July 4, 2007: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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July 4, 2007: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 08, 2007

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A Time for Reflection

(Don't remember from whom this story is)

John 3:16
In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."

So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16."

The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself:
John 3:16....I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself:
John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights.As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself:
John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought:
John 3:16. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

David
His Rise to the Throne (2 Samuel 1 - 11)

Introduction

The battle rages around Saul. One of the arrows hits him piercing him through the abdomen. For fear of suffering under the Philistines, Saul orders his armor-bearer to kill him. But the frightened armor-bearer refuses so Saul takes his sword and falls on it. When the armor-bearer sees Saul dead, he too falls on his sword and dies with Saul.

Thus Saul, his three sons, and his armor-bearer die together on that same day.

When the Israelites on the slope of the valley and those along the Jordan see that the men of Israel have fled and that Saul and his sons are dead, they too abandon their cities and flee. Then the Philistines overrun those cities.

The day after the battle the Philistines come to strip the slain. They find Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and strip him

of his armor. Then they put his armor in the temple of Astarte, and impale his body on the wall of Bethshan.

David Mourns

After the death of Saul and the defeat of the Amalekites, David returns and spends two days in his city. On the third day a man arrives from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head, to see David.

He just escaped from the Israelite camp, he tells David. He continues that soldiers also fled from battle and many died, among them Saul and Jonathan. He knows this for sure because he was near and he saw Saul when he fell on his own sword. He continues that he was wounded but not yet dead so Saul asked him to finish him off for he was suffering greatly and that the Philistine chariots were closing in.

So he put Saul to death, removed the crown from Saul’s head and the armlet from his arm and brought them here to David.

With that grim news, David and his men mourn, weep and fast until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel who died in battle.

David later learns that the escapee is a son of an Amalekite immigrant. David then asks him how he could put to death the LORD'S anointed. With that David orders the survivor killed.

Then David chants an elegy for Saul and his son Jonathan, which is then recorded in the Book of Jashar to be taught to the Judahites.

The King of Judah

After this the LORD tells David to go to Hebron, one of the cities of Judah, and he does with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. He also brings with him his men and their families. They live in the cities near Hebron.

Then the men of Judah come to Hebron and anoint David king of the Judahites.

Later David learns that the men of Jabesh-gilead had rescued the bodies of Saul and his sons. Thus David sends a messenger to the men of Jabesh-gilead, thanking and blessing them for the rescue of the bodies of Saul and his sons. He also announces that the Judahites have anointed him their king.

But Abner, son of Ner, Saul's general, takes Ishbaal, son of Saul, and brings him over to Mahanaim, where he

makes him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and the rest of Israel. Ishbaal is then forty years old, then, and he reigns over Israel for two years.

The Judahites alone follow David. He spends seven years and six months in Hebron as their king.

A Deadly Game
At one point Abner, the general of Saul’s son, Ishbaal, makes and agreement with Joab, the captain of David’s army, to let their servants perform for them in a combat game, at the pool in Gibeon.

After the fierce and bloody combat game, Abner and the men of Israel are defeated by David's servants. Abner flees with Joab and his brothers, Abishai, and Asahel in pursuit. Asahel, being a faster runner catches up with Abner. Abner warns Asahel to stop pursuing him but he refuses. So Abner strikes him with the heel of his javelin in the abdomen and Asahel dies on the spot.

When the other men of Judah arrive at the spot where Asahel died they all stop, except for Joab and Abishai who continue to run after Abner. When Abner reaches the hill of Ammah, the Benjaminites in the area rally around him, forming a single group. They make a stand on the hilltop. At this point Joab calls off the chase of the men of Israel. Abner proceeds to march with his men crossing Jordan to Mahanaim.

Joab counts off his men and finds nineteen servants of David are missing. But David's servants had fatally wounded three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, followers of Abner. They take Asahel and bury him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem.

