Celebrate Baptism Day.
Monthly Confession
Vocation? Marriage enrichment. TAHA is a resource both in person and online. Teams of Our Lady, Marriage Encounter, maybe an informal gathering of couples once per month for both study and fellowship.
https://www.srfretreats.org/being-known Our parochial vicar one of the presenters Sanctus Ranch
Fraternal organizations have not been fostered within the Church past years. Real active tangible connection to things. Rediscover importance why God gave us 5 senses. Hunger communities founded on rootedness and depth more than rice cake theology.
Single, young professionals at the parish. Schoenstatt has a young adult group.
Serious Scripture Study. The Great Adventure prior shows, I share some tips and tricks I have used.
Confirmation, grow in the power and authority given. Deliverance prayers. Witness.
Understand the history of the Sacraments, especially Pre Constantine. This rootedness in history, as Newman alluded to makes on Catholic and able to withstand the buffeting of temptations to leave Her.
Enjoy the Excitement and Newness of the season
The bright chartreuse green leaves, delicate purple flowers, singing birds busily building their nests, temperature.
Summer is coming.
Enjoy the refreshment that the Lord sends. Elijah had to be told by the angel to eat and drink all provided or the journey would be too difficult and he would die.
Our Lord in the garden took the comfort of the angels who ministered to Him so as to bear in His humanity the rigors of the Passion.
Let us be humble, realize our littleness, and take the many helps our Dear Lord sends our way.
Human consolations seed bed for spiritual consolations.
Beautiful art, spiritual enriching music. Finding these nourishments is better before the heat of battle comes. It was very nice knowing where to listen to Psalms read/ sung during moments of sorrow. Miracle Micah in Prayer Cenacle Section reads the Psalms we have studied.
Mother, Daughter, Granddaughter Tea Party at parish.
Look for Retreats, I always have my ears perked up. Hard to find for me. Be careful when asking, might be invited to organize, not the same thing.
Most importantly, come to savor the presence of God in all things. Spring is the perfect season to start with!
Baptism is a joyous occasion to constantly be returned to. If possible, find the date of your baptism and celebrate it. If not, ask the Lord what date to chose.
Spring, hope unopened buds. Chartreuse green embodiment of hope.
Read St. Cyprian account (always a good refresher)
The Sacrament (Mystery) of Christian Baptism St Cyprian of Carthage
On 13 September 258, Cyprian was imprisoned on the orders of the new proconsul, Galerius Maximus. The public examination of Cyprian by Galerius Maximus, on 14 September 258, has been preserved:[12]
Galerius Maximus: “Are you Thascius Cyprianus?”
Cyprian: “I am.”
Galerius: “The most sacred Emperors have commanded you to conform to the Roman rites.”
Cyprian: “I refuse.”
Galerius: “Take heed for yourself.”
Cyprian: “Do as you are bid; in so clear a case I may not take heed.”
Galerius, after briefly conferring with his judicial council, with much reluctance pronounced the following sentence: “You have long lived an irreligious life, and have drawn together a number of men bound by an unlawful association, and professed yourself an open enemy to the gods and the religion of Rome; and the pious, most sacred and august Emperors … have endeavoured in vain to bring you back to conformity with their religious observances; whereas therefore you have been apprehended as principal and ringleader in these infamous crimes, you shall be made an example to those whom you have wickedly associated with you; the authority of law shall be ratified in your blood.” He then read the sentence of the court from a written tablet: “It is the sentence of this court that Thascius Cyprianus be executed with the sword.”
Cyprian: “Thanks be to God.”
The execution was carried out at once in an open place near the city. A vast multitude followed Cyprian on his last journey. He removed his garments without assistance, knelt down, and prayed. After he blindfolded himself, he was beheaded by the sword. The body was interred by Christians near the place of execution.[6]
Cyprian’s martyrdom was followed by the martyrdom of eight of his disciples in Carthage.[16][1]
From a Letter written to a new convert, 246 A.D.[2]
I promise to share with you the grace God in His great mercy has shown me, and to tell you as simply as I can what I have experienced since I was baptized.
Until that time, I was still living in the dark, knowing nothing of my true life. I was completely involved in this world’s affairs, influenced by all its changing moods and troubles, and exiled from the light of truth.
I had indeed been told that God offered men and women a second birth, by which we could be saved, but I very much doubted that I could change the kind of life I was then living.
Frankly, I could not see how a person could cast off his fallen nature, and be changed in heart and soul while he still lived in the same body as before. How was it possible, I asked myself, to change the habits of a lifetime instantaneously.
How can one suddenly rid oneself of accumulated guilt and break with sin that has become so deeply rooted in one’s life? Can a man whose life has been characterized by feasting and luxury, learn frugality and simplicity in a single moment? A person who craves public distinction and honor cannot bear to be passed over and unnoticed.
Another who is accustomed to throngs of flattering attendance, takes it a terrible penance to be left alone. Is every species of temptation suddenly to lose its force? Should we no longer feel the enticement of wine and good living, where pride no longer swells our heads or anger blazen our breasts? Shall we no longer be troubled by covetousness or cruelty or ambition or lust?
These were my thoughts. My past life was so burdened with so many sins, that I saw no way ever to be rid of, that I had grown accustomed to giving way to my weakness.
I despaired of ever being any better.Consequently, I simply humored my evil inclinations, and made no attempt to combat them.
But at last, I made up my mind to ask for Baptism. I went down into those life-giving waters, and all the stains of my past were washed away.
I committed my life to the Lord. He cleansed my heart and filled me with His Holy Spirit. I was born again, a new man.
And then in a most marvelous way, all my doubts cleared up, I could now see what had been hidden from me before. I found that I could do things that had previously been impossible.
I saw that as long as I had been living according to my lower nature, I was at the mercy of sin, and my course was set for death. But that by living according to my new birth in the Holy Spirit, I had already begun to share God’s eternal life. You know, as well as I do, what sins I died to at that moment, just as you know the gifts the Holy Spirit gave me with my new life. I have no desire to boast, but it is surely right to thank God for His free gift. It was through faith in Him, that I received the power to break with the sins into which my own folly had led me.
We have received the seal of the Holy Spirit. Our task now is to preserve the integrity of what we have received by living a truly Christian life. We must give time to prayer, and to the study of scripture. Now speaking to God; now listening to His word to us, and letting His teaching mold us. He has enriched us with a treasure no one can take away.
We have eaten and drunk at His heavenly banquet and can never again know the pinch of poverty.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian accessed Nov 3, 2022
[2] https://www.orthodox.net/articles/sacrament-baptism-cyprian-of-carthage.pdf accessed Nov 3, 2022