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Monday, January 31, 2011
Today's Mass readings
St. John Bosco, Priest (Memorial)
Hebrews 11:32-40
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets --
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated --
38 of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Psalm 31:20-24
20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them from the plots of men; thou holdest them safe under thy shelter from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm, "I am driven far from thy sight." But thou didst hear my supplications, when I cried to thee for help.
23 Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!
Mark 5:1-20
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes.
2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain;
4 for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones.
6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him;
7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."
8 For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
9 And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many."
10 And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country.
11 Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside;
12 and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them."
13 So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.
15 And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.
16 And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine.
17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood.
18 And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.
19 But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.
Lord, what will Thou have me to do? Here is the true token of a soul absolutely perfect: when one has succeeded in leaving behind his own will to such a degree as no longer to seek, to aim, or to desire to do what he would will, but only what God wills.
-- St Bernard
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_01jan2011.htm#31#ixzz1Ce44Trpk
Sunday, January 30, 2011
What are we celebrating in the Eucharist.
Summary of Doctrine on the Eucharist
The greatest of the seven sacraments is the Holy Eucharist. The Catholic Church teaches that in the Eucharist, Our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is really present under the appearances of bread and wine. Our Lord is not merely symbolized by the bread and wine; nor is he present only through the faith of those present. Rather, the two material things, bread and wine, are completely changed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, leaving behind only their sensible appearances. Thus, through the words of consecration spoken by the priest, Jesus, without ceasing to be present in a natural way in heaven, is also present sacramentally, body, blood, soul and divinity, in many places throughout the world.
The Eucharist is not only a sacrament but also a sacrifice. In it Jesus, acting through the priest, makes present again in an unbloody manner the sacrifice which he offered once for all by shedding his blood on Calvary. In Holy Communion, by obeying Jesus' command to eat his flesh and drink his blood, the faithful are also united spiritually with Jesus himself, and they unite their own prayers, works and sufferings to his perfect sacrifice.
http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/euchsum.htm
What is the Holy Eucharist?
The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice. In the Holy Eucharist, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received.
(a) The whole Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. We use the words "really, truly, and substantially" to describe Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist in order to distinguish Our Lord's teaching from that of mere men who falsely teach that the Holy Eucharist is only a sign or figure of Christ, or that He is present only by His power.
(b) All Christians, with but few minor exceptions, held the true doctrine of the Real Presence from the time of Christ until the Protestant Revolution in the sixteenth century.
(c) The word "Eucharist" means "Thanksgiving."
344. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night before He died.
(a) About a year before the Last Supper Our Lord promised to give us the Holy Eucharist. This promise is related in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John. The fulfillment of this promise took place at the Last Supper.
345. Who were present when Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist?
When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist the apostles were present.
346. How did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist in this way: He took bread, blessed and broke it, and giving it to His apostles, said: "Take and eat; this is My body;" then He took a cup of wine, blessed it, and giving it to them, said: "All of you drink of this; for this is My blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins;" finally, He gave His apostles the commission: "Do this in remembrance of Me."
347. What happened when Our Lord said: "This is My body . . . this is My blood"? When Our Lord said, "This is My body," the entire substance of the bread was changed into His body; and when He said, "This is My blood," the entire substance of the wine was changed into His blood.
(a) Christ could not have used clearer, more explicit words than "This is My body." He did not say, "This is a sign of My body," or "This represents My body," but, "This is My body." Catholics take Christ at His word because He is the omnipotent God. On His word they know that the Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ.
348. Did anything of the bread and wine remain after their substance had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood?
After the substance of the bread and wine had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood, there remained only the appearances of bread and wine.
(a) Because the appearances of bread and wine remain in the Holy Eucharist, we cannot see Christ with our bodily eyes in this sacrament. We do see Him, however, with the eyes of faith. Our bodily eyes, moreover, do not deceive us when they see the appearances of bread and wine for these appearances really remain after the Consecration of the Mass.