War Between the Houses of David and Saul

There follows a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David's house grows stronger, but the house of Saul weaker. David’s descendants grow in numbers as well. His first-born son is Amnon, of Ahinoam; the second, Chileab, of Abigail; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah; the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of David's wife Eglah. They are born to David in Hebron.

At one point Ishbaal accuses Abner of being intimate with his father’s concubine. So Abner, enraged at being accused of the crime with a woman, reminds Ishbaal that it was he who has kept the house of Saul from falling to the hands of David.

In his fear of Abner, Ishbaal remains speechless.

Abner Offers Up Israel to David
After this Abner sends messengers to David to make an agreement with him that will deliver all of Israel to David. In his reply David says that he will only make an agreement with him if Abner brings back his wife Michal, daughter of Saul, when he comes to present himself again.

At the same time, David sends messengers to Ishbaal with a notice to give him back his wife Michal, daughter of Saul. Ishbaal sends for Michal.

Abner then goes to the elders of Israel. He reminds them that for a long time now they have been seeking David as their king. But now they can act on that for the LORD has said that David will save His people Israel from the grasp of the Philistines and from the grasp of all their enemies. Abner also goes to speak personally to Benjamin.

Murder of Abner
Then Abner accompanied by twenty men goes to David in Hebron to make his own report. After making the report David prepares a feast for Abner and for the men who are with him. After this Abner leaves to assemble all Israel for king David so that they may make an agreement with him to be their king. So David sends him away in peace.

Just then David's servants and Joab arrive from an expedition of much plunder. Joab learns that Abner came to David and left on his way in peace. So Joab goes to the king and complains for having Abner come to him and having him leave. He tells David that Abner came only to spy and deceive him so he can learn what the king is doing.

After Joab leaves David, and without David's knowledge, he sends messengers after Abner. On a ruse, they bring him back to Hebron. When Abner arrives back at Hebron, Joab takes him aside within the city gate so they can talk privately. There Joab stabs Abner in the abdomen, and he dies in revenge for the killing of Joab's brother Asahel.

Later when David hears of it he declares that he and his kingdom are forever innocent, and the responsibility of the murder of Abner lies solely with Joab and his family. He then commands his people to rend their garments, wear sackcloth and mourn over the death of Abner. Then they bury Abner in Hebron. The king and his people weep and fast until sunset.

All the people and all Israel note this with approval, as they come to know that the king had no part in the killing of Abner.

When Ishbaal, son of Saul, hears that Abner had died in Hebron, he becomes helpless. Two of his company leaders attack him killing him while he is sleeping. They cut off Ishbaal’s head and then take it to Hebron to show to David that his enemy is dead.

But David says to Ishbaal’s killers that they had just killed an innocent man in bed at home. So at David’s command the men who killed Ishbaal are put to death. Then David takes the head of Ishbaal and buries it in Abner's grave in Hebron.

A Kingdom United

Then all the tribes of Israel come to David in Hebron and he makes agreement with them before the LORD. They anoint him king of Israel. David is thirty years old when he becomes king, and he reigns for forty years: seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah.

Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who live in the region. However, David is told that he cannot enter the stronghold of Zion for the blind and the lame will drive him away. But David overruns stronghold anyway. He makes it the City of David. So on that day, David also declares the lame and the blind to be his personal enemies.

So David then builds in the City of David his palace made with cedar, carpenters and masons given by Hiram, the king of Tyre. David grows steadily more powerful, for the LORD of hosts is with him.

When the Philistines hear that David had been anointed king of Israel, they begin searching for him all over the place. On hearing this, David goes down to the refuge.

When the Philistines come and conquer the valley of Rephaim, the LORD orders David to attack them and they fall. But the Philistines attack again and conquer the the valley of Rephaim. This time the LORD orders David to attack decisively from the rear. David obeys the LORD'S command and routes the Philistines.

David Brings the Ark To Jerusalem

Then David assembles thirty thousand men Israel and they set out for Baala of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of hosts enthroned above the cherubim. They then remove the ark of Godfrom the house of Abinadab on the hill and place it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, guide the cart, with Ahio walking before it, while David and all the Israelites celebrate before the LORD with all their strength.

