I will be posting, when I can, on our 4-day blackout this past week-a real-life preparedness exercise! We have had these kinds of blackouts before, but not in a long time. As a prepper, it is important when these situations occur, to examine carefully, what went wrong and what went right. Many issues present themselves in a blackout, even some you may never have considered. I have to say, we did great this time, but some issues were brought to light that need attention. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEXT TIME.
Full Update
A Mystical Triad: Death, Birth, Initiation
Triduum of Death.....or of.....Heaven! New Years Blessings, etc...... The Situation
I would like to talk about where we’ve been and where we are going. The above posts were written on this past October 31st [2019], January 1st and March 31st. They were written consecutively, as I was not posting as frequently until the world changed. When “The Situation” was upon us, I realized I could not be silent and I had to step it up.
The above posts are interesting to look at as a kind of “Mystical Triad:” 1) Collective Meditation on Death: Halloween and the Catholic Triduum 2) Collective Meditation on Birth: Christmas and the New Year 3) Collective Initiation into a Changed World. In terms of the Initiation, for the Faithful, it is during Lent, a time of penance and preparation, a time when one is best disposed to enter into such a challenge. How good is God! What are we actually being initiated into? That is our choice. As usual, we have 2 possible paths: the world or Christ. I will not elaborate. I encourage you to reflect and pray on this. I am just observing and putting pieces together. It is important in these times, to maintain the position of observer. Otherwise, we run the risk of getting caught up in emotion and deception. Think of it like surfing. The surfer rides atop a wave that could easily decimate everything in its path. The surfer uses all momentum and no friction. It is genius.
My personal journey through this Mystical Triad is a story as well. There was a death in my close family on All Hallows Eve. As for the News Years post, it turned out to be strangely prophetic. I spoke of remaining joyful in spite of the way the world is going, and focusing on a better future. “The Situation” came just after a trip to Florida, fraught with symbolic events, including a kind of baptism in the sea off the eastern coast, waging battle with the waves. I see the entire trip as a preparation for what was about to happen, including a message of consolation.
“The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.”
Frances Willard
I had intended to deal with the emerging crises in the world and how we might respond. Instead, my writing took an organic path of feastdays and general prepper issues, peppered with some commentary on “the situation.” I am actually happy for this, since these are the two aspects of this ministry that concern me: an Authentic Spiritual Life and an Authentic Natural Life. Crises should be seen through these lenses, not the other way around. In other words, all things must serve Salvation and normal life. Anything which disturbs those 2 things, is unacceptable. Again, I won’t elaborate, but you can figure it out.
I think I will continue pretty much the same way. I will be featuring a product which solves the “Trapped in a Dark Basement” horror. Here’s a sneak peak if you can’t wait. There are a number of website improvements that are important. These can take a lot of time and you may or may not notice them. I will be working on that as well.
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I said I would give commentary on “The Rome Life Forum,” but this has gone by the wayside. I still recommend you watch-see below. These talks are quite intellectual and interesting. They get into deep and technical theology. It can be hard to follow, but just take it in and you will get the gist. It is well worth it. Also, some very important content is there, to contemplate at this pivotal time in human history. Please note, Nomen Christi Apostolate does not necessarily endorse all ideas which are expressed in this conference.
The Rome Life Forum Online Conference took place May 20th through May 22nd. The theme was “Coronavirus in the Light of Fatima: A Tragedy and a Source of Hope.” Guest speakers included Cardinal Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, John-Henry Westen and John Smeaton, among others. Some topics were: “Fatima: Heaven’s Answer to a World in Crisis,” “Divine Judgement in Human History,” and “The Eucharist, the Greatest Treasure of the Church, in Times of Tribulation.” This conference was hosted by LifeSiteNews and Voice of the Family. From LifeSiteNews: “Speakers will focus on whether the COVID-19….could be part of the chastisement, preceding the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that Our Blessed Mother spoke about in Fatima in 1917.”