349. What do we mean by the appearances of bread and wine?
By the appearances of bread and wine we mean their color, taste, weight, shape, and whatever else appears to the senses.
350. What is the change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ called?
The change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is called Transubstantiation.
351. Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the appearances of wine?
Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the appearances of wine.
(a) We know that Christ is whole and entire under both appearances because, "Christ having risen from the dead, dies now no more" (Romans 6:9). Because Christ cannot die, His blood must remain united always to His body, and His soul to both. The divinity of Christ, moreover, always remains united to His body and blood and soul because He is God made man.
(b) The whole Christ is present under each part of the sacred appearances and remains present as long as the sacred appearances remain.
Saint of the day
St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti
(1585-1640)
Hyacintha accepted God's standards somewhat late in life. Born of a noble family near Viterbo, she entered a local convent of sisters who followed the Third Order Rule. However, she supplied herself with enough food, clothing and other goods to live a very comfortable life amid these sisters pledged to mortification.
A serious illness required that Hyacintha's confessor bring Holy Communion to her room. Scandalized on seeing how soft a life she had provided for herself, the confessor advised her to live more humbly. Hyacintha disposed of her fine clothes and special foods. She eventually became very penitential in food and clothing; she was ready to do the most humble work in the convent. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and by her penances became an inspiration to the sisters in her convent. She was canonized in 1807.
Comment:
How differently might Hyacintha's life have ended if her confessor had been afraid to question her pursuit of a soft life! Or what if she had refused to accept any challenge to her comfortable pattern of life? Francis of Assisi expected give and take in fraternal correction among his followers. Humility is required both of the one giving it and of the one receiving the correction; their roles could easily be reversed in the future. Such correction is really an act of charity and should be viewed that way by all concerned.
Quote:
Francis told his friars: "Blessed is the servant who would accept correction, accusation, and blame from another as patiently as he would from himself. Blessed is the servant who when he is rebuked quietly agrees, respectfully submits, humbly admits his fault, and willingly makes amends" (Admonition XXII).
Today's Mass Readings
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_01jan2011.htm#30#ixzz1CYFPzdx5
Zephaniah 2: 3
3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of the LORD
12 For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,
13 those who are left in Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall pasture and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."
Psalms 146: 6 - 10
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
1 Corinthians 1: 26 - 31
26 For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth;
27 but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong,
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
31 therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."
Matthew 5: 1 - 12
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We believe in the love of God for us. To believe in love is everything. It is not enough to believe in the Truth. We must believe in Love and Love is our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That is the faith that makes our Lord loved. Ask for this pure and simple faith in the Eucharist. Men will teach you; but only Jesus will give you the grace to believe in Him. You have the Eucharist. What more do you want?
-- St. Peter Julian
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_01jan2011.htm#30#ixzz1CYGPNZ8p
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Litany of St. Anthony of Egypt
Litany of Saint Antony the Great
First of all monks, your name they hail, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Charity has gained such heights for you, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Wonderworker known for favors gained, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Humbly you obeyed with strength and love, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Shield for those who came to seek your aid, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Healer of all ills and guide for souls, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Spring and treasure house of charity, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Ever shining star and lamp of light, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Table of the Law and Gospel book, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Guide of those in doubt and ignorance, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Lamp of those who walk in darkness now, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Light of Holy Mother Church, your merits shines, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Peace for those who dread the enemy, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Gladness for the sad, strength for the tried, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Faithful to your word and ever true, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Sun of monks and nuns and start for all, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
Temple arch who holds the power of God, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers
V. Pray for us, Great Saint Antony
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ
Let us Pray:
Father Antony, you equaled Elias in his zeal and followed John the Baptist in his holy way of life. You peopled the wilderness and established the world on the firm foundation of your prayers. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls. Amen
Troparion (TONE 4) Melkite Catholic Divine Liturgy for St. Antony
Prayer for Egypt
Prayers to Saint Antony of Egypt
O’ Glorious Saint Antony, who upon hearing only one word of the Gospel didst forsake the riches and the ease of thy family, thy native land and the world, in order to retire into the wilderness; who, in spite of thy heavy burden of advanced age and the ravages of severe penance, didst not hesitate to leave thy solitude to rebuke openly the impiety of heretics and to restore wavering Christians to a firmer hold upon their faith with all the zeal of a confessor desirous of martyrdom; who through thy conquest of self and the excellence of thy virtues wast endowed by Our Lord with miraculous power over animate and inanimate nature; do thou obtain for us the grace to be ever zealous in the cause of Christ and His Church and to persevere even unto death in our imitation of thee, in our belief in revealed truth, and in our keeping of they commandments and the counsels of the Gospel; to the end that, having faithfully followed in thy footsteps here on earth, we many be enabled to become sharers in thy heavenly glory through all the ages of eternity. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be three times.
