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Sunday, March 3, 2019

Thoughts About Undeclared Federal Agents


By Anna Von Reitz

Federal Agents have a moral and legal responsibility to disclose themselves for what they are when directly questioned. It arises from law forbidding entrapment, trespass, and other crimes.
Sometimes called a Bevins Declaration, you can put these Moles between a rock and a hard place simply by making a statement at the beginning of your actual Assembly meetings and calls to the effect:

"Anyone here still claiming any form of US Citizenship or employment with any Federal Agency is now -- for the next segment of the call (meeting, etc., ) invited to either declare your presence and business here, or directed to leave the Assembly at this time."
This allows the Assembly to have open calls and meetings where more people can be educated and assisted, but then also to close meetings and teleconferences to Federal Agents.
If Federal Agents fail to declare themselves and stay after they have been invited to leave, they have broken the law and anything they obtain as a result of acting in a clandestine fashion is tainted by fraud and inadmissible in court.
This can also help ferret out people in leadership positions who shouldn't be there.
The man actually responsible for the incarceration of the Colorado Nine was a Federal Insurance Agent named Michael R. Hamilton. At least, that is the name he used to do his dirty work.
He basically encouraged them to believe things that aren't true but which are incorrect "common knowledge".
So they believed that they were "US Citizens".
They believed that they were owed all the constitutional guarantees----while claiming to be US Citizens.
They believed that the "STATE OF COLORADO COURT" was their court and had to answer to their Grand Jury.
And none of those things are true. When I told them they were wrong and that none of these things were true, Michael R. Hamilton puffed out his chest and basically said, "Ignore her! She's just a woman!"
Michael R. Hamilton stood in the background and encouraged them to assume things they had assumed all their lives---- wrong things, as it happens---- and egged them on.
When it came time for the arrests, Michael R. Hamilton was nowhere to be found.
I wonder how much grief and loss could have been spared, if the organizers of the Colorado Assembly had simply made that little Bevins Declaration part of their ritual?
How much could have been spared if the men involved had been less "sure of what they didn't know"?
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Actual Reader Response From Colorado -- The Truth Again


By Anna Von Reitz

Here's just one of several "sympathy messages" I have received from those who lived through the lead-up to the arrest of the Colorado Nine, from people who remember the actual facts.  Read on: 
____________________

i read the recent NESARA article. I am furious.

The more i read. the more i knew it was wrong.

i, myself, sat in on many of the Colorado calls. Ranting to my husband the whole time about them playing lawyer....almost couldn't bear it. I wanted to know more and i was not comfortable with how they were proceeding. I am having the same concerns with the current group. However: the majority of the group has
publicly recorded their political status and paperwork.  Seems the order of the day is to just quickly skim some information and avoid the majority.

I know for a fact that none of them (Colorado nine)were "following" you.

I know that they were counting on their oath and allegiance to an assembly with the autographed stamps for insurance to show they were no longer a part of the U.S.

i followed the whole situation. You have been right on.

I do not recall any statement of political status.

I do know myself, first hand, that what is written about the "Colorado nine" is not accurate. I have no idea where they claim to get the information from.

I too have been questioning who is Destry? What is his position with his assembly? Why is everyone hanging on his every word? I still don't know. I asked my husband and he doesn't know either. I will not blindly be jumping in with his recommendations.

I know that you have praised the Michigan assembly in the past......but that was before Destry some how floated to the top, before Destry told others that they did not need to do paperwork.....and then before the rest started to follow. Did Michigan members ever correct political status in the past? i don't know that either.

I see that your presentations are organized, precise, consistent and always give me phrases, terms, or citation of authorities that i can always look up and read for myself.

When i hear some people talk, i know they have not really read what you said. I have seen myself, so much taken out of context.

Steaming here in Colorado....

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Special Note to The Seven Grumpy Old Men


By Anna Von Reitz

You have a situation where otherwise sane people actually think that 430 followed by three hundred zeroes is a number of "dollars".  

Only if you count the number of Hydrogen Ions in the Universe as "dollars".   

Obviously, all this crazy stuff has to end.  So let it end with a simple thought:

Lawful money belongs to Lawful Persons, that is, to People.   

We, the People, those actually standing on the land jurisdiction States, operating our States of the Union and our Federation of States known as The United States of America, are the only ones having the provenance, records, and standing to claim the assets owed to this country.  

