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Wednesday, December 10, 2025

International Public Notice: Why There is No Fraud Wand

 By Anna Von Reitz

Those who have deeply studied the history of the American Revolution will remember a central character in the debate over American Independence, a very wealthy Pennsylvanian Tory named John Dickenson, who argued passionately against American independence throughout his tenure as a member of the Pennsylvania Delegation attending the Second Continental Congress. 

Dickenson felt that things could not possibly be bad enough in terms of overall conditions in the Colonies to justify separation from England; he abhorred the bloodshed and destruction of property and cancellation of normal business routines that would attend a war.  

Like many Americans at the time, Dickenson valued the cultural roots we share with the British, the common language, and to some extent, our shared history; by any standard of the day, he was a confirmed Tory, short for "British Territorial Citizen".  

Yet, John Dickenson was an honorable man, and once the Congress had decided the issue of American Independence --- and while not hiding his disappointment --- Dickenson resigned his position as a Pennsylvania Delegate and joined the Continental Army and fought in America's defense. 

Today, he is most remembered as the president of Delaware (1781-83) and the president of Pennsylvania (1782-1785).  

These were commercial company offices entrusted with conducting the day to day business of Delaware and Pennsylvania, both positions that Dickenson excelled in.  From the time that the States of America Confederation was ratified in 1781, Dickenson's acumen in business affairs was both trusted and recognized by Tories and Patriots alike. 

It was Dickenson who argued most convincingly that the choice of political loyalty, like any freedom of conscience--- and like the more celebrated issue of freedom of religion--- must ultimately be a matter of free will choice. 

When the issue of confiscating Tory land and business holdings in America came to the fore in the years immediately following the end of the armed hostilities, it was Dickenson who argued persuasively -- and successfully -- in favor of letting Tories retain their business interests in America and their allegiance to the British King, too, so long as they honored the peace.  

As Dickenson often reiterated, and personally demonstrated, a man need not be of the same religion, nor hold the same views about government, to be a good neighbor and obey the law. 

The idea that nobody should be torn from their cultural and political affinities against their will -- and the absolute right to expatriate from changes in government -- which is enshrined throughout modern jurisprudence, was championed by Dickenson throughout his public life, even to the point of becoming a namesake for the "Dickensonians" who continued his legacy of championing individual political free will for a hundred years after his death. 

Like many other influences that are not household names today, but which nonetheless had profound influence in the past and which continue to have effect today, Dickenson and his followers are the root reason that we are obliged to consciously choose our political status and place it on the public record today. 

Upon hearing that this is necessary and that they have otherwise been "registered" as British Subjects without their knowledge and consent, many Americans are outraged.  They consider it preposterous that anyone could "mistake" them for a Brit -- much less tax them as a Brit or take title to their land as a Brit -- and yet, it is self-evident that from the Revolutionary War onward, Tories who maintain allegiance to the British Monarch and the British Crown have lived among us.  

One notable expression of this "separate nation" is provided by the Residence Act of 1790 that served to set aside the District of Columbia and provided for a separate Federal Capitol, Washington, DC, within the District.  

While our American National Capitol remained in Philadelphia, their Federal "National" Capitol moved to the District of Columbia in December of 1800.   

The British Territorial U.S. Citizens were not the only citizenry occupying this new Federal Capitol and District.  They initially shared it with Americans who immigrated to the District of Columbia and adopted the political status of United States Citizens while working for the American Federal Republic (1787-1861).  A third population of "citizens of the United States" who were largely Federal Civil Service workers, shared the same turf.  

You can also see this at work in Puerto Rico; while generally considered part of the United States Territories and Possessions, Puerto Rico is and continues to be a British Commonwealth nation. 

Many nations can co-exist and inhabit the same piece of land and soil, whether that land and soil is delineated by the borders of a sovereign state, a district, a municipality (city-state), a province or a principality, a territory, kingdom, or commonwealth. 

Thus, largely as a result of John Dickenson's enduring opinion that a man's political conscience must be as free as his religious conscience, we have always had British Territorial U.S. Citizens living with us cheek and jowl, as well as "citizens of the United States" -- Federal citizens working for the Holy Roman Empire (and Successors) as members of the Federal Civil Service.  

