Granna Bytes: My Request of All of You -- Assembly Instructions

 By Anna Von Reitz

Several Assemblies have been operating as oligarchies and that is not the form of government that the American Government adopted many years ago.  Let's review: 

1. We are not a democracy (mob rule) where a 51% majority rules and individual rights are discounted.  

2. We are not an oligarchy where a small group of leaders has power and dictates to the group. 

3.  We are a republican form of government where the rights of the individuals are supreme, where respect and mutual support are paramount, and where the primary work of government gets accomplished via committees.  

If your Assembly is being organized as an oligarchy, report it.  We don't play "in crowds" and cronies in the American Government. 

The General Assembly is the primary body of the Assembly. 

The Jural Assembly, the Militia, and the International Business Assembly are subsets of the General Assembly.   Any idea that a Jural Assembly or Militia or International Business Assembly or any Committee can bypass the General Assembly needs to be overturned right now.  

Your arm is subject to your body, and so is your big toe.  Learn to work together cooperatively and respectfully, or go home, soak your head, and stand down.  

Everyone has the equal right to speak at meetings.  That means EVERYONE.  Whether you personally like what they have to say or not is not the issue.  Their right to be heard trumps your right to be offended. 

Any "unequal" use of the mute button to silence people you don't like or opinions you don't agree with is strictly forbidden by our customs and traditions.  

The only reasons to mute people are: (1) drunk and disorderly; (2) swearing and name-calling; (3) refusing to get on topic; (4) refusing to yield once their time is up.

If I get any more complaints about people being arbitrarily or capriciously muted or otherwise sidelined for holding different opinions, there will be consequences.  

All Assemblies operate by and through Committees, so you need to assemble your committees ASAP.   Assembly Committees are usually ad hoc affairs; the Coordinator or Speaker announces the formation of a Committee for a specific purpose, such as "New Member Outreach", and takes volunteers, then the volunteers meet separately and choose a Committee Chairman from among their members.  

Committees meet where and whenever is convenient to them.  It can be before or after General Assembly meetings or on different days and at different times convenient to the members of the committee.  

New committee members are added as more people volunteer or show interest in that committee's work.  

Any attempt to block members from working on committees or allowing "committee cliques" to develop is prohibited.  Anyone can volunteer to work on any committee they want to join.  

The Committees bring the results of their work back to the General Assembly on a regular basis, share what the Committee has learned, or done, or is in the process of doing, so as to invite more awareness and participation.   

In addition to the Coordinator Team, which is open to new volunteers to help with the workload and provide better service across the State, there are State Recorders and there should be a State Assembly Secretary Pro Tem chosen by a floor vote of the General Assembly at this time. 

The State Assembly Secretary keeps the records for the Assembly. 

Those records include the (1) minutes and/or video of the General Assembly Meetings, and (2) one black and white copy of the declaration and witness statements and any other records (baby records, etc.) that establish the member's identity and claim of birthright status; (3) a second black and white copy of the foundation records can be retained pending the opening up of County Assemblies when the second "county copy" can be turned over to the County Assembly Secretary, (4) records of any licenses, business contracts, or similar business-related affairs involving the assembly. 

There is no need for and no known precedent for creating or retaining four hard copies of anyone's records for any additional purpose, and  I would limit the liability to the two copies mentioned above and concentrate your efforts on: (1) finding a safe agreed upon place for the Assembly Secretary Pro Tem to keep these hard copy records; (2) creating a jpeg copy of these black and white records that can be updated regularly and maintained securely by the State Assembly Secretary and the Marshal at Arms and when you elect one, the State Assembly Chairman/woman.  

Thus you have two paper copies -- one for County, one for State, and jpegs of all the records distributed to three officers.  Now use your own heads to keep these records updated and safe.  It's not rocket science and it does not require an Act of God to assign these duties to responsible adult members of the group.  

Regarding the officers --- each assembly has two official positions attached to it that are Federation (not "Federal") Officers: the Coordinators and the Marshals at Arms.  Their jobs are (1) Coordinators are there to help you all get yourselves organized, hold elections, form committees, hold regular meetings, etc. and (2) Marshals are there for your safety and to provide a State level link to the PKTF and other services. 

There are other Federation (not "Federal") Officers that your Assembly may more occasionally have dealings with.  None of these people are associated with the present Federal Government and there should be no taint or suspicion or any other garbage attached to them or presumed about their activities.  

