In Search of
The Authentic Life
“Pater Meus Servat Vineam”
Happy Not Leap Year!
Reminder: March 1st is the last Saturday before Lent (go to confession) and also, the First Saturday of the month (Communion of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart).
This year, March comes in with Septuagesima and goes out with the 5th week of Lent. Yes, Easter is late this year, on April 20th. Easter may be celebrated from March 22nd to April 25th. Have a look at the (Old Farmer’s) Almanac page below for an explanation of how the date of Easter is determined, including potential complications and the “Golden Number” method. This article is chock-full of interesting facts and links. I support the Almanac for their great work in gardening and traditional ideas, and also their respect for the Catholic Church. They are an invaluable resource. You can even type in your zip code and get the seasonal planting schedule for your area. It’s about 15 pages, but well-worth printing.
Also, the above article gives us an idea on one thing we can do to celebrate a holy Lent! The 7 Penitential Psalms…
“In the sixth century, Christians who had committed grave faults were obliged to do public penance. On Ash Wednesday, they donned a hair shirt (which they wore for 40 days), and the local bishop blessed them and sprinkled them with ashes. Then, while others recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the holy place. They could not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday…when they received absolution.”
Here they are, along with the Songs of the Suffering Servant, from Isaiah, which are also customary to recite during Lent:
Traditionally during Lent, meat was only eaten at one meal per day and no meat was eaten on Holy Saturday. Obviously, we refrain from meat every Friday and there is fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Some also recite the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary each day in Lent.
The Spring Equinox is March 20th. Since we are preppers here, it is time to start thinking about our gardening. If you have never gardened or are rusty at it, the Almanac above is fabulous for getting started. Don’t worry if you can’t get it together for a Spring garden, Summer is a fine time to plant. How about making that a goal? Food resilience is becoming more and more important, as food supply and farmers are undergoing attack throughout the world. Growing your own food is really just a normal part of being human, like my Sicilian-born grandmother did in a tiny yard in Brooklyn, New York. My father carried on her example at our home in Levittown, growing tomatoes in the backyard and eggplant on the front lawn! It’s a wonderful thing to teach our children and they have a natural love for it. The miracle of watching a seed grow into a beautiful plant that you can eat, is endlessly enthralling and gives you an appreciation for God’s creation. Maybe that’s one reason why the forces of evil do not want us growing food. Faith is a threat to their New World Order (remember when garden centers were considered “unessential” during Covid?).
Here are some notable feasts of this month, including the Ember Days of Lent. These present a further opportunity for penance and prayer. The traditional Mass readings are quite inspiring. You can also get creative with these Ember Days which harken to the season of Spring, with nature-themed activities and crafts with children. Take note of the Annunciation, 9 months before Christmas, and Laetare Sunday, like Gaudete Sunday in Advent, when we are reminded of joy in the midst of penance, and the vestments are rose-colored…
2nd-Quinquagesima Sunday
4th-Shrove Tuesday
5th-Ash Wednesday
6th-Saints Perpetua & Felicity
7th-Saint Thomas Aquinas, Perpetua & Felicity (new)
12th-Ember Wednesday
14th-Ember Friday
15th-Ember Saturday
17th-Saint Patrick
19th-Saint Joseph
21st-Saint Benedict
24th-Saint Gabriel the Archangel
25th-ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
30th-Laetare Sunday
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In this month dedicated to Saint Joseph, his feast is celebrated March 19th. There are so many ways to honor him and show our love for this most faithful intercessor. Here is a printable PDF of the “Thirty Days Prayer:”
In Honor of the 30 Years Spent with Jesus & Mary
Below are some thoughts by one of our readers, regarding the monthly Catholic themes. I love the idea of writing your own prayer-what a great activity for children!
“For me, monthly devotions help to build a greater understanding and deeper relationship with the Lord and His Church. You can bring it naturally into the monthly cycle and feel a little more God-centered. Some suggestions:
Read up on the subject of the month’s devotion.
Form an understanding of why the devotion is important.
How does the devotion impact your life?
Is there a feast day?
Research a monthly Marian connection.
Choose a nine-day novena that brings you closer to the devotion.
Read about the Saints who were part of or partial to the devotion.
Compose your own prayer.
It doesn’t take long and you are taking time to spend with the Lord and the Faith.”
Jenna, New York
Thank you, Jenna! We welcome feedback from readers and may post your comments. Wishing you all a most holy and blessed Lent:)
“What am I going to do this Lent to draw closer to God in prayer? What am I going to do this lent to purify my life of things that are sinful?” Cardinal Burke prompts us to ask ourselves for the intense period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent.
In the video above, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke mentions Septuagesima as something that was practiced in the past and encourages his flock to renew this custom. We traditional Catholics still observe this season of preparation for Lent. Listen to Cardinal Burke’s inspiring thoughts and consider perusing the “Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe” website. They also have a YouTube channel.