August: Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
“In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”
~ Our Lady of Fatima ~
In this month of the Immaculate Heart, we begin on the 1st, with the First Saturday, which is a devotion in reparation to this very Heart. What a great time to begin the “Communion of Reparation,” given to us by Our Lady of Fatima. If your church is not doing this, why not help them start it? Otherwise, you can look at: First Saturdays At Home. Regarding Marian-related feasts, we have St. Alphonsus Liguori (famously authored The Glories of Mary) also beginning the month…..St. Dominic, the Assumption, St. Joachim (he is honored together with Our Lady immediately following the Assumption) and a double Marian feast on the 22nd, which includes the trad feast of the Immaculate Heart. We also have another saint devoted to Mary, St. Maximilian Kolbe, who died on the Vigil of the Assumption. He was starved at Auschwitz, but would not die, so he was given a lethal injection. How appropriate a day to die for one who early in life, created a Marian apostolate, “Militia Immaculatae.” I have noticed something in my research that I have not seen mentioned anywhere…he started the apostolate in 1917, just 3 days after the “Miracle of the Sun,” witnessed by thousands at Fatima. I wonder if that great event spurred him on to create his ministry. Let us give honor and reparation to Our Mother’s dear heart this month. There are so many ways to do this-please find something that resonates for you and your family.
This month shows us 3 Doctors of the Church and also the Transfiguration of Our Lord. These are just some highlights of Holy Church’s month of August. Its always good to look at the coming weeks to plan your spiritual life…..
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1-First Saturday / St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor, ”Prince of Moralists, Most Zealous Doctor, Patron of Confessors & Moral Theologians” (new)
2-St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor (trad)
4-St. John Vianney (new-I saw his heart once!) / St. Dominic, Seer of the Holy Rosary
6-TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD
7-First Friday
8-St. John Vianney (trad)
11-St. Clare of Assisi, her actual name was Chiara (my name-I am named after my grandmother who was born in Sicily), also known as Clara (new)
12-St. Clare of Assisi (trad)
14-Vigil of Assumption / St. Maximilian Kolbe, Martyr of Charity under Hitler
15-ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (not a holy day of obligation this year in the US)
16-St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary
20-St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor, ”The Mellifluous Doctor, Oracle of the 12th Century, Thaumaturgus of the West, Arbiter of Christendom, Last of the Fathers”
22-Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary / Immaculate Heart of Mary
24-St. Bartholomew, Apostle
28-St. Augustine, Doctor, ”Doctor of Grace, Doctor of Doctors”
This blog gives old and new feasts. The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church,TAN Books.
Trapped in a Dark Basement
…don’t let this happen to you!
"For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me."
Psalm 22
This happened to me several years ago. I wrote an account of it at the time, but never published it, because like many other pieces, it went into the “unfinished rough drafts” and was never completed (perhaps I just didn’t want to think about it anymore). Here is my original account, finally polished up. If this helps just one other person to never go through this, then it was all worth it….
It was late at night. I was making potpourri out of some old tea and needed a small glass jar to put it in. I keep my collection of jars in the basement, which is not merely unfinished-it was completely gutted during mold remediation and has yet to be put back together. I figured I'd go down there and it would take about a minute to get the jar I wanted. I was rummaging through the jars, frustrated because I could not find the one I wanted, and.....all the lights went out. My first thought was, "Seriously? No problem, I'm a prepper, I can totally do this." I wasn't nervous until I realized I was lost in a cluttered, dangerous basement with no light. There are a few small windows, but I was nowhere near them and no light was coming in anyway, because the street lamps were out too.
It is hard to conceive of zero light if you've never experienced it. Usually, there's some light. Total darkness feels claustrophobic, like you're wrapped in a big black blanket. It is terrifying when there is no difference between closing your eyes and opening them. It doesn't take long to become disoriented and begin to panic. The brain seems to compensate by constructing its own reality. This is probably a survival mechanism, but one that was not working well for me. I decided to keep feeling in one direction along the wall and eventually I should recognize something and know where I was. But my brain continued to construct a false reality, telling me I was in a certain area even though it made no sense. I felt helpless. I yelled to my husband but he couldn't hear me because he was in bed all the way upstairs with the door shut. My dog was no use either.
After about ten minutes, the lights came back on. I was not at all where I thought I was. I had walked right past the stairs and didn't realize it. My perception of space had been altered without the sense of sight. After running back up the stairs, I thanked God for getting me out of there and then curled up on the couch and ate a pint of chocolate ice cream.