They are: (1) Continental Marshals charged with preserving the peace and enforcing international land law; (2) PKTF personnel who are charged with networking emergency services, communications, and forward planning for everyone; (3) Military and Militia liaisons who specialize in answering questions you may have about these functions; (4) County Assembly Organizers who fulfill the Coordinator functions at the County level and help get the County Assemblies set up properly.  

None of these people are associated with the existing Federal Government nor the corporations operating as the Federal Government and I repeat --- they are all State Nationals, they are all vetted, and they all have jobs to do.  

They have every right to step up and participate in the State Assembly where they live and are just like everyone else with no special powers or authorities over any other State Assembly member within the context of State Assembly functions. 

Remind them if they need to be reminded. 

Assemblies can recommend people to fill these Federation positions but can't "elect" them per se.  They are volunteers and they step forward.  We vet them, check their criminal records, etc. and make a determination of eligibility.  If they are eligible and willing, we train them or test them, and they get assigned. 

Everyone has been indoctrinated into a hierarchical authority structure and it takes time to learn and teach yourself to let go of those behaviors and assumptions of authority based on ranks and positions. 

Instead, we are just here doing a job for the good of all, within the limits and context of the work to be performed.   

Our assemblies have been racked by personality conflicts, petty power-mongering, suspicions, and gossip.  Be aware that you are undermining your own efforts from within when you do this and when you allow individuals to indulge in these behaviors unopposed.  

Shun gossip and let the gossipers know that isn't something we do in our Assemblies.  

It is not appropriate to apply the term "district" to anyone or anything that stands apart from the actual existing district government structure. 

Likewise, the term "insurrectionist" should never, ever be applied to any American who has declared their birthright status, and who simply opposes your view or your actions or those of the State Assembly. 

Insurrection is a specific and serious crime involving other crimes like looting and armed rebellion.  Be careful of your words and be aware that they have meaning and a life of their own.  

We are all allowed to express and hold our own opinion and to pursue what seems to us the best course of action in whatever lawful and reasonable way is possible.  Unanimous consensus is very rarely required, while censorship and name-calling are never appropriate. 

There have also been petty attempts to use "lawfare" techniques to punish people considered to be rivals or who simply hold a different opinion ----and that will not be allowed.  We are here to put an end to the abuse of the law for political purposes. 

You cannot "bring charges" against anyone for anything but injury to person or property.  We don't have 80 million statutes and crimes attached to each one of them.  No thought crimes.  

Vetting Committees, Oversight Committees and Ombudsman Committees are the most likely places to find abuses of power and I remind everyone that the job of the Vetting Committee is simply to determine basic eligibility for office, which is simply stated in terms of -- (1) are they State Nationals in good standing? (2) do they meet any age requirements of the office? (3) do they have any criminal records that would connect to the office they are seeking? (4) are they physically and mentally able to perform the duties? 

We have a case boiling up in one of the Assemblies because a candidate for State Justice doesn't have a background in American Common Law.  

At this point, hardly anyone has a background in American Common Law.  It has to be learned on the job using books and references and doing the best you can with it. 

It takes two years to retrain a Bar Attorney so that they aren't constantly falling back into "Equity" Law and only a year on average to bring someone totally new up to speed, so be fully aware that having experience in other forms of law is not a help and is more likely to be a hindrance to proper functioning of your new court system. 

Look for someone who is honest and fair-minded and diligent and willing to work and read.  There is your best hope for a competent State Justice. 

The American Common Law system is not here to micro-manage anyone's life.  So long as you don't do any harm to someone specifically, or to their property, there is no Cause of Action.  

We don't entertain thought crimes or political correctness issues. 

You can disagree with someone's vote, but their vote is theirs; it's not your business and if you attempt to use lawfare to censure them, you will be brought up by the proverbials and corrected. 

The Subset Assemblies --- the Jural Assembly, the Militia and the International Business Assembly --- are all part of and subservient to the General Assembly.  

They should be conducting their specialized business via committees and reporting regularly to the General Assembly, not trying to create their own little hegemony off in the corner. 

Lastly, a question has come up in an instance where a person actually left one State, moved physically to another State, and yet continues to function as a State Assembly member and officer of the State Assembly he left behind. 

This is not possible. 

It's understood that many people have reasons for moving to take care of sick or elderly family members, to pursue advanced training, etc., etc., all the while intending to return home to what they consider their home State.   

The fact remains that when you have lived in another State for a year and a day, you become eligible to join and support that State Assembly, and you need to do so.  