When they come to the threshing floor of Nodan, the oxen make the ark tip so Uzzah reaches out his hand to the ark of God to hold it steady. But the LORD becomes angry with Uzzah and He strikes him. Uzzah dies there before God.

Because of the death of Uzzah David decides not to bring the ark with him to the City of David out of fear of the LORD. So he diverts

it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. For this the LORD blesses Obed-edom the Gittite and his whole house.

When David learns that the LORD had blessed the family of Obed-edom and all that belonged to him, David goes to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.

As soon as the bearers of the ark of the LORD advance six steps, he sacrifices an ox and a fatling. Then David, clothed with a linen apron, come dancing before the LORD with abandon, as he and all the Israelites are bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.

As the ark of the LORD enters the City of David, his wife, Saul's daughter Michal looks down through the window and sees King David leaping and dancing before the LORD. She despises him in her heart. David brings the ark of the LORD into

the tent that he pitched for it and offers holocausts and peace offerings before the LORD.

After all the festivities, David blesses and sends all of Israel back to their homes with a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.

When David himself comes home Michal derides David for dancing as he did in view of the slave girls like a commoner. But David replies to Michal that he was dancing for the LORD. He tells Michal that she may think lowly of him but to the slave girls he is honored.

And so Saul's daughter Michal remains childless to the day of her death.

Conquest of the Philistines

When King David has settled in his palace, and the LORD has given him rest from his enemies on every side, he says to Nathan the prophet that he is living in the house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent. Nathan tells David to go and do whatever he has in mind, for the LORD is with him.

But that night the LORD speaks to Nathan in a vision to tell David to build him a house of cedar with a promise to be blessed forever.

After this David attacks the Philistines and conquers them. He also defeats Moab and

executes two third and spares a third of the Moabites. Next David defeats Hadadezer and goes to reestablish his dominion at the Euphrates River. And when the Arameans of Damascus come to the aid of Hadadezer David slays twenty-two thousand of them. David then places garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans become subjects. The LORD brings David victory in all his undertakings.

From these conquests David amasses gold, silver and bronze, all of which are consecrated to the LORD.

David reigns over all Israel, judging and administering justice to all his people, with Joab in command of the army and Jehoshaphat the chancellor. Zadok, and Ahimelech are priests and Shawsha the scribe. David's sons are priests.

Learning Mercy

David inquires if there is anyone left from the house of Saul to whom he may show kindness for the sake of Jonathan. He is told that Meribaal, son of Jonathan survived, although with crippled feet, living in the house of Machir in Lodebar.

When Meribaal, son of Jonathan, comes to David, he falls prostrate in homage. David assures him that he will be kind to him for the sake of his father Jonathan. David promises to restore to him all the lands of his grandfather Saul and that he shall always eat at David’s table.

Then David summons Ziba and tells him that he is restoring the lands that belonged to Saul and to all his family to Meribaal. Further David orders that Ziba and his sons and servants shall till the land for him, bring in the produce, which shall be food for Meribaal’s family to eat. But Meribaal shall always

eat at his table.

Ziba, who has fifteen sons and twenty servants, tells the king that he will do as he commands. At this time Meribbaal has a young son whose name was Mica.

Conquest of the Arameans
Some time later the king of the Ammonites, Nahash, dies, and his son Hanun succeeds him as king. David then sends his servants to Hanun with his condolences, for the sake of his father who was kind to David. But Hanun accuses the servants of being spies for David. Hanun therefore, seizes David's servants and, after shaving off half their beards and cutting away the lower halves of their garments at the buttocks, sends them away.

Anticipating trouble because of the offense Hanun had given to David, the Ammonites hire a huge army. The Ammonites assemble in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah remains out in the open country.

