[✝]
1st John 3:1-3
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. [✝]
[☨]Maxwell is up bright and early for his horrible communicator, with which he hates to no end, to record him from the podium.[☨]
Why does it not surprise me to see this Holyday deliberately bastardized in every sense of the word for the sake of 'fun'? Oh you, you're on? Well good, fine, if I must I have my Liturgical Duty to attend to so here's recap for the 'Catholicism impaired'.
Yet before I begin, to the one who left that delightful little Satanic Offering at the Church's doorstep, I took the liberty of burning it. Aha, now as I was saying...
[☨]The Archbishop takes a long breath to placate himself, drawing a white-gloved hand over his blond hair before habitually straightening the ornate stole on his shoulders. He takes on his professional pontificated demeanor with a smile that does not reach his eyes.[☨]
Today we celebrate the eve of All Saints. Established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1484 for the First of November. We know this as the Feast of All Saints, a Holyday of Obligation to give both a vigil and tribute.
The Church has always honored those early witnesses.. martyrs to the Christian faith who have died in the Lord. Why.. during the first three hundred years true Christians were severely persecuted, often suffering torture and bloody death--because they were faithful. They refused to deny Christ, even when this denial.. perhaps.. might have saved their own lives.
We give Communion to these Saints. The Church Militant, we on earth who long for Heaven, pray for the Church Suffering.. those poor souls in Purgatory most especially on All Souls Day. We also rejoice and honor the Church Triumphant... canonized and.. uncanonized in heaven. We also ask the Saints to intercede for us, and for the dear souls in Purgatory.
While this is a day of thanks as we eat.. boxty pancakes provided by Father Anderson, There wouldn't happen to be tomatoes in that greenhouse, would there? Sì? No? Sì? Whatever, we also take this day with the mecabre. Oh yes, today we dwell upon our impending death. Aha yes we all go on at some point.. some. taking. longer. than others.. and some just cheating the system.. We dwell upon the unfortunate Souls in Purgatory, and the Sacrament of the Sick.
And tied all in with this theme is, of course, the saints. We ask ourselves, just what did they do in their lives that they were able to reach heaven? How can we imitate them? How can we, like these saints, prepare our souls for death at any. given. moment?
[☨]With his homily given, habitually he touches his right hand to his crown, chest and shoulders in the Sign of the Cross, and gives his recited prayer he had likely give hundreds of thousands of times before that it had lost all meaning at this point.[☨]
Almighty and ever-living God, strengthen our faith, hope... and love. May we do with.. loving hearts what you ask of us and come to share the life You promise. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
((ooc: Posting this early cause woohoo party tonight! Will get back to any tags er.. afterwards? ♥ ))