There is no provision for Absentee State Assembly officers.  Once you decide to leave, you arrange to turn over your keys and records, etc., and you may or may not recommend someone to fill your vacated position, and that's it.   

You can't live in one State and continue to participate in the political process and administration of another State at the State level.  

People get confused about that because they observe Federation officers doing business in multiple States.  That's because the Federation has duties and jurisdictions involving all fifty States.  

State Offices, however, are  fixed within the boundaries of one particular State, just as the powers of County Offices are fixed within the boundaries of one specific County. 

These are all, in the main, topics that I have discussed with Assemblies all over this country before and it appalls me that I have to keep coming back to these basics again and again. We have to get along with each other, keep faith with each other, forgive each other and keep moving for our own sakes and everyone else's. 

With all the very serious issues facing our country and our Assemblies, we need to pay attention to what is important and real, keep focused on solving problems and supporting each other in times of trouble, because these are profoundly troubled times. 

Keep focused on what's fair and good and right and true.  Turn away from the media circus and the bank fallout and all the "drama" that threatens to engulf Washington, DC and similar capitals around the world.  

The good news for you and other Americans is that you are safe. You won't be left without what you need and through you, your extended family and communities will be enabled to survive and thrive.  

My request to all of you is that you ground yourselves in the customs and traditions of your forefathers and turn away from all fear, selfishness, small-mindedness, prejudice, ego, and greed. We have a job to do and a worthy calling.  We don't have time or energy to waste on trivia and pride. 

If we fail to pass this one remaining great obstacle, we will fail altogether, and the challenge is simply this: to overcome our addiction to struggle and conflict, to recognize that we don't need any "drama". 

Even though it is oh, so familiar --- and may be oddly comforting because it is -- all the fighting and lying is what is destroying humankind and there are no victors in such a paradigm. 

This is what keeps everyone forever "fighting for freedom" and never experiencing it.  

We must realize that we have been conditioned like Pavlov's dog to "eternal war" and there is a part of us that wants to retreat from peace and get caught up in fighting and struggle and duality.  

It's like a default setting, drug addiction or other bad habit, that people get sucked into and all they want to do is fight, fight, fight. 

Recognize that the challenge is to stop fighting and instead aim to be worthy of peace and freedom, because until you all overcome this "war" mentality, you will not be able to find the peace and freedom that you all seek, and you won't be able to give this gift to each other.

Granna

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Granna Bytes -- The Word "Volatility"

 By Anna Von Reitz

What has happened?  After ten (10) years of shilly-shally and delays and ignoring Basel III compliance requirements, the cards have been called.  It's more a matter of the timing and the specific conditions under which the Basel III compliance is being enforced, and how it is being enforced, that are noteworthy and arguably wonky.

The Federal Reserve is on the ropes because they still have a seven trillion dollar debt left over from the Big Short in 2008, because the Treasuries market has gone soft, and because the entire basis that they operate on is based on unauthorized and undisclosed "borrowing" of assets belonging to the American people.  

Bottom line, they have nothing extra to loan other banks that may be in trouble because of changes to the "volatility index".  

This is a year-to-year evaluation of "asset classes'.  Assets are rated from Tier 1 to Tier 3.  Cash and actual precious metals are rated as Tier 1 assets and considered liquid and stable.  Tier 2 assets, things like mortgages, are relatively not as liquid and may not be as stable, either, but still represent known value. Tier 3 includes all the risky, locked down, regulated, and questionable assets --- like unallocated silver delivery contracts --- that a bank may carry on its books.  

As a result of what has just gone on in the silver market and the gaping hole it revealed between silver on paper, in the form of delivery contracts which proved to be undeliverable, and actual silver in hand, "unallocated silver" went from being a Tier 1 asset to being a Tier 3 asset overnight.  

This means that the banks must suddenly "cover" that risky Tier 3 asset by holding at least 85% of its purported value as additional Tier 1 assets --- and if it doesn't or can't provide that additional (usually an additional 75% of the value of the silver delivery contracts the bank is holding) Tier 1 liquidity to back the "unallocated silver" contracts, the bank loses its license to operate in the BIS system.

This may soon become a -- yuck-yuck -- silver lining and unforeseen benefit to the smaller banks that are forced out of the central bank system because they got caught holding "unallocated" silver contracts they couldn't cover. 

