ISSUE

Notre Dame du Laus

02 Parish Newsletter JUNE HARKtheHerald 2 0 2 1

Be Not Afraid

To the Heart Taking Jesus at His Word

What if we lived our lives as if we truly believed is not that we don’t ask but that we don’t know what to everything that Jesus said? How different would your ask for. We ask God to help us win the lottery or find us life look? How different would you feel? How might it a good spouse or cure our pain, thinking if only we had change your heart? more money or a better partner or less health problems we’d be happy. We wouldn’t. God could give us those When Mary visited Elizabeth in her 6th month of things, but then when the next problem arose we’d need pregnancy, Elizabeth proclaimed “Blessed is she who Him to do it all over again. Instead he wants to give us believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would trust in Him, so that when problems arise we aren’t be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45). This month, let us ask Mary to shaken. We know that He is with us. Today let us ask for this issue help us have faith in God’s word the way she did. knowledge to seek the peace of heaven rather than “But seek first the Kingdom of God, and His earthly things, of fortitude to stand strong in the face of To the Heart P.1 righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto adversity, and piety that we may find joy in serving God Ancient Wisdom P.2 you.” (Matthew 6:33) and others. And let us believe wholeheartedly that we will receive them. This means putting God first in our lives and striving to Did you know? P.3 do His will above all things. We can do this by attending “We know that in all things God works for good with Catechism Corner P.4 mass on Sundays, spending a little time in prayer every those who love Him” (Romans 8:28) day, and trying to be attentive to the needs of others so Last but not least, let us trust that even in life’s most Saint Biography P.4 we can help them in their struggles. The great news is challenging moments God is doing something good for that this will allow Him to take care of all the little things us. That’s the way God works. We don’t complain about we usually spend our time and energy preoccupied our car being stolen when we know the insurance money with, like work, bills or household chores. Try giving will allow us to buy another one. We don’t worry about a God the reigns in your life and see how much easier all long plane ride when we know we’re headed for white these things become. sand beaches and crystal clear water. Rather than being “Ask and it will be given; Seek and you will find; Knock afraid of suffering, today let us rejoice when it comes and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) because we know God is transforming it into immeasurable blessings for us, both in this life and the God wants to give us many wonderful gifts. He wants next. our lives to be filled with joy. The problem for most of us

The “Anyway” Poem

A version of this poem was Ancient Wisdom found inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa’s Children’s Antidote to Fear Home in Calcutta

People are often "Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John And, which cannot be taken from you (only unreasonable, illogical, and 4:18). B) Our will and our intensity of desire you, and you alone, can ever choose self-centered; to reject God), and it is love of that Forgive them anyway. for this perfect thing is more fully Love and fear are closely related. fixed on this higher good - as which ultimately fulfills the deepest If you are kind, people may Fear is rooted in the awareness that opposed to being fixed on lesser human longings. It is love of Him accuse you of selfish, ulterior we may lose some good thing; some goods. Who creates and sustains all things motives; thing that we love. The more we love in existence, and wishes to give us a Be kind anyway. a thing, the more we might find With this distinction we can see how share in His eternal life and

ourselves afraid of losing that thing. "worldly love" (love of the things of goodness. This love is the "perfect If you are successful, you will love" Saint John speaks of, and it win some false friends and Indeed, some people have been so this world) is a source of fear, and some true enemies; hurt by loss in the past that they indeed of an intensity of fear that is really does drive out fear. Succeed anyway. refuse to let themselves love proportionate to the intensity of love anything. Fear of the pain of loss is we have for these things! The more Note that this does not mean that one If you are honest and frank, too great. deeply you love any one created and who has "perfect love" will be people may cheat you; limited thing (a thing that can die or immune to suffering during their life. Be honest anyway. If this is the case, how do we make be lost), the more you will fear the Famines, plagues, wars, strife,