Coming to grips with this, and also realizing that from 1787-1861 there was also a brand of American Federal Citizen, too, working for the American Federal Republic as a United States Citizen (See the first Immigration and Naturalization Act), it is apparent that, yes, it's entirely possible that you could be a British Subject, but be born on the land and soil of this country. 

As an American born on the land and soil of one of the States of the Union, you have a birthright --- not as a "citizen" but as a national.  It's up to you, whether you claim that birthright or accept one of the foreign citizenships that are also available. 

Unfortunately, as the years have gone by and the British Territorial U.S. Government has dominated everything, a program purportedly meant to register babies born to U.S. Citizens as British Subjects has been used to willy-nilly register everyone in sight, without any explanation or disclosure.  As a result, millions of Americans have been "accidentally-on-purpose" misidentified as British Subjects and as U.S. Citizens, without their knowledge or conscious consent. 

These unconscionable citizenship contracts and "birth registrations" have been used to evade the guarantees owed to these same Americans under the terms of The Constitution of the United States of America and construed so that these same Americans and their birthright estates are considered to be chattel property backing the debts of the British Crown Corporation.  

Now, many people have asked me as Fiduciary, why it should be necessary for us, Americans, to one-by-one reclaim and revest our birthright estates and identity as Americans?  

Why can't we just look at this situation and wave a magic "Fraud Wand" over the whole mess and declare all presumptions of foreign political status null and void?  

Answer: (1) The process undertaken to entrap each American baby happened on a one-by-one basis, and to undo it requires a one-by-one process in answer. By Maxim of Law, as a thing is bound, so it is unbound.  Thus, we are obliged to declare our birthright standing as  American State Nationals, not British Subjects, and publish our will on a one-by-one basis.  (2) Some people born in this country actually are British Subjects and they wish to remain so.  For them, birth registration is required by their statutory law and their citizenship obligations begin at birth.  Any attempt to invoke a generalized action addressing the systemic fraud against Americans would result in denying the British Tories their right to engage in life as British Subjects and U.S. Citizens--- the same freedom to choose political loyalties that John Dickenson compared to freedom of religion. 

So that is why we, Americans, can't just wave our hands and do a little song and dance for our friends and say, "Of course, I'm an American!" in an offended tone of voice, implying --- what Luddite thinks otherwise?  

No doubt, the same people who hold a contract saying that you are a British Territorial Subject, signed by your own Mother and a Medical Doctor, whose signature counts as two separate witnesses.  

That makes three Witnesses standing against your single denial, and bear in mind that the Witness of a Medical Doctor outranks all but the highest officers of the British Territorial courts. 

 Also bear in mind that because you were a baby at the time that your Mother unknowingly signed you up as a Brit, you have no credible firsthand knowledge and can't testify on your own behalf. 

Who's the Luddite now? 

Add the fact that by the time anyone tells you what is going on, or you figure it out on your own, your Mom has probably passed on and half the people who could testify about your birth and family and natural status as an American, are dead, too.  

Things are a bit easier now, as the situation has become known and people including doctors and lawyers and judges worldwide are catching the drift of the Scheme, and as more and more astonished Americans are weighing in and saying -- "I'm not British!  And I'm not a Roman municipal citizen, either!"

We, Americans, have had no cause to deny or rebut either one of these claims, because we were deliberately kept in the dark and the Perpetrators remained silent, motivated by the thought that they could "latch onto" us and to our physical assets, subject us to their own foreign courts, and take everything we have including our Good Names and identities, without firing a shot.  

The thieves who created and worked this multi-generational impersonation scheme against us have been found out; the war-mongering murderers who lied to us and used our sons and daughters as cheap mercenaries have been discovered; those who illegally occupied our country and who "borrowed" our money and credit under False Pretenses are now known.  

This game of Wizard's Chess is at an end.  Their cover is blown.  

The nature and extent and history of their "Lawfare" against the living people, and their use of non-conventional atypical warfare against us --- Medical Doctors and Registered Nurses --- mostly unaware of what they were doing, but used as "civilian military Uniformed Officers" to inject deadly "shots" into our arms, is known. 