The bank system will try to imply that these banks that couldn't cover the "extra 75%" of value demand were somehow doing something illegal or wrong.  They weren't.  They were playing by the central bank system rules -- which turned out to be risky.  Now, to cover its own butt, the central bank system has changed the rules with only 72 hours notice.  Over the weekend, no less. 

This becomes a game like Musical Chairs.  There is only so much actual silver in the market, and the math says that it is leveraged 32:1.   That is, they have 32 ounces of paper silver liability for every one ounce of actual silver held by the banks.  

How about cash?  They are in short supply of that, too.  

No matter how you cut it, there aren't enough Tier I assets available in the (very) short term to cover the unallocated silver contracts --- that is, not enough chairs for everyone, and the music just stopped.  

This process will expose large banks that skated the edge of legality without common sense, betting that the fractional reserve of about 10% of the actual metal, was sufficient to carry the demand for physical silver long enough for them to meet their existing delivery contracts. 

They were betting on the come, similar to kiting a check -- which is a  fraud scheme infesting all banks and brokerages that practice "fractional reserve banking".   

The customer thought (and was left to assume) that he was buying actual silver, whether it was "allocated" to him specifically, or was "unallocated" as part of a big pile of silver presumably sitting in a warehouse somewhere. 

Instead, there was no big pile of warehoused silver waiting to be allocated.

The banks greedily oversold silver delivery contracts without having the actual silver in hand.  This would be like selling you a horse and giving you a saddle, instead.  The unallocated silver contracts have value because they are a bank liability -- but a saddle isn't a horse and a silver delivery contract isn't silver. 

The banks never bought the silver they promised to deliver when they received the Buyer's funds and sold the delivery contracts. They just took the funds and skated along, betting that if the customer ever asked for physical silver, they could hurry up and buy enough silver to fulfill the order on the open market. 

The Buyer could do the same.  That's just the point. 

Now that the Dirty Deal, an institutionalized Substitution Fraud Scheme in which silver delivery contracts have been passed off as silver bought and paid for is obvious to the public --- now and only now, the Bank for International Settlements leaps out the closet like the Bogey Man and says, you've got 72 hours to cover these silver delivery contracts with Tier 1 assets, or you are out of business.... 

You can see why this reeks on all sides. 

The banks that the BIS is punishing were allowed to do this by the BIS.  All the banks involved had cause to know that they were doing something risky and fundamentally dishonest, so did the BIS, but it was allowed anyway.  Now, many of these banks will not be able to meet the new Tier 1 holdings requirements in addition to the devaluation of the paper silver contracts from Tier 1 to Tier 3 assets.  

The banks have only three options: somehow come up with enough physical silver or enough physical cash to add to their balance sheets, or face being cut off from the SWIFT monopoly which is a death sentence for them, or -- and here's the third option: they can come home to the land and soil jurisdiction, have their debts paid off, 

and join the Global Family Bank network as a Prosperity Center. 

Among all the other things that people have forgotten, including the difference between fact and fiction, it's time to remember the jurisdiction where all physical assets naturally belong.  

If your local bank is being forced to close its doors because of exposure to derivatives or because it is coming up short and is unable to cover silver delivery contracts it is holding, make sure that they know there is a Third Option.  

Joining the Global Family Bank network is easy and fast and  provides new avenues and new customer bases outside the monopolized central bank and SWIFT systems.  Within a week they can be back up and running with a new asset base, no monopoly to deal with, and a new mission that offers far better rewards.  

Granna

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International Public Notice: The Schtick Again Signed and Sealed ---and Related Public Testimony

 By Anna Von Reitz

The signed and sealed International Public Notice referenced is attached. 

https://annavonreitz.com/publishedannouncement.pdf 

The Public Notice and Action against the administration of the British Crown and Westminster, and specifically against the Office of the United States Secretary of State is as follows: 

(1) Failure to protect the persons of American State Nationals as required by The Constitution of the United States of America, Article IV, from being misidentified and registered as U.S. Citizens while they are helpless, non-cognizant, non-consensual babies; 

(2) Failure to fully inform parents concerning this above-referenced registration and later, failure to inform adult children subjected to British Territorial U.S. Citizen status without their knowledge or consent; 

(3) Failure to provide exemptions from levy and prepaid tax credit owed to Americans required under Federal Code Title XII; 

(4) Failure to create an accessible-to-the-public Mutual Offset Credit Exchange Exemption program allowing Americans to claim their exemptions and use their prepaid tax credit; 