We are here, with all the appropriate claims in place.  

No cops and robbers.  No Wolfgang Strucks.  No Ernest Rautschilds.  No Chinese Elders.  

Just plain old Americans who know the history and have their heads screwed on.  

Now, if you step back and think about it, isn't that a relief?  

And something to smile about?

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Basic Nomenclature


By Anna Von Reitz

So lets review basics and get everyone on the same page. 

There are exactly (3) three names associated with our country: 

1. The United States  -- a Union of soil jurisdiction republican states. 
2. The United States of America -- a Federation of land jurisdiction States.
3. and the States of America - a Confederation of inchoate States of States.

Please notice that the definite article "The" is part of the Proper Name of both "The United States" and "The United States of America", but is not part the name of the "States of America".  

Note that these Proper Names are always in Upper and Lower Case.  This is how they are officially "styled" and any other variation is not allowed when referencing our country and our states, however, also note that there have been commercial corporations infringing on these names for many years, and they have used and abused these names and applied them to commercial corporations.  

Thus we have Interlopers calling themselves "The United States of America" [Incorporated] and "The United States" [Incorporated] and even things like the "US Corp" and "USA, Inc." and so on, that have little or nothing to do with our actual government.  Some of these entities are governmental service providers.  Some are not.  

This means that when people start talking about "the US" and about "America" in loose terms, you always have to stop and ask yourself---- which entity are they talking about?  Our actual Union of states or our Federation of States or some go-lightly foreign commercial corporation infringing on our Good Names? 

Please note that both The United States (soil) and The United States of America (land) are populated by living people called "Natural Persons" and by "Lawful Persons" on the land.  These are all unincorporated entities, too.  

Your Proper Name, the one your parents gave you, which is also known as a Trade Name or Given Name, is a "Lawful Person" when you stand on the land, but is converted into a "Legal Person" when you stand on the sea.  

This distinction is very important.  

If you stand on the land, you are recognizable as an American State Citizen and as a Lawful Person owed all the guarantees of the Constitution, including safe passage when you venture out into the wide world of international trade and commerce.  

If you stand on the sea, you can be mistaken for a "stateless" Legal Person, from one of the inchoate "States of States" mentioned above, and known as either a "United States Citizen" or a "Citizen of the United States".   Such citizens have never been in receipt of any constitutionally protected rights or guarantees.  These "US Citizens" and "Citizens of the United States" are not part of the "People" while in Federal Service. 

The United States and The United States of America are both unincorporated organizations, called Corporate Persons.  They are not incorporated, but they are not sovereign entities, either.  Instead, they are Agencies for the sovereign governments of the people (Natural Persons) on the soil and the People (Lawful Persons) on the land.  

The United States serves the living people and their republican soil jurisdiction states of the Union.  The Texas Republic, for example,  is  their sovereign domestic realm.  Notice the small "s" on "state" in this context.   Notice that "The" is part of the Proper Name of "The Texas Republic". 

Notice that "The Texas Republic" (soil) is different from "The Republic of Texas" (surface water) and that these same conventions apply to all the other state republics which operate under similarly styled Proper Names and Conventions. 

The United States of America serves the Lawful Persons and their Federation of international land jurisdiction States in the same way.  Texas is the State representing Texans in this jurisdiction of the law.  Notice that "Texas" is just "Texas" --- no "the", "The", no "State of" --- just Texas is the name of this State of the Union.  

All the member States of The United States of America Federation are also very simply named: Wisconsin, Maine, Florida, New Hampshire.... 

These are the States that we are presently engaged in assembling.  

These States are populated by Lawful Persons known as either American State Nationals or American State Citizens, as for example, Wisconsin State Nationals or Ohio State Citizens.  

American State Nationals owe no service to any government.  They are Private Lawful Persons.  So long as they don't cause any harm to others or their property, they are free as birds. 

American State Citizens have voluntarily agreed to serve their State in some capacity or Office, this may be as simple as signing up for Jury Duty,  or joining the State Militia, or it may involve an elected Office, or it may involve being hired to perform a job under the auspices of the State. They are Public Lawful Persons.   They enforce the Public Law, including the Constitutions. 

In either case, Lawful Persons are members of the People and owed all the guarantees of the Federal Constitutions. 