From the Sedro of the "Quorbono" of the Maronite Rite
(........Mass of St. Anthony of the Desert)
"O Christ our God, You taught us the way of true perfection and happiness. You encouraged those who follow You to sell what they have, give to the poor and to take up the cross. When blessed Anthony heard these words, his heart was inflamed with love for You. He left the world, renounced nation and family and accepted Your easy yoke. He entered monastic life with his companions: mortification, abstinence and self-denial. By turning away from everything, he turned to You alone; and by dying to himself, he lived for You alone. For this reason we honor his memory and say: Blessed are you, holy Anthony, father of monks and example of religious life; tall cedar on the slope of Mount Lebanon, you have become a prophetic word echoing in the world .Blessed are you, holy Anthony; you became a lampstand for the Light of the world. By that Light, many have been guided in the way of religious life Blessed are you, Holy Anthony, morning star in a world of darkness. Your light made evil fear and caused sin to drawback in fright. How glorious is your Lord, now and forever."
Amen.
http://www.communityofhopeinc.org/Prayer%20Pages/Saints/Saint%20Antony%20of%20the%20Desert.html
O’ Glorious Saint Antony, who upon hearing only one word of the Gospel didst forsake the riches and the ease of thy family, thy native land and the world, in order to retire into the wilderness; who, in spite of thy heavy burden of advanced age and the ravages of severe penance, didst not hesitate to leave thy solitude to rebuke openly the impiety of heretics and to restore wavering Christians to a firmer hold upon their faith with all the zeal of a confessor desirous of martyrdom; who through thy conquest of self and the excellence of thy virtues wast endowed by Our Lord with miraculous power over animate and inanimate nature; do thou obtain for us the grace to be ever zealous in the cause of Christ and His Church and to persevere even unto death in our imitation of thee, in our belief in revealed truth, and in our keeping of they commandments and the counsels of the Gospel; to the end that, having faithfully followed in thy footsteps here on earth, we many be enabled to become sharers in thy heavenly glory through all the ages of eternity. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be three times.
From the Sedro of the "Quorbono" of the Maronite Rite
(........Mass of St. Anthony of the Desert)
"O Christ our God, You taught us the way of true perfection and happiness. You encouraged those who follow You to sell what they have, give to the poor and to take up the cross. When blessed Anthony heard these words, his heart was inflamed with love for You. He left the world, renounced nation and family and accepted Your easy yoke. He entered monastic life with his companions: mortification, abstinence and self-denial. By turning away from everything, he turned to You alone; and by dying to himself, he lived for You alone. For this reason we honor his memory and say: Blessed are you, holy Anthony, father of monks and example of religious life; tall cedar on the slope of Mount Lebanon, you have become a prophetic word echoing in the world .Blessed are you, holy Anthony; you became a lampstand for the Light of the world. By that Light, many have been guided in the way of religious life Blessed are you, Holy Anthony, morning star in a world of darkness. Your light made evil fear and caused sin to drawback in fright. How glorious is your Lord, now and forever."