injustice, and myriad other evils are What you spend years sense of Saint John's seemingly actual loss of this potentially lose- building, someone could paradoxical quote that "perfect love able thing! part of life, for reasons we don't fully destroy overnight; casts out fear"? Would we not be understand yet. What it does mean, Build anyway. risking the greatest loss if we were to “Our Lord said (Matthew 10:28): however, is that the one with perfect give ourselves over to the greatest “Fear ye not them that kill the body,” love is not crippled by fear of these If you find serenity and love? Rather than casting out fear, thus forbidding worldly fear… things. Rather he is freed by the hope happiness, people may be wouldn't this love simultaneously be Worldly love is, properly speaking, of resurrection in Christ. That hope jealous; colors everything he does and serves Be happy anyway. the source of the greatest fear? the love whereby a man trusts in the world as his end, so that worldly love to draw good even out of those evils, The good you do today, In order to make sense of this we is always evil. Now fear is born of ultimately robbing them of their people will often forget need to draw a distinction love, since man fears the loss of what power to instill fear: tomorrow; between the thing we love on the one he loves, as Augustine states.” Do good anyway. hand, and our manner or intensity of (Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae “So you have sorrow now, but I will

loving it on the other. II-II.19.3) see you again and your hearts will Give the world the best you rejoice, and no one will take your joy have and it may just never be enough; According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, Love of God on the other hand is a from you… I have said this to you, Give your best anyway. love is more "perfect" when: source of peace and hope (as that in me you may have peace. In A) It is directed toward a more opposed to worldy fear), and again, the world you have tribulation; but be You see, in the final "perfect" thing or object - something this peace and hope is proportionate of good cheer, I have overcome the analysis, it’s all between more truly real and good, something to the intensity with which we love world.” (John 16:22, 33) you and God; lacking nothing; God. Love of God is love of that It was never between you and them anyway.

Did you know? Prayer Corner The Serenity “I set neither limit nor measure to My gifts of grace Prayer for those who seek them in My Heart!”

God grant me the serenity Jesus Made Twelve Promises to Those Who Hold a to accept the things I cannot True Devotion to His Sacred Heart: change;

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state courage to change the things I

of life. can;

and wisdom to know the 2. I will give peace in their families and will unite difference. families that are divided.

“Behold this heart that has loved men so much!” 3. I will console them in all their troubles. Living one day at a time;

Did you know that in the Catholic Church June is the enjoying one moment at a time; 4. I will be their refuge during life and above all in month dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus? Among accepting hardships as the Did you know? death. many other during this month, we celebrate two very pathway to peace; important feasts, the feast of the Sacred Heart of 5. I will bestow the blessings of Heaven on all their taking, as He did, this sinful world

Jesus (June 11) and the Immaculate Heart of enterprises. as it is, not as I would have it;

Mary (June 12). trusting that He will make all 6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite things right How did this devotion come about? It goes way back to ocean of mercy. if I surrender to His Will; the year 1672 when a young girl from France, now 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. that I may be reasonably happy known as Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, was visited in this life on numerous occasions by Our Lord and it was through 8. Fervent souls shall rise quickly to great perfection. and supremely happy with Him her He chose to reveal His great love for mankind. It 9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My forever in the next. was during those visits that Christ revealed His Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored and will imprint Amen. Heart to Saint Margaret Mary and explained how he My love on the hearts of those who would wear this wanted others to practice this devotion. “In order to image on their person. I will also destroy in them all better realize the infinite love of the Son of God, as disordered movements. manifested in the incarnation, in His Passion and in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar, we needed a visible 10. I will give to priests who are animated by a tender representation of this love. He then attached many devotion to my Divine Heart the gift of touching the graces and blessings to the veneration of His adorable most hardened hearts. Sacred Heart.” Our Lord made to Saint Margaret Mary 11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their particular demands on what He wanted this visual names written in my Heart, never to be effaced. image to resemble: a heart on fire for love of all Pope’s Prayer mankind, flames bursting forth and enveloping It 12. THE GREATEST PROMISE - I promise you in the Intentions for June showing this unending love, the crown of thorns excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love 2021 encircling representing the injury inflicted upon It, the will grant to all those who communicate(Receive Holy The Beauty of Marriage cross mounted on top reminding us of His bitter Communion) on the First Friday in nine consecutive Passion and Death, and lastly, the rays emanating from months, the grace of final penitence: they will not die Let us pray for young people His precious Heart signify the great graces and in my disgrace, nor without receiving their who are preparing for marriage blessings which come from devotion to the Sacred Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge with the support of a Christian Heart of Jesus. in this last moment. community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience.