And now we come to the Third Branch of the American Government, which is organized and chartered by the People of the States: the States of America Confederation, first organized as of March 1, 1781. 

Here we find "States of States" ---- not States.. 

"States of States" are chartered and incorporated entities created by States, thus were have "The State of Georgia" and "The State of New Hampshire", which are two of the original Confederated States, belonging to Georgia and New Hampshire, respectively.  

These States of States are commercial corporations chartered by the States.  

Any time you see the word "Confederate" we are talking about "States of States".  In fact, all the entities involved in the Civil War were "Confederate States" ---- meaning States of States, regardless of whether they were "North" or "South". 

States of States, unlike actual States, are not physically defined.  They have no borders or specific location in space.  They are called "inchoate" or "incomplete States" as a result. 

These entities function in the airy realm of Global Commerce, which is business between two or more incorporated entities.   

So the Pecking Order in the American Government goes like this:

The living people own the republican soil jurisdiction states operated as State Republics, for example, The Texas Republic and The Republic of Texas. 

Their Union of republican states doing business as The United States [Unincorporated} holds the land jurisdiction States and their Federation of States, The United States of America [Unincorporated], which the living people operate as Lawful Persons. 

And the member States of The United States of America charter, own, and operate the Confederation of States of States.  Texas owns The State of Texas, and New Hampshire owns The State of New Hampshire, for example, as businesses engaged in global commerce. 

Remember this very important fact:  "commerce"  is business between two or more incorporated entities. Everything else is either domestic (in-state) trade or International Trade, which includes business between incorporated and corporate entities.   

The original States of States which formed the primary part of the Federal Government ---  the Federal Branch of the Federal Government --- were mothballed after the Civil War, pending "Reconstruction" that never took place.

The actual States of the Union have to be assembled in order for the Federal States of States to be reconstructed and brought out of the mothballs.  

This is because only the States and People have the authority and power to charter their own States of States.  

And this is necessary because without our own Federal States of States, the Federal Government cannot function as it is meant to function and foreign interests are able to commandeer our business functions. 

We have been limping along using Territorial States of States and even Municipal STATES OF STATES, but what really needs to happen is for the States and People of this country to get organized and take care of their own vastly overdue business.  

So that's what we are doing, and of course, all those who have benefited from our failure to do this earlier, are aghast and trying to stop us and co-opt us and do everything they can to undermine and discredit our efforts and to keep the People from reconstructing their Federal States of States. 

But the stubborn facts remain:  

The republican states (people) own the Federation States and the (People/Lawful Persons) own the Confederation of States of States (Legal Persons--- including all Federal Persons.).     

The republican states (people) taken together are our National Government, the Federation States taken together are our International Government, and our Confederation States of States taken together are meant to operate our interests in the global realm of commerce.  

Please note that only Lawful Persons can operate in the realm of Lawful Money (gold and silver) and only Legal Persons can operate in the realm of Commercial Script.  

The dearth of American State Citizens consciously operating as Lawful Persons --- that is, People who are willing and able to operate in their birthright political capacity --- is causing problems not only for us, but for the whole world.  

Without Lawful Persons we can't operate our Lawful States and without Lawful States we can't incorporate new "States of States" or reconstruct the old ones. 
The sooner we face these facts and get our heads screwed on and our house in order, the better. 

The United States = National = State Republics = the Union

The United States of America = International = States of the Union = the Federation of States

the States of America = Global = Federal States of States = the Confederation of States of States. 

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Liars, Liars, Pants on Fire. Good-bye, MGJA


By Anna Von Reitz

Every suffering has a silver lining.

I can now say with certainty that BeforeItsNews and NesaraNews are Controlled Opposition websites and nothing you read there should be trusted. 

And here's the Proof that they are Liars: 

www.annavonreitz.com scroll down to Article 485

"An End of My Association With Bruce Doucette and Michael R. Hamilton"

This article was written several weeks prior to the actions that put the Colorado Nine in prison. It explains exactly what I told them and why I would not support them in the action that led to their imprisonment. 

Far from being the cause of their misery, I tried to save them. 

I warned them what would happen and begged them not to do what they proposed and I told them why. 

And they would not listen.