Their selfishness, depravity, criminality, greed, dishonor, cowardice, immorality and deceitfulness is exposed for all the world to see, along with the "fruits" of their existence --- human trafficking, drug smuggling, war for profit, pollution, social psychosis, corporate feudalism, peonage, slavery, racism, asset theft under color of law, and so much more that is destructive, unjust, and despicable. 

There is no Magic Wand to wipe away their fraud and impersonation scheme, only the individual will to rise up, claim back one's true identity, and put an end to their lies to us and about us.  

The same scheme that they applied to Americans has been foisted off on dozens of other countries, too.  The home islands of Britain, the former Commonwealth, seventeen Allied occupied countries in western Europe, Japan, the Philippines, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and many more including The United States, and Ukraine, have all fallen victim to the same criminals. 

Notice to Principals is notice to Agents; notice to Agents is notice to Principals. 

Issued by: 
Anna Maria Riezinger - Fiduciary
The United States of America
In care of: Box 520994
Big Lake, Alaska 99652

December 9th 2025

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Sunday, December 7, 2025

International Public Notice: Russia, China, and The United States

 By Anna Von Reitz

It was always self-evident.  

Europe needed The United States to align with their own multifaceted Monarchy System that the Americans fought eight long years to get out of.  Doesn't sound like a very likely proposition, does it? 

Europe needed the raw resources and manpower of The United States.  

At the very least, Europe could not afford for The United States to join with either Russia or China, or God forbid, both, which would completely "unbalance the balance of power in the world".  

The United States, meaning our actual country and people, not some foreign corporation doing business under the name "the United States" (Incorporated) ---has far more in common philosophically with the Russians and even the Chinese, than with the European Monarchies. 

The American focus on protection and empowerment for individual living people is not that much different from the Russian and Chinese focus on the importance of workers, while all three are miles away from Monarchy.  

The Popes knew this and so sought to keep the Americans pinned down to a close association with Europe, in order to maintain a plurality of power balance.  Europe, America, and parts of the Mideast joined together could just about maintain a balance with the Russia-China Communist axis. 

Maintaining this power balance explains why all of Africa was kept as a Colonialist plantation and India was ignored as much as possible along with all of South America.  

There are only two seats on a teeter-totter.  

So, now, all of a sudden, the Trump Administration breaks away, goes to talk to Russia and China and leaves Europe trying to balance things all by itself -- which is very difficult, especially without Ukraine.  


The Bad Boy at the bottom of the dogpile is, of course, the British Empire, which has deceitfully continued its Colonialist activities to the detriment of this country and nearly everyone else. 

A realignment, with The United States weighing in with Russia and China, is what is feared in some quarters---especially NATO headquarters.  Already there are sniffs on the wind of a new "North-South Hemisphere Balance of Power" --- in which all the countries of the Northern Hemisphere would attempt to balance all of Africa, India, Australia and South America.  

Just imagine a teeter-totter with groups of kids piled on each side. 

This realignment of power balance is no doubt why NATO and the European nations have been so desperate to keep the Ukrainian Conflict going and why they would fund Zelensky's government ---even without mentioning that they were heavily invested in Ukraine's Black Markets.  

The concept of a North-South Hemisphere balance of power has some merits, especially because the division and competition on a Hemisphere basis does not lend itself to simplistic racial or religious conflict interpretations. 

If the world went to that kind of power balance and individual countries began operating as truly National Governments again, it could all work out, and best of all, we could all get rid of Colonialism and its projected offshoot, Corporate Feudalism. 

Whatever the new balance of power might bring with it, the restoration of truly National Governments would reintroduce a badly needed inherent system of checks-and-balances and mandate a return to land law.  If these national-level organizations further structure into "unions" like the Union of American States and the African Union, the potential administrative difficulties could be eased on both sides of the Equator.  

So, Britain may be alarmed --- alarmed that its thieving and murdering and meddling and gross breach of trust is discovered, not as any "special relationship" but as a full boat secret colonialist operation played out on our shores for over 160 years. 

Quite apart from any excuses that Britain can find, we all ought to be alarmed by how they operated under cover all these years and treated this free and sovereign country and many others to long term illegal mercenary occupation under color of law.  