(5) Failure, therefore, to provide remedy required to legalize Federal Reserve Notes as a "legal tender";

(6) Running an illegal currency scam based on misrepresentation and impersonation of Americans, both living and dead, and unlawful conversion of their assets as Crown property and collateral, including the illegal copyrighting of Given Names belonging to American State Nationals;

(7) Running an illegal and unlawful asset confiscation and racketeering scam under color of law, using "district courts" --- both Territorial (Military) Districts operating outside the District of Columbia misaddressing average Americans as British Territorial U.S. Citizens, and Municipal (City) Districts operating outside the City of Washington, DC, and outside the District of Columbia, misaddressing average Americans as "citizens of the United States"; 

(8) Running an illegal and unlawful offshore aggravated identity theft and money laundering scheme using the purloined copyrighted Given Names of American babies to create a British Merchantman's Estate Trust and a Municipal Roman Inferior Trust operated under the Given Names of the American victims; 

(9) Using both the IRS and Internal Revenue Service to construct fictional persons and fictional dossiers connected to the purloined Given Names of the American babies, to create fictional occupations and fictional income streams attached to these foreign persons, and then deliberately operating these fictional public trusts for purposes of illegal latching, illegal takings, false claims in commerce, money laundering and foisting off the debts of "similarly named" foreign corporations on innocent Americans;

(10)  All of the above, Items 6-10, have been calculated as a means to launder income streams, foist foreign corporate debts on living Americans, create offshore generation-skipping trusts in the names of the American victims, and illegally latch upon private property belonging to those same Americans under the pretense that the Americans owe the tax debts and other obligations of the foreign public trusts that have been created using their purloined Given Names --- without their conscious knowledge or consent;

(11) This summary testimony in the form of an affidavit is affirmed, signed, sealed and delivered to the Agents and Employees of the Principals involved in promoting this horrific series of crimes, and so also to the Principals themselves: Notice to Agents is Notice to Principals; Notice to Principals is Notice to Agents; 

(12) We affirm that we have firsthand knowledge of these gross crimes and breaches of trust and violations of Federal Service Contracts known as The Constitution of the United States and The Constitution of the United States of America;

(13) We affirm that our affirmation of these facts and circumstances are true and correct and not misleading, and all that we say within the body of this testimony conforms in land law to the penalties of perjury;

(14) We affirm that millions of Americans have been misrepresented and abused in the above-described manner, that trillions of dollars worth of American land, labor, precious metals, patents, copyrights, and other valuable assets have been purloined and commandeered by British Crown-affiliated and Inner City of London-affiliated and City of Rome-affiliated personnel for purposes of unjust enrichment and coercive control exercised in deliberate deceit, using fraudulent conveyances, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful conversion under color of law;

(15) We affirm that the guilty Territorial and Municipal parent corporations have been employing private armed corporation security personnel and mercenaries disguised as local and "state" police, as "State" National Guards, and  private for-hire mercenaries disguised as some parts of our national military to enforce these monopolies and unknowingly provide the muscle to carry out these trespasses and crimes against average law-abiding Americans; 

(16) We affirm that we ourselves have suffered their harassments, illegal trespasses and illegal seizures and pretenses of trusteeship and ownership interests that are unauthorized and for most Americans, unconscionable, and which involve False Claims of public employees against their employers and against the Public Interest of all Americans; 

(17) We affirm that these criminal activities have been ongoing and protected by deliberate secrecy since May of 1865;

(18) We affirm that no law presented by any Federal Subcontractor or "federalized" State Trust or State-of-State franchise that is not recorded in total and read into the Congressional Record three times for Public Cognizance can be applied to us or any other declared American State National living peaceably in the States of the Union; 

(19) We affirm that our provenance, lawful standing, and intent is fully established on the public records of these corporations and on our own Public Records as well; 

(20) We affirm that we are suffering a continuing pattern of harassment, ignorance, misapplication of law, false legal presumptions, and False Commercial Claims that have been pursued in self-interest by the Federal Service Providers and their State of State and State Trust Agents and Personnel in gross violation of their service contracts and international law;

(21) We affirm recent attempts by the perpetrators to secure settlement of American claims without providing full disclosure to the victims and while pretending to be saviors --- another stinking lot of fraud and deceit carried out under color of law; 