So now  I am doing the same thing with the Michigan General Jural Assembly and drawing a line between what they are doing and what I am doing--- for the same reasons I separated myself and my followers from the Colorado Nine. 

It was Michael R. Hamilton, an insurance company shill working for UN-DOD, that set up Bruce Doucette and the others. Not me. 

And besides my own words locked in the timeline on my website there are plenty of eye-witnesses to what went on in Colorado and to what I said and did, and they are outraged by these lies against me. 

The Truth will out. 

Anyone who doesn't understand jurisdiction and who doesn't make the effort to declare their identity and birthright political status runs the same risk as the Colorado Nine. 

And that is what Destry and these other Jokers want you to do. 

Stay there like defenseless sitting ducks ripe to be railroaded and arrested.  

That's what these guys get paid for-- to mislead you and lie to you and set you up, to make sure that your efforts go nowhere and to make use of your efforts to their own undisclosed ends. 

In this case, they are trying to set up another round of the same old fraud and set up a foreign commercial corporation merely calling itself "MICHIGAN"--- not the actual State of the Union that all of you have assumed you were working to rebuild.

The only "Sting" going on is theirs. 

But it's not going to wash. 

I already showed you the Registered Agents set up to work their vicious fraud scheme. 

And guess what? It's the same parent company group out of Nevada -- the same corrupt Generals who are trying to pull off the Zim and Iraqi Dinar scams and sell you their French version of Le Republique -- the French Rothschilds and their Flunkies in Uniform are behind all this. 

Everything they said about me is instead true about them. Just like I have always told you-- the pot always calls the kettle black, they always accuse their enemy of doing what they are doing. Always. Predictably.  

They are trying to get rich by robbing other countries and working currency scams.  They are working for NWO-UN-DOD "Special Ops".  They are working to co-opt what you have spent your time building to convert it into a foreign commercial corporation. 

And God forbid that you take my advice and come home to the land and soil of your actual State of the Union and claim your protections and guarantees and assets--- because then they won't be able to arrest and Railroad you like they did to Bruce Doucette and the others. 

Wake up, America. There are people here among us who look like Americans and talk like Americans--- but they aren't acting in the capacity of Americans. 

They are acting as employees of "Federal" commercial corporations--- "United States Citizens" and "Citizens of the United States".  Their allegiance is to foreign powers-- the Queen and the Pope. 

And many of them have no scruples and deserve no credibility. They think that their "job" is to enslave us and keep us in line. The fact that we are their actual employers doesn't cross their pig-like minds. 

So put them to the test. It's simple enough. 

Will they declare themselves to be American State Citizens? Yes or no? 

If no, whatever they are doing does not involve you and your State.  They are not Texans. They are not Coloradans. They are not Wisconsinites. They are "US Citizens" instead. 

You can be sure that if "US Citizens" are involved and they will not leave that status once it is explained to them---It's some kind of commercial corporation scam. 

Shake the dust from your feet and jog trot away. 

I am. 

I was right about the Colorado Nine and I am right about the direction the Michigan--- or should I say, MICHIGAN-- General Jural Assembly is headed,  too. 

If the rats can't get us to dig our own graves by setting up Assemblies they can co-opt they will fall back and tell some more lies. 

They will say that all the people associated with National Assembly are in insurrection. And they can make that claim against any "US Citizen" involved in forming any kind of State because it's not legal for actual "US Citizens" to assemble. 

Remember--US Citizens have never had any rights under the Constitution.  That includes having no right to assemble. 

I invite those of you who want to act as Lawful Persons and restore your actual States of the Union --and do so safely--come with me. 

I have done my duty and warned everyone. Again. 

This is my Public Notice that I am not associated with the National Assembly promoted by Destry Payne and the Michigan General Jural Assembly. 

We will be launching a new country-wide teleconference and video series soon for The American States Assembly. 

