Day 39
Good Friday
Saving Grace: As you probably already know, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II were canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday. John Paul II championed the cause of St. Faustina and the Revelation of Divine Mercy that Jesus himself revealed to Faustina. Jesus wants his Divine Mercy to be known in these times, and John Paul II wanted to make sure it was, and so he instituted Divine Mercy Sunday to be celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. Fittingly and in no mere coincidence, John Paul II died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, and he will be canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday. The message is powerful. On that Sunday especially, the floodgates of God's mercy will be open for sinners and the conversion of souls. All of us know family and friends who have lost interest in their faith and have wandered from God and his loving embrace. Why not join millions of others in praying the Novena of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy over the next 9 days for all souls, especially the conversion of fallen away Catholics.
Click here for the novena.... http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm#1
Athletics: (30 seconds) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Self discipline... There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Remember, being Catholic is fun. Not fun like getting drunk on Friday and Saturday night kind of fun...which always leave regret and misery in it's aftermath. It is fun like winning a state championship is fun. A fun that is only born from self discipline, perseverance, and teamwork. It is a fun that leaves peace, joy, and happiness in its aftermath.
Instructor's Manual: (10 minutes) Get the memo.... http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him:
Question of the Day: What is Crucifixion?
A medical doctor provides a physical description:
The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown
backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for
the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square
wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, and throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with cerium and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level. The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs are making frantic efforts to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he allows his body to die. All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:24).
What wondrous love is this... This is the love of a bridegroom for his bride.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. (Isaiah 12:2)
If you are able, I strongly encourage you to attend a Good Friday Service. If you have never been to one, now is the time.
Theology of the Body: Optional
On Good Friday, it is powerful to watch "The Passion of the Christ". Watch this movie if you have the opportunity and reflect on the words, "This is my body, given up for you."
SACRIFICE AND SERVICE: Today is Good Friday. Fast and abstain and sacrifice for the salvation of souls. Your potential to help save souls is unfathomable. Don't waste it. Reflect on the fact that Jesus came to set you free from sin. You have the power to win the internal war and become the saint God created you to be if you choose. You can change the world....but only if you are willing to change yourself.
Story of the Day: Map of the World
There once was a businessman who owned a very large business. Business was not good, however, and his company was in a lot of trouble. It looked like the company might go down, and his competitors were ready to pounce on his market share. But this man had a plan that he knew, with out a doubt, would revive his company. It was Saturday morning and he was preparing a speech to give at his company’s annual dinner that evening. In his speech, he wanted to show them the first part of his plan. But more than that he wanted to emphasize that if his plan was to be speedily and successfully implemented, it was dependent on the individual response each one of his employees.
That morning while writing his speech, his wife had to go out shopping. Ten minutes after she left, he heard a knock on the study door. There stood his seven-year-old son, who complained, “Dad, I’m bored.” The father attempted to play a game with the boy and write his speech at the same time. This went on for nearly two hours until the father realized that unless he could find some other way to amuse his son, he was not going to finish his speech in time. So he picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages until he found a large, brightly colored map of the world. He tore the page out and ripped it into many pieces. Throwing the pieces all over the living room floor, the father said, “Son, if you can put the map of the world back together, I will give you a dollar.”
The child rushed to the task, eager to earn some extra pocket money, while the father returned to his study believing he had just bought himself two or maybe three hours to finish his speech; he knew that his seven-year-old had no idea what the map of the world looked like. But within ten minutes he heard another knock on the study door, and there stood his smiling son with the completed puzzle in his hands. Amazed, the father said to the child, “Son, how did you finish so quickly?” The child smiled larger than ever and said, “Well, Dad, I had no idea what a map of the world looked like, but there was a picture of a man on the back. I put a piece of paper down on the floor. Then on top of that piece of paper I put the picture of the man together. I put another piece of paper on top and turned them both over. I took the top piece of paper off and there was the world, complete and in order.”
As the father stood there in awe, the boy continued, “Dad, I figured if I got the man right, the world would be right.”
(Opening story in "The 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" by Matthew Kelly)
If you win the internal war, it will bring external fruits.