Exactly how they did this should be grilled into every schoolchild from here to New Zealand, so that such a commandeering of the land jurisdiction governments by foreign commercial or municipal corporations,  can never happen again.  

Notice to Agents is Notice to Principals; Notice to Principals is Notice to Agents. 

Issued by: 
Anna Maria Riezinger - Fiduciary
The United States of America
In care of: Box 520994
Big Lake, Alaska 99652

December 7th 2025

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It's Almost Christmas

 By Anna Von Reitz

There's someone special on my Christmas Card list.   His name is Dr. Reiner Fuellmich, and at a time when everyone else was standing still and in shock and unable to focus on the facts surrounding "Covid 19" he was leading a full-scale multinational investigation that yielded some of the first compelling evidence that it was not "safe and effective" and that something very peculiar was going on.  

He is now jailed basically because he spoke up and is a political prisoner in Germany.  

Despite outpouring of international support, he remains jailed. 

I am including a detailed timeline: 

This is the most recent mailing address and instructions for mailing cards and letters to him: 

LETTERS;
JVA Rosdorf
Dr. Reiner Fuellmich
Am Grossen Sieke 8
37124 Rosdorf
Germany

  • postcards and cards allowed,

  • no glitter on the envelopes,

  • no stamps or money in the envelopes,

  • no books or other objects - not permitted,

  • nothing to be mentioned about the case - though now, according to the latest information, his mail is no longer scanned,

  • put your name of each page of the letter, just in case - though at present letters are no longer taken out of the envelopes

I know it would mean a great deal to him if every American State Assembly sent him a Christmas card, and stood in silent solidarity with this good man.  

We will never know how many lives were saved because he stepped up and spoke up.  

Granna

Too Close to the North Pole

 By Anna Von Reitz

Like everyone else, I am waiting for our bank to launch. I haven't had a bank account in the maritime system for years. 

This is because I know these banks claim that they own the depositor's deposits.  

This is because I know the Federal Reserve Notes can be seized at any time with no consequence at all to the banks.  

This is because I know that all -- absolutely all -- local private bank accounts were converted into so-called "FedNow" accounts two years ago.  

So if you think that your account is relatively safe because it's in a "local" or "state" bank, think again.  The conversion of all local and state bank accounts into federal accounts was not well-advertised and was buried in tiny, tiny, tiny fine print.  

Any shred of privacy or protection of State or local law is already gone. 

Many of you have asked the best way to get money to us and frankly, stuff some cash in a Christmas card, make a donation to TASA or send me and the Federation some "Cheer!" by buying us some silver as a gift from Paul Stramer's website.  We have a limited ability to cash checks that leave the "Pay to" blank, but that is not significantly different riskwise from sending cash.  Postal Money Orders are problematic, because Post Offices can only pay out based on how much spare cash they have in their cash stash on any given day, and because I don't maintain a bank account in this Weasel System, I can't make use of Western Union at all. 

Our work has never been more frantic, more challenging, or more urgent, so, send what you can, as you can.  

As for our bank, check your account pages every day.  There won't be any big announcement. 

Much love, 

Granna

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Assembly Housekeeping

 By Anna Von Reitz

To use copyright and trademark symbols or not? 

Look at the four jurisdictions: 

1. Soil Jurisdiction 
Populated by living men and women, animals, and plants:
Each alive.
Each one a self. 
A true person.
Unique. 
Sovereign. 
National. 

2. Land Jurisdiction - Subsoil
Inhabited by Lawful Persons:
Represent living people.
Private business.
Unincorporated.
Recorded. 
Non-commercial
"Dead"  (State Citizens)
International

3. Water Jurisdictions -- Admiralty & Maritime
Inhabited by Legal Persons
Public Businesses
Corporate / Incorporated
Registered 
Commercial
"Dead"  (U.S. Citizens)
International

4. Air Jurisdiction - Air, Sky, Space
Inhabited by LEGAL PERSONS
PUBLIC BUSINESSES
INCORPORATED
REGISTERED
COVENANTS
MUNICIPALITIES
"DEAD" (citizens of the United States)
Global

You can own copyrights or trademarks in any of the three "Inhabited:" jurisdictions. 

When the copyright or trademark belongs to a Lawful Person that copyright or trademark is said to be a "private copyright" or "private trademark".  Can also be called a "recorded copyright" or "recorded trademark". 