Amen.
http://www.communityofhopeinc.org/Prayer%20Pages/Saints/Saint%20Antony%20of%20the%20Desert.html
Please pray for Egypt
Please pray the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross and Litany's for the Nation of Egypt and other nations who are suffering so much. May the Mercy of Jesus overwhelm them with His Divine presence in this time of suffering and trial. God bless, Todd
Please pray for the nation of Egypt as it goes through such violent turmoil this week.
London: Day of Prayer for Egypt
Posted: Friday, January 28, 2011 6:13 pm
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and United Action for Egyptian Christians will host an interdenominational day of prayer for Christians in Egypt on 29 January in London.
Sectarian violence against Christians in Egypt escalated in 2010, and the start of 2011 was marred by the bombing of a Coptic church in Alexandria on New Year’s Eve in which 23 people were killed and 80 were injured.
The Day of Prayer for Egypt will begin with an ecumenical service at St Marys Church, Bryanston Square, W1, led by Bishop Angaelos, head of the Coptic Church in the UK, and attended by representatives of various Christian denominations. The increasingly tense situation for Egypt’s Christians will be discussed by Dr Raafat Girgis, a leading expert on the history of Christianity in Egypt, Ibrahim Habib of United Copts of Great Britain, and representatives from CSW. There will also be testimonies from Egyptian converts, and worship in both Arabic and English.Egypt has been rocked in recent days by protests against the government of President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for 29 years. Despite a ban on political demonstrations, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of towns and cities across the country after Friday prayers in what is thought to be the biggest day of protest yet.CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said, “Egypt is at a critical time in its history and it is more important than ever that we join Christians in Egypt in praying for the future of their country. We look forward to welcoming Christians of all denominations as they join with us in standing in solidarity with the Church in Egypt at this crucial time.”CSW is the UK’s leading human rights advocacy organisation specialising in religious freedom, working on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promoting religious liberty for all.
The Day of Prayer will be held from10am-4pm on 29 January at St Marys Church, Bryanston Square, Wyndham Place, London W1H 1PQ. For further information visit http://www.csw.org.uk/.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=17549
St. Anthony of Egypt
(251-356)
The life of Anthony will remind many people of St. Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.
At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”
At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.
Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at 105.
Comment:
In an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1263
Friday, January 28, 2011
Site Format
You will notice that the Mass Readings for today, the Homily, the Saint of the day,and the Rosary Mysteries for the day will all have their own separate post. You will also notice a lot more videos that are available to watch. I think it adds to the site. We still are dedicated to the spreading of Devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus. I want this site to bless everyone and be a blessing to each of you. If you have any comments please share them I am certainly interested. God bless, Todd
Today's Mass Readings
Please read the Free E-Book Covenant of Mercy and Blessing. It is found on the right hand column under the pages section. Feel free to copy it to your computer and share it with as many others as you want. If this site is a blessing to you please share it with at least 10 others and help with our vision of spreading Devotion to the Divine Mercy and Grace of Jesus and helping 3 million new people start praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. Your prayers and gifts are greatly appreciated in this effort. Thanks, Todd
Friday, January 28, 2011
St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
Hebrews 10: 32 - 39
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
33 sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
34 For you had compassion on the prisoners, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.
37 "For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls.
Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday.
23 The steps of a man are from the LORD, and he establishes him in whose way he delights;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD is the stay of his hand.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark 4:26-34
26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground,
27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.
28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
30 And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
34 he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
How many sins have entered into the soul through the eye as Holy Scripture indicates? [1 Jn. 2:16]. That is why they must fast by keeping them lowered and not permitting them to look upon frivolous and unlawful objects; the ears, by depriving them of listening to vain talk which serves only to fill the mind with worldly images; the tongue, in not speaking idle words and those which savor of the world or the things of the world. We ought also to cut off useless thoughts, as well as vain memories and superfluous appetites and desires of our will. In short, we ought to hold in check all those things which keep us from loving or tending to the Sovereign Good.
