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Once again we will be
entering into one of the
great preparation times
of the
year - LENT - which prepares us to
celebrate the Feast of
Easter, the Resurrection
of Christ from the dead
and our Redemption.
As you know
I, personally, like
SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
as the person
calling us to “Come back
with all our hearts” to
be aware of Jesus’
Prophetical, Priestly
and Kingly Offices.
John the Baptist has
simple calls to help us
be attentive to Jesus
and His Ministry of
“crushing the head of
the Serpent.”
“Every
Valley shall be exalted”
- we are called to fill
up what is lacking. To
examine where we are
lacking and leaving out
what must be done. We
need to look at our Sins
of omission. What is it
that we fail to do in
order to be attentive to
the Call of Christ. As
Knights what is missing
in our practice of the
great principles of the
Order? What are the
excuses we make for not
attending meetings, or
being active in what the
Assembly and our
Councils are doing?
“Every mountain
and hill made
low” - we
are called to
tear down and
remove from our
lives anything
that gets in the
way of “seeing”
Christ around us
in experiences,
in things and
above all in
people. We hear
Jesus teaching
us “Whatsoever
you do to the
least of my
people, that you
do unto Me.” Do
we seek to
discover Jesus
in the people
God sends into
our lives?
“The crooked straight”
- Jesus told us not to
be lukewarm,
wishy-washy, these he
says he ‘vomits’ out.
Why does a moment,
people, etc. prevent us
from making consistent
and direct decisions?
Do we have a different
excuses to different
people depending on our
likes and dislikes,
etc.? “Unity,
Fraternity, and Charity”
are trademarks of the
first three degrees of
the Knights of
Columbus. Do we strive
on a regular basis to
follow these? How about
our adherence to
“PATRIOTISM?”
“Rough places smooth”
- Here we need to think
of Saint Francis de
Sales saying “Gentle in
our Strength and Strong
in our Gentleness.” Do
we act like “bulls in
a China shop.” Do we
strive to “understand”
what others might be
going through, what
burdens or crosses they
might be carrying? Do
we refrain from rash
judgments unless we have
ALL the facts?
Once we face these
“CALLS” of Saint John
the Baptist, then, and
only then, can we be
open to “Jesus, the
Prophet,” Who is sent
by the Father to remove
ignorance, and only
then, be the “Light” to
better understand this
“New” Way, this “New”
Covenant of Love.
As we begin
Lent we will be marked
with ashes on Ash
Wednesday, February 22,
and we will hear either
“Remember man that your
dust and unto dust you
shall return.” or
“Repent and believe in
the Gospel.” We have
heard both of these and
both make sense in
different ways. Easter
reminds us of our own
Resurrection. Our
bodies will turn to dust
but we shall rise again
in the glory of the
Resurrection and “be
clothed in glory.” John
the Baptist calls us to
repentance and to listen
and hear the Gospel in a
new way, in a different
manner and perhaps make
resolutions to change
and “return to the Lord
with all our heart.”
We are asked
to think about
Prayer, Sacrifice and
Good Works during
this penitential
season. We are asked to
listen to Jesus, the
Prophet, having changed
our lives as
suggested by John the
Baptist.
PRAYER - what is
it? Simply talking to
God for four reasons:
1) to
ADORE
Him for Who He is, the
God-Head, Father, Son
and Holy Spirit; 2) to
make REPARATION
for those sins we come
to recognize in our
lives; 3)
to
ASK or PETITION
Him for our needs and
the needs of the World;
and 4) to
THANK Him for ALL
His blessings, so
countless and numerous.
SACRIFICE - to
give up something,
perhaps not all but
some, of the things,
useful and necessary,
but what we could do
without any harm to
self,
physically or spiritually (remember it’s harder
to give up just a
little,
rather than all)
GOOD WORKS - to
put into practice the 7
Spiritual and 7 Corporal
works of
mercy, and by this
showing our love for
God, self and neighbor,
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CORPORAL |
SPIRITUAL |
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feeding the
hungry |
counseling
the doubtful |
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giving drink
to the
thirsty |
instructing
the ignorant |
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clothing the
naked |
admonishing
sinners |
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visit the
imprisoned |
comforting
the
afflicted |
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sheltering
the homeless |
forgiving
offenses |
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visit the
sick |
praying for
the Sick |
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burying the
dead |
praying for
the living
and the dead |
Jesus said “It’s not
those who say Lord,
Lord, shall enter the
Kingdom
of Heaven, but do who DO
the Will of the
Father.” Our actions
should
be based on our Faith,
Hope and Charity.
As Knights of a great
and revered Order we can
MAKE this
LENT different
as we are called to put
into practice the
principles we have
accepted during our
various
exemplifications.
“Let us them turn to the
Lord with our whole
heart.”
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