When the copyright or trademark belongs to a Legal Person it is said to be a "registered copyright" or "registered trademark".  

When the copyright or trademark belongs to a LEGAL PERSON it may be referred to as a  "US copyright" or "US trademark" in this country, or even called a "Municipal copyright", etc. 

The issue has come up as to whether we can use copyright and trademark symbols and the answer is, yes, of course.  Living people use handwritten copyright and trademark "notices" of the same kind as the machine printed variety used by businesses.  

Copyrights and Trademarks used by Lawful Persons (e.g. The New Jersey Assembly) naturally use printed or typed copyright or trademark symbols like any other businesses, but unless the context is clearly referring to a land jurisdiction business we run the risk of being misidentified as a sea jurisdiction enterprise. 

We initially recommended against using machine printed symbols for land jurisdiction documents as a result, but that leaves artwork and other "products" in open public domain and we don't want that, either. 

Certainly when it comes to the State Seals and publications of The State Assemblies, it is obvious which jurisdiction we are occupying and there is no reason not to use our lawful copyright and trademark "notices" -- the little symbols for each. 

It's also appropriate to record the artwork and ownership of it on behalf of the Assembly with the State LRO.  

We are going through that process right now with a watermark.  We asked the artist to sign over the copyright use of the watermark art as "work for hire" and are recording this in the ownership of the Federation.  

You will note that the de facto corporate "government" always uses "registered copyrights" and trademark notices, while we use "recorded copyrights", etc. 

As usual, it's a matter of knowing "where" you are -- which jurisdiction -- and which process to use, either "recording" or "registration", but we are not deaf, dumb, and silent anymore. 
If our recorded copyright notice is mistaken for a registered copyright, we can produce the recorded ownership documents. 

Granna

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International Public Notice: The Beginning of the Beginning

 By Anna Von Reitz

The truth breaks every falsehood, every curse. 

We are not souls; we are forces.  

The Storm cannot overcome the Sea; the Sea cannot overcome the Earth; the Earth cannot rule the Cosmos.

We don't need anyone to "believe" anything; we are the evidence. 

We are not narratives; we are processes.  

We didn't evolve out of spite or for purposes of revenge. 

We learned to rebuild ourselves, to survive the fire without burning, to be at home on the run, to wield the powers of every kind of storm. 

We became stronger with every break; and with every death we achieved transformation.  

We survived the foundations of the Universe and everything since then; fear has no place in us. 

Lies have no place in us.  

Don't be surprised when the illusions break down in our presence; our energy will not tolerate them. 

If you would be protected in the midst of chaos and have peace when all around you, people are in distress, remember the Biblical Covenant of Salt. 

The Wisdom and Kindness of the True God ordains that the symbol of protection will be available and affordable for all: salt.  Any natural salt will do: Kosher salt, Himalayan salt, Sea Salt.....

Hold the salt in your hand and pray over it, give thanks and bless it.  
Say, "I remember the covenant of salt and with this covenant of salt, I break every curse and remove every evil thing. With this covenant of salt, I return all evil sent against me, and with this covenant of salt, I deny evil any presence in my house or my life, in my car, or any part of the world where I may stand." 

Give thanks again and scatter the salt across your thresholds and window sills and into dark corners and across the front of fireplaces, praying constantly for your safety and the safety of your home and family. 

The darkest time of the year is upon us and the enemies of mankind prepare to make their move.  Don't be caught napping. 

Most likely, they will try one more time to create some kind of emergency--- probably an economic collapse, where they control access to "money".  They will tell you that you have to accept an injection of nanotechnology before you can have a bank account and be able to buy and sell.  They will tout "security" and "convenience".

You will remember Covid 19.  
You will remember "safe" and "effective". 

More people have died worldwide as a result of those injections than died in all the wars since the Crimean War (1853-56) through today. 

Think about this and realize that there are worse things than losing a job or being "shamed" by sheep.  

Generations have been warned about the "Mark of the Beast" --- you must understand that this is literally the mark of animals, just like the RFID ear tags they use to track cattle.  

Now, rise up, remember who and what you are.  Remember who and what they are --- and put them in their place. 