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Quinquagesima Sunday

Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year


The Introit of this day's Mass is the sigh of an afflicted soul confiding in God:

INTROIT Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of refuge, to save me: for thou art my strength and my refuge: and for thy name's sake thou wilt be my leader, and wilt nourish me. (Fs. XXX. 3. 4.) In thee , O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy justice, and set me free. (Ps. XXX. 2.)
COLLECT O Lord, we beseech Thee, graciously hear our prayers, and unloosing the bonds of our sins, guard us from all adversity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end, Amen.
EPISTLE (I. Cor. XIII. 1-13.) Brethren, if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not; dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; is not ambitious; seeketh not her own; is not provoked to anger; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.
EXPLANATION In this epistle St. Paul speaks of the necessity, the excellence and the nature of true charity. He says that all natural and supernatural gifts, all good works, even martyrdom, cannot save us if we have not charity; because love alone can render our works pleasing to God. Without charity, therefore, though ever so many prayers be recited, fasts observed , and good deeds performed, nothing will be acceptable to God, or merit eternal life. Strive then, O Christian soul, to lead a pious life in love, and to remain always in the state of grace.
Can faith alone, as the so-called Reformers assert, render man just and save him?
Faith alone, however strong, though it could move mountains, without love, that is, without good works performed for love of God and our neighbor, can never justify or save us. For, when St. Paul says, that man is justified by faith without works, (Rom. III. 28.; XI: 6.; Eph. II. 8. 9.) he means to refer to those works which were performed by command of the law of Moses, and which, as they were external and without true charity, were of no avail; he did not refer to those works which are performed in a state of grace with a lively, love-inspired faith. Therefore the same Apostle writes to the Galatians: (Gal. V. 6.) Faith only availeth which worketh by charity; to Titus: (Tit. III. 8.) It is a faithful saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men; and he exhorts the Colossians (Colos. I. 10.) to be fruitful in every good work. St. James confirms the same by saying: (James II. 17-24.) So faith if it have not works, is dead in itself; by works man is justified and not by faith only. That this is the true doctrine of Christ is evident from His own words, when He says: "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down and shall be cast into the fire." (Matt. VII. 19.) At the day of judgment Christ will demand good works from all men, (Matt. XXV. 35.) and will not judge them only according to their faith, but by their good works, which true faith must always produce. (Apoc. XX. 12.) Would Christ and His apostles demand good works, if faith alone be sufficient? "The devil's also believe and tremble," (James II. 19.) they believe, but they are not saved, and their faith but increases their torments. Therefore, the assertion that faith without good works is sufficient for justification and salvation, is plainly against the doctrine of Christ and His Church, and must of necessity lead man to vice and misery, as shown by the history of the unhappy separation of the sixteenth century
Are good works available which are performed in the state of mortal sin ?
Good works performed while in a state of mortal sin avail nothing in regard to eternal life, writes St. Lawrence Justinian, but aid in moderating the punishment imposed for disobedience and the transgression of God's commandments. They bring temporal goods, such as honor, long life, health, earthly happiness, etc.; they prevent us from falling deeper into sin, and prepare the heart for the reception of grace; so the pious Person writes: "Do as much good as you can, even though in the state of mortal sin, that God may give light to your heart."
ASPIRATION O God of love, pour the spirit of true charity into my heart that, according to the spirit of St. Paul, I may endeavor to be always in a state of grace; that all my works may be pleasing to Thee, and meritorious for me.