You’ll never get at truth unless you extend a bit beyond it.
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Create the flow and stop the friction.
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Too much of one thing produces the opposite effect.
I’ve done a bit of research on Saint Valentine and it is most confusing! The accounts are all over the place, with many saying it is all mired in complete legend. There apparently were several Saint Valentines. And the story about how this day got associated with love and sending notes is also varied. But it makes for interesting historical reading, if you have the time to go down this rabbit hole today. I finally settled on the above piece to link to. This is not a Catholic site, but I find they are respectful towards Catholicism.
And may we pray today for the virtue of chastity, a word which has all but been removed from this post-Christendom world.
Saint Valentine, pray for us!
As the Cycle of Christmas comes to a close this month, we begin to meditate upon the sufferings of Our Blessed Lord. The second part of the traditional liturgical year begins with Septuagesima on Sunday, the 16th. The Cycle of Easter extends until the next Church year, the beginning of Advent. This is when we contemplate the Mystery of the Redemption, through Septuagesima, Lent, Passiontide, Easter Time and Time after Pentecost. So bringing to mind the Passion, after celebrating the joyful Christmas Season, is most appropriate this month.
Let us seek to observe a holy Septuagesima, when we prepare for Lent. Why do this? There is a lot of very good commentary out there on Septuagesima, which goes into it much deeper than we do here. One thing we can do is educate ourselves more on this forgotten liturgical season. But to answer the question, it is best to enter Lent spiritually and practically prepared. This takes some time and prayer. Certainly, Septuagesima would be a time for the Sacrament of Penance. Meditating upon the Passion will be most productive if we are putting the spiritual life first. You will find that a good observance of this pre-Lenten time will be immensely rewarding!
If we merge Septuagesima with our contemplation of the Passion, it really starts out strong with the Introit of the first Sunday Mass…
“The groans of death surrounded me, the sorrows of hell encompassed me.”
We’re not in the Christmas Season anymore. But we know that baby in His Mother’s arms, honored by the Magi, came to suffer and die for our sins. And there is no Resurrection without the Cross. No joy without tears. It is time now for us to walk the Via Dolorosa with Our Lady and Our Lord, to our Heavenly reward. The words above are those of one crying out to God, but they could just as easily be the words of Our Lord Himself as He walked that walk.
During the first 2 weeks of Septuagesima, we honor 3 Apostles: Saint Simeon’s feast (Simon the Zealot) is the 18th, the Chair of Saint Peter is the 22nd and Saint Matthias’ feast is the 24th. As for Simeon, there is no scripture directly associating him with the Passion, but, he was of course present at the Last Supper. From the Mass of Saint Simeon, our sins are likened to a “weight,” calling to mind the weight of the Cross, which our Lord carried for these sins:
“Look mercifully, almighty God, upon our weakness, and because the weight of our own deeds presses upon us, may the glorious intercession of Saint Simeon, Thy martyr and bishop, be our protection.”
The feast of the “Chair of Saint Peter” refers to a great relic which symbolizes the papacy. As such, we are indeed honoring the glorious Saint Peter. From Matthew 16:18…
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Simon Peter was intimately linked to the events of the Passion. Luke describes his following in the distance, his denial, the glance with Our Lord, and Peter’s weeping (Luke 22:54-62). During this time before Lent, let us flee to St. Peter’s intercession for a good examination of conscience and to see the ways in which we ourselves, deny the will of God. Saint Peter, pray for Holy Church at this time!
From EWTN VATICAN, 11/17/24…
(Includes a wonderful video of the Chair at the Vatican.)
Excerpt:
This historic wooden throne, known as the Cathedra Sancti Petri, holds immense spiritual and historical significance, symbolizing the authority and mission of the papacy…Scholars have studied the chair extensively over the years, revealing that its oldest components date as far back as the 6th century…Each year, on February 22nd, we celebrate the Feast of the Cathedra Sancti Petri, the “Chair” of Peter…“It can be presumed,” [Prof. Francesco Buranelli] continued, “that it was used as the papal throne until the 1600s”…The Cathedra Sancti Petri, a profound symbol of the unbroken line of succession from St. Peter…was last displayed publicly in 1867 to mark the 1800th anniversary of St. Peter’s martyrdom…In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI described the Chair as “a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his successors to shepherd Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and charity.”
Saint Matthias would never have become associated with the 12 Apostles, if Judas had not betrayed Jesus. Matthias was faithful to Our Savior, even unto death. From the old Catholic Encyclopedia:
Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, and had been with Him from His baptism by John to the Ascension. It is related (Acts 1:15-26) that in the days following the Ascension, Peter proposed to the assembled brethren, who numbered one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the Apostolate. Two disciples, Joseph, called Barsabas, and Matthias were selected, and lots were drawn, with the result in favour of Matthias.