What should I have done? When things weren’t making sense, I should have been willing to break out of the comfort zone my brain was creating and see other possibilities. I should also have kept a flashlight on my person, one I knew was working well…or a well-charged cellphone. A situation like this could quickly become life and death in something like a flood, fire, earthquake, etc. Basements are particularly dangerous in floods due to the risk of electrocution. Not being able to find your way out could be that much worse if you are hurt or with a child or elderly person.
I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe God sent me this experience so I could learn from it and help prevent it from happening to others. Here are 10 lessons to think about:
1) Don't make potpourri in the middle of the night. You should be sleeping. Like a normal person.
2) Maybe its time to get all that random junk out of the basement. Maybe its time to do something about the dangling electrical wires and the big hole in the floor. Not to mention the poison arrow from the Philippines you bought at a flea market somewhere in New Jersey 23 years ago (well, that old hippie said it was a poison arrow).
3) Flashlights are good. The more, the better. Batteries are good too.
4) Dependence on electricity was a mistake.
5) If your basement or attic is as bad as mine, don't venture into it without full survival gear: bug-out bag, camo pants and a gun.
6) Maybe its time to buy "The Best Hyperdimensional To Rule Them All Night Vision Goggles In Steampunk Style" for $2,500.00 from Hammacher Schlemmer (they seem to think rich survivalist nerds is a demographic).
7) We navigate in darkness. This experience could be a metaphor for life itself. It could certainly be a metaphor for our current world situation. The fact is, I was never really trapped at all. Only in my mind.
8) Don't panic. Your guardian angel and all of Heaven is always with you. You are NEVER alone and the Holy Ghost will always enlighten you. Our Mother Mary will always comfort you. Trust in God.
9) Practice meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, etc. I’m not talking about new age garbage or anything that contradicts the Catholic Faith. I’m talking about techniques that help you calm down and focus. I have used these techniques myself very successfully, such as when I get nervous flying.
10) “Freak” situations can happen. That doesn’t mean being constantly nervous about danger, but it does mean having a general awareness of potential dangers and being prepared for them.
Swimming in Natural Waters
That is the lake where we went swimming this past weekend, with my wonderful Shihpoo on the dock. It turned out, due to the heatwave, to be a terrible day for hiking, but a perfect day for swimming! For privacy reasons, let’s just say this lake is somewhere in New Jersey. If you want to be the life of the party, just say anything and add “somewhere in New Jersey.” Instant joke. You’re welcome.
Let me mention one basic idea about swimming in natural water: know your area-do your own research. This blog has reached people in 54 countries so far this year. Obviously, it is impossible for me to address every possible circumstance one might encounter anywhere in the world. So the key is, always understand the territory you are entering. Here are some general issues you may need to think about:
pathogens plant life predators sharp stuff
entry/exit waves/rushing water riptides tsunamis
chemicals flash-flooding lightning
So enjoy God’s nature, but always be cautious:)
My New Hiking Shoes!
I hope you thoroughly enjoy the above image of my new hiking shoes. It just took me 40 minutes to get this image up because I couldn’t get it the right size. LOL.
I absolutely love them. Bought them last night at Dicks/Field & Stream. What an amazing store. The brand is Danner. This seems to be a very good shoe company. The shoes were not cheap, but they were on sale. My birthday is coming up, soooooooooooo. Anyway, you want a good hiking shoe or boot. You want something that will protect you properly and last a long time. With the way the world is going, we may not have access to what we need the way we have always been used to. Everyone should go get themselves good, solid hiking shoes.
What do you want in hiking foot gear? Think about the scenarios you are likely to encounter in your area:
Water: get water-proof (mine don’t look water-proof, but they are!), Snakes: get very solid material with good ankle protection, Cold: get warm, Hot: get cool, Rocky/Slippery: get good soles that can handle all that, Ticks: get light-colored.
There should be good ankle support and I would recommend lace-up shoes for greater control of tightness (have extra laces in your bug-out bag). You may or may not want a defined heel. Try out shoes thoroughly in store for comfort and wear the type of socks you are likely to be wearing when hiking. I also recommend some sport-designed insoles, which you should also bring with you when trying on. This will make an ENORMOUS difference in your comfort level and health of your feet.