GOSPEL (Luke XVIII. 31-43.) At that time, Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said to them Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged, and spit upon; and after they have scourged him, they will put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the way-side, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Why did Christ so often foretell His passion to His disciples?
Because He wanted to show how great was His desire to suffer for us, for we speak often of that which we crave; and because He wished His disciples when they should see Him treated as a criminal and martyred, not to think evil of Him, or imagine themselves deceived, but remember that He had foretold all minutely that all happened of His own will.
Did not the disciples  understand anything of what He predicted in regard to His future sufferings?
They may, certainly, have well understood He was to suffer, for which reason Peter tried to dissuade Him from it; (Matt. XVI. 22.) but they did not comprehend why or for what He would suffer, or how He would rise again. All this the Holy Ghost gave them to understand, after it had come to pass. (John XIV. 26.) The light of the Holy Ghost is of so much value, that without it even the clearest doctrines of faith are not understood.
Why does Christ so often call Himself the Son of Man?
He wished to show, in the Jewish way of speaking, He was also man, a descendant of Adam, and that we should be humble, and not seek or desire high titles.
Why did the blind man call Christ the Son of David?
Because, like all the Jews, he believed that the Messiah, according to humanity, would be of the house of David, as was promised. (Ps. CXXXI. 11.)
Why did Christ ask the blind man: What wilt thou that I do to thee?
This He asked, not because He was unaware of the blind man's wish, but to enable him the better to prove his faith and hope that through Christ he would receive his sight; and to teach us how willing He is to help us, and how it pleases Him if we confidingly place our wants before Him. We should learn from this blind man, who would not be restrained by the passing crowd in his ardent and reiterated request, not to pay attention, in the work we have commenced, to human respect, or human judgment, but to persevere, and not allow ourselves to be led astray by the world's mockery or contempt. We should also learn to be grateful to God, and faithfully cling to Him, if He has once opened the eyes of our mind, and healed our spiritual blindness, which is far more deplorable than physical blindness, for nothing can be more miserable than not to see and understand God, not to know what is necessary for our salvation, and what is pernicious.
Why is this gospel read on this Sunday?
The Church wishes to remind us of the painful passion and death of Jesus, and to move us by the contemplation of those mysteries to avoid and despise the wicked, heathenish amusements of carnival, sinful pleasures which she has always condemned, because they come from dark paganism, and, to avert the people from them, commands that during the three days of carnival the Blessed Sacrament shall be exposed for public adoration, sermons given, and the faithful exhorted to have recourse at this time to the Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, with the reception of which Pope Clement XIII. (Breve, 23. June 1765) connected a plenary indulgence. A true Catholic will conform to the desire of his holy Church, considering the words which St. Augustine spoke, at this time, to the faithful, "The heathens (as also the wordly people of our days) shout songs of love and merriment, but you should delight in the preaching of the word of God; they rush to the dramatic plays, but you should hasten to Church; they are intoxicated, but you should fast and be sober."
PRAYER O most benign Jesus! who didst so desire to suffer for us, grant, that we may willingly suffer for love of Thee; that we may hate and flee from the detestable pleasures of the world and the flesh, and practice penance and mortification, that by so doing we may merit to be released from our spiritual blindness to love Thee more and more ardently, and finally possess Thee forever.
INSTRUCTION ON LENT
Who instituted Lent?
According to the fathers of the Church, Justin and Irenaeus, the fast before Easter was instituted and sanctified by Christ Himself; according to the saints Leo and Jerome, the holy apostles ordained it given by Jesus.
Why has the Church instituted this fast forty days before Easter?
To imitate Christ who fasted forty days; to participate in His merits and sufferings; to subject our flesh by voluntary mortification to the spirit, and to mortify our evil desires as did St. Paul; (Col. I. 24.) to enable us to lead a pure life, and thus prepare for the holy festival of Easter, and the reception of the divine Lamb, Jesus: and, finally, to render God satisfaction for our sins, and do penance, as Pope Gregory says, for the sins of one whole year by one short fast, lasting only the tenth part of a year.
Was the fast of Lent observed in early times as in the present?
Yes, but more strictly; for the people of the early ages not only abstained from meat, but also from all that which is connected with it, such as eggs, butter, cheese, etc., even from wine and fish, although this was not the general command of the Church; they fasted all day, and only ate in the evening after vespers, in remembrance of which, vespers are now said before dinner-time, because the Church, as a kind mother, now permits the supper to be changed into a dinner, and also allows something to be taken in the evening, that the body may not be too much weakened, and become unfit for labor.
How much does this ancient custom put to shame the Christians of to-day who think the fast in our times too severe! "But," asks St. Ambrose, "what sort of Christians are they? Christ, who never sinned fasted for our sins, and we will not fast for our own great and numerous offences?"
How should the holy season of Lent be spent?
As according to the teaching of St. Leo, the main thing in fasting is not that the body be deprived of food, but that the mind at the same time be withdrawn from wickedness, we should endeavor during Lent, not only to be temperate in eating and drinking, but especially to lead a modest life, sanctifying the days by persevering prayer and devoutly attending church.
PRAYER AT THE BEGINNING OF LENT
Almighty God! I unite myself at the beginning of this holy season of penance with the Church militant, endeavoring to make these days of real sorrow for my sins and crucifixion of the sensual man. O Lord Jesus! in union with Thy fasting and passion, I offer Thee my fasting in obedience to the Church, for Thy honor, and in thanksgiving for the many favors I have received, in satisfaction for my sins and the sins of others, and that I may receive the grace to avoid such and such a sin, N. N. and to practice such and such a virtue, N. N.