Moving on with Septuagesima through the lens of the Passion, Quinquagesima Sunday, March 2nd, includes the Gospel account of Our Lord foretelling his arrest and death:
Other notable feasts of February from the trad and new calendars:
2nd-Presentation of the Lord/Purification of the BVM/Candlemas
3rd-Saint Blaise, Blessing of Throats
6th-Saint Titus, Companion of Saint Paul, Bishop
11th-Our Lady of Lourdes
14th-Saint Valentine
23rd-Sexagesima Sunday
1) List 5 ways we can prepare for Lent.
2) Write a short essay on the history of the Chair of Saint Peter (handwrite in cursive).
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[Edited since posting.]
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2 days after the Presidential Inauguration in the United States, let us remind ourselves of the Scripture below. Do not put your trust in man. There will be peace and justice only insofar as we live the life of sacramental grace, which we receive through our Holy Mother Church, instituted by Christ. We pray for this new Administration and for all of its members to grow toward holiness and the Kingdom of Heaven.
John 14:6
(Beware Trump Messianic Syndrome, the opposite of Trump Derangement Syndrome.)
We pray for Los Angeles, for those who have perished in these fires and for those who remain in difficult situations. May the fires soon be extinguished. O Lord, have mercy. Blessed Virgin, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. All ye heavenly host, pray for us all at this hour.
We also pray for the March for Life, which takes place this Friday in Washington DC. May respect for life from conception to natural death once again reign in our great nation. According to the US bishops, we observe a recommended day of penance today, the anniversary of Roe versus Wade, which joyfully has been overturned….but we never forget the unborn and vulnerable in our midst.
(the original name of Los Angeles)
May the people suffering in these fires (those in spiritual need), receive a great enlightening of conscience, turn from their sinful ways and return to the Lord with all their hearts, minds and souls. May God provide for all those in need. Let us pray that this once gloriously Catholic land will once again praise Our Blessed Lord and His Mother and give thanks for its beauty and abundance.
Amen.
“Permaculture instructor Andrew Millison journeys with the UN World Food Programme to the country of Niger in the African Sahel to see an innovative land recovery project within the Great Green Wall of Africa that is harvesting rainwater, increasing food security, and rehabilitating the ecosystem.”
Above is a 14-minute video that will make you smile. Look at the sense of joy and community these people now have. This is what we mean by “The Authentic Life.” Notice any smartphones?
There’s so much to learn here!
This is just one of many global issues which are cause for concern right now…not fear, concern…up your preps. The following is courtesy of my forum friend (this guy knows his stuff and he’s technically brilliant) over at Peak Prosperity, “PNW Defector,” slightly edited, with my comments in italics…
1 million dead Russians. All I see is grieving mothers.
1-1.2 million dead Ukranians. More grieving mothers. A whole generation of boys gone.
At least 50,000 dead in Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region. Many civilians, including children.
Daily kamikazee drone attacks against military and civilian infrastructure deep inside of Russian territory. More dead civilians.
As far north as St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast (which couldn’t have been launched from Ukraine). Who helped them?
Carrying 350 pounds of HE, laden with steel bearings/shrapnel, by Ukraine against targets deep inside of Russia. Brutal.
The first use of an intermediate range ballistic missile in war. By Russia, and it was a game-changer. See article below.
Attacks against Russian soil with US, French and UK supplied cruise missiles. It’s already an international war.
The destruction of 1/3 of Russia’s over-the-horizon early warning radar systems that belong to its core nuclear national defense infrastructure. Russia has been very patient…and no, Russia’s initial attack on Ukraine was not unprovoked. This is all part of the globalists’ attempt to re-create the world so a global government can be installed. Yes, there’s a lot more to this story, I’ve been doing the research for 2 decades. I’m not taking sides, just giving the info.
United States at DEFCON Alert 3 since July 2022, with several instances that led it to 2 (1 being highest alert). Who’s paying attention?
CNN article from November 22nd, 2024:
“In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons, on November 21 of this year the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the Ukrainian defense industry,” Putin said in a televised statement on Thursday…Putin also said that Moscow considers itself entitled to use weapons against military targets belonging to countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russia. He said that Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked targets in Russia’s Bryansk region with six US-made ATACMS missiles on Tuesday and later fired British/French Storm Shadow systems on the Kursk region…The United Nations Secretary General’s spokesperson warned on Thursday that Russia’s use of a new, medium-range ballistic missile is “yet another concerning and worrying development”…This week, both US and British/French-made missiles have been fired into Russia by Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to use longer-range American missiles across the border….In turn, Putin updated Russia’s nuclear doctrine, with the Kremlin saying the revised military doctrine would in theory lower the bar for first use of nuclear weapons.
Let us continue to pray for peace. Hopefully, we will see a de-escalation of this war in the coming year.
+++ O Mary Conceived Without Sin, Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to Thee! +++
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