-- St. Francis de Sales
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_01jan2011.htm#28#ixzz1CMNo0wkM
Saint of the Day
St. Thomas Aquinas
(1225-1274)
By universal consent Thomas Aquinas is the preeminent spokesman of the Catholic tradition of reason and of divine revelation. He is one of the great teachers of the medieval Catholic Church, honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.
At five he was given to the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino in his parents' hopes that he would choose that way of life and later become abbot. In 1239 he was sent to Naples to complete his studies. It was here that he was first attracted to Aristotle's philosophy.
By 1243, Thomas abandoned his family's plans for him and joined the Dominicans, much to his mother's dismay. On her order, Thomas was captured by his brother and kept at home for over a year.
Once free, he went to Paris and then to Cologne, where he finished his studies with Albert the Great. He held two professorships at Paris, lived at the court of Pope Urban IV, directed the Dominican schools at Rome and Viterbo, combated adversaries of the mendicants, as well as the Averroists, and argued with some Franciscans about Aristotelianism.
His greatest contribution to the Catholic Church is his writings. The unity, harmony and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings. One might expect Thomas, as a man of the gospel, to be an ardent defender of revealed truth. But he was broad enough, deep enough, to see the whole natural order as coming from God the Creator, and to see reason as a divine gift to be highly cherished.
The Summa Theologiae, his last and, unfortunately, uncompleted work, deals with the whole of Catholic theology. He stopped work on it after celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273. When asked why he stopped writing, he replied, "I cannot go on.... All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me." He died March 7, 1274.
Comment:
We can look to Thomas Aquinas as a towering example of Catholicism in the sense of broadness, universality and inclusiveness. We should be determined anew to exercise the divine gift of reason in us, our power to know, learn and understand. At the same time we should thank God for the gift of his revelation, especially in Jesus Christ.
Quote:
"Hence we must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he does not need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the truth in all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural knowledge" (Summa Theologiae, I-II, 109, 1).
Please pray the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. For the Salvation of Souls, the ending of Abortion, the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Benedict, Peace,the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the needs and intentions of at least 10 others, and for your nation. 3 million of us praying these prayers daily will have a significant impact for good on the lives of others.
Please read the Free E-Book Covenant of Mercy and Blessing. It is found on the right hand column under the pages section. Feel free to copy it to your computer and share it with as many others as you want. If this site is a blessing to you please share it with at least 10 others and help with our vision of spreading Devotion to the Divine Mercy and Grace of Jesus and helping 3 million new people start praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. Your prayers and gifts are greatly appreciated in this effort. Thanks, Todd
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thoughts for the end of the day
If we truly undstand that He is there in the Host then going to Mass is going to spend time with Jesus and receive His real presence into our body. WOW! Not only that, but in the Mass we receive the Holy Scripture and devote time to prayer. Being Catholic is so much like being an American compared to the rest of the world we are so rich we can not even relate to others in a realistic way.
Daily we have the Mass! How much treasure is in one Mass, how much value is in that very thing we can participate in daily that the rest of the world is starving for? Jesus is there in the Eucharist and in the tabernacle. He is always there for us. It is so nice to know. Please go to Mass soon and be thankful for the opportunity to participate in His Church. God bless, Todd
Please pray the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. For the Salvation of Souls, the ending of Abortion, the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Benedict, Peace,the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the needs and intentions of at least 10 others, and for your nation. 3 million of us praying these prayers daily will have a significant impact for good on the lives of others.
Please read the Free E-Book Covenant of Mercy and Blessing. It is found on the right hand column under the pages section. Feel free to copy it to your computer and share it with as many others as you want. If this site is a blessing to you please share it with at least 10 others and help with our vision of spreading Devotion to the Divine Mercy and Grace of Jesus and helping 3 million new people start praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. Your prayers and gifts are greatly appreciated in this effort. Thanks, Todd
Saint of the Day
St. Angela Merici
(1470?-1540)
Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women.