On learning this David sends out Joab with the entire levy of trained soldiers. When Joab sees the battle lines drawn up against him, both front and rear, he makes a selection from all the picked troops of Israel and arrays them against the Arameans. Then he places the rest of the soldiers under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrays them against the Ammonites.

Then Joab tells his brother that if the Arameans are stronger than he, for Abishai to come and help him. And if the Ammonites are stronger than Abishai, Joab will come to help Abishai.

But when Joab and his soldiers approach for battle, the Arameans flee before him. When the Ammonites see that the Arameans had fled, also flee from Abishai and withdraw into the city. Joab then ceases his attack on the Ammonites and returns to Jerusalem.

After their defeat the Arameans respond by a full mustering of troops, enlisting Arameans from beyond the Euphrates. When David hears of this, he assembles all Israel, then with his army cross the Jordan to draw up battle formation against the Arameans.

But david and his army overrun the Arameans killing their charioteers and thousands of their soldiers. With this defeat by Israel, all of Hadadezer's vassal kings, then make peace with the Israelites and become their subjects. And the Arameans are now afraid to give further aid to the Ammonites.

Bathsheba

At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sends Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravage the Ammonites and besiege Rabbah. David, however, remains in Jerusalem.

One evening David rises from his siesta and strolls about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he sees a woman bathing, who is very beautiful. David inquiries about the woman and learns that she is Bathsheba, daughter of

Eliam, and wife of Joab's armor-bearer, Uriah the Hittite.

Then David sends messengers to bring her to him. When she comes to him, he has relations with her, and she conceives.

On a ploy David orders Joab to send him Uriah the Hittite. At the palace David questions him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war is going, and Uriah answers that all is well. David then orders Uriah to down and spend the night in his house.

However, Uriah does not go home and sleeps instead at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord. When David learns of this Uriah tells him that since the ark and Israel and Judah are lodged in tents, and his lord Joab and the rest of David's servants are encamped in the open field, he cannot go home to eat and to drink and to sleep with his wife.

Then David orders Uriah to stay one more day. On that second day, David summons him, and he eats and drinks with David, and becomes quite drunk. But in that evening he goes out to sleep on his bed among his lord's servants, instead of spending the night in his own home.

The next morning David writes a letter to Joab which he sends by Uriah. In that letter he orders Joab to place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce, so he might be struck down dead. So when Joab attacks the city, he assigns Uriah to a place where the defenders are strong. When the men of the city attack Joab, some officers of David's army fall, and among them Uriah

Joab then sends the report of the battle to David including

news that some of his men died, which included Uriah. Then David sends a message back to Joab to attack the city and destroy it.

When the wife of Uriah hears that her husband had died, she goes into mourning. But once mourning is over, David sends for her and brings her into his house. She becomes his wife and bears him a son. But the LORD is displeased with what David had done.

To be continued...

For further reading on the heroes of the Old Testament:

I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library)
First sentence in the book:
""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that part of the history of Israel which describes the foundation of the State, running from the close of the period of the Judges to the establishment of the united kingdom."

The Sunday Readings

July 8, 2007: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading From the Book of Isaiah:

Is 66:10-14c

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight
at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the LORD:
Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap;
as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice and your bodies flourish like the grass; the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.

Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:

Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians

Gal 6:14-18

Brothers and sisters:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Reading From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.

Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’

Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.

I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

References

Read more about the Liturgical Year

	The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo Books) by Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics at the General Theological Seminary in New York, is one of the leading liturgists in the country. He gives us a fresh examination of the complex history of the Liturgical Year.

	The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday) by John J. Pilch (Author) Reader Review: The book by Pilch provides those who not only fill the pulpits across this country but also all interested in the cultural world in which Jesus lived with a lot of pertinent information that sheds light on a lot of areas that have been "muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly recommend this book. - James Mauldin

Learn more and read the Old Testament.
	Preaching from the Old Testament by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader Review: The author of these thirty-two short chapters begins and ends with the assumption that problems we experience with the Old Testament are our problem, not the Bible's. This subordinating of the Bible reader to the well-weathered book he holds in his hand opens doors, not to forced harmonisations of problematic passages, but to fresh reappraisal of difficult texts on their own terms. - David A. Baer

	The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament) This volume helps you make the first five books of the Old Testament a vital part of your spiritual reading and practical growth in the Christian life. It contains the full English and Latin texts of these books, along with extensive and faithfully Catholic commentaries. Like other volumes in the world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these commentaries draw on Church documents, the exegesis of Fathers and
Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible project.

Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.

If you have any comments or contributions, please use the form in this link.

Facts about Triglycerides

	From my doctor's pamphlet

	What are Triglycerides? The term triglyceride is a word for a specific type of fat, or lipid, found in the blood. Triglycerides are the form in which fat is found in the food you eat and in your body. Triglycerides are the way fat is carried in your body to be either used for fuel or stored as fat. Any calories in the food you eat that aren’t used for fuel right away are packaged as triglycerides and stored in your fat cells. Your liver, too, makes triglycerides. Your triglyceride level is measured by a blood test and is usually measured along with your total cholesterol, and HDL and LDL cholesterol (called lipid profile). You should not eat anything 12 hours before having your triglycerides measured. What cause Triglycerides build up? Several factors can cause high triglycerides, including:
	Being over-weight or obese Not being physically active Smoking Drinking too much alcohol Eating a very high carbohydrate diet Certain conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease and low thyroid Some medications, such as diuretics (water pills), steroids and birth control pills
	Your health care provider has probably talked to you about your cholesterol level, and if it’s high, ways to help bring your cholesterol level down. Has he or she also talked to you about your triglyceride level? If so, you might be wondering just exactly what it is. Are Triglycerides Harmful? If the amount of triglycerides in your blood is too high, you may be at risk for developing heart disease. Very high triglycerides may also cause pancreatitis, a serious inflammation of the pancreas. If you have diabetes and your triglycerides are high, you may also have high blood glucose levels. Insulin, a hormone that lowers blood glucose, also lowers triglycerides, so high blood glucose and high triglycerides are often seen together. In some cases, high triglycerides are linked to undiagnosed diabetes. What’s A Good Triglyceride Level? Both the American Diabetes Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend a triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or lower. How Can I Lower My Triglyceride Level? The good news is that there are many steps you can take to lower your triglycerides if they’re too high. Triglycerides tend to drop fairly quickly, compared to cholesterol. Be sure you talk with your health care team about why your triglycerides are high and how you can get them down. In the meantime, see the information to your left for some ways to get you started. What About Medicine? You may need to take medicine to help lower your triglycerides if lifestyle changes aren’t enough. There are several different kinds of drugs that can help. These include statins (which also lower cholesterol levels), nicotinic acid (a type of niacin) and fibrates. If you do need to take medicine, your provider will check your blood triglycerides regularly to see how the medicine is working. Fish Oil Supplements A The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish at/east two times per week. The kind of fat found in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, can he/p lower blood triglyceride levels. A Omega-3 fatty acids also come in capsule form for people who don’t like or can’t eat fish. Your health care provider may suggest you take omega-3 fatty acids in a supplement to lower your triglyceride levels. However, you should only take these under his or her care. Tell your provider if you are taking omega-3 fatty acids or any other kind of dietary supplement.

	10 Ways to Tame Triglycerides
	Lose weight if you need to. Losing even a few pounds can help lower your triglycerides, as wells as your blood glucose if you have diabetes. Control your blood glucose. If you have diabetes and your blood glucose level have been high, work with your health care provider to help bring them down. Get regular physical activity. Being physically active most days of the week not only helps lower the triglycerides level but it also helps you control your blood glucose, lower your risk for heart disease, helps with weight control and can even relieve stress. Physical activity does not have to be strenuous. Talk to your health care provider about what kind and how much activity would be best for you, but keep in mind that even taking a walk everyday can help. Stop smoking, if you do smoke. Studies show that smoking can raise triglyceride levels.