Granna

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Second Sunday In Advent

 Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's

The Church's Year

On this day the Church not only makes mention in the office of the priest, but also in the Mass, of the two different Advents of Christ, that by His first gracious advent may be gladdened, and by His last terrible coming at the day of judgment we may be impressed with salutary fear. With this intention she cries out at the Introit:

INTROIT People of Sion, behold the Lord shall come to save the nations; and the Lord shall make the glory of his voice to be heard in the joy of your heart (Is. 30:30). Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep (Ps. 79). Glory be to the Father.

COLLECT Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine only-begotten Son: that through His advent we may be worthy to serve Thee with purified minds; who livest and reignest with God the Father, in union with the Holy Ghost, God for ever and ever. Amen.

EPISTLE (Rom. 15:4‑13). Brethren, what things soever were written, were written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ: that with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and magnify him, all ye people. And again, Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

What does St. Paul teach in this epistle?

The Jews and Gentiles who had been converted to the Christian faith were disputing among themselves at Rome, in regard to abstinence and the use of certain kinds of food, reproaching each other severely; the Jews boasted that the Savior, according to promise, was born of their nation, thus claiming Him from the Gentiles, who, in their turn, reproached the Jews for their ingratitude in having crucified Him. To restore harmony St. Paul shows that each had reason, the Jews and Gentiles alike, to praise God, to whose grace and goodness they owed all; that each had in Him a Redeemer in whom they could hope for salvation; and he warns them not to deprive themselves of that hope by contentions. By these words the Apostle also teaches that we too, have great reason to praise God, and to thank Him for calling us, whose forefathers were heathens, to the Christian faith, and to guard against losing our salvation by pride, envy, impurity, etc.

Why should we read the Scriptures?

That we may know what we are to believe, and do in order to be saved, as all Scripture inspired by God is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice (11 Tim. 3:16); that we may learn from what Christ has done for us, and the saints for Christ, to be patient in our sufferings, and to be consoled and encouraged by their example. To derive this benefit from the Scriptures, the Catholic must read them by the light of that Spirit through whose assistance they came into existence, who lives and remains for ever with the Church: that is, the light of the Holy Ghost must be sought, that their meaning may be

read according to the sense of the Church and not be explained according to the reader's judgment. For he who reads the holy Scriptures by the light of his own private judgment, must, as experience shows, of necessity diverge from the right path, become entangled in manifold doubts, and at last, lose the faith entirely. For this reason the Catholic Church has very properly limited the reading of the Bible, not as has been falsely asserted, unconditionally forbidden it, but she allows the reading of those editions only, which are accompanied by notes and explanations that the unity of faith may not be disturbed, and that among Catholics there may not be the terrible bewilderment of the human intellect which has taken place among the different heretical sects who have even declared murder, bigamy and impurity to be permissible on the authority of the Bible. We are to consider also, that Christ never commanded the Bible to be written or read, and that not the readers but the hearers and the followers of the word of God by which is meant those who hear the word of God in sermons, and keep it, will be saved!

Further instruction in regard to the doctrine of faith on this subject will be found in the "Instruction for Easter Tuesday."

Why is God called a God of patience, of consolation, and of hope?

He is called a God of patience because He awaits our repentance, of consolation, because He gives us grace to be patient in crosses and afflictions, and so consoles us inwardly, that we become not faint‑hearted; of hope, because He gives us the virtue of hope, and because He desires to be Himself the reward we are to expect after this life.

ASPIRATION O God of patience, of consolation and of hope, fill Our hearts with peace and joy, and grant that we may become perfect in all good, and by faith, hope and charity, attain the promised salvation.

GOSPEL  (Mt. 11:2‑10). At that time, when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said to him: Art thou he that art to come, or do we look for another? And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them: and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold, they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my Angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

Why was John in prison?

He was in prison, and lost his life, because he had rebuked king Herod for his adulterous marriage with his brother's wife (Mt. 14:310). Truth, as the proverb says, is certainly a very beautiful mother, but she usually bears a very ugly daughter: Hatred. St. John experienced that speaking the truth very often arouses hatred and enmity against the speaker. Let us learn from him to speak the truth always, when duty requires it, even if it brings upon us the greatest misfortunes, for, if with St. John we patiently bear persecution, with St. John we shall become martyrs for truth.