As a young woman she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order), and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela’s charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.
She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals.
She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.
At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death.
Comment:
As with so many saints, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But we must always presume deep Christian faith and love in one whose courage lasts a lifetime, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands.
Quote:
In a time when change is problematic to many, it may be helpful to recall a statement this great leader made to her sisters: “If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change certain things, do it with prudence and good advice.”
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
Today's Mass Readings
"For the Lord your God is going with you!
He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’"
Deuteronomy 20:4
Today's Mass Readings
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hebrews 10:19-25
Psalm 24:1-6
Mark 4:21-25
Would we wish that our own hidden sins should be divulged? We ought, then, to be silent regarding those of others.
-- St. John Baptist de la Salle
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#27#ixzz1CGIw7NbB
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Today's Saints
Timothy (d. 97?): What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.
Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.
Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.
Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your youth,” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12a.) Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).
Titus (d. 94?): Titus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel: “When I went to Troas...I had no relief in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.... For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears. But God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus...” (2 Corinthians 2:12a, 13; 7:5-6).
When Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out. Paul writes he was strengthened not only by the arrival of Titus but also “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you, as he told us of your yearning, your lament, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.... And his heart goes out to you all the more, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, when you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:7a, 15).
The Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete, charged with organizing it, correcting abuses and appointing presbyter-bishops.
Comment:
In Titus we get another glimpse of life in the early Church: great zeal in the apostolate, great communion in Christ, great friendship. Yet always there is the problem of human nature and the unglamorous details of daily life: the need for charity and patience in “quarrels with others, fears within myself,” as Paul says. Through it all, the love of Christ sustained them. At the end of the Letter to Titus, Paul says that when the temporary substitute comes, “hurry to me.”
Quote:
“But when the kindness and generous love of God our Savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy” (Titus 3:4-8).
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
Today's Mass Readings
Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Memorial)
2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
Psalm 110:1-4
Mark 4:1-20
The good Shepherd lays down his life, says the Lord, that is, his physical life, for His sheep; this he does because of his authority and love. Both in fact, are required: that they should be ruled by him, and that he should love them. The first without the second is not enough. Christ stands out for us as the example of this teaching: if Christ laid down his life for us, so we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
-- St. Thomas Aquinas
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#26#ixzz1CAiSFCeC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Today the conversion of St. Paul
Please pray the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. For the Salvation of Souls, the ending of Abortion, the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Benedict, Peace,the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the needs and intentions of at least 10 others, and for your nation. 3 million of us praying these prayers daily will have a significant impact for good on the lives of others.
Please read the Free E-Book Covenant of Mercy and Blessing. It is found on the right hand column under the pages section. Feel free to copy it to your computer and share it with as many others as you want. If this site is a blessing to you please share it with at least 10 others and help with our vision of spreading Devotion to the Divine Mercy and Grace of Jesus and helping 3 million new people start praying the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross daily. Your prayers and gifts are greatly appreciated in this effort. Thanks, Todd
ST. Paul's Conversion:
Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior.
One sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.
From then on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a).
Paul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them completely new.
So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate.
Quote:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1271
Today's Mass Readings
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle (Feast)
17 I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded. 19 For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I would have you wise as to what is good and guileless as to what is evil; 20 then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Romans 16:17-20
Today's readings
1 John 4:7-10
Psalm 117:1-2
Mark 16:15-18
I no longer desire to live a purely human life. Make this your choice if you yourselves would be chosen.
-- St. Ignatius of Antioch
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#25#ixzz1C4Ymdm6t
The Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle (Feast)
Today's readings
1 John 4:7-10
Psalm 117:1-2
Mark 16:15-18
I no longer desire to live a purely human life. Make this your choice if you yourselves would be chosen.