I also bought this great little prepper booklet, Disaster Survival Guide, which shows you what to do in many different situations and emergencies. I highly recommend getting something like this and reading it cover to cover. You will be amazed what you learn. You will become prepared for situations you never even conceived of, but could very possibly encounter (like the time the power went off at night when I was in my basement-very scary-you can quickly become completely disoriented-I will tell that story next week).
May go hiking again this weekend with my new shoes. If its interesting, I will tell you about it next week. If it’s boring, I will tell you about it next week…..
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Today is the new and old feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the year 1251, Saint Simon Stock was given the Brown Scapular by Our Lady herself, this great and powerful treasure of our Faith. Our Lady of Fatima requested devotion to this sacramental. Many miracles have been associated with it. Please consider investiture (consecration) in the Brown Scapular. My parish is doing a special Mass with investiture today. Ask your pastor to consider doing this sometime soon. Especially in these difficult times, the scapular is a consoling and important sacramental.
From The New Marian Missal, Veritas Press:
This Feast commemorates the favors granted by our Lady on Mount Carmel [the vision took place in England]. The Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock, General of the Order of Carmelites, holding in her hand the form of a scapular, and directed him to institute a pious confraternity, the members of which should consecrate themselves to her service, and wear her livery. She promised that “those who die wearing it, will not suffer hell fire.”
For more info, including the history of this devotion, please see World Apostolate of Fatima, USA.
Image courtesy https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com
Monday, July 13th-Fatima Family Holy Hour for the Church
Thank you for joining our July Fatima Family Holy Hour for the Church! July 13th is the anniversary of the Third Apparition at Fatima. Following is the Holy Hour Format to print and perform at home. If you cannot do this on July 13th, please choose another day during the month. The ruby is the birthstone of the month of July-Our Lady’s heart above, shines like a great ruby, beating with incomprehensible love for all her children. May our devotion to this Immaculate Heart increase day by day! God bless you and may Our Lady shower graces upon you and your family during this difficult hour in the Church and in the world.
PRINTABLE VERSION OF JULY FATIMA FAMILY HOLY HOUR
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Candle-Lighting for Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(please light a candle next to a picture or statue of Our Lady)
+ Sign of the Cross +
O Jesus, we thank Thee for this anniversary of the Third Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to the three holy children in Portugal and all the miracles and wonders which took place there. We thank Thee for our togetherness today honoring this anniversary, though it is at a difficult time for Thy Holy Church and the whole world. We light this candle for the intention of reparation to Thy Mother's Immaculate Heart, which so grieves over the sins of the world at this time. We especially wish to console her for the terrible injustice to unborn children, for she is Mother to all. May these little lights of ours ascend to her Queenly throne in Heaven and show her that indeed, there is still love for her on earth. Love for Thy Mother always directs us to Thee, O Jesus, our Savior, Whom she holds up to the world in her loving arms. Forgive us our sins and let us enter into this Holy Hour in a spirit of contrition and spiritual communion with Thee. We beg Thee for a return of the normal functioning of the Catholic Church. Forgive us for the disrespect given to the Holy Eucharist for so many years. We offer as well, all the intentions of those participating. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Pray for Us!
All Ye Holy Angels & Saints, Pray for Us!
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"Immaculate Mary"
Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing
You reign now in Heaven with Jesus our King
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!
In Heaven the blessed your glory proclaim
On earth we your children invoke your sweet name
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!
We pray for the Church our true mother on earth
And bless Holy Mary, the land of our birth
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!
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Fatima Reading & Prayer
The Third Apparition ~ July 13th, 1917
...the three children assembled at the Cova and again saw the indescribably beautiful Lady over the Holm Oak tree. Lucia asked what she wanted and Mary replied: “I want you to come here on the 13th of next month and to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war [World War One], because only she can help you.”
Lucia then asked her who she was and for a miracle so everyone would believe: “Continue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe.” Lucia made some requests for sick people, to which Mary replied that she would cure some but not others, and that all must say the Rosary to obtain such graces. She continued: “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” As she spoke these words, Mary opened her hands and rays of light...seemed to penetrate the earth, revealing to the children a terrifying vision of Hell, full of demons and lost souls amid indescribable horrors. This vision of Hell was the first...of the three-part Secret of Fatima which was unknown until the writing of Sister Lucia’s third memoir, dated August 31, 1941.