Song Catechism Corner Recommendations A great prayer to teach your child is the guardian angel prayer. It helps them to know they are not alone and to feel secure knowing they always have their guardian angel at their side. It goes as follows:

Angel of mine, My guardian dear, “Whom Shall I Fear” To whom God’s love commits me here, by Chris Tomlin Ever this day be at my side To light and to guard, to rule and to guide. You hear me when I call Amen. You are my morning song Another favourite is the prayer to Saint Michael the Though darkness fills the Archangel: night The world is a scary and uncertain place for all of us right now. The pandemic is causing a lot of grief It cannot hide the light Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. and worry among adults, so how are our children Be our protection against the wickedness and Whom shall I fear? doing? The fear and inconsistency is sure to be snares of the devil; causing them to feel distress from time to time, even May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; You crush the enemy if they aren’t able to articulate this to us. We must And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by Underneath my feet make it a priority to provide them with tools that can the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil assist in their spiritual, emotional and physical well- You are my sword and shield spirits who wander through the world for the ruin being. of souls. Amen. Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear? Saint Biography I know who goes before me The Nativity of St. John the Baptist The Nativity of St John the Baptist is one of the I know who stands behind Date: June 24 oldest Feasts of the Christian church, being listed by The God of angel armies Patronage: Baptism, Conversion, French Canada the Council of Agde in 506 as one of that region’s principal Feasts, where it was a day of rest. Is always by my side The Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a Christian Feast Day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, The Nativity of St John the Baptist on June 24 The one who reigns forever a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah comes three months after the celebration on March He is a friend of mine in the person of Jesus, and baptized Him. 25 of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel told Our Lady that her cousin Elizabeth was in her The God of angel armies John’s parents Zechariah – a Jewish priest, and sixth month of pregnancy, and six months before the Elizabeth, were without children and both were Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus. The Is always by my side… beyond the age of childbearing. During Zechariah’s purpose of these Feasts is not to celebrate the exact service in the Temple in Jerusalem, the Archangel dates of these events, but simply to commemorate Gabriel appeared to him and announced that he them in an interlinking way. Subscriptions and his wife would give birth to a child, and that they Practical Take Away should name him John. Because Zechariah did not If you prefer to believe the message of Gabriel, he was rendered Celebrating the birth of St. John the Baptist is a receive an email speechless until the time of John’s birth. Feast that is relevant to all of us today. Just like St. copy of this When Mary the mother of Jesus journeyed to visit John, we would do well to “leap” with joy in announcing Jesus to all those we encounter in our newsletter please Elizabeth, Luke’s Gospel recounts that the baby “leapt” in Elizabeth’s womb at the greeting of world. We can do this in everything we do – not just send your request to Mary. As Christians, we know this is John’s first act by words, but by actions. Asking for St. John’s of prophecy. intercession on this the Feast of his birth, we can [email protected] draw the strength necessary to proclaim our Lord to others.

HARKtheHerald Issue 02 June 2021

Disclaimer: We at HARKtheHerald make a concerted effort to ensure any theological writing contained in this newsletter is in line with, and not contrary to, the official dogmatic and magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church. In the event of any (unintentional) doctrinal or moral error on our part, having been undeniably demonstrated to be contrary to the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, we wholeheartedly submit to the authority and wisdom of the Church.