-- St. Ignatius of Antioch
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#25#ixzz1C4Ymdm6t
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Conversation of the Merciful God with a Sinful Soul
I thought this was good.
The mercy of God, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the voice of the Lord who speaks to us from the throne of mercy: Come to Me, all of you.
Conversation of the Merciful God with a Sinful Soul.(Excerpts from Saint Faustina's Diary)
Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart.
Soul: Lord, I hear your voice calling me to turn back from the path of sin, but I have neither the strength nor the courage to do so.
Jesus: I am your strength, I will help you in the struggle.
Soul: Lord, I recognize your holiness, and I fear You.
Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness (80) does not prevent Me front being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth—the tabernacle—and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace.
Soul: Lord, I doubt that You will pardon my numerous sins; my misery fills me with fright.
Jesus: My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace.
(81) Soul: You have conquered, O Lord, my stony heart with Your goodness. In trust and humility I approach the tribunal of Your mercy, where You yourself absolve me by the hand of your representative. O Lord, I feel Your grace and Your peace filling my poor soul. I feel overwhelmed by Your mercy, O Lord. You forgive me, which is more than I dared to hope for or could imagine. Your goodness surpasses all my desires. And now, filled with gratitude for so many graces, I invite You to my heart. I wandered, like a prodigal child gone astray; but you did not cease to be my Father. Increase Your mercy toward me, for You see how weak I am.
Jesus: Child, speak no more of your misery; it is already forgotten. Listen, My child, to what I desire to tell you. Come close to My wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life whatever your heart desires. Drink copiously from the Fountain of Life and you will not weary on your journey. Look at the splendors of My mercy and do not fear the enemies of your salvation. Glorify My mercy.
http://www.pornnomore.com/Conversations.htm
Saint of the Day- Blessed Mother Marianne Cope
Blessed Mother Marianne Cope
(1838-1918)
Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898).
Mother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world, said Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy, he said, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan, she became their mother.”
On January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family immigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption parish school.
Marianne held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress of her congregation. A natural leader, three different times she was superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, where she learned much that would be useful during her years in Hawaii.
Elected provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50 religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the request was put to the Syracuse sisters, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.
In 1888, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Blessed Damien DeVeuster (d. 1889) had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach.
Awarded the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully. Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work on Molokai.
Mother Marianne died on August 9, 1918.
Today's Mass Readings Sunday 1/23/2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary today- The Resurrection of Jesus, The Ascension of Jesus, The Giving of the Holy Spirit, The Assumption of Mary, The Crowning of Mary Queen of Heaven
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 8:23 -- 9:3
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.
-- St. Rose of Lima
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#23#ixzz1BtKJCf7w
Pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary today- The Resurrection of Jesus, The Ascension of Jesus, The Giving of the Holy Spirit, The Assumption of Mary, The Crowning of Mary Queen of Heaven
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 8:23 -- 9:3
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.
-- St. Rose of Lima
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#23#ixzz1BtKJCf7w
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Christian Unity or Protestant judgement....What is a polite Catholic supposed to do?
5 decades for the necessities and intentions of at least 10 others, peace, the salvation of souls, the ending of abortion, the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy souls in Purgatory, and the spreading of Devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus.
Today's Mass Readings:
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hebrews 7:25 -- 8:6
Psalm 40:7-10, 17
Mark 3:7-12
I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of the hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.
-- St. Paul in his second letter to Timothy (2 Tim 1:6-8)
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#20#ixzz1BbCqAuKT
Today's Homily
see post below this one for the video.
Saint of the day:
(257?-288?)
Nothing is historically certain about St. Sebastian except that he was a Roman martyr, was venerated in Milan even in the time of St. Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way, probably near the present Basilica of St. Sebastian. Devotion to him spread rapidly, and he is mentioned in several martyrologies as early as a.d. 350.