The children looked up to the sad face of the Blessed Virgin, who spoke to them kindly: “You have seen Hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end, but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI [World War Two]. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer and various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”
These prophecies conclude the second part of the Secret. The third part was not made public until the year 2000 at the beatification ceremonies of Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the three Fatima children. Mary specifically told Lucia not to tell anyone about the secret at this stage, apart from Francisco, before continuing: “When you pray the Rosary, say after each Mystery: O my Jesus! Forgive us, save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.”
Text courtesy World Apostolate of Fatima, USA, slightly edited.
The apparitions of Our Lady to the children were not their first encounter with Heaven. An angel appeared to them previously, three times, and gave them two prayers, as follows:
"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I beg pardon of Thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee!"
"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners."
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Joyful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary
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Litany of Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for our dear country.
Our Lady of Fatima, sanctify our clergy.
Our Lady of Fatima, make our Catholics more fervent.
Our Lady of Fatima, guide and inspire those who govern us.
Our Lady of Fatima, cure the sick who confide in you.
Our Lady of Fatima, console the sorrowful who trust in you.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who invoke your aid.
Our Lady of Fatima, deliver us from all dangers.
Our Lady of Fatima, help us to resist temptation.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us all that we lovingly ask of you.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who are dear to us.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Our Lady of Fatima, give us back our ancient fervor.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring all men to the feet of your Divine Child.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain peace for the world.
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Let Us Pray: O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, and grant us by her powerful intercession, all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Final Prayer
O Most Holy Trinity, look upon the work of Thy Hands with mercy and give us the peace we so desperately need. Shower Thy graces upon us like the rain, like a great flood engulfing us and end these many sorrows. We live in unprecedented times, uncertain times. Deliver us from all evil, visible and invisible and from all fear. Help us to prepare for the days to come and to extricate ourselves from this inauthentic culture. We pray for the triumphalism of Holy Mother Church and the salvation of all souls. Give us peace in our hearts and courage to face the future and win our Heavenly reward. Our Lady of Fatima, we love you! Pray for us! In the Holy Name of Christ, Nomen Christi. Amen.
+ Sign of the Cross +
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"Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above"
Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria
Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria
Triumph, all ye Cherubim
Sing with us, ye Seraphim
Heav'n and earth resound the hymn
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina
The cause of joy to all below, O Maria
The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria
Angels, all your praises bring
Earth and heaven, with us sing
All creation echoing
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina
O gentle, loving, holy one, O Maria
The God of light became your Son, O Maria
Triumph, all ye Cherubim
Sing with us, ye Seraphim
Heav'n and earth resound the hymn
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina
Thank you for joining us~see you August 13th for the August Fatima Family Holy Hour!
For email reminders, please contact us at: director@nomenchristi.org
Image courtesy http://pblosser.blogspot.com
More About Hiking!
Important note: The following advice is for local hiking in well-populated areas only. Please always use your own discretion and consider your own unique needs. These are only suggestions.
My family and I spent the 4th of July in the exquisite New Jersey Highlands, pictured above. Appropriate, since the Highlands, according to the federal Highlands Conservation Act, is an area of “national significance,” due to, “the importance of the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources of the Highlands region.” It is a national treasure. Instead of celebrating a nation rapidly descending into tyranny, we spent the day preparing for where this tyranny may soon lead us…out of Babylon and into the Authentic Life, close to nature, apart from the world.
Our son was the architect of the excursion, planning it out in advance from a map. It is always a bit dicey doing a hike you are unfamiliar with, because what you see on the map is only a vague semblance of what you actually encounter on the ground. He knew he would be going with his out-of-shape middle-aged parents, so he kept it to about a mile, which was perfect. I hope to increase my stamina over time. I said in A Tale of Two Realities (please read if you haven’t), that I had not hiked in years. Two hikes and I am now addicted. The peace and wonder I feel, along with the sense of empowerment and accomplishment, is intoxicating.