Good Friday
Saving Grace: As you probably already know, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II were canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday. John Paul II championed the cause of St. Faustina and the Revelation of Divine Mercy that Jesus himself revealed to Faustina. Jesus wants his Divine Mercy to be known in these times, and John Paul II wanted to make sure it was, and so he instituted Divine Mercy Sunday to be celebrated each year on the Sunday after Easter. Fittingly and in no mere coincidence, John Paul II died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, and he will be canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday. The message is powerful. On that Sunday especially, the floodgates of God's mercy will be open for sinners and the conversion of souls. All of us know family and friends who have lost interest in their faith and have wandered from God and his loving embrace. Why not join millions of others in praying the Novena of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy over the next 9 days for all souls, especially the conversion of fallen away Catholics.
Click here for the novena.... http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm#1
Athletics: (30 seconds) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days.
Virtue of the day: Self discipline... There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Remember, being Catholic is fun. Not fun like getting drunk on Friday and Saturday night kind of fun...which always leave regret and misery in it's aftermath. It is fun like winning a state championship is fun. A fun that is only born from self discipline, perseverance, and teamwork. It is a fun that leaves peace, joy, and happiness in its aftermath.
Instructor's Manual: (10 minutes) Get the memo.... http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Need to Know Him:
Question of the Day: What is Crucifixion?
A medical doctor provides a physical description:
The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown
backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for
the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square
wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, and throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with cerium and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level. The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs are making frantic efforts to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he allows his body to die. All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:24).
What wondrous love is this... This is the love of a bridegroom for his bride.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. (Isaiah 12:2)
If you are able, I strongly encourage you to attend a Good Friday Service. If you have never been to one, now is the time.
Theology of the Body: Optional
On Good Friday, it is powerful to watch "The Passion of the Christ". Watch this movie if you have the opportunity and reflect on the words, "This is my body, given up for you."
SACRIFICE AND SERVICE: Today is Good Friday. Fast and abstain and sacrifice for the salvation of souls. Your potential to help save souls is unfathomable. Don't waste it. Reflect on the fact that Jesus came to set you free from sin. You have the power to win the internal war and become the saint God created you to be if you choose. You can change the world....but only if you are willing to change yourself.
Story of the Day: Map of the World
There once was a businessman who owned a very large business. Business was not good, however, and his company was in a lot of trouble. It looked like the company might go down, and his competitors were ready to pounce on his market share. But this man had a plan that he knew, with out a doubt, would revive his company. It was Saturday morning and he was preparing a speech to give at his company’s annual dinner that evening. In his speech, he wanted to show them the first part of his plan. But more than that he wanted to emphasize that if his plan was to be speedily and successfully implemented, it was dependent on the individual response each one of his employees.
That morning while writing his speech, his wife had to go out shopping. Ten minutes after she left, he heard a knock on the study door. There stood his seven-year-old son, who complained, “Dad, I’m bored.” The father attempted to play a game with the boy and write his speech at the same time. This went on for nearly two hours until the father realized that unless he could find some other way to amuse his son, he was not going to finish his speech in time. So he picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages until he found a large, brightly colored map of the world. He tore the page out and ripped it into many pieces. Throwing the pieces all over the living room floor, the father said, “Son, if you can put the map of the world back together, I will give you a dollar.”
The child rushed to the task, eager to earn some extra pocket money, while the father returned to his study believing he had just bought himself two or maybe three hours to finish his speech; he knew that his seven-year-old had no idea what the map of the world looked like. But within ten minutes he heard another knock on the study door, and there stood his smiling son with the completed puzzle in his hands. Amazed, the father said to the child, “Son, how did you finish so quickly?” The child smiled larger than ever and said, “Well, Dad, I had no idea what a map of the world looked like, but there was a picture of a man on the back. I put a piece of paper down on the floor. Then on top of that piece of paper I put the picture of the man together. I put another piece of paper on top and turned them both over. I took the top piece of paper off and there was the world, complete and in order.”
As the father stood there in awe, the boy continued, “Dad, I figured if I got the man right, the world would be right.”
(Opening story in "The 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" by Matthew Kelly)
If you win the internal war, it will bring external fruits.
