If a cop stops you randomly and starts questioning you, don't talk back, just compromise.

"If you ever get pulled over, hands on the dashboard and ask if you can get your license and registration out."

Here is the page on TikTok  where many people reacted to Cameron Walsh's lessons Cameron learned from his mom: https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6819336017926048518.  Of the many viewed, this one is the most demonstrative:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dreamersdaze/video/6833166997056949510.  This viewer provided subtitles: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrscannadyasl/video/6833625351323749637

Is there any other country in the world besides the United States of America where children had to be taught in the same way Cameron Walsh was taught at a young age to fear officials that carry batons and guns who are supposed to enforce the law and protect them?


[1] https://www.insider.com/watch-black-teenager-moving-tiktok-video-unwritten-rules-mother-taught-2020-6

George Floyd Inspired Synonyms Not Found In A Thesaurus: Prejudice And Favoritism

Mr. George Floyd died likely from a combination of cardiac arrest and asphyxiation in Minneapolis, Minnesota while under arrest by police for committing possibly a misdemeanor, suspected for passing a US$20 counterfeit bill [1].  His death prompted mass demonstrations not only in the United States but also in parts of Europe [2] and in Canada [3].  Many demonstrations that began peacefully in the United States had unfortunately disintegrated into violence, vandalism and theft [4], [5].  Demonstrations turning violent was mentioned only as part of the background, not central to this blog post.

The underlying cause can be traced to systemic racial discrimination and profiling.  Race is not the only identifier that separates one from another.  There are many others such as regional language accents, physical appearances and handicaps, customs and costumes, food and culture, religions as well as socioeconomic status and so on.  It is unrealistic to think that such demonstrations and non-discrimination laws will affect the ways people think and behave.

For example, in the United States, "[t]he Equal Protection Clause is part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Many view it as the attempt to uphold the professed 'all men are created equal' clause written in the Constitution. The Equal protection law implies that no State has the right to deny anyone within jurisdiction equal protection of the law."  [6]  The police force is an extension of the State and has the duty to uphold laws.

In France there is "'Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité'" [7] but that did not deter the 2019 riots in Paris from happening. [8]  In India, the caste system is still alive and well today. [9]

People often prejudge one another based on what they observe and interpret from their personal perspectives.

Prejudice can be very subtle.  When it is silent or unspoken but acted upon affirmatively, it is called favoritism.  One who plays favorites is not as socially reprehensible as one who is clearly prejudiced.  But to the one who has experienced prejudice and who is overlooked again and again favoring someone else who is different in one way or another, there is no difference.  This is the reason for the title of this blog post.  The words "prejudice" and "favoritism" are therefore synonyms.

One ought to follow Christ's examples when treating people who are different.  An example is when Christ talked with a Samaritan woman at the well asking for a drink of water [10].  Another example is what Christ said to His disciples before He ascended into Heaven: "'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" [11] [Emphasis  added.]



[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_George_Floyd
[2] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/thousands-protest-george-floyd-s-death-in-london-belgium-and-across-europe/ar-BB14QMdD
[3] https://thehill.com/policy/international/500379-protesters-in-london-berlin-toronto-take-to-streets-in-support-of-george
[4] This is just a sample:  https://news.yahoo.com/george-floyd-death-violence-breaks-002922043.html
[5] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8381451/Peaceful-protests-continue-George-Floyd-U-S.html
[6] https://constitution.laws.com/equal-protection-clause
[7] https://franceintheus.org/spip.php?article620
[8] https://www.afar.com/magazine/what-travelers-need-to-know-about-the-paris-riots
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8idvu5zJ8c&t=7s
[10] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jOHN+4&version=NIV
[11] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A7-9&version=NIV, quoted without references.

Politics & Religion

Politics and religion is as old as the two have been around.  They are actors in a never-ending drama that plays around the world including China, India, the Mideast and the Vatican.  A scene also played out in Washington, D.C.  US News  published an article dated June 2, 2020, entitled Archbishop of Washington: Trump's Visit to Shrine 'Baffling and Reprehensible' [1].

Below is Psalm 109 [2]:

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand:

Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

With Thee is the principality in the day of Thy strength, in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot Thee.

The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

The Lord at Thy right hand hath broken kings in the day of His wrath. [Emphasis  added.]

He shall judge among nations, He shall fill ruins: He shall crush the heads in the land of many. [Emphasis  added.]

He shall drink of the torrent in the way: therefore shall He lift up the head.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.



[1] https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-06-02/archbishop-of-washington-trumps-visit-to-shrine-baffling-and-reprehensible
[2] Copied from The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962 (p.99). Angelus Press.