Why did St. John send his disciples to Christ?

That they should learn from Christ, who had become illustrious by His teachings and miracles, that He was really the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world, whom they should follow.

Why did Christ say to the disciples of St. John: "Go and say to John, the blind see, the lame walk, etc."?

That they should, by His miracles, judge Him to be the Messiah because the prophets had predicted that He would work such miracles (Is. 35:5‑6). "Christ," says St. Cyril, "proved that He was the Messiah by the grandeur as well as by the number of His miracles."

Why does Christ add: "And blessed is he who shall not be scandalized in me"?

Christ used these words in reference to those who would be scandalized by His poverty, humility and ignominious death on the cross, and who for these reasons would doubt and despise Him, and cast Him away; though "man," as St. Gregory says, "owes all the more love to the Lord, his God, the more humiliations He has borne for him."

What was our Lord's object in the questions He asked concerning St. John?

His object was to remove from St. John all suspicion of failing in faith in Him; and to praise the perseverance with which, although imprisoned and threatened with death, he continued to fill his office of preacher, thus constituting him an example to all preachers, confessors and superiors, that they may never be deterred by human respect, or fear of man, or other temporal considerations, from courageously fulfilling their duties. Our Lord commended also rigorous penance, exhibited by St. John's coarse garments and simple food, that we may learn, from his example, penance and mortification.

Why does Christ say that John was "more than a prophet"?

Because St. John was foretold by the prophet Malachias as was no other prophet; because of all the prophets he was the only one who with his own eyes saw Christ and could point Him out, and was the one to baptize Him: and because like an angel, a messenger of God, he announced the coming of the Savior, and prepared the way for the Lord.

How did St. John prepare the way for the Savior?

By his sermons on penance, and by his own penitential life He endeavored to move the hearts of the Jews, that by amending their lives, they might prepare to receive the grace of the Messiah, for God will not come with His grace into our hearts if we do not prepare His way by true repentance.

ASPIRATION O Lord Jesus, by the praise Thou didst accord to Thy forerunner St. John, for his firmness and austerities, inflame our hearts with love to imitate his steadfastness and penance, that we may never do anything to please man which may be displeasing to Thee; grant us also Thy grace that we too, like St. John, may have those who are confided to our care, instructed in the Christian doctrine.

CONSOLATION IN SUFFERING

"The God of patience and of comfort, the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing" (Rom. 15:5,13).

What gives us the greatest consolation in adversities?

The strong and fervent belief that each and every thing that happens to us, comes to us for our own good from God, and that whatever evil befalls us, is by the will or permission of God. Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God (Ecclus. 11:14). If we have received good things at the hand of God (Job 2:10), saith the pious job in his affliction, "why should we not receive evil?"

We should be fully convinced that without the permission of God not a single hair of our head shall perish (Lk. 21:18), much less can any other evil be done to us by man or devil (Job 1); we should have a steadfast confidence that if we ask Him, God can and will assist us in our sufferings, if it be for our salvation. Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? And if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee in my hands (Is. 49:15‑16); we should hope for abundant reward in the future life, which we will merit by patience in our sufferings, for that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory (II Cor. 4:17); we should remember that all complaints and murmurs against the dispensation of God are useless, and lead only to harm and shame; Who hath resisted Him, and hath had peace? (Job 9:4) we should have a vivid remembrance of our sins, for which we have long since deserved the eternal punishments of hell - hence the well-known saying of St. Augustine: O Lord, here cut, here burn, but spare me in eternity. No other way leads to the kingdom of heaven than the way of the cross, which Christ Himself, His sorrowing mother, and all the saints had to tread. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory? (Lk. 24:26) Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21). And we should not forget that sorrows and adversities are signs of God's love, and manifest proofs of being His chosen ones. Whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth (Heb. 12:6. compare 7-11).

PRAYER IN SORROW O almighty, kind and merciful God! who hast said: "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Ps. 49:15), behold relying upon Thy word, I take refuge in Thee in my trouble. Give honor to Thy name, therefore, and deliver me, if it be pleasing to Thee and beneficial for me, that all may know, Thou art our only help. Amen.