The hike evenly divided into two halves, the first being the difficult “trail connector” and the second, being an established, level trail. At the half-point, you see the bewitching vista above. The picture does not at all do it justice. It had more a sense of grandeur from the perspective of a bridge, over a large pond (the entire walk circumvented the pond). The creek you see comes down from the pond. The rocks there seem to be encased in sand, long petrified. It is interesting to think of the history of the formations and also the human history, when you encounter unexplained remnants like rock walls, perhaps going back hundreds of years. What the picture does portray is the mysterious, magical nature of those woods-you expect to see a fairy or an elf pop out any minute! It can all be quite romantic, you can easily forget the dangers of these parts, which are black bears, copperhead snakes, lyme and other ticks, poison ivy, falling branches and hunters in hunting season, to name a few. All these issues need to be kept in mind and prepared for.
We started by spraying ourselves with heavy duty bug spray, mainly for the ticks. I had my new mini backpack with water, first aid kit, two tick removal tools, compass, protein bars and tissues. The trail connector was a rocky, narrow path. We had to keep our eyes open for poison ivy and I learned that all boots are not hiking boots. My department store booties have zero ankle support. Real hiking boots are now on my priority list. You hike & learn! We passed a family fishing and learned the pond has bass and catfish. Good to know. Also muskrats and a swim team which has its own camper and porta-potty. Also good to know. Not really, nevermind…another issue one must be prepared for….you do you! Then there was a nice respite area in the shade where we took a much-needed break on this hot day. The rest of the way was easy and we exited at the “start” of the trail, where there were various instructions, including what to do if you see a black bear. At home, first thing: tick check and changing clothes.
We also saw these striking flowers:
BUTTERFLY WEED, a type of milkweed, great for home gardens. EDIBLE & MEDICINAL USES.
And here’s the itchy culprit from the last hike:
This appears to be STINGING NETTLE. It is widely known to have medicinal properties.
I have mentioned the need for provisions and awareness of the dangers of your area. In addition, maps and compasses are important when venturing out into nature. In our case, my son had studied the area, it was well populated and we had our cellphones. I would however, recommend not relying on your phone and always having a hard copy of a map with you (you may consider a laminated map in case of rain). Of course, getting lost is the main issue, but simple awareness of your environment is important too. As for getting lost, never rely on your “great sense of direction” or assume it can’t happen to you. Study the area before entering and have a plan. Know which direction you must travel if you do get lost-that is the purpose of the compass.
Rand McNally has many great resources for hiking and road travel. You might be interested in products like the following:
New Jersey Atlas & Gazetteer 2021 Road Atlas
Map It! Seek & Find: Fun, educational way to familiarize yourself with cartography-there are 2 volumes-great gift!
If hiking is too difficult for you, I hope you are inspired to bring God’s creation more into your life in some way. Nature is part of living life to the fullest and understanding God, the Author of the Authentic Life.
July: Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, in satisfaction for my sins, in supplication for the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of Holy Church and especially for the soul of (Name). From The Raccolta
Today is the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the traditional calendar. And it is the first day of the month in which Holy Church gives us the Blood of Christ to meditate upon and honor. His Precious Blood has been poured out upon the whole world. How much more should we pour ourselves out upon Him. All our guilt. All our sorrows. All our confusion. All our doubt. All our worry. Just give it to Him as He gives Himself to us. This is our great consolation.
In addition to this feast of Our Lord, we also have two Marian feasts coming up this month-the Visitation and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We have two Apostles, Saint Mary Magdalen and the parents of Our Lady. We celebrate 3 Doctors of the Church as well.
There are many devotions to the Precious Blood we might acquaint ourselves with. How wonderful it always is to learn new prayers and devotions! How endless are the treasures of our Faith! In addition to the prayer above, here are two other devotions:
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Chaplet of the Precious Blood
Here is a sampling of some of the old and new feasts this month:
7/1-Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
7/2-Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
7/3-St. Thomas, Apostle
7/6-St. Maria Goretti
7/14-St. Kateri Tekakwitha / St. Bonaventure, Doctor (trad)
7/15-St. Bonaventure, Doctor (new)
7/16-Our Lady of Mount Carmel (instituted Brown Scapular devotion to St. Simon Stock)
7/19-St. Vincent de Paul
7/21-St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor
7/22-St. Mary Magdalen
7/25-St. James the Greater, Apostle / St. Christopher
7/26-Sts. Joachim & Anne
7/30-St. Peter Chrysologus, Doctor
7/31-St. Ignatius of Loyola
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