The legend of St. Sebastian is important in art, and there is a vast iconography. Scholars now agree that a pious fable has Sebastian entering the Roman army because only there could he assist the martyrs without arousing suspicion. Finally he was found out, brought before Emperor Diocletian and delivered to Mauritanian archers to be shot to death. His body was pierced with arrows, and he was left for dead. But he was found still alive by those who came to bury him. He recovered, but refused to flee. One day he took up a position near where the emperor was to pass. He accosted the emperor, denouncing him for his cruelty to Christians. This time the sentence of death was carried out. Sebastian was beaten to death with clubs. HE was buried on the Appian Way, close to the catacombs that bear his name.
What to do as a polite Catholic???
It has finally happened, my being Catholic in a family of Protestant's has become an issue. During Christmas we went to Church services with some family members who were offended when my son and I did not go up for communion. My unbelieving realative can go up and partake of the Host and that is OK. It seems strange to me that we are the one's who offend others simply by following our creed. We believe that we can only commune with those who are in full communion with the Church. This offends more Protestants than I ever imagined, they want us to commune with them, but they do not want to share our faith.
For me this is the saddest thing. I joined the Catholic Church believing it is THE CHURCH Jesus founded. We can trace Her history back to the day of Pentecost. All other denominations broke off from someone else. Yet we are the one's who are at fault? Go figure.
As polite Catholics we have to defend ourselves graciously. We must take the ribbing and the sublime persecution graciously and lovingly. Why? Because this is what Jesus did. His family wanted to put Him away as a crazy person and He did not rant or rave about it. He simply went on doing what He was called to do. This site is dedicated to Him and I must follow in His footsteps. I am not at all understanding all of this, yet I know He is faithful and will see to it that everything will work out for His glory. I just wish I could have seen it coming.
I find that every Protestant wants Christian Unity as long as it is their way. None believe we should all be Catholic. Why is that? True Christian Unity must be Catholic. It is the only way it will work. Holy Mother Church does love all of Her children even those who through misguided good intentions split the very church they proclaim to defend. How can you say you love Jesus and not love His Church?
God bless, Todd
Monday, January 17, 2011
Novena for life
Today's Mass Readings:
Monday, January 17, 2011
St. Anthony, Abbot (Memorial)
Hebrews 5:1-10
Psalm 110:1-4
Mark 2:18-22
O Catholic Church, true mother of Christians, you are right in teaching that God should be adored with an entirely chaste and pure heart. You unite all brothers and sisters to one another in a bond of religion that is stronger and closer than ties of blood.
-- St. Augustine
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#17#ixzz1BLlXlsoh
St. Anthony Abbot:
The life of Anthony will remind many people of St. Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.
At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”
At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.
Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at 105.
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1263
Today's Homily
Homily 01-17-2011 - Fr. Joseph Mary - St. Anthony, Abbot (Memorial)
http://www.youtube.com/user/EWTN#p/u/4/4ClIZ5W5tDk
Novena for Life
January 13 - 21
For many years, on Jan. 22, the Marians have celebrated a Mass for Peace and Justice. Now called the Commemorative Mass for Life, it marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade – the decision that legalized abortion.
The gift of life is very special to us Marians. Mary Immaculate, the all pure and Immaculate Mother of Jesus, received the Word of God into her womb as God's Great Mercy for mankind. Thus we Marians ask that all life will never be looked upon as paltry and worthless, but that it will always be known as truly a gift from God, precious beyond all human imaginings — accepted as valuable in all aspects by pure minds and hearts — a gift of God's mercy.
Please join us in offering your prayers — especially this novena of prayers before the Mass for Life — and sacrifices for an end to abortion.
http://www.marian.org/novenas/index.php
National Shrine of The Divine Mercy
The following is the same prayer being said during the Novena at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.
Prayer to End Abortion
Lord God,
I thank You today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my
brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that
destroys more life than abortion.
Yet I rejoice that You have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-live movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Please pray everyday.
God bless, Todd
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