(22) We affirm that these undisclosed settlement offers are being addressed as if these less-than-pennies-on-a-dollar offers complete with unstated citizenship obligations attached, often amounting to a few thousands dollars attached to a lifetime of enslavement, do not amount to any equitable consideration owed to the victims and the victims cannot be forgiving the debts of these perpetrators or holding them harmless or accepting their citizenship, when the victims are kept unaware of the massive debts owed to them, unaware of the consequences of holding these perpetrators harmless, and unaware of the the coercive citizenship obligations attached to this so-called "restitution" and "restoration" payment program; 

(23) We affirm that as a matter of Law and moral decency, the American people must be fully informed;

(24) We affirm that all Americans are owed complete restoration and restitution, as much as possible, in all jurisdictions, air, land, and sea; 

(25) We affirm that we bring this testimony with clean hands and a clear conscience and with good faith, as living progeny and Lawful Persons native to this country and to the nation-states that King George recognized as "free, sovereign, and independent states" referenced in The Treaty of Paris issued in 1783, natural inheritors and claimants of all duties and treaties, service contracts, rights, titles, and material interests owed to this country and to us as living people:

This testimony is to be attached to and incorporated into our signed and sealed International Public Notice: The Schtick Again, being forwarded with this Public Testimony, as an extension and addendum and application of indictment and due process related to the crime(s) and omission(s) that have been practiced against American State Nationals  by our public servants for the past six (6) generations and particularly by the Office of the United States Secretary of State as herein reported.   

Take notice that there is no statute of limitations applicable to crimes of fraud and impersonation, deliberate trespass, treason, unlawful conversion, or inland piracy under color of law. 

Take notice that these issues have already been addressed by our Court of Record and State Court as of April 14th 2014 and are owed immediate correction in our favor by the Principals, and the Trustees and the Administrators and the members of the Bar Associations that are responsible for these crimes and misrepresentations against us. 

Take notice that the unincorporated and lawful government provided by The United States of America, our Federation of States, and by our State Assemblies, remains in operation, is properly provenanced and declared and recorded and has been in Session for more than five (5) years.  No American State National has ever been "stateless" or subject to salvage. 

Take notice that these reported acts of misadministration, misrepresentation, and impersonation resulting in widespread crimes of personage and barratry in both district courts and state-of-state courts have been under judgment and due process since 1998 and there is no plausible excuse nor claim of plausible deniability left for those who fail to recognize the American State Nationals who stand in their lawful capacity and claim their natural rights and contractual exemptions.  

All help, protection, and assistance including exoneration of prior court cases and decisions and enforcement actions undertaken under False Presumptions of public trust interest --- is required. 

So said, so signed, so sealed and Issued by: 

Anna Maria Riezinger - Fiduciary

The United States of America

In care of: Box 520994

Big Lake, Alaska 99652

February 8th 2026

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Sexagesima Sunday

 Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's

The Church's Year

In the Introit of this day's Mass, the Church brings before us one who seeks to be loosed from his sins, and calls on God for help and assistance. Arise, why sleepest thou , O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end: why turnest thou thy face away, and forgettest our trouble? Our belly hath cleaved to the earth: arise, O Lord, help us and deliver us. O God, we have heard with our ears; our Fathers have declared to us. (Ps. XLIII. 23. 25.) Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT O God, who seest that we trust not in aught we do; mercifully grant that by the protection of the Doctor of the Gentiles we may be defended against all adversities. 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 (II. Cor. XI. 19-33; to XII. 1-9,) Brethren, you gladly suffer the foolish; whereas yourselves are wise. For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face. I speak according to dishonor, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise,) I am more: in many more labors, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods; once was I stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea. In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren. In labor and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides those things which are without, my daily instance, the solicitude for all the Churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knoweth that I lie not. At Damascus the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes to apprehend me; and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands. If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed); but I will come to the visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in, the body I know not, or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth): such an one rapt even to the third heaven. And I know such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth) : that he was caught up into paradise; and heard secret words, which it is not granted to man to utter. For such an one I will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities. For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or anything he heareth from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations should       exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me. For, which thing thrice I besought the Lord, that it might depart from me. And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Why is St. Paul mentioned in the Mass of this day, and why is this epistle read?

Because in Rome the Station or Church service is held on this day in the Church of St. Paul and because the Church continues to encourage us to work according to the example given by St. Paul who, with the grace of God, accomplished and suffered so much; also because we should labor for the honor of God and the salvation of our souls and faithfully cooperate with the grace of God. 

Why, an the beginning of this epistle, does St. Paul say so much an his own praise?

Not out of ambition for honor and glory, but to honor God, and for the love and advantage of the Corinthians, who allowed themselves to be deceived by mercenary impostors and false prophets; that he might make public the craftiness of those deceivers who assumed the appearance of the true apostles, as Satan took the form of a good angel. To shame these, and to remove the obstacles they had placed in the way of the gospel, St. Paul was obliged to reveal to the Corinthians the things he had performed and endured in propagating the holy gospel. -By trials and sufferings is the true apostle known; the false apostles, the hirelings, as Christ calls them, only care for their own bodies, for temporal advantages, not for the salvation of souls. We see this exemplified in our days by the heretical missionaries who, when there is suffering, when there is martyrdom, take to flight, for their eyes are directed only to the present life and a large income, while the Catholic missionaries rejoice if, for Christ's sake, and for the salvation of souls, they are permitted to suffer, and made worthy to endure the cruel death of the martyr.

Of whom does St. Paul relate such marvels?

Of himself, but from humility and modesty he does not say so; fourteen years before, forty-four years after the birth of Christ, St. Paul was rapt to the third heaven, that is, to the abode of happy spirits; but to preserve him in humility God permitted Satan to use the concupiscence of the flesh, which is like a sting in the body of man, as a temptation to the apostle, and by which he was continually tormented.

ASPIRATION Grant me, O God,. thy grace that in these evil days of false doctrines I may remain stead fast to Thy holy gospel which in the holy Catholic Church remains pure and unchanged; never let me be deterred from obeying its precepts, neither by the charms of the world nor by the mockery and reproaches of the wicked.

GOSPEL (Luke VIII. 4-15.) At that time, when very great multitude was gathered together and hastened out of the cities unto him, he spoke by a similitude: The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And other some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other some fell among thorns; and the thorns growing up with it, choked it. And other some fell upon good ground; and being sprung up, yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And they by the way-side are they that hear: then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved. Now they upon the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no roots, for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares arid riche, and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on the good ground are they who, in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.

Why is the Word of God compared to a seed?

Because from the word of God germinates the fruit of good works, as from good seed grows good fruit; as it is impossible, therefore, for an unsowed field to produce good fruit, so is it impossible for man without the seed of God's word to produce good fruits of the spirit.

Why does Christ cry out an the parable: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear?

Because of the importance and necessity of the doctrine which was contained in the parable. For to hear the word of God is absolutely necessary for salvation, as the Apostle indicates: How shall they believe him (Jesus) of whom they have not heard? (Rom. X. 14.) Jesus calls those happy who hear the word of God and keep it. (Luke XI. 28.) And on this subject St. Augustine says: "Be assured, my brethren, that as the body becomes weakened by want and hunger, and wastes to a mere shadow, so the soul that is not nourished by the word of God, becomes shrunken, worthless and unfit for any good work."

Whence comes so much cockle of evil, when the seed of God's word is so abundantly sowed?

Because, as Christ says, the seed falls now by the wayside, now upon a rock, now among thorns, seldom upon good soil, that is to say, those who hear the word of God are as a highway, over which many distracting thoughts are traveling which tread down the scattered seed, or, like fowls of the air devour it; they are like rocks, hardened by their prejudices or repeated crimes, so that the divine word cannot take root; again, they are so overgrown by the thorns of worldly cares, the constant desire for wealth and riches, and sensual delights, that even if they receive the seed, it is unable to grow and bear fruit.

ON THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD

The word of God is compared, by the Prophet Jeremias, to a hammer which crushes hearts as hard as rocks, and to a fire that dries up the swamps of vice, and consumes inveterate evil habits. (Jer. XXIII. 29.) The Psalmist compares it to thunder that makes all tremble, a storm-wind that bends and breaks the cedars of Lebanon, that is, proud and obstinate spirits; a light that dispels the darkness of ignorance; and a remedy that cures sin. (Ps. XXVIII. 3. 5., CXVIII. 105.) St. Paul compares it to a sword that divides the body from the soul, that is, the carnal desires from the spirit; (Hebr. IV. 12.) the Apostle James to a mirror in which man sees his stains and his wrongs. (Jam. I, 23.) the Prophet Isaias to a precious rain that moistens the soil of the soul and fertilizes it; (Isai: LV. 10. 11.) and Jesus Himself compares it to a seed that when it falls on good ground, brings forth fruit a hundredfold. (Luke VIII. 8.) One single grain of this divine seed produced the most marvellous fruits of sanctity in St. Augustine, St. Anthony the Great, in St. Nicholas of Tolentino, and others; for St. Augustine was converted by the words: "Let us walk honestly as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy." (Rom. XIII. 13.) St. Anthony by the words. If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shaft have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Matt XIX. 21.) Nicholas of Tolentino was brought to Christian perfection by the words: "Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. (I. John II. 15.)

How should we prepare ourselves to be benefited by the word of God?

We must be good, well-tilled soil, that is, we must have a heart that loves truth, desires to learn, and humbly and sincerely seeks salvation; we must listen to the word of God with due preparation and attention, keep the divine truths we have heard, in our heart, frequently consider and strive to fulfil them.

What should be done before the sermon?

We should endeavor to purify our conscience, for, as St. Chrysostom demands; "Who would pour precious juice into a vessel that is not clean, without first washing it?" We should, therefore, at least cleanse our hearts by an ardent sorrow for our sins, because the spirit of truth enters not into the sinful soul; (Wisd. I. 4.) we should ask the Holy Ghost for the necessary enlightenment, for little or no fruit can be obtained from a sermon if it is not united with prayer; we should listen to the sermon with a good motive; that is, with a view of hearing something edifying and instructive; if we attend only through curiosity, the desire to hear something new, to criticize the preacher, or to see and to be seen, we are like the Pharisees who for such and similar motives went to hear Christ and derived no benefit therefrom. “As a straight sword goes not into a crooked sheath, so the word of God enters not into a heart that is filled with improper motives." We should strive to direct, our minds rightly, that is, to dispel all temporal thoughts, all needless distraction, otherwise the wholesome words would fall but upon the ears, would not penetrate the heart, and the words of Christ be fulfilled: They have ears, and hear not.

How should we comfort ourselves during the sermon?

We should listen to the sermon with earnest, reverent attention, for God speaks to us through His priests, and Christ says to them: Who hears you, hears me. (Luke X. 16.) We must listen to the priests, therefore, not as to men, but as to God's ambassadors, for every priest can say with St. Paul: We are ambassadors for Christ, God, as it were, exhorting by us. (II. Cor. V. 20.) "If," says St. Chrysostom, "when the letter of a king is read, the greatest quiet and attention prevails, that nothing may be lost, how much more should we listen with reverence and perfect silence to the. word of God?"           The word of God is, and ever will be, a divine seed, which, when properly received, produces precious fruit, by what priest soever sowed; for in the sowing it matters not what priest sows, but what soil is sowed. Be careful, also, that you do not apply that which is said to others, but take it to yourself, or the sermon will be of no benefit to you. Are you free from those vices which the preacher decries and against which he battles? then, thank God, but do not despise others who are perhaps laboring under them, rather pray that they may be released and you preserved from falling into them. Keep also. from sleeping, talking, and other distractions, and remember, that whoever is of God, also willingly hears his word. (John VIII. 47.)

What should be done after the sermon?

We should then strive to put into practice the good we have heard, for God justifies not those who hear the law, but those who keep it, (Rom. II. 13.) and those who hear the word of God and do not conform their lives to it, are like the man who looks into the mirror, and having looked into it goes away, and presently forgets what manner of man he is. (Fam. I. 23. 24.) To practice that which has been heard, it is above all necessary that it should be kept constantly in mind, and thoughtfully considered. St. Bernard says: "Preserve the word of God as you would meat for your body, for it is a life-giving bread, and the food of your soul. Happy those, says Christ, who keep it. Receive it, therefore, into your soul's interior, and let it reach your morals and your actions."

That food which cannot be digested, or is at once thrown out, is useless; the food should be well masticated, retained, and by the digestive powers worked up into good blood. So not only on the day, but often during the week, that which was heard in the sermon should be thought of and put into practice. Speak of it to others, thus will much idle talk be saved, many souls with the grace of God roused to good, and enlightened in regard to the evil they had not before seen in themselves and in future will avoid. Let us listen to others when they repeat what was said in the sermon. Heads of families should require their children and domestics to relate what they have heard preached. Let us also entreat God to give us grace that we may be enabled to practice the precepts given us.

PRAYER How much am I shamed, O my God, that the seed of Thy Divine word, which Thou hast sowed so often and so abundantly in my heart, has brought forth so little fruit! Ah! have mercy on me, and so change my heart, that it may become good soil, in which Thy word may take root, grow without hindrance, and finally bring forth fruits of salvation. Amen.